The date of the first settlements made in Township 90, Range 4, are somewhat uncertain, but from the best and most reliable information now accessible, it appears that Richard T. Barrett, was one of the first to locate in this township on the prairie on the east side of the township, prior to 1842.  He was one of the first tax-payers in 1842, and paid $4, indicating that he had been here some tie when the tax was assessed.  'Squire Stancliffe was among the earliest settlers.  He located on Section 1.  He was one of the first Justices of the Peace in the township, as was also Benjamin Laken.
     About 1846, James Stalnaker and _____ McLean located on Section 29.  Stalnaker built a log cabin nearly half a mile east of the present town of Greeley, on the old Territorial road from Dubuque to Camp Atkinson.  These men remained but a short time, and in 1847 sold their claim to Samuel Lough.  Grant Stebbins, and ____ Balch located here about the same time.  Afterward, Elias Hutton settled near Lough on the same section, near a spring which is one of the sources of Plum Creek, hence called Plum Spring.
     Oct. 30, 1844, a post office was established at this point, sailed Plum Spring, and Elias Hutton appointed Postmaster.  The office was kept in a building now removed, which stood a little south of the town plat.
     In the Fall of 1854, Charles S. Taylor built a house about half a mile east of Mr. Lough's, it is said with the understanding that a town was to be laid out there.  This was the first house erected on the town plat, which was surveyed March 24, 1855, by J. A. Marvin, Samuel Lough proprietor.  Mr. Lough was an ardent admirer of Horace Greeley, and named the new town in honor of the Tribune philosopher.  At this time, the question of locating the Dubuque & Pacific Railroad through the county was agitating the people, and the founder of Greeley hoped that if Delhi should lose it the road might be located further north, near the line of the military road, and that the incipient town of Greeley might become a station for that railroad.
     Early in March, William Cattron purchased Taylor's house, and took a deed of Lots 5 and 6, Block 1, from Mr. Lough, which was the first sale of lots in the new town.  The Taylor House was on Lot 5, and Mr. Cattron built a store on Lot 6, immediately after |iis arrival, and opened a stock of goods in it as soon as it could be finished.
     Next after Mr. Cattron, J. B. Taylor, H. C. Drybread, Miss Lizzie White and others, built houses on this plat.
     In 1863, the name of the post office was changed to Greeley.  The town, however, did not increase in population very rapidly for some years, until the location of the Davenport & St. Paul Railroad was made, in 1870-71, passing about fifteen rods south of the original town plat.  The railroad was completed in 1873.  In 1872, Horace White built the White House, the first hotel in Greeley; but for several years previous to this time, Abram Parliman had kept tavern at his farm house on the Lough farm, east of the town. In 1873, Dr. M. Blodgett built the Blodgett House.
     The completion of the railroad was of material advantage to Greeley, gave it a new impetus, and it is now a thriving village of several hundred inhabitants.

EDUCATIONAL

     A school house was built by subscription on the southwest corner of northeast quarter of Section 30. This is said to have been the first school house in the township. The first school in this house was taught by Emma Wood. The first school house in Greeley, then Sub-district No. 2, was built by C. S. Taylor, contractor, on the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 29, and was completed in the Spring of 1857, and the first school was immediately commenced by ________ _______. This building is still standing, but is unused.
     April 11, 1875, the Independent School District of Greeley was organized.  The officers then elected were H. C. Drybread, L. H. Keyes, George Griffith, Directors. At the meeting of the Board, held on the same day, H. C. Drybread was elected President; L. H. Keyes, Secretary, and James Wilson, Treasurer.  Soon after, plans and specifications by B. F. Morgan, for the new school house, were accepted, and the contract for its erection awarded to Jerome Baker July 4, 1875, who completed it that Fall.  School was opened the same season, with two teachers, D. A. Ham, Principal, and Jennie R. Carter, Assistant.  The present teachers are G. H. Odell, Principal, and Alice L. Waite,
Assistant.

RELIGIOUS

     The Universalist Society was organized Dec. 28, 1865, at the residence of J. Baker.   C. S. Taylor was elected President; L. H. Keyes, Clerk; J. S.

