1878 History of Jewell County, Kansas

Limestone Township

was organized at the first meeting of the board of county Commissioners, August 22, 1870, and was composed of Townships 3, 4 and 5, Ranges 9 and 10. It has since been reduced to one government Township (Town 3, Range 9), athens, Erving, Ionia and Ezbon, having been formed out of its original territory.

The First Election

for Township officers was held at the house of Thomas Coverdale, April 3, 1871, and resulted in the election of Adam Reimenschneider, Trustee; Seneca Sumner, Treasurer; C.S. Baxter, Clerk; John McAffee and A.M.W. Carman, Justices of the Peace, and Thomas Grimes, and C.E. Pound, Constables.

On February 12, 1874, it was organized as it now stands, with Geo. E. Vilott, Treasurer; Ransom J. Harwick, Clerk, and George Snyder, Treasurer.

The Township contains six miles square of excellent rolling land, rich and productive. It is well watered by the second and third branches of Limestone creek, on which is found an abundance of good timber.

The First Settler

of the Township was Captain Garland, an old sea captain, who settled on the third branch of Limestone in the fall of 1870. The second batch of settlers were Robert Paitson and family, who settled on the fourth branch of Limestone, the same fall, though a little later.

The first white child born in the Township was born to Mrs. Anna Burgess, in 1871; it was also the first death, as it died a very short time after its birth, followed in a few days by its mother.

Every quarter section of land in the Township is taken, and nearly all of them contain actual settlers. The people are intelligent, moral and industrious, and the society is good. There are four school districts in the Township, in all of which regular terms of school are taught. There is only $260 [?] bonded indebtedness in the Township. There are two church organization in the Township - the Methodists and Presbyterians, both of which have regular preaching, and Sunday Schools. Present population -- 470. Ezbon is the post office.

The Present Township Officers,

elected November 6, 1877, are: John McCammon, Trustee; Geo. W. Congleton, Clerk; W.M. Isaacs, Treasurer; F.E. Cannon and W.P. Walker, Justices of the Peace, and J.W. Parkhurst and S.E. Maxson, Constables.