se ¼ sec. 28, 85-23 ; James C. Smith on SW ¼ sec. 18 ; Jonah Griffith on SW ¼ sec. 19 ; Isaac Blades on se ¼ sec. 30, all in 85-23 ; Joseph Brouhard on sec. 6, ne¼ Milford township, at Spring Grove ; H. L. Boyes above Spring Grove, on Bear Creek, in Howard Township. The third corps of settlers that came in 1854, were N. N. Sheffield, La Count Lambert, the man who built the first house at Story City (formerly Fairview). The house was made by setting four crotches in the ground and covering with prairie grass and siding up with quilts and carpeting. About this time Geo. W. Sowers, a Mr. Brown and others came in, Mr. Brown building the first water-power saw-mill in this part of the county ; it was north and east of the artesian well at Story City, It never sawed but very little as the fall of water was not sufficient to give power to the water-wheel. From 1855 to 1857 will include most of the early settlers, some of whom, in '55 were John .James, Samuel Bates, James McGee, Hiram Ferguson, R. W. Ballard, and others.
" One incident in Iowa I shall not forget : I had been here ten days, and living in my wagon, I was warned out to work the highway which I thought made a citizen of me too soon. About this time J. C. Smith contemplated building a grist-mill, and, in the spring of 1856, commenced the work and had it in running order in November following. Now this was not a patent roller flouring mill,—I would not have you think it was not a flouring mill. To us it was a convenience not enjoyed by every community, for they came long distances to it. It was a water mill run by the water of Long Dick Creek one-half mile above its mouth. Its dimensions were about 16x20 feet, built of logs one-story high, roof made of shakes or clap-boards, as some call them. The burrs were made from boulders found on the prairie, and would grind from five to twelve bushels per day, owing to what condition the dam and water were in, the dam being very difficult to keep in repair, consequently the first year was not a very successful year for the owner, yet it would crack two kernels of corn into three for one of them, after paying from $1.00 to $1.50 per bushel for the corn in the ear, providing yourself and team would work on the mill dam a day or during the time they were grinding your grist. Such were the privileges of the pioneers. During the year there was an influx of immigration. Our friends and neighbors, the Norwegians, came in, viz: Jonas Duea, Paul Thompson, Mons C. Grove, E. R. Sheldall and others, and in the meantime there had been a small store started at Fairview by one Jennis, and a steam saw-mill by a Mr. House. The mill remained but a short time, perhaps two or three months. It left between two days. Late in the year, or early in 1857, the post-office was established at Fairview. Frederick W. Rhoads was the first postmaster.
"Henry Burham was the first justice of the peace in this part of the county. Noah Harding, township clerk. In the year 1858 he was a candidate again, myself the opposing candidate (he not want-