"The town of Eldorado, located on the northwest quarter of Section 18, Township 95, Range 8, was originally owned by Eli Elrod. In the Spring of 1850, Mr. Elrod and J. L. Carson built a saw-mill on the Turkey River at that point, and in 1851, Mr. Elrod erected a flouring mill.
November 5, 1852, the town was laid out; Eli Elrod, Rachel Elrod, James Anderson, Marinda Anderson, Thomas Woodle and Rachel Woodle, proprietors. The plat was filed for record January 6, 1853. Again filed for record May 6, 1865.
The first permanent settlement in the township, says L. Clark, Esq., was made on Section 22 by Lewis Kerr, who came with his family in 1848. He was also accompanied by his mother, sister and two brothers, John and Thomas. Kerr erected a log cabin - the first in the township - immediately after the removal of the Indians. During the same year, Eliff Johnson located here, and John Downey broke the first prairie in the township, after the departure of the Indians, on Section 32, but sold his claim soon after to Jacob Rosier. Geo. M. Rosier and William M. Rosier located near Jacob. (This should say George N. Rosier; not George M.)
In June and July, 1849, Benjamin Iliff built a log house on Section 7. George Morrison, who lived on Section 12; Township 95; Range 9, Auburn, claimed a portion of Section 7. John Turner, E. Pence, D. F. Soward and Eli Elrod came in 1849. Jacob Hoover settled on Section 29. About the same time, Rev. Harvey S. Brunson and Elisha Hartsough located on Section 33, and Mr. L. Clark, from Pennsylvania, commenced making improvements on Section 6.
In 1850, R. B. Kincaid, Lemuel Iliff, Nelson Graham, Alexander Musselman and Jacob K. Rosier settled, with their families, on Section 7, on and near the present site of Eldorado. D. Elrod and James Iliff came about the same time. In 1851, Thomas Kincaid, John Webb, William Edgar, James George, James Anderson, Bertle Osalson (sic), Rev. Mr. Greenup and others came to the new settlement. About 1852, William H. Scott settled in the southeastern part of the town; and near him, settled, probably about the same time, A. J. Sherman, R. R. Nutting and David Thompson. John Barnes and Mr. Ropes, an old gentleman from New Hampshire, became residents of Dover Township, and Mr. Ropes' son, C. B. Ropes, came in 1855 and settled on Section 9. Among those who settled in this township at an early day were William Kent, Ashur Simar, V. Anderson, William Andress, C. T. Sabol, Halver Paulsen, H. B. Hoyt, William Robinson, C. B. Howe and Samuel Rich.
Township 95, Range 8, was set apart and established as a political township by the County Commissioners of Fayette County October, 1850. Judges of Election appointed, Jacob Hoover, Benjamin Iliff and Eli Elrod; voting place, house of Eli Elrod; election, third Monday in November, 1850.
The first election in the township was held, says Mr. Clark, in Elrod's gristmill, in the fall of 1851. The records are lost; but it is remembered that Benjamin Iliff was elected Justice of the Peace; L. Clark, Clerk, and Alexander Musselman, Constable. As the County Commissioners ordered elections to be held on the third Monday of November, 1850, for the organization of the township, erected by the Board in October, it is more than probable that this fact escaped Mr. Clark's recollection, and that the officers above named were elected in November, 1850, instead of "Fall of 1851." In 1851, it is likely that the election was held in the mill.
Rev. John Hindman, a Methodist Episcopal minister, held the first religious services in the town and township, at the house of Benjamin Iliff, October 29, 1849; and in 1850, a Sunday school was organized by Eli Elrod, at Iliff's cabin.
James A. Iliff, born April 13, 1850, was the first white child born in the township.
The first wedding was in December, 1849, at the cabin of Lewis Kerr. The happy couple were Eliff Johnson and Miss Polly Kerr. Gabriel Long, Esq., of West Union, officiated on the occasion. Mr. Kerr's cabin was not very "high-posted;" Squire Long was about six feet six inches long, and as he stood erect, his head was "up stairs," where the ceremony was repeated, while the parties stood below on the first floor.
