Lincoln's Secretary of War. When a township was formed June 8, 1870, it was named Stanton; however, it was soon changed to Scott and the name of Stanton was left for the town within its borders.

   The first lot in the town of Stanton was purchased by Malcolm Holm.  The first child to be born in Stanton was a son of Malcolm Holm, and he was given the name of Stanton.

   The first marriage was that of Nels Sandberg.

   On may 25, 1870, the Rev. Mr. Halland organized the Mamrelund Lutheran Church with forty-three communicants and thirty-one children. On April 3, 1879, the Mission Covenant church was organized with sixteen members. These two churches remain the only two in Stanton, as well as in Scott Township.

   The first store was built and operated by Petersen and Hogwall on the east side of Main Street.  The post office was also in this building with a few cigar boxes on one of the shelves of the store serving as mail boxes.  Among the early business men were the Swanson brothers, A. M. Swanson, who was the first postmaster and also sold lumber; C. W. Swanson, who operated a grain elevator. Sven E. Johnson, the blacksmith was a very busy man as the services of a blacksmith were always in demand in those days. C. W. Hine was a young doctor in the community and also operated a drug store. 

   Stanton was incorporated as a town in 1882 and E. E. Mercer was made the first Mayor. Among the earliest township officers recorded were C. S. Shaw, clerk; Charles Reed, clerk of election; B. W. Spargur. G. N. Cady and Samuel Walker, trustees and F. Bishop, assessor.

   As in all pioneer communities one of the problems was that of the roving herds of cattle.  In 1870 a law was passed which made the owner responsible for his herds. There was no barbed wire available and board fences were too expensive.  The pioneers soon planted the Osage Orange hedge for fences.          

  Sunday, June 13, 1875, is remembered as the day when a huge scourge of grasshoppers blackened the sky and suddenly came to rest on the earth. In three days they had eaten away all crops and everything else available. Their destruction complete, they flew away.

 Although many hardships beset these pioneers, they kept in mind those less fortunate than they. An example of this is the building of a children's Home one and one-half miles south of Stanton.  It was dedicated in 1881.  It was maintained by the Iowa conference of the Augustana Synod during its 50 years of existence.

   From its humble beginning, Scott township has developed into a community of hard-working, honest folk, mostly of Swedish extraction.  Although the pioneer days have long since passed, the people of Stanton and of Scott township still cling to many of  the traditions handed down to them by their forefathers.

One of Stanton's early business establishments.  Standing: Joe Swanson, Myrtle Foy Focht, Maude Johnson, Fred Olson, August Johnson, August Rydbeck.   Last three standing are not identified. Sitting on box: F. A. (Biddy) Vetter. Sitting on sidewalk: Fred Sandin and Teddy Danborn.