This township was first settled by Mormons who were a part of the great exodus from Nauvoo. They made claims and, after staying one year, nearly all sold out to Gentiles, who came after them, or abandoned them.

The first man to open a stage station between Wheeler's Grave and Council Bluffs was a Mr. Gardner, and this was the only one between the two points. He soon sold out to a Mr. Moore and moved on with the Mormons to Salt Lake. In 1854 John Bratton bought out Mr. Moore, and for three years longer there was a stage route through here, though a postoffice that had been kept here was discontinued when Mr. Moore removed from this point.

The first settler that came with the intention of staying was Pleasant Taylor, but when the stage route was changed, he followed it and established a station farther north on the same stream that has been known ever since as Taylor Station.

John Bratton was the second permanent settler, a native of Pennsylvania, but came from Ohio here. He was an excellent citizen, was for a time a member of the first board of supervisors when that body superseded the county judge in county affairs. He finally went to Silver City in Mills county.

The first schoolhouse was at this station, it being a log cabin with a turf roof, and the first teacher was Miss Maggie Weirich, of Council Bluffs. This was in 1857. In 1861 a frame schoolhouse was erected, also a church. In 1860 a Protestant Methodist church was organized with seven members, but without any regular pastor. Jason Parker was the first justice of the peace. The first marriage was between George E. Smith and Mrs. Clarrissa Wheeling. The first child born in the township was a son to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Wells. Mrs. Bratton attended the birth of the child. She followed the profession of midwife for all that section of the country for years, and her husband that of a preacher. The first death of an adult was that of Mrs. Margaret Piles in August, 1857. An infant of hers died in July of the same year, and both were buried near the station.

During the Pike's Peak excitement the station was a lively point, from sixty to seventy teams would pass through daily. In 1856 five hundred Mormon emigrants passed through on the stage road with hand carts, not a single horse in the entire outfit. They seemed to feel happy and not to realize the terrible journey before them.

A terrible tragedy occurred in this township in the summer of 1875; Jordan Clark, a man nearly sixty years old moved into the township some

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years before and opened up a farm. From the same neighborhood in Illinois came a man named Joab Stoves and his wife. During the winter of '74 and spring of '75 a clandestine correspondence sprang up between Clark and Mrs. Stoves. Stoves intercepted an incriminating letter, and some effort was made for reconciliation, but without effect. Stoves shot Clark, killing him instantly. He was tried and acquitted on the plea of emotional insanity. After this, Stoves and his wife became reconciled and lived together and returned to Illinois.

The first schoolhouse was erected on section 32, near the residence of John Vankirk. In 1882 one was completed at a cost of $1,200.

The first road was the stage road already mentioned. This was changed to a line three miles further north. This mainly in the interest of the Western Stage Company. The first ,county road was what was called the Living Springs road, the bridge built mainly at private expense, the heavy timbers being donated by Macedonia citizens, 'Who wished to have the use of it.

The religious interests were mainly in one church organization. In 1878 W. H. Hartman, of Glenwood, Mills county, organized a branch of the Christian church at schoolhouse No.3, what is known as the Pontius schoolhouse, but afterwards in 1881 it was changed to the Silver Center schoolhouse, as the greater number of the members lived nearer to this point.

The settlement of this township was not as rapid as those reached by railroad, still there was a constant influx of inhabitants, but not until 1905 did it have a town of its own, when the town of Treynor was incorporated. Situated in the extreme northwest corner, it commands a large part of the trade of not only Silver Creek, but also of Hardin, Keg Creek and Washington townships.

Among its business institutions are the Treynor Savings Bank, two general stores, one furniture and implement house, one drug store, one livery barn and two saloons. It has a full set of city officers, to-wit: Mayor, Ferdinand Schoening; clerk, T. P. Carter; marshal, Fred Schrade, with six aldermen. It also has two churches (German Lutheran) and an independent public school, with an attendance of forty pupils.

The township organization is as follows: Trustees, Perry Kearney, Julius Strohbehn and J. G. Moss; clerk, F. W. Ouren; justices of the peace, Jurgen Jensen and Henry Parker; constables, none; assessor, C. E. Springer.

The subdistrict school directors are as follows: Pleasant Valley-President, F. M. Smith; secretary, Perry Kearney; treasurer, W. A. Allensworth. Sucksdorf-President, F. H. Schultz; secretary, P. N. Sucksdorf; treasurer, Jurgen Heesch. Silver Center-President., George A. Stevens; secretary, Herman Schnepel; treasurer, August Dammrow. Lone Star-President, John Trade; secretary, John Clark; treasurer, G. W. Kauke. Valley-President, James T. Fox; secretary, I. H. Stevens; treasurer, J. G. Moss. Living Springs-President, A.T. Rains; secretary, F. W. Ouren; treasurer, Henry Anderson.

