ELLISON TOWNSHIP .

This township was given the name of New Lancaster by the committee first selected to divide and name the townships, when township organization was first voted on favorably in the county, but when it was found that the election was invalid and another election was duly held, the new committee gave the township the name it now bears. Ellison.

The township is of a rich and productive soil, mostly prairie, though broken and timbered in the southwestern part. The farms are well cultivated, and the farmers are generally in independent circumstances. It is well watered by Ellison creek, with its branches, and some of the tributaries of Nigger creek. The Atehisoa, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad crosses the northwest corner of the township.

ORGANIZATION

The organization of the township took place April 4, 1854 . E. Mitchell was chairman of the meeting, and A. S. Smith was clerk. The officers elected were: Supervisor, E. Mitchell: town clerk, William Coleman: assessor, J. P. Rutherford: collector. N. B. Cramer: overseer of the poor, H. S. Sexton: highway commissioners. D. Leacock, N. Eldritlg: justices of the peace, H. F. Sexton, 3. D. Perkins; constables, W. H. GiVmore, George W. Scott.

The present officers of the township are: Supervisor, C. C. Birdsail: town clerk, James St. Ledger: assessor, C. E. Mason: collector. Fillmore Painter: highway commissioners. N. E. Penney, A. J. Brent, Thomas Galbreath: justices of the peace, J. B. Lozier. B. F. Corzatt: constables, George Dalton, William Norville. Those who have served the township as supervisors up to the present time are: Eliphalet Mitchell, 1854-55; George W. Palmer, 1856; N. A. Eldridg, 1857-64; William A. Albright, 1865; N. A. Eldridg, 1866-67; Thomas Paul, 1868; W. R. Rayburn, 1869-70; J. A. Pierson, 1871; S. B. Crane, 1872: E. Mitchell, 1873; S. B. Crane, 1874; E. Mitchell, 1875-77; A. K. Morris, 1878; E. Mitchell, 1879; A. K. Morris, 1880; B. Mitchell, 1881-82: M. V. Jamison, 1883-85; A. K. Morris, 1886; E. Mitchell, 1887-88: William R. Rayburn, 1889: A. K. Morris, 1890-91; Charles Graham, 1892-97: James Milligan. 1898- 98: C. C. Birdsail, 1900-1902

The assessment roll for 1901 shows that there were then in the township 836 horses valued at $43,020; 3,060 cattle, valued at $93,910; 87 mules, valued at $6,190; 277 sheep, valued at $1,110; and 4,824 hogs, valued at $32,820. The total valuation of personal property in the township was $379,430, and the assessed valuation $73,881. The assessed valuation of lands was $244,905, and of lots $5,000.

Ellison township had a population of 999 in 1900, against 996 reported in 1890

EARLY SETTLERS    SCHOOLS    CHURCHES

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