By Agnes Lipetzky
The landscape in Eastman Township is farmland which is partly level and some rolling or hilly, which drains into the Sheyenne River. There are no gullies, lakes or railroads in this area.
On August 17, 1906 there was a special township meeting held at the Syverson School House which was located on Northwest 1/4 Section 26-145-62 in Eastman township, Foster County, North Dakota The meeting was called to order by A.J. Gorthy as acting chairman and E.A. Buss was chosen clerk of the meeting. August G. Brockmeyer, H.P. Fugelstad and Henry Larson were chosen judges. A.L. Ede was chosen moderator of the meeting. The moderator specified the purpose of this meeting. Thirty-four voters signed a petition asking to be established as a civil township. Nine voted the township be called Jones and twenty-four that it would be named Eastman. The first homesteaders in Eastman Township came from the town of Eastman, County of Crawford, State of Wisconsin, so we think this is why they chose this name. Also, the schools had been called Eastman. Election of officers was held:
A.G. Brockmeyer for supervisor until March 1907
A.L. Ede for supervisor until March 1908
A.J. Gorthy for supervisor until March 1909
E.A. Buss for clerk until March 1907 (He held this job until the fall of 1942 at which time he sold his land and moved from the township)
H.E. Flewell and Falk Larson as Justice of the Peace until March 1908.
Christ Nilson and C.M. Posey as Constable until March 1908.
It was designated that there would be three places for the posting of the legal notices:
1. Cenery of the south side of Section 34-145-62
South west corner of Section 23-145-62 and
2. southwest corner of Section 19-145-62
On March 19, 1907, J. H. Hutchinson was elected as supervisor for the three years. S.M. Posey was elected treasurer, Martin McWethy was elected assessor. Falk Larson and John Johnson as overseer of highways. These were new offices except for the supervisors. It was decided at this meeting to divide the township into two districts through the center being divided north and south. Thus the east side being District No. 1 and the west side District No. 2. At this time it was decided to levy a road and school fund. Commissioner of Conciliation was Ira Hays, H. Fuglestad, Roy Bemis and F. Larson.
On March 26, 1907 a meeting was held at the home of the township clerk. It was determined that the bond to township officers be ordered. There were forty-eight voters (all men) in the township at this time. The pay for one day's service (sitting at election) was $2 and $3.50 for taking poll books and ballot box key to Carrington.
July 1, 1907 the Eastman Township board met with the Griggs County board and divided the county line.
June 20, 1908- Eastman and Glenfield township boards met and divided the line.
June 27, 1908- Eastman and Corrine Township line (which is a county line) was established.
April 29, 1933- The boards of McKinnon and Eastman townships met and divided the township line. (Thomas Hutchinson, chairman) Also decided Eastman would maintain the north three miles and McKinnon the south three miles.
On September 14, 1907 the board selected three jury members. They were Heunick Larson, William Pierce, and William Beach.
In March 1909 the annual meeting was held at the Bemis schoolhouse. At this time the board appointed a postmaster which was John Hendrickson. On June 13, 1911 the supervisors employed the county surveyor, William Heinemiller to establish the south line on Section 27.
July 14, 1911- Some section corners were located and marked by placing rocks and stakes by E.A. Buss and J.H. Hutchinson and witnessed by Anton Johnson and Chs. Thompson. (Section 6-145-62 and Southwest corner of Section)
In March 1913 the township started to help support a welfare patient.
July 6, 1914- We granted a franchise to the McKinley Rural Telephone Company to build a line of telephones in Eastman Township. Poles to be placed thirty-three feet out from section lines.
March 17, 1914- Road districts were established.
June 23, 1914- E.A. Buss and Martin McWethy located government stakes on Southeast corner of section 10 and placed a gray granite stone on all corners, also on Section 22.
In the summer of 1914 many sections were staked out. On June 30, 1915 they staked out the Southeast corner of section 29 and on July 1, 1915 they did the Southwest corner of section 19. Then the last recording was done on July 17, 1917 which was Northeast corner of Section 14.
In March 1928 it was voted on whether to purchase a building for a town hall. They decided to use the Kienast schoolhouse which is Eastman school, District No. 2. The county road crew built six miles of road on the south side of section 20. This was a township and county road.
Whitney Tucker was appointed clerk in February 1943.
The historic site in the township is the Eastman schoolhouse No. 2 and the cemetery located on Section 14-145-62.
Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 268