In the Spring of 1856, a company called the Stafford Emigration Company, of Amherst, Mass., sent delegates to Iowa, to join other parties of the same company already here, in search of a place to locate a colony.  The Eastern delegates becoming dissatisfied, or tired of the broad expanse of prairie and bottomless sloughs, as they appeared to them, returned to the East without making any selection for a location, and with an unfavorable report.  When the Stafford Emigration Company was organized, the following families were living in Delaware and Jones Counties, and having joined the company, expected to locate with the colony: Rev. H. N. Gates, formerly from Connecticut, was living at Yankee Settlement, now called Edgewood; D. B. Noble, formerly from New York State, was living at the same place; L. O. Stevens, formerly from Hardwick, Vt., was living at Hopkinton; Joseph Dunham, T. W. Dunham and J. B. Dunham, formerly from Franklin County, Vt., were living at Bowen's Prairie, Jones County; William G. Strickland came from Amherst in 1856.  Rev. H. N. Gates, D. B. Noble, L. O. Stevens and F. W. Dunham continued the search through Western and Northwestern Iowa, Southern Minnesota, and following the line of a railroad survey from Dubuque to St. Paul, they came upon the present site of Almoral, where they camped.  Here they met with Rev. J. H. Kasson, who had the year or two previous started from Baraboo, Wis., with the intention of joining a colony at Grinnell, Iowa,

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on reaching this place had grown tired and out of health, and being pleased with the location had purchased the southwest quarter of Section 11, Township 89, Range 4, and built the first frame house on the present site of Almoral.  Mr. John A. G. Cattron built on the northwest quarter of the same section same year.  Here these men concluded to locate, and purchasing Mr. Kasson's place, they jointly with him purchased adjoining lands, making 640 acres in all, as a nucleus for the settlement, having in view the establishment of a Congregational Church and a literary institution.  They donated one-fifth of this purchase as a permanent endowment for an academy or high school, accompanied with conditions.
     The first recorded meeting of the town proprietors of Almoral was held Sep. 18, 1856, with L. O. Stevens, President, and F. W. Dunham, Secretary.  The town was laid out in 1858, by John H. Kasson, proprietor.  H. N. Gates built the first house after the location was made, in the Fall of 1856, who afterward removed it to Earlville, about 1859 or '60.
     The first school at Almoral was kept, it is said, in a vacated log cabin on the northwest corner of the northwest quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 11, in the Summer of 1857; Abbie E. Dunham, Teacher.
     The Almoral Institute was incorporated under the law of the State in September, 1857.  J. H. Kasson, L. O. Stevens, Joseph Dunham, William G. Strickland, H. N. Gates, Elijah Gates, John A. G. Cattron and David Roland were the corporators and first Trustees, and the corporation was to commence Dec. 1, 1857, and continue twenty years.  During that year, a building 24x30 feet was built on Lot 1, Block 10, in which the first term of the Institute commenced Dec. 1, 1857, under the charge of F. W. Dunham, with about twenty pupils.  The succeeding teachers were Rev. H. N. Gates, L. O. Stevens, J. A. Marvin and F. W. Dunham in the order named, until 1860; the district school being taught in connection with the Institute, which closed in 1860.
     In 1864, the present district school house was built on the west quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 11, at a cost of about $1,000.   When it was completed, it was one of the best, if not the best, school house of that class in the county.
     The Institute property remaining after the close of the school reverted back to the donators, who, 1872-3, deeded it to the Almoral Congregational Church, together with some other property.
     The Congregational Church was organized in 1857, with H. N. Gates as the first Pastor, and W. G. Strickland first Deacon.  The present Pastor is Rev. J. M. Bowers.
     The post office was established March 24, 1857. The first Postmaster was F. W. Dunham; the mails were weekly ; first mail received Apr. 28, 1857.  He was followed by J. B. Dunham, Nov. 4, 1858, who is the present incumbent ; mails, tri-weekly.
     The first brass band in the county was organized at Almoral, in 1858—J. B. Dunham, Director—and did service in the Lincoln Presidential campaign.  Disbanded, to enlist in the war.
     The creamery started by the Almoral Dairymen's Company—which was incorporated in February, 1876, with William G. Strickland, President ; J. B. Dunham, Secretary ; J. A. G. Cattron, Treasurer ; William Hockady, Agent —is in successful operation to-day.
     John Cruise has established a Creamery on Section 12, near Almoral.
     Almoral was laid out in anticipation of the building of a railroad from Dubuque to St. Paul, which, it was expected, would pass through the town; or

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rather, the town was laid out on the projected line of the road.  It is needless to add that the road was not built, consequently the town never experienced much growth; at least, did not meet the anticipations of its founders.

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