From the 1881 History of Marshall County, Iowa

ALBION.

The village of Albion is pleasantly situated on Section 6, Town 84, Range 18, in the civil township of Iowa, about seven miles northwest of Marshalltown. The Iowa River flows about one mile distant, to the west and south of the village- The Central Railroad of Iowa touches the village, affording rail communication with the North and South. The plat is made upon a fine elevation, with level plateau in the village, and is altogether a desirable selection for a town. The lands upon which Albion stands were selected as a part of the 500,000-acre school fund tract—an appropriation of wild lands voted for educational purposes by the State at an earlv day, wherever the Commissioners chose to locate the tract in parcels. J. M'. Ferguson was School Fund Commissioner when this tract was selected. In 1852, Thomas S. Brown and George W. Voris (the latter one of the Mormons who separated from the party, as related elsewhere) made the purchase of this tract, and platted the west half of southeast quarter and the east half of southwest quarter of Section 6, Town 84, Range 18. Cyrus Saunders was Surveyor, and Jackson Bowles and Jonathan Alman were chain bearers. At the date of the survey (August, 1852), John B. Hobbs was living near the spot, and the surveying party boarded with him.
Mr. Voris then lived about six miles east of the site, on the Archibald Clemins farm. For some reason, not now remembered, the plat was not recorded until Julv 21, 1856. After Mr. Hobbs resigned the office of County Judge and sold his interest in Marietta, he purchased, in the Fall of 1853, Brown's interest in the village, which was originally called and recorded as

THE VILLAGE OF LA FAYETTE.

The name was not changed to that of Albion until in 1858. The Marshall County Times first notices the alteration, October 11th of that year. We shall speak of the place, however, throughout this chapter as Albion. Mr. Brown subsequently enlisted in the army, and died in the service. Mr. Voris is spoken of in the opening chapter on Mormonism.
At the time of Mr. Hobbs' purchase there were few residents in the place. Among them, he now remembers H H. Seymour, W. C. Howard and Thomas S. Pike. Mr. H. did not long retain an interest in the town, and never resided on the plat. He sold to Joseph Long, and, later, William Evans and Jame3 F. Seymour became proprietors in the property.
The first house was built by Terry Growing. It was a hewed log building, and was put up in the Fall of 1853.
There were at that time, in the surrounding country, a number of settlers who figure in the history of the county.
In what is now Bangor were: Thomas Pearson (1848), John Whittaker (1849), David Davis, Jesse Amos (1849), Elias Wolohan,
Nash Travis, Elam Jessup, William Adams, Lancaster Bell, Jesse Everst; and in Liscomb were: Isaac Myers, Leonard Dinsel,
J. B. Ralls, S. Bowman and J. H. Hauser.
The settlers of the Marietta region have already been mentioned. Minerva, as now organized, was then a part of that large district, and in it located: Robert Elder, William Spence, David Teager, Jacob Rohr, John Anselm, Joseph Anselm, John McGee, William Taylor, John Dakin and William Clemans.
In Taylor Township, or the region east of Albion, were: Hosea Dean, Sr., and his son Hosea, William Stout, N. S. Ketchum and Joseph Long, to whom Mr. Hobbs sold his interest in the village.
In Iowa Township, the immediate locality about Albion, were : William, John and Philip Ballard, Shelton Gear, James Miller, Washington Asher, John Avery, John Duke, Thomas Gordon (a Mormon), John Hauser, Jacob Hauser, A. Elzeburg, G. W. Vans, James Dunbow, Carpenter Gear, Samuel Ulery, Jacob Haselton and others.
The first store was opened in 1855, by the firm of Keyes & Alford. Jonathan Keyes erected the building occupied by the firm.
The second store was kept by Treat & Young and the third by M. M. Perrigo—all begun in 1855. The Keyes store still stands, and is used as a blacksmith shop.
The first school was taught in the Summer of 1855, by Caroline Thomas. The Winter term was conducted by H. S. Westfall. A log house was used for the purpose.
In 1856, a frame school house was erected; and in 1864-5, a brick building took its place. The brick is now occupied by the Friends as a meeting house.
The building now occupied as a union school is a fine structure, and is a credit to the town. Mr. W. E. Crosby is Principal, and under his charge the character of the school has greatly improved. There is but one building used for public school purposes in Albion.
Thomas J. Wilson was the first lawyer to locate in town. He was also the first editor, for in the Fall of 1855, he established the Central Journal.

THE FIRST NEWSPAPER IN THE COUNTY.

A sketch of this journal appears in the general history of the press.
The first artisans were: William C. Howard, blacksmith, who opened the first shop, in 1854; Green Houghton and " Doc " Barker and John Ryan, who followed in the same trade. L. L. Harris, afterward Sheriff of the county, was the first shoemaker; J. L. Scott, the first wagon maker, although James Speer opened the first wagon shop, in 1856. Scott came in 1855, and still resides where he settled at that early date, being the oldest continuous resident of Albion at the present time. Solomon Kaufman was the first carpenter, and Joseph Adams opened the first meat market. The first frame house was built by H. H. Seymour, and is still standing, being occupied by Henry Brigham.
The first physician to practice in the town was Dr. Bush, but he gave fully as much time to non-professional business as to his drugs and lotions. Mr. Hobbs appropriated lots for the erection of a saw-mill; and Dr. Bush joined Samuel Reed, in 1855, in the erection of a steam mill on the property subsequently owned by Stephen Tripp. James Asher was employed to run the mill. The first tavern was opened by Abram Lucas, in 1855. A portion of this building forms a part of the hotel now standing. Among the earlier residents of Albion who subsequently became well known throughout the country, are: E. N. Chapin, Timothy Brown, Abram Stanley, Judge Battin, Daniel Wheeler, B. T. Phillips, Mr. Tripp, Mr. Beeson, R. H. Barnhart, Thomas Swearingen, Gideon Wheeler, Archibald Alison and many others.
The first birth occurred in 1853—Ada Brigham. Mrs. Elizabeth Seymour died the same year—the first death in the place. The first wedding was that of Greene Hooten to Mary Keith.