The school population, according to the state census of 1905, exclusive of town of Treynor, was two hundred and fourteen, of which one hundred and sixteen were males and ninety-eight females.

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VALLEY TOWNSHIP AND HANCOCK.

The petition for organizing this township was signed by W. F. Traver and one hundred and sixty other legal voters, and, after a full hearing, it was ordered that the township should comprise congressional township 76, range 39.

The first election was held at what is known as the Acker schoolhouse on the 8th of October, 1878, and one hundTed and twenty-six votes were cast. The elected officers were: Judges, W. C. Barton, James Livingston and H. C. Hough; clerks, A. M. Battelle and W. H. Benjamin.

The trustees chosen were: W. C. Barton, S. Armstrong and S. D. Acker; clerk, R. M. White; assessor, R. D. Ballard.

Among the oldest settlers was A. M. Battelle, who came in 1855, when he crossed the state from Keokuk with a wagon, taking two weeks to make the trip. His household goods were shipped by river from Wheeling, W. Va., around by St. Louis to Council Bluffs. The road from Keokuk led through Ottumwa, Eddyville and Afton. Afton had been located, but not a house had been built. He found three almost impassable sloughs about ten miles south of Lewis and persuaded a man who was breaking prairie to help him. He had to carry his wife and children across, as it was all the oxen could do to get the wagon through. Winter set in early and snow fell to a great depth and for weeks settlers were compelled to live on hominy and venison, of which latter there was plenty, as deer were easy to capture, O1wing to the deep snow.

At last an old trader went with two yoke of oxen to Council Bluffs for food for the settlement, and was two weeks on the trip. He got stalled in a drift within two miles of home, but settlers helped him out and he arrived safely, and sold his flour for $6 per hundred. No mail could be had nearer than the Bluffs.

Joseph Headley, another old settler, was born in Pennsylvania in 1826, came to Iowa in 1841, and settled within the present limits of Valley township in 1852. He came in a wagon with his wife and made a log cabin his first home. His nearest milling point was Glenwood, Mills county, forty miles away.

The first winter or two were severe. Wages were but fifty cents; per day and corn $3 per bushel, the few settlers lived mostly on corn bread and game, and when they did raise wheat and market it, after hauling it forty miles, they were compelled to sell it for fifty cents per bushel. The religious matters of the township have been liberally provided far. The Knox Presbyterian church was .organized March 23, 1873, by Rev. N. C. Robinson, with eight original members, consisting of Robinson and wife, Thomas Daal and wife, James Service and wife, Mary Ray and Sarah Birney. The first pastor was the Rev. Andrew Herron, of Atlantic. New Hope Baptist church was constituted in 1875 by the Rev. E. Birch, who was the first pastor. There were thirteen members. Many members having moved away, the church was abandoned in 1879.

The United Brethren church was organized by Rev. Mr. Adams in 1875.

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The M. P. church of Valley township was organized in 1879 by Rev. B. F. Poorman. The society or order of A. H. T. A. was represented by lodge No. 95 and constituted in the spring of 1879. H. Cook was the worthy president; Emerson Smith, secretary, and Joseph Moore, treasurer.

The Carson branch of the Rock Island railroad was completed and put in operation in the summer of 1880. The same summer F. H. Hancock, of Davenport, who owned the land now constituting the townsite, laid out the town. Samuel Armstrong built the first house, beginning it in October, 1880, and C. W. Newman opened a coal yard about the same date, and near that time he established a blacksmith shop.

The first store was erected by B. F. Stevenson, in the grocery business, but it was soon transferred to E. Kinney & Co. F. H. Hancock began buying grain in December, 1880, and in two years bought and shipped 325,000 bushels of corn. His elevator was finished in June, with a capacity of 25,000 bushels.

The first lumber sold was by Seiffert & Wiese to W. H. Benjamin, June 3, 1881, the first day of opening their yard. G. Deidrich, mayor of Avoca, started a general store in October, 1881. Battelle & Bavan opened a saloon and .also engaged in buying hogs. Whismand & Archer opened a general store. The Anderson Bros. opened a saloon and restaurant, and A. A. Anderson opened a meat market, and Dr. C. Hardman and Brother a drug store, and Samuel Armstrong opened a hotel. W. H. Patterson opened a law office, W. S. Williams was postmaster; I. G. Carter, constable; Henry Carter, drayman; J. Reed, carpenter; Paul Reed and Ira Cook, plasterers.

