The first settler in Spring Grove township was Leonard Austin, who with his family settled in section one of our township in the spring of 1845, and erected the first building from rough unhewn logs taken from the timber surrounding his building site. Mr. Austin was followed by A. J. Ward, who with his family settled near Mr. Austin during the fall of that year. Two years later, in 1847, Josiah Walton and Rev. Wm. Phillips settled as near neighbors to these hardy pioneers. These were soon followed by the Reeces, Holmans, Longs, McPikes, Peytons, Carsons, Whisenands, McKees, Fays, and Waltons, who settled in the northern part of our township and in the southern part of Newton township in Buchanan county, and who are remembered as the early pioneers.
The early settlers of the southeastern part of the township were the Bices, Andersons, Saxtons, Leathermans, Plummers, Swaims, Frank Dorr, E. B. Fisher, Bumgardners, Benedicts, McBurneys, Nutting, Carpenters, and Jordans. These settlers formed part of a settlement that extended into Jackson township. They located there during the early part of the '50s. About the same time the western part of the township south of the Wapsipinicon river was settled. Those early settlers were Edwin Jeffreys, A. G. Kibbe, Elmer and J. E. Atwood, father and son, Chas. Cook and sons, Edwin, Enos, George, and Charles, and George Parkhurst. All these early pioneers took an active part in helping to develop the new country.
In regard to religious worship the people of Spring Grove may be likened to the Puritans of the early colonial period, as among the earliest settlers came Rev. Wm. Phillips, a minister of the gospel who at first conducted meetings in his own home, and later became a "circuit rider," holding meetings every Sunday either in some private house or in a school house. The Christian organization that is now at Troy Mills was organized by Henry Holman during the summer of 1853 in John W. McKee's house near what is now Troy Mills. Mr. Holman preached the first sermon and continued as pastor until the organization was strong enough to secure a minister to take charge of the work. Isaac Holman, now a resident of Troy Mills, and a son of Henry Holman, was the first superintendent of the Sunday school organized in the township. Rev. N. A. McConnell, of Marion, was one of the ablest ministers of the early period, and would face the worst storms of the season in order to keep his appointment. The people living in the southeastern part of the township at first held services in private houses until the West Prairie school house was erected, where for several years they had a place for worship. They now have a splendid church near the West Prairie school house.
The first justice of the peace of Spring Grove township was John Plummer, but the best known justices of the peace of the early times were Elmer Atwood, Josiah Walton, and Wm. Bleakley. While the people of those days were not free from strife among themselves, yet they were obliged to band together to free themselves from a worse evil—the horse thief. The people finally with the help of the neighboring settlers took the law in their own hands and dealt summary justice to the offenders. One of these thieves was followed by a posse to his camp on the Buffalo creek in Buchanan county, and on his refusal to surrender he was shot to death. This put a stop to the stealing.
In politics the people of Spring Grove always took an active part, and for a long time claimed to be the banner republican precinct of the state. During the Civil war the republicans of West Prairie erected a flag pole on the bare prairie near where now stands the West Prairie church and raised the Stars and Stripes aloft and kept the flag there until long after the war closed. At one election during the Civil war not a democratic vote was cast. It was said that there were a few democrats in the township but they chose to stay at home rather than stand the jeers that were sure to assail them if they voted.
Troy Mills, the only village in the township, was founded in 1853, when a dam was built across the river at that place and a saw mill built. This mill continued to run about ten years when the present mill was erected. The mill did a flourishing business grinding all kinds of grain, but of late years has only been used as a grist mill. Jordon Long brought the first stock of goods to Troy Mills, amounting to ten dollars. Meeting with success in selling these, he turned all his attention to carrying on a general store which he conducted for more than forty years. Dr. John Dix and E. C. Downs started the first drug store in the town but soon sold out. E. N. Beach, one of the best known men in the northern part of Linn county, came to Troy Mills at an early day and started a drug store and has conducted the same to the present time. Dr. E. Wilson was the only doctor in our township for several years and enjoyed a lucrative practice. The first blacksmith shop was started by Elmer and John E. Atwood in 1854, who conducted the same for nearly thirty years.
Only a few of the old settlers remain who helped to transform the wilds into what it is today. Those now living here, who came in the early '50s, are David Reece, Isaac Holman, John E. Attwood, Mrs. Edwin Jeffries, Isaac Bice, Enos and Charles Cook. The others have either moved away or passed into that great beyond from which no traveler returns.
WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP
Washington township was early settled, for it is stated on good authority that Bartimus McGonigle settled near what later became Center Point in 1839. Some of the early settlers were Dr. S. M. Brice, John Osborn, Tom Lockhart, W. A. Thomas, James Down, Sam Stewart, E. B. Spencer, Alex Nevin, D. S. Way, Milt Squires, Will Cress, Jacob Thomas, Robert Osborn, Jonathan Dennison, Alex Thomas, Jas. Chambers. These came as early as 1842, a number coming in in 1839 and 1840. The following came before 1846: Thos. Fee, Isaac Berry, J. L. Benham, Levi Martin, L. Hollenbeck.