One of the first stores kept was in the fall of 1847 when Morris Neighbor opened a small place in what was known as Shingle Town. This name, it is said, came about for the reason that clapboards were made in this vicinity.
John Carr, having married Neighbor's sister, also lived here for some time. The postoffice for Otter Creek township was moved around among the old settlers from time to time and was kept, of course, in the farm houses. William Hunt seems to have been the first postmaster. The office was afterwards removed and the postmastership held by Perry Oliphant, and later again removed, with Richard Lanning in charge. During the Civil war the postoffice was conducted by Yambert, Polley, and Moller. It was around the postoffice and country store that politics were discussed and news of the neighborhood commented upon, and it was also here that the pioneer settlers became acquainted and friendships were formed which continued through life. For this reason, no doubt, the country postoffice and the country store did much in an early day to lessen the hardships in pioneer life.
Otter Creek township was early visited by itinerary ministers, and as early as 1853 a Christian church was organized. William Kalb, John Yambert, and others being some of the first evangelical preachers in this part of the county. One of the first county meetings of this church was held at the home of George Cochran as early as 1859. The Evangelical church was later organized in this township and some of the early ministers in this denomination were Rev. Borchart, Rev. Maerz, Rev. Gerhart, Rev. Mayne, Rev. Brecher.
COLLEGE TOWNSHIP
College township is situated in the southern tier of townships in the county, the southern boundary being the county line between Johnson and Linn counties, while on the east and west respectively are Fairfax and Putnam townships. College township is well watered and well drained by several water courses, the principal ones being the Cedar river, Hoosier creek, and Prairie creek. It contains no towns of any size but most of its traffic is now conducted by the Cedar Rapids and Iowa City electric line running from Cedar Rapids to Iowa City. Much of the cream, milk and other products of the farm are shipped daily over this line to Cedar Rapids; since the construction of this line land in College township has gone up in price and the beautiful farm houses, magnificent and well tilled fields speak well for the population of this part of the county.
Some of the old settlers of College township are the following: Isaac Smith, Phillip Smith, Dr. J. H. Smith, James Smith, and others of the Smith family who came here in the early '50s. During the next few years came John Lagore, Joseph Custer, Jacob Inbody, the Garnett family, Thomas Philipson, Horn, Henry Rogers, Fritz family, James Snyder, W. F. Minor, Joshua Minor, Sam Minor, the Bakers, and many others.
One of the first Baptist churches was erected at Rogers Grove, and a large number of the early settlers in this community belonged to that denomination.
SPRING GROVE TOWNSHIP
BY A. W. FISHER
Spring Grove township is situated in the northern tier of townships in Linn county. It is bordered on the north by Newton township, Buchanan county, on the east by Jackson, on the south by Otter Creek, and on the west by Grant. The land is generally an undulating prairie excepting a strip about two miles wide beginning at the northwest corner of the township in section six, and extending in a southeasterly direction to section twenty-four on the east side of the township, through which the Wapsipinicon river flows. The land near the river on both sides is not only hilly, but consists of a light sandy soil, and was almost covered with a heavy growth of timber in the early pioneer days. Back from the river about one mile the land is prairie and has a deep black loam.