Daviess County

This township was first settled by the Mormons in 1836, and Colfax was surveyed somewhat earlier than its more northern sisters, forming a part of the Caldwell survey. The real growth and prosperity of the township did not commence until after the Mormons were driven from the county, and very little is known of those who settled there during the years of 1839 and 1840. John Castor settled on section fourteen in May, 1841. He was a soldier in the War of 1812, and brought with him a large family, no less than seven sons, who have all, but one, […]

The first census of Colfax township was taken by the general government in 1870—Colfax having been organized into a separate township the year before. A constable and two justices of the peace constituted the township officers until the township organization law was passed, which took effect in the spring of 1872. At that time an election was held and the following township officers elected:- 1872— S. Reed Gurney, supervisor; J. R. Polk, clerk; David Crall, assessor; G. H. Thompson, collector; Granville Mallory, constable; A. J. Kemberling and A. B. Vickers, justices of the peace. 1873 —S. Reed Gurney, supervisor; W.

The first marriage took place, and they who proposed to travel together in life’s journey were Robert Castor and Sarah Jane Kier. The nuptial ceremony was performed by the Rev. James Reed, a Baptist preacher, at the residence of the bride’s father, Robert Kier, on section thirteen, October 5, 1843. The first child known to have been born in the township was James Alfred Castor, son of the above couple, born August 15, 1844. The first mill was put up by J. Lenhart on section thirteen, in the year 1842. It was made of native rock and was well put

The first saw-mill in the township was put up by Andrew Bauchman and David Crall, on section twenty-three. The mill had a forty-eight inch circular saw and was run by eight horses and had a cutting capacity of about 2,000 feet of lumber per day. There have been three or four saw-mills at work in the township at once, but at this writing there is only one, operated by J. R. Dunning and located on section thirteen. It is a portable steam-mill. There is a coal strata or formation in the northeast corner of the township, some two miles east

Colfax Township lies in the form of a square and is in the southeast corner of the county. It is bounded on the north by Jefferson, and east by Sheridan township, on the south by Caldwell and DeKalb counties. It is in size a congressional township—six miles each way. It has an area of twenty three thousand and thirty and thirty one-hundredths acres of land, three-fourths of which is a high and rolling prairie, rich in soil and prolific in production, being one of the best corn producing townships in the county The highest point of land in the county