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From the Hinton Centennial 1883 – 1983


Compiled by Dick and Florence Spies, typesetting by
K & E Enterprise and processed by Carolee Hawthorne.

Transcribed for the A.H.G.P for Plymouth Co., Iowa. by K.K.B county coordinator on 14 March 2002.
This is a brief Story and is not written here word for word due to any possible copyright

Hinton is situated in the Floyd Valley, Hungerford township, section 8 and 9. It sits near the Floyd River, 12 miles down stream from Le Mars ( the county seat ) and 10 miles upstream from Sioux City in Woodbury County. It is situated in the northern portion of Plymouth County along Highway 75.

Hinton was named after a town in West Virginia by John I. Blair, a railroad constructor. Hinton was platted by the Iowa Falls and Sioux City Town Lot and Land Co. in 1883, precise date is not given, and is the only town in Hungerford Township still in existence, the other being the village of James.
An addition was added on May 25, 1894, the land was donated and platted by W. L. and Frances Joy, it consisted of 10.91 acres in section 8 or the south end of town.

EARLY SETTLEMENT It was 1856 that the first settlement was made in the area now known as Hungerford township. It was in the month of July during that year that a colony of emigrants left Ogle county, Illinois, and headed for Plymouth County, Iowa. John and Henry SCHNEIDER, of the large SCHEINDER family, relocated permanently in Hungerford township. At the same time Morgan STAFFORD; who pre-empted land in section 4, where he remained until 1863, then moved to Kansas. A. E. REA cam about 1857 and settle in section 10. E. S. HUNGERFORD, for who this township is named after, came from Illinois in 1856, settling in section 32. C. E. SHEETS settled in 1856. He became county surveyor and held various other offices in Plymouth Co. He moved to Kansas in 1878. Philip, Fred and Erhand HELD, all came prior to 1862, bought land in the township and became prosperous men. Fred was accidently killed by a horse in 1886. There are no other settlers till after the close of the Civil War, about 1868 – 1869. Among the next lot who came in for permanent settlement were Frank HOESE, William HOESE, and the EASTERBROOK brothers, Ira PEARSON and James SULLIVAN. John and Louis WINTER took homestead in section 6.

FIRST RAILROAD: was built in 1865 by Illinois Central

FIRST POST OFFICE: Was established in 1881, first postmaster was Samuel DAVIS.

FIRST NEWSPAPER: Was established by W. L. JULLIAN, of Merrill, in 1902 and later M. A. BANCOFF of Sioux City established the “Hinton Gazette”. On December 1, 1926 E. A. NURNBERG of Sioux City established the “Hinton Progress”.

FIRST BANKS: Was established by Mr. CROUCH in 1900 and George ELLISON established the “Security Bank” n 1907.

FIRST TELEPHONE: was placed in The Mill and on in D. Winter’s store, this was 1899. The “Central” Exchange originated in General Store building and was operated by Gilbert W. HARRISON. This was July 7, 1905 and this date is still legible on the Albers Food Store wall ( 1983 )

FIRST MILL: was build in section 9 of Hungerford township by the HOESE brothers in 1867 or 1868

FIRST DEATH: in the township was Mrs. WERRIGUTT. She died during the Civil War days and she is buried in section 4. Were all the early settlers were laid to rest.

THE EARLIEST MARRIAGE: was that of Morgan STAFFORD and Miss Catherine SCHMIDT.