Chapter 10 cont. LINCOLN TOWNSHIP. Lincoln township when first settled was an expanse of prairie covered with tall luxuriant grass, where deer and other animals abounded.  This township was organized in 1866 and embraces congressional township No. 79, range 4 east, and is lacking one tier of sections on the east side of being a full township.  The first trustees divided the township into seven road districts, but in 1903 these districts were merged into one, and since that time the roads have been worked on the township plan.  The first township officers were:  A. J. Green, J. H. Mohr, and James Henry, trustees; Richard Proudfoot, clerk.  A very attractive place of those days was an elevation of ground called Saddle Mound which is now owned by William Moeller.  On the Guinan place is another interesting spot, Goose Pond.  Robert Criswell was the first settler of this township.  He was a Pennsylvanian and located at Long Grove in 1844.  After three years' residence there he settled on section 23, which he improved and upon which he built a home.  Mr. Criswell lived on this place and prospered until 1867, when he retired to Princeton and died there at the age of eighty-one.  William H. Jones left New York in 1844 and settled in LeClaire and ran the first threshing machine in that neighborhood, and in 1848 he broke up the sod for Mr. Criswell on part of his section.  Mr. Jones married the widow Chuck, who was in her maidenhood Mary Van Duzer.  She came from Scott county in 1835.  Mr. Jones died in 1893 and his widow followed him in 1905, after a residence in Davenport.  Charles and Henry Lau are the sons of Peter N. Lau, who came to Lincoln township in 1853.  They are still residents of this township.  One of the most prominent citizens of the county was M. J. Rohlfs, who came to Lincoln township in 1848, after a residence in Davenport of one year.  Mr. Rohlfs served his county in the Iowa legislature four terms and for twelve years served Scott county as its treasurer, and was succeeded by his son Rudolph in that office, who proved a worthy successor to his father.  The first schoolhouse in Lincoln township was built on section No. 23 and became known as the Jones schoolhouse.  The first school was presided over by J. O. Jamison.  After the township was organized it was divided into eight sub-districts upon which are now erected good substantial modern schoolhouses, where the children are given the advantages of nine months' instruction during the year.  This township has never had but one church.  It was organized July 6, 1858, by Rev. J. D. Mason, with twenty-eight members.  It is known as  Summit Presbyterian church. 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