 Chief Poweshiek |
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 Poweshiek
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Early Poweshiek County
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Sheridan Madison Malcom Bear Creek Warren Washington Pleasant Scott Sugar Creek Union Jackson
Washington Township
The area of Washington Township was purchased from the Sac and Fox Tribes in 1842. The current township was formed in April 1852, but originally it incorporated Grant, Chester and part of Sheridan, Malcom and Pleasant Townships.
The first settler is thought to be William McNabb who entered land in October 1848. He settled in a location that became known as Blue Point. The George Beeler and Robert Carpenter families soon followed. The first church was built at Blue Point.
A second community called Westfield was formed near Lattimer’s Tavern, and now is part of Grant (formerly Grinnell) Township.
One of the oldest churches is the Friends Church on Sugar Creek at the western border of the township. A cemetery was built there, then moved a way up the hill, but some burials remain at the old location. The Blue Point Union Christian Church was built in 1869. Another church was built at Oak Grove.
Jacob Switch was another settlement, settled by people from Illinois, in the northeastern part of the township. Two railroads were built in the township: The Iowa Central in 1870 from north to south, and the Grinnell-Montezuma Railroad in 1875. Oak Grove was on the Iowa Central line and Jacobs Switch on the Grinnell-Montezuma line.
