Lowell township lies west of Waverly and is quite level, and one of the most fertile townships in the county. In June, 1883, was included in Hickman school township, and in March, 1884. was set off and named Lowell, in honor of Judge Lowell, of Bristol, who for several years was chairman of the board of county commissioners of Day county. Lowell now has two good school-houses, built in 1885. Jay King, mentioned in Waverly, squatted on sec. 23 in the fall of ’82 and built a shack; afterwards filed homestead on sec. 26. In the winter of 1884-5 married Miss Nellie Hall, who died in December, 1885. In the spring of 1883 the entire township was settled; Nelson Bingham and his son John settled on sec. 5; they came here from Missouri, and built the first frame house in the township. Isaiah Bingham, a nephew of Nelson Bingham, settled on sec. 17, and in the winter of 1885-6 sold out to Mrs. Wallace, from Canada. David Isaacs, from New York, sec. 20, also sold out to Mrs. Wallace: S. A. King in ’84 bought out his son Horace and now resides on sec. 25. (See Waverly.)
Chas. Sprouse, the pioneer and boss mortar slinger, and Mahlon Kann, both sons-in-law of Mr. King, came here from Avoca, Iowa, and settled on sec. 24. David Carter came with the Kings and located on sec. 24; afterwards on sec. 25. He put up a blacksmith shop and for several years has done blacksmithing for the settlers.
Chas. Riebling, from Lennox, Mass., located on sec. 25 and afterwards sold to S. A. King. In the winter of ’86 returned east and married Miss Annie Root, and now lives on Jay King’s farm. He expects to permanently locate here. Having traveled through the Southern States, he is now satisfied that Marshall county is the place. Wm. L. Bartlett, from Lennox, Mass., settled on sec. 35. Robt. Roehr and brother Edward with their mother came here from Mitchell county, Iowa; Robert and his mother settled on sec. 34 and Edward on sec. 14. Bennett Benson, from the same county, Iowa, on sec. 14. Andrew Kettleson, from Northwood county, Iowa, on sec. 15. Wm. R. Cuttler, from Lowell, Mich., on sec. 27. E. L. Stocking, from Grattan, Mich., came here from Groton and settled on sec. 22. Jno. S. Jones, from Wisconsin, on sec. 31. S. and Wm. R. Williams, from Cambria, Wis., came here from Bath and located on sec. 22.
Miss Susie Loyd, from Sparta, Wis., on sec. 10, and in May, ’86, sold out to G. Owens, of Baraboo, Wis., who is improving the same. John Williams, from Columbia Co., Wis., sec. 12. Albert and Lee Comstock, from Wisconsin, settled on sec. 1. E. O. Jones, from Howard Co., Iowa, sec. 2. Mr. Jones is now township assessor. Thos. M. Plaisted, from Lincoln, Penobscot county, Maine, sec. .2. Mr. Plaisted was appointed clerk of the court, June 4, 1886. R. H. Olsen, from Norway, sec. 1. Nelson Olen, from Wilmar, Minn., sec. 10. James and Thomas Makes, from Fox Lake, Wis., came here in ’84 and purchased claims on sections 27 and 28. David Price, from Wisconsin, sec. 9. Frank Mullen, from Fox Lake, Wis., in ’84 settled on sec. 18. A. A. Warren and his son W. A. came here from Fox Lake, Wis., and settled on the south half of sec. 8. Mrs. A. A. Warren taught the first school in the township.
Rev. G. L. Beach, from Reed City, Mich., located on sec. 9. Mr. Beach is an active minister in the Presbyterian church, and undoubtedly preached the first sermon in the county outside of Ft. Sisseton. John Parry, from Cambria, Wis., sec. 6. F. G. Gage, from Lowell, Mich., sec. 18. Otto Anderson, from Blue Earth, Minn., sec. 3. Jno. Bell purchased D. H. King’s claim on sec. 19 and settled there in the spring of ’86. Aneurin Owens, from Wisconsin, sec, 29. Oliver Hughes and David Roland, from Cambria, Wis., came here from Bath, Brown county, and settled on sec. 30. C. S. Terwillegar, from Carson City, Mich., sec. 30. Dewitt Churchill, from Ionia, Mich., sec. 31. R. M. Rose, from Lowell, Mich., sec. 31. W. J. Evans, from Cambria, Wis., sec. 32. Evan Owens, from Wisconsin, sec. 29. Richard Owens, from Portage, Wis., sec. 28. Chas. D. Jones, “Long Charlie,” from Oshkosh, Wis., came from Bath, where he has been farming on an extensive scale, and is now improving his claim on sec. 13.
Fred Baramore, from New York, bought out Alex. Chase, sec. 14, last spring.
In this township, like many others, there were many claims taken by speculators who remained six months to gain title and left. Consequently, there are many vacant quarter sections without even the sign of a habitation.
Source: Hickman, George; History of Marshall County, Dakota: Its Topography and Natural History, and Sketches of Pioneer Settlers, with the Names of Actual Settlers where They are From, and where They Live; Also, the Military and Sisseton Reservations; J.W. Banbury, 1886.