Joseph Stauber, one of the founders of Moravia, was a native of Pennsylvania and came to Appanoose county with his young wife in the spring of 1850, locating in this township, where he became one of the influential men of the community.

Daniel Cummins settled in this township in 1851. He was preceded by his son in 1849. The latter married Maria Theresa Stauber in 1853. She was a daughter of Joseph Stauber, who founded the town of Moravia.

S. M. Andrews was born in Tennessee and married Nancy L. Woods, whose father died in this county in 1863. Mr. Andrews removed to this county with his family in 1851 and located on section 21, Taylor township. He invested all his money in land, erected a log cabin, without windows or door casings, through force of necessity, and as the years went by improved seven hundred acres of land, which became a heritage to his children. This hardy pioneer was an important personage of the community and represented the township on the board of supervisors.

Ezekiel Wallace with his wife, Nancy, settled on section 16, Taylor township, in 1854, and added to his possessions from time to time. He became one of the prominent men of the township.

J. S. Hutton settled on section 18 in 1858.

From 1851 to 1864 Dr. R. Cummins practiced medicine at Moravia, kept a general store there and also at Iconium. After several years' absence in California, he returned to Moravia in 1878, and resumed his practice there.

Reed W. Dodd, a West Virginian, settled in the county in 1850. He was an energetic farmer and became one of the substantial citizens of Taylor township.

E. Cummins came to Moravia with his parents in 1849 and they were among the earliest settlers of this locality. Mr. Cummins was one of the first merchants of the village, opening a general store in 1856. When the Civil war broke out he formed a company of volunteers and went with them to the front as captain of Company F, Eighth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. At the close of the war he resumed business in Moravia. He became a prosperous merchant and was postmaster of the village a number of years.

William M. Biddle, who married Eunice Patterson, a native of Pennsylvania, in 1853. emigrated from the Keystone state the year of his marriage and, taking a westward course, entered the state of Iowa. He located on section 5, this township, became prosperous and served the county as a member of the board of supervisors. He also held important township offices.

M. M. Callen, a Tennesseean, settled here in 1849 and became a scientific breeder of and dealer in Italian queen bees.

Samuel Cate, Jr., of southern birth, settled here in 1849 and in 1852 married Lucinda Wicker, daughter of James Wicker, an early settler of this county. The young couple removed to Missouri in 1854, but returned in 1864 and took up their residence on section 22.

William L. Chambers came to this county with his father, John C. Chambers, in 1850 and in 1857 married Adeline C., daughter of Henry C. Callen, who settled in this township in 1846. In 1861, Mr. Chambers purchased a farm on section 20.

Priscilla R., widow of Alexander Hayes, came to Appanoose county from

Tennessee with her six children in the spring of 1853, and settled on a farm in Taylor township. Samuel A. Hayes, who became a merchant at Moravia. and Amos A., on the home farm, were her sons.

George W. Taylor, a Tennesseean, located on a farm four miles south of Moravia in 1850, with his bride, who was Anna J. Hiatt, of North Carolina. In the winter of 1850 he taught school at Unionville. He taught a number of terms there. He was county surveyor and assessor of Taylor township. Willard D. Turner early settled in this township. He was born in North Carolina and in 1850 married Jemima E. Parsons. In 1855 Mr. Turner located. on section 28 and made a success of farming and the raising of stock. He had a family of eleven children.

Presley W. Sears removed from Zanesville, Ohio, to this community in 1856, and entered three hundred and twenty acres of land three miles west of Moravia. In 1870 he left the farm for a life of retirement in Moravia.

VILLAGE OF MORAVIA

Moravia was laid out and platted June 27, 1851, by Joseph Stauber, Theophilus Vierle and Ephraim Conrad. The original site was situated on the northeast quarter of section 4, and the plat recorded July 15, 1851.

The town drew to its confines many families and was not slow in attaining a healthy and satisfactory growth. The first store was opened in 1851, by Solomon Long, and soon thereafter a postoffice was established, with Ed Reich in charge. The mail was carried from Unionville once a week, by Joshua Sumner.

