On March 10th, 1870, the County Court organized the county into sixteen municipal townships, each six miles square, the county being twenty-four miles square. The township of Freedom being made-out of the east triangle of Marion and the west of Grand River, being township number sixty, of range twenty-eight. The Grand River cut this township into two parts, and running from northwest to southeast through its limits. This division, however, remained in that shape but a few months when Freedom township was blotted from the map, and the western portion, west of the Grand River, was added to Marion and the eastern portion, north and east of the river, was given to Grand River township. The west boundary of Grand River township being the river, the width of the township varies from five miles on the south side, all the way up to twelve when it reaches the northern line.
The township is well watered, making it one of the best stock-raising sections of the county. The Big Muddy, with its numerous branches, passes through the center of the township; Cyprus, Hog, Brush and Hickory creeks water the northwest portion, while the Little Muddy touches the southeast corner, and Pilot Grove Creek the northeast.
Thus it is found that land and water, prairie and timber, are so united in this township as to combine all the essentials which go to make farming a success. It is therefore not surprising that Grand River township should be among the first settled in Daviess county, or that its rich virgin soil should entice the immigrant to stop and secure the rich lands which require so little manual labor to produce such abundant returns. The emigrant ” Sought fresh fountains in a foreign soil, The pleasures lessen’g the attending toil.” And so those who came to seek homes in the west, could not pass the inviting fields which nature held out to them in the Grand River Valley.
In point of wealth Grand River township-is second in the county, Union township being first.
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