From the 1882 & 1907 Pottawattamie County Histories
Valley township comprises Congressional Township 76, Range 39. It was entitled such because of its location in the Nishnabotna Valley. In the organization of the township, four tiers of sections were taken off Knox and from off Center Township. Valley is bordered on the north by Knox township, south by Center, East by Lincoln, and West by James.
The first election was held on 8 Oct 1878, and the following were elected to office: W. C. Barton, James Livingston and H. C. Hough, Judges; A. M. Battelle and W. H. Benjamin, clerks. The trustees chosen were W. C. Barton, S. Armstrong, and S. D. Acker; clerk, R. M. White; and assessor, R. D. Ballard. In 1907, the township trustees were: L. C. Hannah, Thomas Green and J. H. King; Clerk, H. M. Eagers; justices of the peace, N. A. Lindsey and M. H. Anderson; and assessor, R. J. Coe.
The only town of notable interest in the township is Hancock which was created by the completion of the Carson branch of the Rock Island Railroad in the summer of 1880.
FIRST EVENTS
- Settlers: A. M. Battelle, Joseph Headley, Thomas Dulin, W. H. Benjamin, Jacob Rust, Mahlon Griffith, a man named Pierce, R. M. White, Andrew Carrier, Joseph Layton, Samuel Johnson, and Mr. Bails.
- Churches: Knox Presbyterian Church, organized Oct 23, 1873; by Rev. N. C. Robinson; New Hope Baptist church, 1875 by the Rev. E. Burch; The United Brethren Church established by the Rev. Mr. Adams in 1875; M. P. Church of Valley Township organized in 1879 by Rev. B. F. Peerman