Township Organization

Owing to the destruction of the records, it has been impossible to ascertain full data with regard to the subdivision of the County into townships. Soon after the organization of the County, the County was divided into four municipal townships, viz.: Rockford, which comprised range 29; Blythe, which comprised range 28; Grand River, com prising all of ranges 26 and 27 which lay north of Shoal Creek; and Davis, comprising all oŁ ranges 26 and 27 which wa~ south of Shaol Creek. On May 6th, 1867, an order of the County Court was made subdividing Rockford Township, the part north of Shoal Creek being named Kidder Township and the part south of Shoal being named Mirable. About the same time by another order Grand River Township was subdivided so that all of range 26 north of Shoal was known as Elm, and the part of range 27 north of Shoal was known as Grand River. On the 4th of November, 1867, Blythe was subdivided into Hamilton and Kingston Townships...Hamilton comprising eight miles off the north, and Kingston ten miles off south end of range 28. On the 4th day of November, 1869, there was a re-construction of Davis, Elm and Grand River Townships, in which Congressional Township 55 range 26 became Davis; Township 56 range 26, became Fairview; township 57, range 26, became Breckenridge; township 55 range 27, became Lincoln; township 56, range 27, became Grand River; and township 57, range 27, became Gomer. On December 20th, 1869, an order of court was made changing the name of Grand River to New York.

On May 4th 1870, Kidder, Mirable, Hamilton and Kingston were reconstructed so that township 55 range 28 became Grant; township 56 range 28, Kingston; township 57 range 28, Hamilton; township 55 range 29, Rockford; township 56 range 29, Mirable; and township 57 range 29, Kidder. Thus each Congressional Township in the County became a municipal township, and so remains.

Crosby Johnson, An Illustrated Historical Atlas of Caldwell County, Missouri.   1876.  Edwards Brothers