The History of Clinton County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns &c., Biographical Sketches of Citizens

The Scott County Iowa Genealogical Society recently held a "Night at the Library" event. The purpose was to give access to the Davenport Public Library's Richardson-Sloan special collection for interested family historians. The special collection is available during normal library hours, but this was an evening when the library is normally closed. And for a modest fee the society also provided an evening meal. Volunteers were on hand to give advice and assist with research.
Since I have visited this collection quite a few times, I did not expect to find a lot of new information, but I did find an interesting book that gave a few more details about the first Langford to arrive in Clinton County, Oscar's brother Charles Elliot Langford.
In the chapter concerning Elk River Township " On the 8th of July 1839 the following settlers were in the township:
Arthur Smith
Otis Bennet
CE Langford
Levi Shadduck
David Shadduck
George Hollis
John Hollis
James Mclntire
0 A Crary
Josepii McCrary
John Carr
William Alexander
William Dinwoodie
Martin Toel
Michael Toel
George Griswold
Alfred Brown
Thomas Calderwood
Daniel Smith
James Leonard Sr
Robert Cruthers
William Smilley 

This further suggests that the Shadducks were likely related to Charles Elliot Langford's first spouse, Hannah Shadduck. And, the Griswold name makes it likely these were relatives of Oscar's foster folks. In another part of the book, it mentions that the native Americans were still living in Elk River Township until the fall of 1839. This coincides with Charles account of having made claim on the land before the native Americans had moved off of it.

Another excerpt is here:
In 1841 Messrs Calderwood & Dinwiddie commenced the erection of a saw mill on the Elk River on Section 18 Township 83 north Range 7 east. After two failures resulting from the imperfection of the water wheels Mr Dinwiddie withdrew from the firm Mr Calderwood however succeeded late in the fall of 1842 in completing a mill that was of ample capacity for the wants of the locality The supply of timber being good plenty of Government land lumber was shipped to Galena and various other points for wagon building etc until 1850 when Mr Calderwood went to California selling the mill shortly after to Mr CE Langford who operated it for several years and there laid the foundation for the present extensive and first class steam saw mill owned by himself and Mr Hall in Fulton.

And there were a few other references about the Langford family as well. Charles served on the first jury in Clinton County and Orange Langford's Civil War service is also noted. It was a successful night at the library.