GOVERNMENT.
Albion was incorporated as a town in 1870, the vote being cast for and against the proposed change of government on the 8th of March.
There were 67 affirmative votes and but 5 negative polled that day. The Commissioners appointed by the Circuit Court to present the measure to the people were H. S. Patrick, J. B. Cripps, Gideon Wheeler, D. S. Kellogg and D. Burkhart. The first meeting of the Board of Trustees was held April 22, 1870.
The town officers are shown below :
For 1870—H. S. Patrick, Mayor; S. E. Burroughs, Recorder; Trustees —A. Stanley, G. Wheeler, J. Mitchell, J. B. Cripps and E. C. McMillan. For 1871—J. II. Reynolds, Mayor; S. E. Burroughs, Recorder; Trustees A. Stanley, E. C. McMillan, W. E. Walker, D. Burkhart and J. Mitchell. For 1872—A. Stanley, Mayor; S. E. Burroughs, Recorder; M. P. Smith was chosen to same office to fill vacancy; Trustees—D. Burkhart, H. Hill, A. C. Rogers, E. Lewis and E. C. McMillan. For 1873—H. S. Patrick, Mayor; M. P. Smith, Recorder; Trustees—G. Wheeler, J. Mitchell, A. C. Rogers, U. L. Patton and W. E. Walker. For 1874—G. Wheeler, Mayor; M. P. Smith, Recorder; Trustees—A. Stanley, N. Philbrick, A. P. Augustine, A. C. Rogers and J. E. Cunningham. For 1875—J. B. Rolston, Mayor; W. T. Adell, Recorder; Trustees-Henry Emes, A. C. Rogers, D. W. Randolph, G. II. Troutman and Frank Myers. For 1876—J. B. Rolston, Mayor; W. A. Tallas, Recorder; Trustees—A. C. Rogers, S. C. Gillespie, J. Daniels, D. W. Randolph and Henry Ernes. For 1877—Elias Ballard, Mayor; Frank Williams, Recorder; Trustees— George Troutman, Henry Brigham, Lancaster Bell, Frank Myers and M. L. Fox. For 1878—M. L. Fox, Mayor; M. P. Smith, Recorder; Trustees—A. Arney, W. A. Tallas, H. Brigham, J. E. Cunningham and H. M. Beeson.

POST OFFICE.
Although the town was originally called La Fayette, the p ost office was Albion from the date of its location, owing to the fact that there already was a La Fayette in the State. The office was established in the Fall of 1853. H. H. Seymour was the first Postmaster. E. Alford succeeded him. Then Thomas Parnell held the place. He was succeeded by Geo. E. Keyes. Gideon Wheeler was appointed in 1866, and still retains the office.

MASONIC.
There is but one secret society in Albion : Damascus Lodge, No. 268, A., F. & A. M. Began work under dispensation September 13,1869. Charter granted June, 1870, with the following first officers: S. E. Burroughs, W. M.; E. C. McMillan, S. W.; Wm. Denbow, J. W.; J. U. Heacock, Treasurer ; Charles C. Berry, Secretary; Henry Hill, S. D.; E. Hill. J. D.; J. H. Reynolds, Steward; G. Wheeler, Tiler. The present officers are; J. S. Hixson, W. M.; A. S. Wylie, S. W.; D. W. Randolph, J. W.; H. S. Patrick, Treasurer; U. L. Patton, Secretary; J. N. Howell, S. D.; L. McKinnon, J. D.; J. Moran, S. S.; J. Rolston, J. S.; J. Gruber, Tiler. Membership, fifty-seven.

GENERAL ITEMS.
The present business interests of Albion are: One dry goods store, five groceries, one boot and shoe store, one drug store, one furniture store and cabinet shop, one painter, one carpenter, two blacksmith shops, two wagon shops, two barbed wire fence shops, one nursery and two elevators. The latter are the leading business enterprises in the place. Patton & Rolston and W. D. Post are the respective owners, and deal extensively in grain, cattle, hogs and lumber.
There are three physicians in the town.

THE ALBION SEMINARY.
The leading denominational or independent educational institution in this county is the Albion Seminary, which is conducted by and under the general patronage of the Methodist Episcopals of the Upper Iowa Conference. The Seminary became the property of the Methodists in 1872. The Articles of Incorporation were dated October 4th of that year. The name by which it is designated was then chosen, and the property placed in the hands of fifteen Trustees, five of whom are annually replaced, the new members entering upon a three-year term of office. The realty was conditionally transferred by Mr. T. Swearingen to the Board of Trustees, but in the name of the Albion Seminary, so that the title is not vested in individuals. The first Board consisted of T. W. Tucker, John Bowman, D. R. Randolph, J. Montgomery, C. F. Clarkson, E. Lewis, F. M. Robertson, G. H. Troutinan, S. A. Lee, D. Hatton, J. C. McVay, J. B. Tailor, J. B. Ralston, U. Eberhart and E. J. Coffin.