Taylor County, Iowa 1881 History: pp412

TOWNSHIP BOUNDARIES ON ORGANIZATION

(Page 412)

….At the time of organizing the county it contained but one township, and that comprised its entire area. That township was JACKSON, and its organization will therefore date from that of the county, in February, 1851. At the second term of the county court, on April 7, 1851, the county was divided into three townships, one retaining the name of Jackson, the others being duly christened POLK and BENTON townships. What was the area comprised by these townships, or when their boundaries were drawn it is impossible now to ascertain as no record of this important transaction was kept, other than such as related to the appointment of the necessary officials. (Page 413). Population at this time was rapidly increasing all over the county. The new-comers commenced petitioning for townships and the petitions were, in most cases, granted. This was made necessary by the increasing legal business of the county. To persons who needed the services of a justice of the peace it was both toilsome and irksome to go to the county seat, or the justice of their own township should be so far removed and the limits of his jurisdiction great. The southern and western parts of the county grew in population more rapidly than other sections, and in this part the next change occurred, as follows:

March Term County Court, 1855 - It is ordered that the lines of POLK, BENTON and JACKSON be so changed as to form another township…to be known as WASHINGTON Township.

The next action taken in reference to this matter bears the date of February 20, 1858. It consisted in re-townshipping the entire county, changing the boundaries of that that already existed, and instituting new political divisions:

(Page 414)

February 20, 1858 - It is hereby ordered by the county court that the county of Taylor is and the same is hereby altered, changed and divided into municipal townships and election precincts as follows; to-wit,

Townships 67 and 68 north, of range 32 west, shall constitute one civil township, and shall be known as JEFFERSON Township. September 25th, 1858. - It is hereby ordered by the county court of Taylor county that section 1, and the north half of section 12, township 67, range 33, are hereby added to JEFFERSON Township.

Townships 69 and 70 north, of range 32 west, shall constitute one civil township, and shall be known as PLATTE Township, ….North half section 6, township 68, range 32, and the east half of section 25, township 69, range 33, is hereby added to PLATTE Township for all civil purposes.

Township 67 north, range 34 west, shall form and constitute one civil township, and be known as ROSS Township, with the addition of sections 36, 25, 24 and 13, of township 67, range 35.

Township 67 north, range 35 west, shall constitute one civil township, and be known as POLK Township, with the exception of section 36, 25, 24 and 13.

Township 68 north, of range 35 west, shall constitute one civil township, and be known as MASON Township, …

Township 69 north, or range 35 west, shall constitute one civil township and shall be known as DALLAS Township.

Township 70 north, of range 35 west, shall constitute one civil township and shall be known as NODAWAY Township….

It is hereby ordered by the county court of Taylor county, that township 68 north, of range 33 west, shall constitute one civil township, and shall be known as CLAYTON Township. May 25th, 1858.

It is hereby ordered by the county court of Taylor county, that township 69, range 33, and township 70, range 33, shall constitute one civil township, and shall be known as MARSHALL Township….May 25th, 1858.

It is hereby ordered by the county court of Taylor county, Iowa, that township 67, range 33, and the northeast quarter of section 1, township 67, range 34 (except section 1, and the north half of section 12, township 67, range 33), shall constitute one civil township, and be known as JACKSON Township. March 3d, 1860.

Five years now intervened before any further action was taken. At the June session of the board of supervisors, 1863, it was reported that the committee on organization report in favor of setting apart township 70, range 34, as a civil township, to be known as HOLT Township, as asked for in the petition….

From 1869 to 1881 the following townships were instituted, changing the boundaries of the old ones, by sections such as were taken from them to organize the others. The complete changes to the present are the following:

September session of the board of supervisors, 1869 - Supervisor Flick presented a petition from citizens of congressional township 68, range 32, asking that the civil township of JEFFERSON be divided, and township 68, range 32, be created a civil township to be called GAY Township….

September session of the board of supervisors, 1869 - Supervisor Robinson presented a petition for the division of Platte township. On motion, the prayer of petitioners was granted, organizing township 68, range 32, into a new township under the name of GRANT.

September session of the board of supervisors, 1870 - A petition was presented from citizens of township 70, range 33, for a separate township organization, and that the name of the township be GROVE….

At the January session of the board of supervisors in 1880, the township of Benton was so divided that all the territory within the corporate limits of the city of Bedford should compose a township organization, and be known as BEDFORD Township. The boundaries of this township were subsequently amended to read as follows: Bedford township shall be comprised of the east 3/4 of sections 22, 27 and 34, all of sections 23, 25, 26, 35, and 36, and south half of section 24, township 68 north, of range 34 west.