WARREN TOWNSHIP

This township is one of the most wealthy and populous of the county, having, according to the census of 1880, a population of 1,073. Since its first organization it has been reduced from nine miles north and south by six east and west, to the regular congressional township size. It is somewhat broken through the center, on Bear Creek, but elsewhere it is smooth and excellent farming land. The bottom lands along Bear Creek have an exceedingly deep and productive soil. The Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad runs along Bear Creek, very near the center of the township, and although there is no depot within its borders, yet Victor and Brooklyn are so near, the former on the east and the latter on the west, that those benefited by a railroad have here all that reason can ask. In the north the people have a fine church, good school-houses, and well cultivated farms. In the south the land is gently rolling, and well adapted for stock-raising and crops. Some of the dwellings here are elegant, furnished with adornment of shade trees and cultivated flowers. There are two churches near the township line, one a Methodist and the other a Moravian Church. Schools are so situated that every family possesses advantages unsurpassed for receiving an education. Three churches and ten school-houses attest the growth and prosperity of the citizens. In the fall of 1879 there were 203 votes cast for the State ticket. Besides vast amounts of corn and grain raised last year, the farmers had on hand 2,659 swine, 685 horses, 20 mules, and 1,869 cattle.

The character and thrift of the farmers in Warren township is worthy the imitation of all.

The first settler in Warren township was Henry Snook, who settled on section 22. He went to Texas, and is now dead. Among the other earliest settlers were, Wm. Scott, William 0. Melvin—who came from Ohio, and in the spring of 1850 settled on section 8—Mr. Melvin died in March, 1855. Jesse Gwin, Edward Griswold, Robert Manatt, Jr., Austin Felton, J. A. King, Samuel Drummond, R. C. Shimer, Thos. Fry, John Gwin, and John Manatt, were other early settlers. The first public religious services were held in the house of Edward Griswold, in the winter of 1852, on section 28, and was conducted by Rev. Strange Brooks, a Methodist minister.

Mrs. S. Brock did the first weaving of carpets about 1854.

The first school-house was built by Reuben Scholes, on section 22. It was a frame building, and cost about $300. James Goodnough, a boy of fifteen, on January 19,1863, accidentally shot and killed his younger brother of two years, while fixing his gun. The little child stood by his mother's knee when it received the contents of the gun in its side. The husband of the heart-stricken mother was at the front in the Union army.

It will be seen from the following order of court, that Warren formerly contained one-half of Lincoln.

"State Of Iowa

"Poweshiek County County Court, March Term, 1855

"Whereas, at a county court held at the court-house in the town of Montezuma, on Monday, the 5th day of March, 1855, Warren township was ordered to be organized, embracing the following described territory: Commencing at the northeast corner of township No. 80 north, range No. 13 west, and running thence west on said township line to tho northwest corner, thence south to the southwest corner of section No. 18, in township No. 79 north, range 13 west, thence east to county line between counties of Poweshiek and Iowa, thence north along said county line to the place of starting. And it was further ordered by the court, that the first election in said township be held at the school-house on the land of A. S. Ross, on the first Monday in April next.

"In testimony whereof, Ihave hereunto subscribed ray name and affixed my seal at Montezuma this 9th day of March, A. D. 1855.

" Charles G. Adams,

"County Clerk."

"State of Iowa,

"Poweshiek County.

"The State of Iowa to Mr. Edward Griswold, Greeting:

"You are hereby commanded to proceed to the organization of Warren township by posting up copies of the accompanying notice in three of the most public places in said township, at least fifteen days before the day of said election, and fail not under the penalty of the law.

"Witness Richard B. Ogden, County Judge in and for said county, with the seal thereof affixed, this 9th day of March, 1855.

" R. B. Ogden,

"County Judge."

"Notice.

"There will be an election held at the school-house on the land of A. S. Ross, in Warren township, Poweshiek county, Iowa, for the election of a Commissioner and Register of Des Moines River Improvement, one County Surveyor, two Justices of Peace, two Constables, three township Trustees, one Clerk, one Assessor and as many Supervisors as there are districts in said township, also a vote taken by ballot for and against the prohibitory liquor law.