Henry McCoy is given credit for having been the pioneer pedagogue of this neighborhood, as he taught a school in the winter of 1850-1, in a log cabin one mile southeast of the village, which was attended by children of Seward Sumner, E. Conrad, Daniel Cummins, J. Conrad and others.

The marriage of Captain E. Cummins to Miss Stauber was the first to occur in the township, and the death of Isabel Sumner, which took place at about the same time, was the first visitation of the grim reaper in the community.

A schoolhouse was erected in the village in 1853, by members of the Moravian church, and was destroyed by fire three years afterwards. In its place was built a commodious two-story structure in 1867, which stood in the public square until the present modern building superseded it.

In 1877, a flour mill, long needed, was built, and was first run by wind power, which some time later gave way to steam and more modern machinery.

The Moravian Society long held sway in the town built by its members. The church dates its origin from about the time of the settlement of Joseph Stauber and his companions. These men dedicated forty acres of land for church purposes in the fall of 1852. The church flourished for a number of years and then became dormant.

CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

The Presbyterians organized a church December 17, 1853, the principal promoter of the movement being Rev. Mr. Lawrence, and the constituent mem

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bers, T. W. Patrick, Jane Patrick, Jonathan Davenport, W. M. Biddle, Eunice B. Biddle, James Beatty, Robert Patterson, Nancy L. Andrews, Priscilla R. Hayes, Lementine A. Hayes, Rosetta A. Hayes, Charlotte Cook, Lucinda Davenport and Rebecca Cuppy. The early pastors besides Rev. Lawrence were: Revs. Wheeler Hawks, George S. Adams, Levi Hewitt and Smith McCall. In 1874 the building of a church was started, which cost $1,500. It was dedicated in 1877 by Rev. W. F. Baird, of Burlington. At that time there were sixty mem bers but since then the church has long since discontinued its meetings.

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH

The Methodist Episcopal church was organized in 1853, the class being composed of William Elswick and wife, Mr. Shinn and wife and a few others. The early pastors were: William S. Manson, a pioneer of the county; Revs. Delay, Clark, Morrison, Thorne, Morton, Ashbaugh, McFadden, Carrier, K. P. Morrison and John Orr. The present pastor is Rev. P. M. Conant, who presides in a church built in 1896. The first church building was erected in 1867, at a cost of $1,500.

UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH

The United Brethren church at Moravia is the outgrowth of a society which was formerly a country charge, but on account of so many of the members having moved to the village a class was organized by Rev. Frederick E. Brook, in the old Presbyterian church, in 1895. This class was revised March 22, 1896, having thirty-nine members, and the same year the building of a neat brick church was commenced but it was not completed and dedicated until November, 1897. The society also owns a parsonage and the value of the church property is $7,200. The present membership of the church is 165, while the membership of the Sunday school numbers 110. There is an Aid Society, Missionary Society, Young People's Christian Endeavor and a Junior Society.

The pastors who have served the church from its organization to the present time are as follows: Rev. Frederick E. Brook, 1895-98; William Bovey, 1898-1900; Arthur Kephart, part of the year 1901; S. S. Wyand, 1901-02; W. N. Roush, 1903-07; H. O. Ross, 1907-09; C. S. Hanson, who came in 1909 and remained a year and a half; J. W. Bonnell, nine months; W. O. Smith, three months; D. Winfield Thompson, the present pastor, came in October, 1911.

MORAVIA STATE SAVINGS BANK

This financial institution was established May 15, 1906, J. A. Bradley, of Centerville, having purchased the private bank of W. H. Trussell at that time. Mr. Trussell had conducted the bank about eight years, having purchased it of George Sturdivant, who first established the bank in 1896. The present officials of the bank are: President, J. A. Bradley; vice president, R. McDanel; cashier, Ned McCauley. The capital stock is $25,000; surplus and undivided profits, $12,000; deposits, $147,000. The bank building, a one-story structure, was built in 1900 by Trussell & Jay.