The town had at that time over one hundred persons.
The Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1874, but was known as the Valley church. The pastor was Rev. William Armstrong. It had seven original members, I. G. Carter and wife, W. H. Clements and wife, Mrs. Martha Reed, Mrs. Ira Cook and Mrs. Andrew Carrier. They had also a Sunday school of which W. W. Whipple was superintendent.

Valley Lodge, No. 439, I. O. O. F., was instituted December 9, 1881.

The first officers were Samuel Bell, N. G.; A. H. Whittaker, V. G.; W. S. Williams, permanent secretary; Fairfield Thayer, recording secretary, and William Converse, treasurer.

At the present time the town of Hancock has three hundred inhabitants. It has two elevators, the Des Moines, with J. C. Lake, manager, and the South Branch, with W. R. Stevenson, manager; three general stores, one hardware and implement store, one furniture and one drug store, one hotel, one livery stable, one bank, two blacksmith and machine shops, two churches, Methodist and Presbyterian, graded school, with principal and two assistants, one harness shop, one jewelry store, barber shop, one machine shop, one meat market that does its own killing, one opera house, two lumber yards; one cement block works and one cannery.

The Odd Fellows and Modern Woodmen each have a lodge.

The present township trustees are: L. C. Hannah, Thomas Green and

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J. H. King; clerk, H. M. Eagers; justices of the peace, N. A. Lindsey and M. H. Anderson; assessor, R. J. Coe; no constable qualified.

According to the state census of 1905, there were in Valley township, exclusive of Hancock, two hundred and twenty-nine of school age, of which one hundred and twenty were males, and one hundred and nine females. In the town of Hancock there were ninety, of which forty-seven were males and forty-three females.

The school board is as follows: President, S. R. Searle; secretary, Albert Peterson; treasurer, J. W. Warner.

On September 1, 1906, August Kruger, an elderly man, suddenly became insane, and from his porch commenced shooting at passersby with a shotgun, and it was not until several were wounded, as well as Kruger himself, that he could be subdued. He was at last overpowered, and, after his wounds were dressed, taken to Avoca for further treatment.

WRIGHT TOWNSHIP.

Wright is a full congressional township, being township No. 75, range 38. It is drained by Walnut creek that bisects it running south. There is but little native timber, except in the southeast corner on the East Botna. The land is of the best quality, like that of the adjoining townships. The first house built was by a squatter named Campbell. He had a wife and two daughters, and for a long time his house was the only stopping place an the road to Wheeler's Grove.

The first death was that of a child of that family. It is thought they finally went to Missouri.

Owing to its distance from water or railroad transportation the country was slow in settling up. The first marriage was that of Henry Shank and Sophronia Dean in-April, 1858. The first birth, of which note is made, was that of Jessie Van Ripper (now Mrs. Wright) May 8, 1858.

Levi Mills built a house far a tavern on the northwest quarter of section 22, which was later kept by Mr. Whipple as a station far the Western Stage Company on their route from Des Moines to Council Bluffs. To the west of Whipple Station J. B. Delay established a small store, and a postoffice was authorized at the same place, known as Whipple.

Alexander Evans bought a claim of land and its improvements in 1855 from Granville Pearson and thus became the second settler in the township. Of the old settlers who came in '55, were Amos West, Edward Dean and Charles Fenner; in '56, William Van Ripper and Samuel Place, and in '57, L. A. Burnham. Samuel Place settled on section 36. He enlisted in the Union army and died in the service. Levi Mills was a native of Ohio, by vocation a hotelkeeper. The house he built here was of native timber and the shingles were rived and shaved. He went to California before '60 and died there. Amos West was barn in Bristol county, Mass., and died in Wright township, April 30, 1880.

The religious interest was represented by the Whipple class, which was

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organized by Rev. Mr. Adair in August, 1872, with the following members: Henry W. Rarey and wife and Mrs. S. J. Weaver. The following spring Mrs. J. N. Bell, Mrs. Charles Mathews, Mrs. Sarah Mathews, James McGinnis, Mrs. Nancy McGinnis, Mrs. M. P. Black, William Morford, Mrs. Susan Morford, Mrs. Eli Clayton and Mrs. Helen Baxter joined the class.