"By Order of the County Court."

At the first election, held in the Ross school-house the 2d day of April, 1855, the following officers were elected, there being 42 votes cast:

County Surveyor, Lewis H. Smith; Township Trustees, Robert Manatt, Jr., Isaac Drake, Samuel Druramond; Justices of Peace, John Morrison, Charles Comstock; Constables, Thomas Manatt, William A. Negley; Assessor, Robert Manatt, Jr.; Road Supervisors, Robert Manatt in No. 1, James Fry in No. 2.

There being a tie vote for township clerk, James Manatt and W. H. Elliott each having received 20 votes and A. S. Ross 1, Robert C. Shimer was appointed to that office.

The judges of the above election were Isaac Drake, Robert Manatt, William Scott, and clerks of said election were Robert C. Shimer, James Manatt.

THE FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.

The church was organized May 30, 1875, with the following members: Jacob Korns, Mrs. Emma Korns, John S. Kizer, Mrs. Jennie Kizer, George Bisom, George Chapman, Mrs. Catharine C. Chapman, Clara B. Chapman, Alice S. Chapman, Jno. W. Chapman, William Dougherty, Mrs. Ellen Dougherty, Talathaenmi Dougherty, Mrs. Mary E. Lee, Mrs. Anna Maria Lee, Virgil Lee, Homer Lee, Abbie S. Lee, Icie Lee, Martin V. Sterling, Mrs. Matilda Sterling, John Mitchell, Mrs. Ellen P. Mitchell, Chas. W. Mitchell, Rebecca Mitchell, Emma Mitchell, Jason L. Billings, Mrs. Lamira Johnson. Meetings were first held in the different school-houses in the north part of Warren township, and south part of Jefferson township, commencing in March, 1875, led by Rev. S. N. Millard, an Evangelist, At these meetings about twenty-five or thirty professed conversion. There being no church near, it was finally decided to organize a Congregational church, and as far as consistent, Christian people of all denominations unite in one church. A council of ministers was called May 20, 1875, to take preliminary steps. The council consisted of Rev. G. F. Magoun, D. D. of Iowa College, W. W. Woodworth of Grinnell, J. W. Pickett of Des Moines and G. H. White of Chester Center. Seeing tho need of a church edifice, steps were soon taken and, accordingly, the present elegant structure was completed in the fall of the same year.   It stands on the north-west corner of Jacob Korns' farm, on section 3. The church contains a main audience-room capable of seating 300, also a prayer-room with sliding doors opening into the main room. The church cost $2,500, including furnishing in a neat and substantial manner. The church was dedicated December 26,1875, President Magoun preaching the sermon. By effort of Rev. W. H. Romig, the church debt has been satisfactorily met.

The following ministers, among others, have preached for the church: Rev. S. N. Millard, Prof. Buck, Pres. Magoun, W. W. Woodworth, F. H. Magoun, Richard Hassell, W. H. Romig, C. H. Eaton, the present pastor.

The sabbath-school meets every sabbath, with an average of fifty. Mr. Lawrence Leyenberger is present Superintendent and Miss Kate Torrence, Secretary.

Present Deacons are: Jacob Koms, John Kiser and George Bisom. R. F. Lavender, Jr., present Clerk; Martin V. Sterling, Treasurer.

HARMONY MORAVIAN CHURCH.

This is one of the only three of the same denomination in the State of Iowa. It is situated near the southwest corner of the township, on the southeast corner of section 31. The church was organized in 1868, and Rev. L. P. Clewell, the first pastor, commenced his labors in March, 1869. The following summer the church was built, and also repaired, after being nearly destroyed by lightning. The structure is convenient and neat, seating about 200, being 50 feet long and 40 feet wide.

