ORGANIZATION

The following is taken from the Grant County Atlas of 1877. I am including this because it gives you a little background on how the county was formed and the original townships and county lines. (...SDW)

"From 1828 to 1831, all of the territory now included within the borders of Grant formed a part of Delaware County. The population of Grant at this time was rapidly increasing, and soon the settlers within her borders deemed their numbers sufficient to entitle them to representation in the Legislature. Accordingly they presented to that body a petition to this effect, which was approved February 18, 1831. Commissioners were appointed to locate the county seat, which was the following summer and fall. The name Grant was given the county, in memory of Captain Samuel and Moses Grant, who fell in battle with the Indians in 1790. The county, as first organized, consisted of but two townships, of nearly equal dimensions. All north of a line passing through the central part of Township 24, being called Pleasant, and all south of that line being called Union. This gave the county its present boundaries, with the exception of a two-mile strip on the south of Ranges 6, 7, and 8, which was set off to Madison County, in 1838. In 1834, two changes were made: 1st, by taking a three-mile strip from the southern part of Pleasant, and the same from the northern part of Union, another township was formed, which was very appropriately called Center; 2d, Jefferson Township was formed from Union and Center, in the extreme southeast corner of the county, with boundaries nearly the same as now being five miles east and west by eight north and south. In 1836, three changes were made: 1st, all the territory in Washington and Van Buren Townships was set off from Pleasant, under the name of Washington: 2d, all the land now known as Monroe was set off from the eastern part of Center, with a strip a mile wide from the north of Jefferson, and called Madison Township: 3d, a strip one mile wide was taken from Union and added to Jefferson Township, which gave the latter its present boundaries. In 1837, Washington was divided, two townships being organized therefrom, known as Washington and Monroe, the latter having the present boundaries of Van Buren. In 1838, the strip on the south of the county, before described was transferred to Madison County. In 1839, Liberty Township was formed from the western part of Union, leaving Union, only four miles wide on the east side of Range 8, Townships 22 and 23. The same year (1839), the name Monroe was changed to that of Van Buren. In 1845, the "Indian Reserve" was surveyed, except that part which had been conveyed by patent from the United States to Me-shin-go-me-sia and his band. Accordingly, all the land (as far west as its present boundary) in Township 25, was added to Pleasant, all in Township 24 to Center, and all in Township 23 to Liberty. A little later, in the year 1845, Richland Township was organized with boundaries the same as now, except on the east, which run so as to include one mile of what is now Pleasant Township. In 1848, the following townships were organized: 1st, a township called Grant, upon the territory now comprising Mill, with the addition of that part of Sections 12 and 13 south of the river now in Fairmount Township. 2d, this order having been rescinded, the territory was organized into Mill Township, with same boundaries as now, except on the west, which extended to the boundary line of the Indian Reserve: 3d, Sims, including all of Center west of the boundary line: 4th, Green, including all of Liberty west of the boundary line. In 1851, two miles was taken from the west of Union, and one mile from the east of Liberty, and organized into a township under the name of Fairmount. In 1853, a strip three miles wide was taken from the north of Green, and formed into Knox Township. In 1855, by order of the Board of Commissioners, a general re-organization was made, by which Richland, Pleasant, Sims, Franklin, Green, Liberty and Mill were formed as now. At this time, Fairmount and Union were consolidated under the name of Union. Also, the name of Madison was changed to Monroe Township. At the September term of the Commissioners' Court, the same year, 1855, Union Township was again divided into Union and Fairmount. In 1858, Union and Fairmount were again consolidated under the name of Fairmount. In 1863,a small strip of Land in Washington between the Mississinewa River and Pleasant Township, was transferred to Center. Since that time, no changes have occurred. The present boundaries and exact position of each township may be seen by reference to the map.

...Original page by Sheila D. Watson

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