The first school attended by the children of the township was taught by Harriet Howard in a log cabin on the southeast quarter of section 2.

The first building erected for school purposes was in subdistrict No.7 and was called the Dean schoolhouse. The lumber for this house was wagoned from Boone on the Northwestern railroad in 1866. The desks were made of native walnut. Georgianna Hardenberg was the first teacher in the new building and later became the wife of Warren Dean.

Wright township, having no railroad or town of its own, and, consequently, no saloons, there is but small material from which to make history. But of one thing we are assured, its splendid soil produces the best kind of men and women, as well as all the crops adapted to this latitude. Among the men we might mention Mr. James Boiler, Mr. B. G. Auld, Mr. J. R. Scofield as representative men, as well as Mr. Allen Bullis, who, by the way, is by far the best looking member of the honorable board of supervisors.

The present township officers consist of the following persons: C. W. Forrestall, N. Sucksdorf and Jackson Lewis, trustees; M. L. Northrup, clerk; Isaac Spiker and Cyrus Boiler, justices of the peace; H. W. Rarey, assessor. No constable appears to be needed, as no one has qualified.

The school board is constituted as follows: President, George H. Mathis; secretary, N. R. Graham; treasurer, F. A. Burnham.

According to the state census of 1905) there were two hundred and twenty-eight persons in the township of school age) of which one hundred and seven were males and one hundred and twenty-one were females.

Salary of teachers is $40 and $35 for first and second grades respectively.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP.

Washington township was organized as a civil township from the territory comprising congressional township 75, range 41, on petition of C. W. Brown and others. It is situated east of Council Bluffs. The name of Washington was given at the instance of Jerome Turner, a farmer, and long resident of the township. There were but sixteen votes cast at the first election. The first road out after the township was organized was what was known as the Wasson road, from Nishnabotna to a point near the old Parks mill, three miles from Council Bluffs. The township is rolling prairie with but little native timber. The old stage road used to run through it, and its first station was at the house of Pleasant Taylor. He was the first settler. He also built the first mill. The first schoolhouse was built by Jerome Turner and the first teacher was Miss Pile.

Soon after the first schoolhouse was built a Sunday school was organized at that point. The first sermon preached was by Elder Galliday, of Council Bluffs.

Carnegie Library, Council Bluffs
(click on image for larger size)

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The next settler was F. A. Burke, an old time steamboatman from the Monongahela country in Pennsylvania. He soon moved to Council Bluffs where he reared a large family. He was elected justice of the peace, which office held for two or three terms and for a great number of years was city recorder. He was a prominent Odd Fellow and always was a man of strictest integrity. His eldest son was the first to make the Council Bluffs Nonpareil a daily. Another son went to California and became a journalist, and the third, a lawyer, reached the head of his profession at the Pottawattamie county bar.

Jerome and Charles Turner came soon after, and for years these were the only settlers. The settlement of this township was slow, there being no railroad near.

The first settlers in their order were Pleasant Taylor, Jerome Turner, Charles Turner, James A. Taylor, F. A. Burke, T. B. Mathews, J. B. Mathews and A. F. Carter.

The first election was held October 11, 1870. P. B. Mathews, James Taylor and B. M. Weak were chosen trustees; J. B. Mathews, clerk, and B. M. Weak and W. L. Wassom, justices of the peace.

In December, 1877, after attending a religious meeting- at the Taylor Station schoolhouse, two young men named Geo. W. Briggs and Wm. Martin got into a quarrel in which the latter stabbed Briggs through the heart, instantly killing him. In the trial Martin claimed to be acting in self defense and was found not guilty.

This township labors under the disadvantage of having no railroad connection, and consequently no town of its own, but with the best of soil and an enterprising set of farmers, it has made great progress. From the little school first taught by Miss Piles in 1859 they have grown to nine subdistricts, with good schoolhouses, and, according to the state census of 1905, there were two hundred and thirty-eight persons of school age, of which one hundred and twenty-four were males and one hundred and fourteen were females. The salary of teachers is $40 and $35 per month for first and second class respectively.

The present board of directors is as follows: President, T. J. R. Turner; secretary, J. H. Turner; treasurer, F. W. Pierce. This being strictly an agricultural community without a railroad or town, there is but little for the historian to record, but to one having visited this township forty years ago, on returning now, would be struck with admiration by the changed conditions.

The good farm houses, improved roads and fine artificial groves mark the presence of an industrious and progressive people.

