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Chief Poweshiek

State of Iowa

Poweshiek County

Early Poweshiek County Courthouse

Chester	Sheridan	Madison	Jefferson
Grant	Malcom	Bear Creek	Warren
Washington	Pleasant	Scott	Lincoln
Sugar Creek	Union	Jackson	Deep River

 

Lincoln Township

Lincoln Township was taken from parts of Warren and Deep River townships, which had earlier been part of Bear Creek. It was organized January 4, 1861, at the home of Robert McWilliams, receiving its name from President Lincoln at the suggestion of the Hon. John Moore.  Families from Ohio, New York and Illinois initially settled it. The earliest settler was Jonathan Harklerode in 1849, followed by other transient settlers. The first permanent settler in Lincoln Township was Milo Morgan in 1852, followed by Joseph B. Robertson from Ohio in 1854, James Barker from Ohio in 1855, J.B. Forby from Albany, New York in 1855, George L. Bramer from New York in 1855 and Captain Phillips from New York in 1856. Others who came prior to the formal organization were Andrew Layton, Corydon Barker, James Hillman, Patrick Gallagher, Cyrenus Rice, Charley Phillips, Robert McWilliams, D.J. Wherry, John W. Wherry, Hugh Cannon, James Cannon and Nicholas Grider.

 The first marriage in Lincoln Township was that of Samuel J. Robertson to Mary Jan McAllister on September 4, 1853. The second was of Milo Morgan to Susannah Robertson, July 31, 1856. The first death was that of George Robertson, who died September 4, 1853 at the age of ten months, who was also the first born in the township. Edgar Hillman, son of Mr. & Mrs. James Hillman was born June 11, 1857.

The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad wound through the township, passing through the town of Guernsey. It was built largely to transport coal from the coalfields near Albia to Belle Plaine and beyond in the north. As many as eighteen coal trains a day passed through in the late 1880s.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

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Comments or suggestions may be sent  to Webmaster Shelley Cranston  Last updated Wednesday, August 16, 2000