From the 1882 & 1907 Pottawattamie County Histories
Rockford township was one of the original three townships of Pottawattamie County. It constituted all the territory east of the Missouri River to the Macedonia Township line, and south of the Harrison County border to the line of Kanesville. It was first called Rocky Ford after the rock bottom ford of the Boyer River in the vicinity of the village of Loveland.
The first white settlers were Mormons who came with the great exodus of those people from Nauvoo (Illinois), a large portion of whom halted at Kanesville and spilled over along the bluffs.
There are two settlements in the township: Loveland and Honey Creek. The latter was a small hamlet, a railroad station, and a post office near the south line of the township, and still exists in 1997, however the station and post office no longer function. Loveland is a little larger in size than Honey Creek and boasts of several business establishments.
There are also two lakes in the area. One is Honey Creek Lake which is about a half mile south of the former Honey Creek Station and the other is Nobles Lake, located in the northwest corner of the township. This was named after Josiah Noble who ran a sawmill on the lake in early years. In 1997, this lake is a favorite hunting and fishing spot for local sportsman.
The Boyer River traverses the entire breadth of the township and empties into the Missouri River.
Early township officers were: (1882) Lewis Jones, Calvin Crispin and Hardin Alridge, trustees; Henry Goss, clerk; Joseph Moss and William Hoit, justices of the peace; and B. P. Spencer and Seth Crowder, constables. (1907) Ed Wilson, J. A. Currie and W. J. Myers, trustees; D. H. Bailey and M. C. Brocious, justices of the peace; J. R. Hutchinson, constable; Oscar E. Copeland, assessor; and Orel Jones, clerk.
FIRST EVENTS
- Settlers: Hiram Bostwick (1846-1848) who came with the Mormons and stayed; Joseph Hill (1850) who settled on land in Section 11 near the Missouri River on the site known as old St. John’s landing; Joseph Kirby and Arthur Mann, Sherman Goss, and family (1851); Samuel Kirkland, Dr. Robert McGovern and Basil Fox (1852)
- Births: Jan 1853 – daughter of Jacob Cox; and 5 Feb 1853, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. N. Copeland
- Marriage: Jan 1855 — John S. Goss and Sophrina Copeland
- Death: 1852 — a child of H. B. Cox
- Schools: Early Mormon school, and then in 1855 a school was established in an old Mormon cabin on Sec 10
- Teacher: Jacob Cox
- Bridge: over the Honey Creek by Basil Fox in 1853
- Mill: Built in 1859 by Wiley B. Hatcher and a Popps fella on Honey Creek. 1860 — William Arthur and Hoil Carter put in a steam sawmill which was short lived. 1865-6 — A.J. Bell and E. Loveland built a mill on the Boyer River.
- Railroads: 1867: Chicago and Northwestern Railroad; 1899: Illinois Central
- Church: 1856: Baptist. Rev. John Case was the first pastor.
- Judges: Hardin Jones and Abraham Jackson
- Sheriff: Perry Reel