Marion Missouri History

Grand River washes the border of this township for a considerable distance on the north and east, while Grindstone Creek, Little and Big Muddy, ‘Cottonwood, Big Run, and other streams flow through the township in a northerly direction, all emptying into Grand River. The territory now embraced in Marion was originally included in Grindstone township, .one of the original townships, which took its name from the stream of that ,name, on which were made some of the first settlements in the county.

The township is about equally divided between timber and prairie, the timber skirting its entire eastern and northern border along the Grand River, There are also two other belts of timber extending north and south near the center of the township.

In area, the township is the largest in Daviess county, and in character one of the best. The population of the township in 1870, when it comprised far more territory than now, was 1,321; in 1880 it was 1,520.

In November, 1869, David Groomer, Sr., found in the bed of Grand River, near his mill, a mastodon tooth, which measured six inches in length and three or four inches in diameter at the base. The crown of the tooth was much worn. Other pre-historic relics of interest have been found in the township at different times.

The first settlers in Marion township were David James and James Brown, who came in 1832. It is claimed that James Brown was the first actual settler in the township, coming in the fall of the year 1832. Thomas Pennington, Ebenezer Fields and a few others settled here in the spring of 1833: Asa Ross and Henry Vanover, both from Kentucky, came in 1838. Prior to the last named year there had settled in the township Rebecca Clevinger, David Groomer, Taylor McCulley, William Roper, and Elijah Frost. The majority of these settlers had come from Kentucky.

Back to: Daviess County

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