Shawnee County History
Dover Twp.
"History of Shawnee County and Representative Citizens," James L. King, 1905
Dover Township
Established in 1867, located immediately north of
Auburn township, on the Wabaunsee County line, and extending north to
the Kansas River. The first actual settlers were Alfred and John Sage, who
opened farms within the boundaries of the township July 18, 1856. In the
fall of the same year they were joined by Thomas and Albert Haskell, and
John Rust. In the early part of 1859 the colony was augmented by the
arrival of John and Noah Gibbs. William Collins and Jacob Orcutt: and in
the fall of the same year by T. D. Parks, Daniel Sayres and Jacob Haskell.
From 1857 to 1867 Dover was a part of Auburn township.
TRADING POSTS AND TRADERS.
The history of the township really dates from the year 1848, when a
trading post was established on its northern boundary. A small settlement
gathered there, to which the name of Uniontown was given. It became well
known throughout the country, as the old California trail of 1849 crossed
the river at this point � said to be the only rocky ford on the river. The
first settlers, most of them Indian traders, were: P. E. Sarple, R. A. Kissey,
O. H. P. Polk, T. D. S. McDonald, Thomas N. Stinson and W. W. Cleghorn, in 1848; and J. R. Whitehead, J. D. Leslie and William Dyer in 1849.
John W. Brown and Anthony A. Ward lived in Uniontown in 1851, the
former going to Auburn, and the latter to Topeka in a later year. Large
sums of money were disbursed at the trading post, which was abandoned
in 1855. The 50 or more buildings comprising the town of Uniontovvn
passed away with the post, and the site reverted to farm land.
In the year 1870 the village of Dover was established, in the southwestern corner of the township. The name Dover came from Dover, New
Hampshire, the former residence of the Haskell family above referred to.
The first officers of Dover township, elected in 1868, were: E. M. Hewins,
trustee; James Bassett, treasurer; Henry A. Kellam, clerk; Jacob Haskell
and George Harden, justices ; M. M. St. John and W. O. Harris, constables.
Albert Sage was the first postmaster at Dover, appointed in 1862. Valencia
and Willard are two other small towns in the township, with populations of
100 and 120 respectively. They are located on the Chicago, Rock Island
& Pacific Railway, running west from Topeka.
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