Sharon Township

Location – Third tier down from Sherman County
        Last township on east edge of the county, next to Hall county line
        Pole Line Road on the north, 115th Road on the south
        Pawnee Road on the west, Wiseman Road on the east

Organization – after 1880, probably 1883 when township plan was adopted.
        Part of Shelton Precinct before that.
        No record found so far as to how it got its name

Features – Mostly tilled agricultural land
        Wood River comes from about 1ฝ miles south of Sharon twp and cuts se corner sec. 36
                West side of the valley is in Sharon

Towns – None, Shelton is just across 115th Road in Shelton Township.

Schools – had as many as 5 country schools back in the early 1900’s

- Dist. 10 in ne corner sec 14
- Dist. 17 in ne corner sec. 28
- Dist. 18 in sw corner sec. 29
- Dist. 30 on west edge ผ mile from south edge sec 7
- Dist. 56 on nw corner sec. 10
Being on corners of sections, they were at intersections of county roads

Grange halls – Two in the southern part of the township
        Vocal Populist following in the 1890’s

Church – Rural Sharon Methodist Church
        Two miles east and two and one half miles north of Gibbon or 4 miles west of Shelton
        Organized in 1885.
        Ministers drove out from Shelton on Sunday afternoons to conduct services
        If baptism was desired by immersion, it was done in the Wood River a mile or so south.
        Their church was sold to the United Evangelicals in 1898 and is disbanded.
 

Pattern of Settlement

Number of Homesteads Filed:

1871—23
1872—21
1873—8
1874—8
1875—3
1876—3
1877—2
1878—10
1879—3

Incidents – What was happening in Sharon township in the 1890’s?
Prohibition carried by a small majority in the Nov. 1890 vote

Property assessment
        1893 Personal property assessment - $21,754
                                            real estate - $60,225
        Both numbers higher than Grant or Schneider townships.

Roads
        1894 road controversy between Shelton and Sharon townships that had been dragging in county board for some time was settled by the supervisors.
                The road was allowed,
                Meisner got $100 damages and the two Olivers and Joe Owens got $25 each.
                A notice of appeal on the part of Meisner was given.

        Frequent news about applications made by Sharon Township to county for road funds.
                Usual amount was $300 for the year, they would get $100 if any.
        1897 No money in the county road fund to appropriate to various townships, including Sharon, who had applied.

Residents – As usual, the people are the most interesting aspect of the area

Meisner, George –

Born in Germany in 1842(or 45), came to US in 1845(or 48)
Lived in Troy, New York and then Tama, Iowa.
Tried several times to enlist during the Civil War
        Turned down because he was blind in one eye. Or a good farmer
        Father and brother fought, he stayed home, farmed
        Accumulated land, eventually some 400 acres.
1871 bought a section of land two miles north of Shelton
        Sold out in Iowa.
        Worked hard at farming and ranching, and bought more land.
        Built barn/granary on his property.
1877 - Married Rachel Fieldgrove,
Lived in a barn/granary until their home, the "Elms", could be built.
        Known throughout the county and beyond as a country mansion.
        16 rooms, 80 inside doors, 6 outside doors, 90 windows.
        Ornate carving found on the staircase and the woodwork throughout the house
        Special designs were created for each room.
            Now on National Register of Historic Places
Had 4 daughters, Elnora, Cora, Dora, and Lulu.
Rachel died in 1889.

        [Stone/monument company in Kearney made her tombstone, the tallest monument in Shelton Cemetery.]

Fieldgrove Henry - Soldiers Free Homestead Colony.

Homesteaded a mile north of Shelton in 1871
        Expanded to 400 acres in the Wood River valley.
        Also acquired 240 acres nine miles north in Schneider Township
Public offices – 1871 - Road supervisor of his district 9 years
        Deputy sheriff for eastern part of county
        School board
        Board of supervisors a number of years, Chairman 2 years
        Buffalo county’s representative in state legislature, 1888
        Justice of the peace
Died in March 1904.
 

Eldest daughter, Dorothy, married Ephriam Oliver, raised a family of 10 boys and 1 girl.
 

#2 daughter, Rachel, married George Miesner

Behavior
Hub, Nov. 28, 1903
        Dennis Swigert, who was sent up from Sharon township by Justice Fieldgrove, to lay out a ten dollar fine for contempt of court was released by Sheriff Simmons Saturday morning his time having expired

Hub, June 13, 1894
        W. O. Weaver, one of Buffalo county’s grand, but poor honest farmers, a man whose only fault is that he is a “pop” which is bad enough the Lord knows, and who, when at home, lives in Sharon township, which township he represents on the county board was in the city yesterday and last night attended the band concert. He was accompanied by his whiskers.