The present township officers are as follows: Trustees, C. W: Forrestall, N. Sucksdorf and Jackson Lewis; clerk, F. W. Pierce; justices of the peace, W. F. Lyman and Zeph Thomas; constables, none qualified; assessor, Harry Holst.

Among other prominent citizens we might mention G. W. Killian, J. K. Annis and J. H. Turner.

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HISTORY OF POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY

WAVELAND TOWNSHIP.

Waveland township is situated in the extreme southeastern part of the county. It is bounded on the north by Wright township, east by Cass county, south by Montgomery county, and west by Grove township, and organized in 1850.

The petition for its organization by mistake was made to include what is now Grove and Center townships, and at the election that year the mistake was rectified in a proper application and duly approved by the county authorities. It was originally called Walnut Creek, after the stream that passes from north to south through it a little west of its center. It is well watered by that stream, and by the Jordan, that passes through the northwest corner, and the East Botna, that drains the eastern part of the township.

The first election was held in 1855, and the following officers were elected: Ed. Dean, John Wilson and Wm. Mewhirter, trustees; Frederick Mewhirter, justice of the peace; Frank Hostetter, constable, and Wm. McCartney; assessor.

The first marriage was that of Levi Smith and Miss Sara Wilson in the fall of '59. The first birth that of Wm. Black and the first death that of Zolphis Williams in September, 1854.
The first mill of any kind was a sawmill, constructed by a man named Davenport, who afterward moved off. The second sawmill was built on the west bank of the river by Isaac Bobb on section 13 in 1867.

The first school was taught by a Mrs. Warrin in her own house on section 13 in 1857, and the second by Mary Ann Hackin in an old log house in the same section in 1859. The first public schoolhouse was erected in 1861.
From these have sprung, by the year 1901, eight good comfortable schoolhouses in the township.

A postoffice was established at the Mewhirter bridge across the Botna, but later was moved.

The first ten settlers who came to Waveland in '54, '55, '56 and '57 were Granville Pierson, Joseph Pierson, W. P. Black, Johnson Brandon, Wm. and Frederick Mewhirter, all in 1854. George Boyer, Peter Cocklin and John Wilson in '55 and John Flint in 1857. These came over the old Mormon trail and built log cabins with turf roofs until they could do better. These settlers were compelled to go to Stutsman's mill or to Iranistan in Cass county for their milling.

The first bridge built was over Walnut creek on the Walnut Creek and Wheeler's Grove road, and the first road laid out was the one leading from Lewis, Cass county, to Sidney, Fremont county.

A distressing tragedy was enacted in this township in August, 1876, resulting in the death of Dr. J. H. Hatton, residing a few miles from Waveland postoffice in Cass county. Dr. Hatton had been the family physician of Frederick Mewhirter and as such had attended on Mrs. Mewhirter at childbirth, in which Mr. Mewhirter accused the doctor with malpractice,

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resulting in permanent injury to that lady. A suit was brought in the court of Cass county and the decision of the court was against the doctor. An appeal was taken to the supreme court, and during the pending of its decision Mewhirter waylaid the doctor while he was riding along the highway by shooting which proved fatal.

Mr. Mewhirter came to Council Bluffs and surrendered himself to Sheriff Doughty and was admitted to bail. When death ensued he was rearrested, and on a hearing had before Judge Reed was committed to jail on a charge of murder in the first degree. The trial came on in the December term of the district court at Council Bluffs. The ground of the defense was emotional insanity from brooding over supposed wrongs done to his wife by the deceased Dr. Hatton.

After a long and well contested trial he was found guilty of murder in the first degree and sentence pronounced by Judge Reed, from which appeal was taken to the supreme court in which the judgment of the court below was affirmed. A civil action was also brought in which a judgment for $5,500 was obtained.

This towship, having no town within its borders, its trade is mostly with Griswold. Farming is the principal business and the people are generally prosperous, stock raising being largely engaged in. Fruit raising has received considerable attention with fair success. Artificial groves also relieve the monotony of the prairie as well as "temper the wind to the shorn lambs." There are two churches in the township, both Presbyterian. No tragedies have ocourred since the sad occurrence of Dr. Hatton's death many years ago. The innocent cause of this recovered and is living, while Mr. Mewhirter died in prison some years ago.

Among prominent men of the township might be named J. K. Murcheson, John Christian, Mr. Miller McCoy and a host of others.

The old days of following trails along the divides has passed away and good roads and bridges are the order now.

