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Pioneers of Marion County Pleasant Grove Township Pleasant Grove Township Histories - Page 318 Chapter XXIX. Pleasant Grove Township - Its Geography and Early History - Early Settlers - Denem Halsey - Yoest Spalti - First Prairie Broken - First Orchard Planted - John P. Glenn - First Religious Society of the Christian Denomination and Others - First Birth - G. Logan - William F. Jordan - Claim Contest - The First Mercantile Transaction - First Schools - Pleasantville. This is a middle western township, and consists simply of township 76, range 21, except sections 5 and 6, and the north half of sections 1, 2, 3 and 4, as described in the history of Swan. It is bounded on the north by Swan, on the east by Union and Knoxville, on the south by Franklin, and on the west by Warren county. Pleasant Grove is mostly prairie, though there is an abundance of timber margining the streams, the principal one of which is Coal creek, running through the southern and western parts of the township. Butcher creek and other small streams head in the same township. Coal abounds on all these streams but more abundantly on Coal creek. One vein on the Cartwright farm measures about four feet in thickness, and one more recently opened on land belonging to Y. Spalti, about three and one-half. This township was surveyed in '46 and '47 by John Bull and Jesse Williams, and was declared a township by order of county commissioners, in January, 1847, including township 75, range 21, now Franklin, and called Pleasant Grove by suggestion of the people living in and about the beautiful grove near Pleasantville. The place of holding elections was appointed to be at the house of Wm. Glenn. Pleasant Grove Township Histories - Page 319 There is no preserved record of the first three elections, and we are dependent upon the memory of old settlers for the dates and incidents connected with this part of the history. The first election ever held within the limits of this township was a precinct election, as it occurred previous to its organization, April, '46. There was, however, no voting done on this occasion, there being only enough present to fill the board. The next came off in August of the same year, under some shade trees near the house of Wm. Glenn. On which occasion John P. Glenn, Wm. Glenn, and Wm. Young presided as judges, and Jesse W. Glenn and Robert Logan as clerks. About fifty votes were cast, by which John P. Glenn was chosen a justice and Thos. Hailey constable. Other officers not remembered. At this election a well-known office-seeker, running for sheriff in opposition to George Gillaspy, made his appearance, and was so abusive in his denunciation of his opponent, that John P. Glenn, by virtue of his prospect of being elected justice, ordered the prospective constable to arrest the offender. The latter respected the authority and retired. The first township election came off at the house of Wm. Glenn, Aug., '47. No particulars remembered, and only one incident may be worth relating, and this may show with what care the records were kept: After the election was over, and the votes were being counted by tally, by the light of a grease lamp, James Glenn, one of the clerks, accidentally threw the lamp over on his tally sheet, ruining it completely. The names of those who settled in this township at the earliest dates are as follows: Denem Halsey, in '45; Lewis Reynolds, Trainor Reynolds, John P. Glenn, Wm. S. Glenn, two Samuel Glenns, Daniel Vansel, Larken Young, Pleasant Prater, Wm. Young, G. B. Greenwood, John Lewis, Marion and Jas. Clifton, Richmond Miller, David Shonkwiler, Samuel Tibbett, Gilmore Robert and Harrison Logan, and Yase Spalti, in '46; Wm. F. Miles and Wesley Jordan and Daniel Davidson, in '47. Pleasant Grove Township Histories - Page 320 The first person mentioned in the above list, came into the country previous to its vacation by the Indians, and lived alone in a small cabin near the present site of Pleasantville. He was a person of tall frame, dressed principally in buckskin, and occupied himself mostly in hunting and keeping bees. He died many years ago from disease supposed to have been contracted by exposure. Pleasant Grove Township Histories - Page 321 Lewis Reynolds broke the first prairie in the township, on his claim a little south of Pleasantville, on land now owned by Abram Erle, in May, '46. He, W. F. Jordan, and G. Logan planted orchards in '49. The trees then planted by Mr. Reynolds are mostly still living; those of the others having been destroyed by gophers. The first birth in the township was that of Jonathan, son of Pleasant Grove Township Histories - Page 322 Samuel and Elizabeth Glenn, June, '46. They now live in Clark county. Gilmore Logan is now the oldest settler still living in the township. He first moved from Indiana to Wapello county, and from thence to this place, arriving on the 20th of February, '46.
The town of Pleasantville was surveyed by Stanford Doud, Aug. 1, '49, on the south-west quarter of the north-west quarter of section 15, and then owned by W. F. Jordan. Wesley Jordan built the first house, a frame, that is now occupied as a dwelling. He also kept the first postoffice in connection with the store. The first hotel was kept by Wm. H. H. Alley. The location of Pleasantville would naturally suggest the name, being a beautiful, open prairie, adjoining a large, well-timbered grove that extends up the tributaries of Coal creek. Its location is also healthy; and the prospect of a railroad gives vitality to business, and promises much for the future prosper- Pleasant Grove Township Histories - Page 324 ity of the place. Two fine church buildings have just been erected in Pleasantville, by the Methodist and Christian denominations. A town called Weston, was laid out on the north-half of section 35, township 76, range 21, Oct. 8th and 9th, '56. Proprietors, P. W. and G. F. Pitman. Surveyor, Jesse H. Kent. The place never improved. Population of Pleasant Grove by the United States census of 1870: Native - 1415 Index of names mentioned in Pleasant Grove Township Histories section Alley, Wm. H. H. - Pleasant Grove Township page 323 Bull, John - Pleasant Grove Township page 318 Cartwright - Pleasant
Grove Township page 318 Davidson, Daniel
- Pleasant Grove Township page 319 Erle, Abram - Pleasant Grove Township page 321 Gillaspy, George
- Pleasant Grove Township page 319 Hailey, Thos. -
Pleasant Grove Township page 319 Jordan, Miles -
Pleasant Grove Township page 323 Kent, Jesse H. - Pleasant Grove Township page 324 Lewis, John - -
Pleasant Grove Township page 319 Miles, Wm. F. -
Pleasant Grove Township page 319 Pitman. G. F. -
Pleasant Grove Township page 324 Reynolds, Lewis
- Pleasant Grove Township page 319, 320 Shea, Daniel - Pleasant
Grove Township page 323 Tibbett, Samuel - Pleasant Grove Township page 319 Vansel, Daniel - Pleasant Grove Township page 319 Williams, Jesse - Pleasant Grove Township page 318 Young, Larken -
Pleasant Grove Township page 319
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