First Marriage
:
The first marriage was August Leiser to May Ann Humphreys, August 5, 1855, at the home of the bride's parents, by the Rev. E.C. Crippen, She died April 24, 1880, and he was killed by a horse June 9, 1882. Both are buried in the Hazel Green cemetery.
First Birth:
The first birth was Martha, a daughter to Daniel Richardson and wife, born September 7, 1854. She is now the wife of Edwin Bedford, living on section 22.
First Deaths:
The first death was a man by the name of Thomas Downs, who was frozen to death March 22, 1856, and is buried in Franklin county.
Thomas E. Shumway died June 5, 1856, of lung fever, and is buried on the northeast corner of the northeast quarter of section 33. He was the first buried in the township.
There is only one regular cemetery in the township, located on section 33, and known as the Hazel Green cemetery. The first interments were Mrs. Wm. P. Richardson, and twin daughters, in July, 1856. There is a private burial place of the Steenblock family, located on the southeast quarter of the northeast quarter of section 35.
Educational:
The first school house was built during the winter of 1864-5, of hewed logs, by the people in the neighborhood, each one contributing either money, work, or material. The size of the building was 18x22. It was located on the southwest corner of the southwest quarter of the northwest quarter of section 34, on land owned by Ichabod Lathrop. The first school was taught during the summer of 1855, by Martha George. The attendance was 21 scholars. There are at present nine school houses in the township, eight o which are frame, and cost from $500 to $1,000 apiece. The district are all independent.
Religious:
The first religious services were held at the house of David Hawk, on the southwest corner of section 34, in November, 1853, by Rev. E.C. Crippen, a Methodist.
A Centenarian:
On Saturday evening, January 15, 1876, Edward Graham died in Etna township, aged 101 years. He was born December 31, 1775. His ancestry was of the sturdy Scotch-Irish combination. His parents lived on the banks of the Ashley river, near Charleston, S.C. In 1791, when General Washington visited Charleston, Mr. Graham was sixteen years old, and came in from his home in the country to gaze up the countenance of that hero who was "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen." When Lafayette visited Charleston, Edward Graham was then a man who had lived his half century, but he went to the city to welcome the friend of his country in its infancy--the friend of his country's savior, in his youth. Mr. Graham voted at every Presidential election in this century up to the time of his death, his last vote being for General Grant.