ISLAND GROVE -
This township
was organized in 1861 and was then one of the largest in the county
but it was afterward reduced to one-half of its original dimensions. It comprises a part of government township
15 north and parts of ranges 7 and 8 west. It is bounded on the north by Cartwright, east by Curran, south by
New Berlin and west by Morgan county. Island Grove, from which the township derives its name, is about
eight miles long and one mile in average width, extending along a branch of Spring creek, which runs through
the northern part of the township. There is also some timber along Skillet Fork creek, in the eastern part of the
township; otherwise it is all prairie. The first settler here was John Roberts, who came from Tennessee and
built a cabin in the northeastern part of the grove in 1818. He was followed a year or two afterward by his
son, Jerry Roberts, and by David and Fred Troxell, Andrew Scott, William Hart and Josiah Hedges.
Berlin, the principal village of the township, was laid out and platted in 1836 by Henry Yates, grandfather
of the present Governor Yates. By the last census it contained 256 inhabitants. The chief shipping point is
New Berlin, in an adjoining township. Island Grove has always been noted as a great corn and cattle
producing township, and is one of the wealthiest and most prosperous sections of the county. Population,
including Berlin village, 974.