The present township officers are as follows: Trustees, L. C. Hannah, Thos. Grover and J. H. King; clerk, H. M. Egers; assessor, J. H. Watson; justices of the peace, Sol. Cederman and J. K. Murcheson. No constable qualified.
According to state census of 1905 there were two hundred and thirty-four persons of school age, of which one hundred and eighteen were males and one hundred and sixteen females.

The school board was constituted as follows: President, N. S. Collins; secretary, C. M. Potter; treasurer, John Flint.

Salaries of teachers, $38 and $33 for first and second grades respectively.

YORK TOWNSHIP.

York is a full congressional township, being, according to United States survey, township 76 north, in range 41 west. It is bounded on the north by Minden, east by James, south by Washington and west by Norwalk townships. The eastern portion is drained by Middle Silver creek, the central

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by Little Silver and the western by Keg creek and its tributaries. It is mostly prairie of the same fertility as the adjoining townships, while the groves of native timber are along the water courses and consisting of lime, walnut, red elm, white elm, hickory, hackberry, burr oak and red oak. The largest grove is on Keg creek and also the old state road, called the Ballard road. In the early days no one ever thought to settle anywhere but in or by a grove. In fact, it was compulsory. Now, since the railroads bring coal the groves have a chance to grow, and in many places the farmers' artificial groves furnish fuel sufficient for their use.

In the early times when wood was scarce, and some farmers burned corn, the writer asked one if it did not seem wicked to burn corn when so many mouths needed it. He replied that it was just as uncomfortable to be cold as to be hungry, and moreover, if I would bring him a load of coal, he would give me one of corn, and further, he said he could raise a crop of corn in a year, while it required ten or fifteen to raise a grove. There was some logic in this at that time, but it is to be hoped the necessity for this has passed.

The first settlers of York township were Elam Meekham, N. Holman, Wm. Champlain, Alex Clough, Henry Rishton, Sr., D. T. Jones, Lewis Beard, Ratford Dewey, Joel German, John Ingram and West Ingram. These gentlemen settled between and including the years of 1848 and 1857.

The name of Mr. Dewey recalls an incident in which he had a part more than forty-two years ago. The occasion was the draft in November, 1864. If any one was present from the county or township to be drawn upon he was invited to draw. York had to furnish one or two and Mr. Dewey, being present, was invited and drew his awn son.

The first schoolhouse was built by the settlers at their own expense. It was a little log cabin twelve by fourteen feet, with two windows, had good strong rafters, and on these was put fir brush so thick as to hold earth, which was put on to the depth of eight or ten inches. It had a puncheon floor and slab benches. The first term was taught by Miss Harriet Perry in the winter of 1858-9, and the second term in the summer of '59 and taught by Miss Adalaide Clough. It seems that at that early day school-marms were in demand for more occupations than one, as Miss Perry was married in '59 and Miss Clough in '60. If the memory of the writer is correct it was not far from this time that Mr. Wm. Maxfield was married to Miss Rishton.
By the year 1881 the schools had increased as follows: Number of
subdistricts, seven; ungraded schools, seven; months taught, eight; teachers employed, male one, female seven; pupils of school age, males one hundred and thirty-six, females one hundred and twenty-four; schoolhouses, frame, eight, value $4,800.

Joseph Champlain was the first white child born in the township.
Among the early settlers was Benjamin Minturn, a good citizen, and
possessed of a reasonable amount of property, but unfortunately became involved in a lawsuit with a man named Pierson, who was similarly situated, and, both being stubborn, managed to keep their case in court until both

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estates were entirely consumed in court costs and lawyers' fees, Pierson finally becoming a county charge. This is strange, but still abler men have exhausted fortunes in the same way.

This township had no town or railroad connection until 1903, when the Great Western cut through the northwest corner, but this being so close to Bently it is hardly probable a town will be started here. However, prosperity has favored the citizens here as elsewhere, and an old timer, on returning, after an absence of twenty years would hardly recognize the places once so familiar to him. The old settlers have mostly passed away, but the world is better for their having lived, and now a part of their children in turn are opening up other homes nearer the setting sun.

The schools have grown since 1881 from seven to nine, and aocording to the state census of 1905 there were two hundred and fifty-eight persons of school age, of which one hundred and thirty-seven were males and one hundred and twenty-one were females.

The board of directors are: President, Godfrey Elsabush; secretary, M. Minehan; treasurer, George Kadel.

The township officers are as follows: Trustees, John Ring, H. J. Geise and Calvin Maurer; clerk, Uriah McLean; justices of the peace, W. J. Miller and Mike Minehan; constable, no one qualified, consequently office is vacant; assessor, August Geise.