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In the Spring of 1853, Christopher L. Flint settled
on Section 11. Bradford Crozier and James
Sheppard settled during the same year on Section 1,
Shellhammer settled about one and three-fourth miles
north of Flint,
and some others came in about the same time. The first
births are said to have been Sarah Shellhammer,
in the Spring of 1853, and Matthew Sheppard,
October 15, 1853. The first marriage was that of
Luther P. Flint and Beulah Blanchard,
November, 1854. The first death, Olvereon
Barnes, in the Summer of 1859.
Post office established June 18, 1856, Christopher
L. Flint, Postmaster. The office was on the route
from Delhi to Marion. L. P. Flint was the first
mail contractor.
[pg. 558]
Mrs. Edward Pierce taught the first school, in
her own house, in the Winter of 1858—59. The first school
house was built in District No. 1, in the Summer of 1859.
Chris. L. Flint was the first Justice of the
Peace in the township. In 1878, A. R. Dickey has a
store of general merchandise and the Hazel Green creamery.
Mr. Flint still resides on the farm where he
first settled, and now owns a fine stock farm of 1,300
acres, and carries about 400 head of cattle. Mr.
Flint says that when he first settled there, deer and
wolves were very numerous, and could be seen from the house
every day. He used $10 worth of strychnine in killing wolves
in the Winter of 1853—54. Mr. Flint says that
the second day after he moved into his shanty, he went to
Bads' Grove after a land warrant. When he reached
Nelson Main's, within two miles of home, on his return, it
was dark, but he thought he could find his way home, only
two miles, if it was dark. He started, but soon became
bewildered and traveled nearly all night hunting for home,
where he finally arrived about 3 o'clock the next morning,
weary, hungry and wet, for he had forded the creek several
times during the night.
Until 1857, this township was a part of Union Township,
but March 2, 1857, Township 87, Range 5, was established as
a political township by the County Court, and called Hazel
Green. The Judge issued a warrant according to law, to
C. L. Flint, Edmund Barnes and Eri
Richardson, to call the first meeting and act as Judges
of Election. At this election, C. L. Flint was
elected Justice of the Peace.
Mr. Flint is one of the Trustees of the
Iowa College for the Blind, at Vinton.
The first church organization in Hazel Green was the
Presbyterian Church. It was first organized in Milo,
but was immediately moved to what is known as " Guthrie
school house," where the first sacrament of the Lord's
Supper was
administered, in the Summer of 1864. The members of
the first organization were Thomas Guthrie, Mrs.
Elizabeth Guthrie, Alexander Wilson, Mrs. Jane Wilson, John
McCullom, Mrs. Jean McCullom and John Wilson. This
organization dissolved May 1, 1871, giving place to the
present Congregational society, which was organized about
the same time, under the ministrations of Rev. Alvah Day.
The fine church building now occupied by this society, near
the Golden Prairie post office, was built in 1874-75, and
dedicated in 1875. The present Pastor is Rev.
E. G. Carpenter, who has been in charge some
three years.
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