From the 1882 and 1907 Pottawattamie County Histories
Center township is bounded on the north by Valley, east by Wright, south by Grove and west by Belknap and Carson townships. It was taken from Knox Township by a line beginning at the southeast corner of township 76, Range 39, thence north on the Congressional township line to the northeast corner of Section 25, in 76, Range 39; thence west on the section line to the northwest corner of Section 30; thence north on the Congressional township line to the Nishnabotna River, and all that part of Congressional Township 76, Range 40, lying west of the Nishnabotna River.
The main streams are: Graybill, Spring and Jordan. The only town platted in the township was, Iola, near Big Grove. It never developed beyond a few homes and does not exist in 1997. Early township officers: G. W. Gage, T. R. Strong and W. Storts, trustees; George H. Nash, clerk; Paul Beezley, assessor; Arthur Putnam, justice of the peace; and constable, Ashur Heckman.
FIRST EVENTS
- Settlers: 1852: Joshua C. Layton; 1854: Joseph Layton, Jacob Rust and Joseph Darnell. 1855: Reuben Mains; 1856: Louis Huff, Benjamin Palmer, Charles S. Robinson, Thomas Ephraim and William McKee
- Birth: That of a child of Joseph Darnell which died at birth
- Marriage: 1856, July 1; James Morris and Lavinia Layton
- School: 1858-59 — in a log cabin on Sec 7, township 75, Range 39
- Teacher: Martin Luther Ingoldsby
- Mill: On Jordan Creek.