On the 6th day of August, 1869, the church was struck by lightning and terribly shattered and broken. The electric bolt descended upon the spire with an awful crash, scattering it in splinters. When it reached the roof and main body of the church it seemed to burst in four directions, parting at the same instant the four walls of the church, and denuding tho ceiling of plaster and breaking nearly all the joists of the floor; and when the fluid entered the earth the concussion was so great that a portion of four townships quivered and trembled at the shock. A sulphurous smell and a kind of blue smoke arose from the dismantled house of worship. But, strange as it may seem, it did not burn. Hundreds of astonished people came to witness this demonstration of God's power in nature. There stood the new church, not yet quite finished by the builder, riven and ruined. Splinters lay thick upon the ground on either side, and even twenty rods away, in the field, Mr. T. G. Wheeler picked up pieces of considerable size, torn from the frame-work of the steeple. Some predicted that it could not be repaired; that the tottering structure must be removed and a new one take its place. It was, however, refitted and dedicated for sacred worship the same fall. It is not presumed that these good people are more superstitious than many of their neighbors, but this phenomenon of natural causes has produced an ineffaceable impression upon all minds that it was the linger of God, and that whether sent for judgment or witness, it gives them but a glimpse of the power of him who holds all the elements of nature at his will. The repairs on the church, after the stroke of lightning, amounted to about $600.

The present membership is thirty-nine, and Rev. W. H. Romig is their pastor.

The sabbath-school meets every sabbath, with an average attendance of about fifty, and Mr. John Kraft is Superintendent.

There is a society of Moravians, who meet at Victor school-house, and Rev. Romig occasionally preaches there.

MISCELLANEOUS

Formerly there was a saw-mill, owned by Robert Manatt, Jr., on Big Bear Creek, in section 22.   The mill was built in 1850.

Probably the first marriage was that of James Manatt to Livina Snook. Mr. Manatt still lives, on section 22, but his wife died about the year 1874.

Thomas Rainsburg taught the first school, in Ross or Hazel Green school-house, in the winter of 1853-4. He is now Treasurer of Poweshiek county.

Owing to the continual high water in Big Bear Creek and other streams during a portion of the memorable wet summer of 1851, the settlers were prevented from getting any corn-meal or flour, and for a considerable time the whole of Snooks' Grove settlement were compelled to live on "lye hominy" and a small allowance of meat All the bottom lands were flooded for several days, and the neighbors crossed in a skiff.

The house of W. H. Willett was burned to the ground in the spring of 1879. Also, in April of the same year James Manatt's house, then standing on section 22. was consumed by fire.

John H. Concklin, Cyrus Drake and Daniel Bush were hunting, December 14th 1878, and met with a sad accident near Mr. W. H. Wheeler's. Fred Thomas, a lad of 15, was driving, when one of his companions, Daniel Bush, accidentally slipped while getting into the sleigh and caught the lock of his gun on the seat, discharging tho contents of the gun into the driver's head, killing him instantly.

The barn of R. C. Shimer was burned April 16,1863, consuming a span of horses, corn, wheat, hay and other valuable farm appliances. This occurred on section 8.

The present township officers are:

Clerk—R. C. Shimer.

Assessor—J. A. King.

Trustees—H. T. Rohrer, Levi Marks, John Kraft.

Justices of the Peace—T. G. Wheeler, Joseph Buchanan.

School expenses for the year ending September 20, 1880:

For building..........................................$ 344.66

For contingent expenses..........................595.39

For teachers' salaries............................2,462.00

Total....................................................$3,402.05

The present teachers are:

No. 1, Ida Manatt; No. 2, J. A. Linder; No. 3, Luella Haswell; No. 4, Mattie S. Cain; No. 5, Delma Anger; No. 6, Ida Rowland; No. 7, Ella Adair; No. 8, Jennie A. Campbell; No. 9, Nellie Blanchard; No. 10, Lizzie J. Peaslee,

Source: The History Of Poweshiek County Iowa 1880
Transcribed and Contributed to Genealogy Trails by Barbara Ziegenmeyer