The first to be called to "cross the dark river' was Mrs. Alvina, wife of Benjamin Iliff, who died November 15, 1850.
The mills having been built and the town laid out in 1852 and 1853, Squire Iliff opened the first store in Eldorado, and the post office was established, with Benjamin Iliff, Postmaster.
The first school was opened in the Summer of 1851, by Sarah Stafford, in a log cabin in District No. 1, Section 32. The first school house in the township was built of logs, in District No. 1, near Jacob Hoover's, on Section 32, in which the first school was taught in the Summer of 1852 by Miss Burdett.
The first blacksmith in Eldorado was Ole Larson, but the date of the first music of his anvil is not remembered.
The first bridge across the Turkey in the township, at Eldorado, was built by subscription in 1855. An iron bridge was flung across the river at this point in 1870.
Deer were plenty in the vicinity of Eldorado until 1856-7. During that winter the snow was very deep, and, as the animals were easily approached by the hunters, the most of them were killed.
The first school house in Eldorado was built in 1854, in School District No. 2. The first church was erected by the United Brethren Society in 1859. The carpenters were A. B. Kirkpatrick and W. L. Wells, and the lumber was sawed by John N. Kirkpatrick. This building was taken apart and removed to Auburn several years ago.
A Norwegian was drowned in the mill dam at Eldorado, in the Spring of 1858. Mr. Clark had crossed the river in a skiff on some errand, and had left it unfastened on the bank. The Norwegian entered the boat with a little girl, whom he persuaded to accompany him. Getting into the current, he bacame frightened as the boat neared the dam and jumped out, hoping to catch hold of the frame of the saw-mill, which he missed. He was carried over the dam and nearly to the lower dam before he sank. The little girl seated herself in the bottom of the boat and was carried over the dam also, the boat keeping its balance and shipping very little water. She was rescued in a few minutes, none of the worse for her dangerous boat ride.
June 28, 1874, three boys - Isaac, son of Eliff Johnson, and Willie and Jamie, sons of Mr. Coffin - were drowned in the Turkey River, four miles east of Eldorado, while bathing. They were on a sand-bar, the edge of which was about perpendicular, over which they all walked, and, none being able to swim, they all perished within a few feet of each other.
The steam saw-mill now owned by Abram Geiler was built in 1853 by Newton, Walcott and Towner.
Walcott did not bring his family. Mrs. Newton and Mrs. Towner wore bloomer dresses, and the fashion of the women's dresses earned for the little settlement the name of "Bloomertown," by which it was known for miles around
German Lutheran Church - The society of this name was first formed at Eldorado, about 1858, the first missionary work being done by Rev. Mr. Caberly, who was followed by Rev. Messrs. Deinderfer and Fogle. Rev. S. F. Meyer took charge of the society in 1871, and during his pastorate the house of worship was built, in 1872, at a cost of $1,500. Its size is 28x42 feet. It was dedicated November 30, 1872, Rev. Mr. Meyer officiating. Rev. Mr. Blessin is the present Pastor. The society has about 30 members. A grammar school is taught by Rev. Mr. Blessin in a building near the church, erected for the purpose.
Methodist Episcopal Church - The first sermon preached in this township was by Rev. John Hinman, in 1849, and the presumption is that a class was organized at Eldorado in the winter of 1849-50. The church was built in 1869, under the care of James George, Richard Dewey, James Young, George K. Eckert and Thomas Kincaid, and cost about $1,800. The building was dedicated January 2, 1871, Rev. William Smith, Presiding Elder, delivering the sermon. The Pastor is Rev. Mr. Rogers. Trustees - James George, William Oberdorf, Andrew Reed, James Young and Samuel Dewey.
Lewis Thompson is Superintendent of the Sabbath school, which has an average attendance of about pupils. This Sabbath school has been organized about seventeen years and has met every Sunday since it was first formed, except on a few extraordinary occasions, when the building was needed for other purposes.
April 3, 1868, Eldorado Lodge, I. O. of G. T., was organized, with 30 members. J. W. Springstead was the first W.C.T., and Mrs. Ann Young, W.V.T."
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