Chapter 10 cont. HICKORY GROVE TOWNSHIP Hickory Grove is one of the oldest townships of Scott ocunty and was first settled in 1836, Alfred Carter making the first claim on the northwest quarter of section 16.  He was a native of Shenandoah valley, Virginia, and came here from Indiana.  This township is bounded on the north by Allen's Grove and on the south by Blue Grass, on the west by Cleona and on the east by Sheridan townships.  It is mostly prairie, which is well watered, and takes its name from a tract of timber in the central portion of the township known as Hickory Grove.  At the time Alfred Carter came to this section of the country wild animals roamed the prairies and hills.  The wolves and wildcats were very troublesome, committing depredations on the settlers' live stock.  Hickory Grove was at that time a great rendezvous for deer.  One night while Mr. Carter was absent in Henderson county, Illinois, where he had journeyed in quest of provisions for himself and neighbors, ten Indians came suddenly upon the house and asked for a night's lodging. Fearing to refuse them Mrs. Carter granted their request.  Mr. Carter and his sons, Charles P., John and Martin, often joined the Indians in hunting deer.  Eearly in its history there were three tracts of timber which were known as Hickory Grove, Pilot Grove and Linn Grove; the two latter have practically disappeared.  In 1837 Philip Baker of Muskingum county, Ohio, took up a claim on section 9, and at about the same time came Jonathan Porter from Muskingum county, Ohio, also Daniel and John Porter.  John Spicer had preceded them from Muskingum county in the fall of 1836, settling on section 9.  William and Daniel Porter also came in 1836.  Muskingum county, Ohio, furnished George Schuck, who settled in the township on section 10 in 1838, and died there in 1848.  John Schuck also came in 1838 and built a hewn log house on section 15.  He removed to Nebraska in 1859.  Samuel Freeman, whose native place was New London, Connecticut, arrived in Davenport on December 3, 1839, and a short time thereafter entered a tract of land near Kirtle's ferry on the Wapsipinicon, but lost his claim by being too slow in filing on it.  Eventually after many vicissitudes he was able to gather enough money to purchase a farm near Slopertown.  This was sold in a few years for another farm near Hickory Grove, where he remained until the day of his death.  The first school was held in the winter of 1837-8 at the home of Alfred Carter, George F. Emery, a highly educated man and a native of Boston, having been employed by Mr. Carter to teach his children.  The first birth in the township occurred November 10, 1838, and was that of William H. Baker, son of Philip and Catherine Baker.  The first death was that of Alfred Carter in 1839.  The first marriage took place at the home of Philip Baker in 1842, the contracting parties being Alexander Wells and Julia Carter.  The ceremony was performed by Squire Grace at Walnut Grove.  Hickory Grove township takes pride in the fact that the great apostle of Methodism, Rev. Peter Cartwright thundered his philippics against sin and unrighteousness in homes of the settlers here who threw them open to him for religious services.  It is especially remembered that he preached a sermon at the home of Alfred Carter in 1838.  In November, 1851, Elder Jonas Hartzell, later of Davenport, organized the Linn Grove Christian church.  It was then known as the Allen's Grove Church of Christ and was removed to Linn Grove in 1858 and its name changed.  Both in Allen's Grove and Linn Grove the congregation held services in the school houses, but a modest frame house was built in 1866, where services were afterwards held.  This township today has eight sub-school districts where school is taught   during summer and winter from eight to nine months in the year.  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