Formation
Organized
in 1870.
Early Settlers
Moses Pearson and family in 1866, G.B.
Gano in July of 1866. They were followed by Martin and son John
Guilliams, Joseph Cowen, Henry Gipe, A.J. Whisman, Mr. Pearson, G.W.
Rany, Jacob Hamilton, Moses D. Purdy, and Robert and Stephen Johnston.
First Events
Post office: Washta
Death: wife of Alexander Brown in the spring of 1868
Marriage: A.C. Gipe and Jane Rany in the spring of 1867
School-house: made of logs and was built in 1867. It was taught by Mrs. R.M. Dewey. The first frame school was built in 1868.
First goods sold: Dwight Edmonds in 1878
Fatalities:
during the summer of 1874 three Armitage children ate what they thought
to be wild artichoke (it was wild parsnip - a deadly poison). Two
survived.
Village of Washta
Washta means "good" in Indian. It was platted in 1887.
First Events - Washta
First Church and building: Congregational Church in 1887
First business: E.M. Gatchell, Bunn & Mattoon, E. Stratton and Felter & Brackney
First store to open: general merchandise run by George Stratton in 1886
Blacksmith: W.W. Meredith
Shoemaker: W.A. Henderson
Harness-maker: J.H. Shelton
Hardware: Bunn & Mattoon
Grocery and Crockery: A. Bunn
Jeweler: James McDonald
Furniture: C. Barwick
Grain dealer: James Robertson
Lumber dealer: James Robertson
Hotel: The Washta House built by John McCoun in 1887-88
Milliner: Miss Lucy Mower
Physician/Surgeon: W.T. Balah
Druggist: J.R. Mower
Agricultural implement dealer: Bunn & Mattoon
Livery: A.W. Bishop
Wagon shop: Smith & Wilcox
Bank: Bank of Washta, owned by James Robertson with his son James Jr. as cashier
Newspaper: The Herald started by G.W. Bailey, who removed to Quimby and was replaced by The Independent.
Village of Quimby
Was platted in 1887 and named after F.W. Quimby, one of the officials on the Illinois Central Railroad.
First Events - Quimby
Building: Grain elevator in 1887
Mercantile: A.J. Clark
Druggists/Grocers: Smith & Shaul, 1888
Hardware: E.F. Leonard
Furniture: A.J. Raymond
Agricultural implements: E.F. Leonard
Lumber: J.P. Dickey
Harness-maker: A. Meeker
Shoemaker: A.A. Perrin
Wagon shop: Mr. Parker
Meat marker: J.D. Smith
Hotel: D.S. Simmons in 1887, followed by The Valley House in 1888 by T.R. McCracken
Doctor: Dr. P. McGregor
Milliners: the Misses Lauer
Barber: John Pierce
Liveryman: D.S. Simmons
Bank: is represented by Soyster & Son
Postoffice: 1887 and the first postmaster was A.J. Clark
Churches
Methodist Episcopal, organized and a church built in 1889
United Presbyterian, church built in 1889
Cemeteries
Grandview
Cemetery
Quimby
Cemetery
Sunset
View Cemetery
Geographical
Willow Township covers an area of 36.3 square miles (94
km2) and contains two incorporated settlements: Quimby and Washta.
Willow Twp - WikiPedia
SOURCES:
The township history was excerpted from Biographical History of
Cherokee County. W. S. Dunbar & Co., 1889. The township map is from
Plat Book of Cherokee County, Iowa, W.W. Hixon & Co.,
Rockford, IL
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