This is the southeastern sub-division of Freeborn county, with Mower county bounding it on the east; the state of Iowa on the south; the township of Oakland on the north; and Shell Rock on the west. It is a complete congressional township of 36 sections or square miles, and comprising the territory, technically speaking, of Township 101, Range 19.
The greater part of the township is prairie land, and is well adapted to tillage and profitable agriculture. Toward the central and northern part there is considerable small timber; such as burr, red, and scrub oak, interspersed with natural meadows and small patches of prairie, and is known as "oak-opening land." The general inlination of the surface is rolling, although it may be said to be more level than any township in Freeborn county, In and about sections fifteen and sixteen is the most broken, although not enough so to be impractical for cultivation. The soil is a dark loam, rich and productive, and is underlain with a subsoil of clay. The best farming land in the town is the eastern part, while the balance is moderate or up to the average.
There are few streams and only one lake to water the surface of London. This body of water lies near the center of the town, and is known as Elk Lake, covering the greater part of 160 acres in section twenty-one. Two streams flow across the northeastern part of the town, and one traverses he southwest corner.
EARLY SETTLERS.
The early steps leading to the founding and subsequent development of this thriving township, began at about the same period as did most of the towns in Freeborn county, and in none of them has the growth been more substantial, or progress more marked than in London. The early pioneers of this locality were not of a class that were indolent; but they were thriving, energetic, and high spirited. They were good neighbors, and so good neighborhoods were created, and this was one of the great comforts, and in fact, blessings, for which the pioneers had cause to be thankful; for without the few good companions to each, 'which formed neighborhoods, and the unanimity of good fellowship and purpose, pioneer life on the then barren frontier must have been unendurable.
About the first settlement made in the township was by a party of various nationalities from Wisconsin, who settled in sections eight, nine, and ten, in what was termed the burr oak opening land. This party was made up of Edward E. Budlong, who now lives in Shell Rock township; John T. Asher from Wisconsin, who is now dead; Asa Bullock and family, and a Mr. Carpenter, the last two mentioned, after a year's residence in London, pulled up stakes and removed to Oakland township, where friends and relatives had preceded them. In the article upon that town they are treated more at length. During the ensuing winter the young folks who were matrimonially inclined decided to have the conjugal knot tied in the everlasting and let-no-man-put-asunder way; so the ox teams were corraled and yoked, and away the parties hied themselves on a rapid ox walk for Osage, Iowa, 25 miles distant, where the ceremony was performed making the four, one, and uniting Lemuel Bullock to Miss Carpenter, and Willard L. Carpenter to Miss Bullock.
This was about all who arrived in London in the year 1855, and they passed the winter as best
they could, depending upon each other for entertainment and keeping off despondency. During the following year, however, the beauties of this region began to be heralded abroad, and many who had come to realize the inequality of the contest between labor and capital in the older and eastern States, thronged in to find a new home, where, for the first years, at least, equality would reign supreme and merit must be ranked side by with capital. Among those who arrived in 1856, as many of the most prominent ones as can be remembered, will be given.
William N. Goslee, a native of Connecticut,who had stopped for a time in Iowa, came from the latter place with an ox team, and in May, 1856, secured the place he now occupies in section thirteen. Timothy F. Goslee came about the same time; but located just over the line in Mower county.
Benjamin Stanton joined this party by securing a slice from Uncle Sam's domain in section twelve. In October 1857, while engaged in building a log house his earthly career was abruptly terminated by a stroke of lightning.
Just north of Stanton, in section one, the same year, B. B. P. Gibson, a native of Connecticut, succeeded in making his anchor take firm hold and his moorings still remain intact. H. B. Biggs, late of Michigan, joined this party and made himself a home in section eleven, where he remained for a number of years, and then removed to Shell Rock, where he finally paid the debt of mortality.
These parties had scarcely got nicely settled when the tranquility of their reign was disturbed by the arrival of a native of Wisconsin in the person of D. B. German, who located in section twelve, where he remained until 1880, when he removed to Mower county, arid now lives there.
Avery Strong, a native of New York State, was another of the arrivals in 1856,-who secured a habitation in this settlement by installing himself in section thirteen. He soon left, however, and is now living in his native State.
Silon Williams came from Vermont at about the same time, and planted his stakes in section eleven, where he still continues to thrive.
Edward Thomas, also about the same time, commenced a sojourn which he still perpetuates in this settlement.
William Davis and a Mr. Lunt also arrived in 1865.
Section twenty-one received a settler this year in the person of Ole Lewis, who remained a year or two and then left the country.
In the spring of 1857 James H. Goslee left his home in Connecticut and pushed toward the setting sun, coming as far as Dubuque by rail, from there taking the stage route to St. Paul, where he was engaged for a couple of weeks, and then came on as far as West Union with a man who had horses for sale. The snow was very deep and he was delayed for several days; but finally found a man who was on a milling trip from Chickasaw county, Iowa, and with him rode to the latter place. Here he was detained for three days by a severe blizzard, and was finally carried on to Otronto, Iowa, from whence he walked to his brother's place in Lyle, Mower county, who is mentioned above as having settled there the year previous. Bring favorably impressed by the country, bought a place in sections twelve and thirteen in this township, of Sylvester West, which he still occupies.
In 1858 James H. Stewart, a native of the Empire State, made his appearance in London, and became an inhabitant by placing his sign manual upon papers for a claim in section twenty-four, where he now tills the soil.
The same year Joseph Chmelik and A. Raymond, Bohemians, arrived and took claims in section five where they are still plodding.
After this the immigration was more gradual, yet this is enough to indicate the class with which London began its civilization.
MATTERS OP INTEEEST.
The first birth in the township occurred late in the fall of 1856, and brought into existence George Adkins.
The second made its appearance in February, 1857, and this time a child of Horace Lamb became a living creature.
The first death was that of Benjamin F. Stanton, who died by a stroke of lightning on October 6th, 1857. His remains were deposited in their last resting place near Otronto, Iowa.
For political purposes this township was originally merged with Oakland, and subsequently for a time a part of Shell Rock; but finally it was set off from these and is now a separate organization under the head of London.
From the records we learn that the first title to land was acquired by William Clatworthy and W. A. Pierce, on the 15th of August, 1856, these parties taking their claims on sections eight and nine.
LONDON POST-OFFICE.�This office was estab�ished in September, 1876, with Henry Lang as Postmaster, and shortly afterward Mrs. Meadowcroft was appointed as deputy, with the office in section fourteen. Mail arrives once each week from Austin, the mail carrier being John Connor. The office remained in section fourteen until April, 1880, when Mr. James Lacy was commissioned Postmaster and Marion Connor deputy, and again, in the spring of 1882 the Postmasters changed, this time John Manning took the mail pouch keys and still fills the position of Postmaster, the office being kept in section fifteen at his residence.
POPULATION.�The census of 1870 gave London a population of 311. The last census, taken in 1880, reports 614 for this town: showing an increase of 303.