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HISTORY OF BUCHANAN COUNTY IOWA

The first white settler in this township and in the county was William Bennett. The first log house in Quasquinton was built by Bennett. Where he lived there with his wife and three daughters.
During the summer of 1842 Bennett constructed a dam across the river and employed these men:
Warners, Jeffers, Wall, Day, Evans and Hugh Warren who was a good for nothing.
When Madison county was organized in March 11 1857 the first Justices were Charles Bennett and and J.B. Ward.
H.W. Bennett was president and general manager of Tres Rios Plantation company.

The Methodist Episcopal Society was first organized in Sept 1856 in a private residence. Schoolhouse and these homes were the places of meetings for a number of years after the organization. Among the early members of the society were: O. Preble and wife, L.H. Smith and wife, J.G. Ward and wife and others.

In the summer of 1853 a school was taught in the house of Silas K. Messenger by Emily Gaylord. This was a subscription school. The first house was built of logs and James Bennett was the first teacher to have a class therein.

C.H Jakway raised the first flock of sheep.
A finance committee was appointed for every township in the county was appointed by the executive committee: Charles Bennett for Buffalo.