Chapter 10 cont. LIBERTY TOWNSHIP. According to Mr. Barrows, settlement in Liberty township first began in 1837.  Those who came to this section of the county were men and women who were determined to make an abiding place for themselves and children.  One of these not mentioned was Josiah Figley, who came to Davenport from Columbiana county, Ohio, and stopped at the Davis House, a small story and a half structure on Harrison street.  This was in February, 1850.  Later he went to Allens Grove where he drove a team and also carried the mail to and from Davenport.  At that time a Mr. Eldridge was postmaster.  The country at that time was teeming with fur-bearing animals of the smaller kind and deer were plentiful.  The settlers were forced to put up with the most primitive arrangement for a habitation and furniture.  This Mr. Figley in 1852 married Eleanor Heller, who was born in Scott county.  It was but a few years until the farmers of this township began to prosper and on a farm owned by Mrs. Figley's father Dr. Dixon laid out the town of Dixon.  It was in the '50s that the farmers of this township were very much annoyed by the depredation of horse and cattle thieves.  Two of them were eventually captured and tried by a jury selected by a band of the settlers who had formed an organization for the punishment of suchlike evil-doers.  George Rule, Sr., settled on Rock creek and erected a grist mill which was an improvement greatly appreciated by the settlers for many miles around.  Roads were laid out, bridges built and the bountiful harvests of grain were marketed at Davenport.  Today the town of Dixon is one of the most important in the county and is described elsewhere in this history.  Horace Woods with his family located on section 11 early in 1837, and following closely on his heels, in July of the same year, came Jacob Heller and family, above referred to, who settled on section 12, now the town site of Dixon.  About the same time came John Heller and family, and with him were Mark C. Jacobs and John Grace, who were employed by Jacob Heller.  Mrs. Figley is given the distinction of being the first white female born in Scott county.  The first cabin built in the township was by Jacob Heller in 1837, and the first prairie land broken in the township was for Jacob Heller, the work being done by John Grace and Mark C. Jacobs.  The land was sowed to winter wheat.  John Heller settled on section 14 and M. C. Jacobs took up a claim on section 24.  The first school house was a log cabin built in 1842 and slabs cut from logs were fashioned into benches for the pupils.  Today the township has seven school houses in as many districts and two independent districts, one in New Liberty and the other in Dixon.  The school in Dixon is a graded one with two teachers.  There are also three churches in the township, two at Big Rock and one at Dixon.  The soil in Libetty township is of the best and more or less rolling.  Two beautiful groves of timber, Big and Little Walnut groves, add very much to the beauty of the landscape, and cutting through these groves is Walnut creek, a beautiful little stream, fed by living springs of water.  There is also in the township an abundance of good gravel and limestone. Debbie Clough G-erischer G-erischer Family Web Site http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/ Assistant CC, Iowa Gen Web, Scott County http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/ List Manager for: IASCOTT-L * G-erischer-L * D-encker-L Fitzpatirck-L * V-lerebome-L * Huntington-L * Otis-L * Algar-L EIGS-L * Pickens-L * McNab-L * Patris-L - Rankin-L