CHAPTER XVI.
MASSENA TOWNSHIP.

Massena township was constituted June 11, 1870, with S. M. Holaday as organizer, and contains the territory technically known as township 75, range 34. At the fall election of that year, officers were chosen as follows: W. S. Whitney, clerk; S. M. Holaday, justice of the peace adn assessor; S. T. McCormick, L. W. Stone and William Holaday, trustees.

LOCATION AND PHYSICAL FEATURES.

Massena township is situated in the eatern tier of townships, and the second from the south, being a full Congressional sub-division. It is bounded on the north by Lincoln township, on the east by Adair county, on the south by Victoria township, and on the west by Union township.

The topography of the country has no striking features. The surface is gently rolling, and the soil is very rich and productive, there being little land which is untillable. There is no timber of natural growth within the borders of Massena, but the artificial groves are very numerous and thrifty.

The west branch of the Nodaway river, with numerous tributaries, traverses the township in all directions, furnishing plenty of water for stock and general agricultural purposes. The stream mentioned rises in the northeastern corner of the township, on section 1, flowing south through sections 12, 13, 24, 23, 26 and 25, and, taking a westward course on section 35, passes through sections 32, 33 and 34, making its exit from Massena township into Victoria, from the southwest corner of 32.

"Compendium and History of Cass County, Iowa." Chicago: Henry and Taylor & Co., 1906, pg. 185-186.
Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass, August, 2018.