| Marion township was
not organized as a township until the fourth decade of the
century. Before that time it had been a part of Benton
township, that is, after the latter township's origin.
Marion is the smallest civil division of the county in point
of area, but in agriculture and the character of her
citizens stands high in the scale. The land is
generally rolling, the rich uplands of clay and the stream
valleys with fine alluvial deposits producing many acres of
fine farm country. The timber has been noted for its
quality, firmness and full size. Many crystal springs
spent their cooling waters from the soil, which is a
pleasant and valuable feature of the township. Keokuk
limestone, both varieties, constitutes the main geological
feature of the township. Granite bowlders, specimens
of greenstone, sienite, quartzite and felspar are numerous
and beautiful geodes and fossils are also plentiful.
Knobstone is also present, and black sand, magnetic iron
ore, and containing traces of gold. The township was
named in honor of Francis Marion, of Revolutionary
fame. SETTLEMENT.
Strange to
say, the township of Marion was not settled until many years
after its organization. This is due to no
topographical fault of the township. The long distance
from the county seat, the absence of any carrying streams,
and the isolation from the settlements and the traveled
highways, were the reasons for the delayed influx of
settlers.
It is not possible to give confirmation to the record
of the first settler, as many lived here as squatters,
without any intention of entering land from the government.
However, the first land bought within the township was on
section 6, and was entered on July 30, 1823, by Osborn &
Brown, merchants, who later sold the land without ever
having lived on it. Jehu Buckner made the
second entry, in 1827 on section 18, and he was probably the
first real white settler. He entered a piece of ground
on section 7 at the same time. He built a log home for
his family, and lived the typical pioneer life of hard work
and much privation. His residence here covered many
years, and he witnessed the development of his township from
the very beginning. In September, 1829, Shad Martin
entered a tract of land on section 2. In 1832, A.
H. Fulford purchased in section 4. James and
Wylie Poynter bought land on section 4 in 1833, the year
of the great meteoric shower. During the same year
Adam Wall purchased in section 21. The
Hendricksons came to sections 15, 21, 22 and 14 in 1834.
There were three of them named Thomas J. Joshua and
Ezekiel, who were among the most substantial pioneers
of the day. Reuben Stepp purchased on section
21, in 1835, and on section 6, in 1836. William
Stewart and Henry Hicks selected ground on
section 2 in 1837. George Downey occupied this
section in 1836, and on section 3 the following year.
John M. Thomas and Spencer McDaniel took farms
on section 4 in 1837. Valentine Hacker and
G. Percifield were on section 6 in 1836, and Thomas
M. Graham in 1837 on section 8; Savoy Stepps and
David Wampler purchased tracts on section 9, in 1837,
and Joseph Baugh and William McMillen on
section 14 in the same year. Michael Fleener
was an early settler on section 35. John J. Graham
was in section 3 in 1838, and George M. Fry on
section 2 in 1839. William Woodall bought on
section 36 in 1839. The forties brought no increase,
that is appreciable increase, in the selling of the land,
but with the coming of the fifties nearly all of the land
was purchased by men who became residents. |
