Newark Township

Newark Township. - Named for Newark, Ohio, was formed out of territory included in Neodesha tp., at meeting of County Commissioners in April, 1871. First election held at Newark P. O., April 15, same year. Fifty odd voted were polled and the following persons selected as township officers: Thos. Campbell, Trustee; J. W. Mack and P. S. Booth, Justices; B. F. Tuttle, Treasurer; Julius Austin, Clerk; E. Kindle and __ Barber, Constables. First settler, Peter Michels, who located on Dry creek in 1866. David Lesco settled near Michels in Aug., 1867, where he still lives. Wm. R. Johnson settled on the farm now occupied by F. M. Hefley in 1867. Sylvester George, Felix Williams and John Hemperly settled in the northeast part of township in the fall of 1867. Mr. Rogers and Wm. Robinson took claims on Dry creek in the fall of 1868. Claims on that part of the ceded land which it was understood did not belong to the railroad company, were about all taken this year. In the spring of 1869 Robt. Whitaker, B. F. Tuttle, Alf. Shepherd, Mr. McKay and others located. The close of the following year did not leave any good claims vacant. The early settlers were called on for gratuities from the Osages. These noble sons of the prairie also did much to justify the reputation for stealing which clings to them. Many a white man has stretched hemp by the inexorable mandate of Judge Lynch, because of a propensity to pick up halters with horses at one end, who could not hold a candle to some Osages in this weakness. A man named Davore opened a trading post on Dry creek in the spring of 1868, but soon sold out to Bettis & Hefley. In 1868, L. R. Bettis accompanied the Osages on a hunting expedition to the Arkansas river. Dec. 8, 1870, a post-office was established near the centre of the township called Newark, with Byron B. Viets as P. M. Viets & Barber had a store there. The postoffice was discontinued in June, 1871.