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Drybread, W. D. Jenkins, T. J. Armstrong, Lemuel Parker and Joseph Vaughan, Trustees; M. Jenkins, Collector.  The society built a church in 1868; C. S. Taylor, contractor.  The present Trustees are J. S Drybread, J. Baker, Benjamin Pinkley; C. S. Taylor, Clerk; James Pinkley, Treasurer.  Rev. Joy Bishop was the first Pastor.  The pulpit is now occupied every alternate Sabbath by Rev. J. N. Hicks, of Strawberry Point.
     Christian Church.—This church is older than the town of Greeley, having been organized at the " Cooper School House," two miles east of the town,
June 15, 1851, Rev. John Martindale, Pastor, and members as follows: Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Drybread, James Roe, Mrs. J. Roe, David Martindale, Robert Overocker and Job Gildersleeve.  After some additional members had been admitted, Job Odell and John Fosselman were chosen Elders, and E. Hutton and S. Talcott, Deacons.  The services of this church were held in school and private houses until 1867, when the society erected the church building it now occupies.  The Rev. and venerable John Martindale, after over twenty-five years of faithful service and devotion to the interests of the church, was at last compelled by the infirmities of age to resign his position.  Since then the pulpit has been occupied in turn by Rev. W. M. Roe, John Eucell, and by Rev. John Smith, the present Pastor.  The present Elders are Job Odell, John Fosselman and Augustus Davis; Deacons, H. C. Drybread, Dr. M. C. Cannon, Elias Way, David Martindale and L. B. Sargent.
     The Catholic Church at Greeley was built in 1874. The first services were held by Rev. M. Quirk, May, 1875. Father Quirk remained until October, when he was succeeded by Rev. B. Coyle, who continued until the Winter of 1877-8.  Rev. John Hackett is the present officiating Priest.

MASONIC.

     Tadmer Lodge, No. 225, A., F. and A. M., was instituted U. D. Nov. 15, 1867, by P. M. W. H. Neitert, in Baker's Hall. Charter granted June 3, 1868.  The first officers elected and installed were J. H. Neitert, W. M.;
W. D. Jenkins, S. W.; John Drybread, J. W.; John Corell. Treas.; Luther H. Keyes, Sec.; Jerome Baker, S. D.; Timothy Baker, J. D.; Lewis Wells, Tyler.
     Officers for 1878 : H. R. Lillibridge, W. M.; A. L. Baldwin, S. W.; James Fowler, J. W.; John Edmunds, Treas.; C. Engel, Sec.; J. M. Jenkins, S. D.; B. Pinkley, J. D.; S. H. Seeley, Tyler.  Present membership, 44.

A. O. OF U. W.

     Cheeley Lodge, No. —, A. O. of U. W..— Instituted April 28, 1876, by W. H. Holman, D. D., in Redden's Hall, with twelve charter members.  The first officers were L. H. Keyes, M. W.; Charles Taylor, P. M. W.; J. Baker, F.; James Wilson, O.; C. Engel, Rec.; J. M. Potts, Financier; William Redden, Receiver; J. P. James, G.; J. Martin, I. W.; A. Alamand, O. W. 
     Meetings weekly in Masonic Hall since May, 1877.
     Present officers: C. Engel, P. M. W.; W. C. McCannon, M. W.; J. P. James, F.; T. B. Campbell, O.; J. Baker, G.; S. B. Gilmore, Recorder; J. Wilson, Receiver.

BUSINESS OF 1878

     General Merchandise. - S. B. GILMORE & Bro.,1877; Drybread & Co., 1875; James Wilson 1873.

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     Hardware. - J. P. James 1876
     Boots & Shoes. - Jenkins & Burbridge, 1878
     Druggists and Apothecaries.—L. E. Ward, 1872; J. B. Robison, 1875.
     Agricultural Implements.—James & Vaughn.
     Meat Market.—E. L. Sweet, 1873.
     Harness Maker.—Thomas Evans, 1874.
     Cabinet Maker.—Jerome Baker.
     Blacksmiths.—D. Ferguson, 1876; N. G. Wells, 1876.
     Hotels.—Greeley House, M. Blodgett, proprietor, 1873; White House, H. White, proprietor, 1872.
     Elevator.—Greeley Elevator, H. C. Drybread, proprietor, built 1872; capacity, 12,000 bushels.
     Brass Band.—Greeley Cornet Orchestra. George Drybread, Leader; organized 1878.
     Notary Public.—M. Blodgett.
     Physicians.—William F. Davis, Dr. McCannon.

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