History of Cherokee County, Iowa Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1914 edition. Excerpt: ... chapter xli other townships diamond township Diamond is the extreme southeastern township in Cherokee county. Formerly it was included in Pilot township, but by act of the board of supervisors Sept. 7, 1871, was set off as a separate township, the same being Congressional township 90, range 39. The first township officers here were: John H. Johnson, clerk; Hiram Lord, assessor; Nathan Bruce, George Kent and Hiram Lord, trustees. West from this township lies Silver township; on the east is Buena Vista county; on the south is Ida county, with Pitcher township on the north. What is styled the "Maple valley" takes up nearly this whole territory. A more picturesque and lovely spot can seldom be found in the great northwestern country. For many years its market points have been at Galva, Ida county, and Aurelia, Cherokee county, while some still go to Alta, in Buena Vista county. In 1885 the township had a population of 680, with 480 Americans. The census returns of Iowa, in 1905, gave the township as having 645, which shows that the population of certain parts of the northwest in the state have contributed their share toward a total decrease in the population of Iowa, as shown by the last United States census. See general chapters for an account of the churches and schools of Diamond township. pioneer settlement In common with nearly all the outlying townships of Cherokee county, Diamond was essentially a homesteader's district. Prior to 1869 the township had no settlers to till its fertile soil. Coming and going, as is ever the case in a homesteaded section of the country, it is with great difficulty that the exact date of the first few pioneers can be determined as to priority of effecting their settlement. In this particular case, it...