Henry County, Missouri - Chapter 17: Townships, 1919

OllGANIZATION AND BOUNDARIES OF THE TOYv'NSHIPS IN 1860 - CHANGE IN 1868 - NEW TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION LAW OF 1&72-73 - NINETEEN TOWNSHIPSFIVE JUDGES OF COUNTY COURT - THE PEOPLE BESIDE TO CHANGE BACK TO THREE JUDGES - "MEADOW COUNTY."

In a preceding chapter, the boundary lines of the several townships of Henry County have been set out. These remained as they were until 1860, when at its August session the County Court on the tenth day of the month defined the boundaries of the several municipal townships as follow :

"Beginning at the northeast corner of the county, thence moving west on the county line to the northwest corner of section 36, in township 44, of range 26; thence south on section line to the line between townships 42 and 43; thence east on said township line to the northwest corner of section 5, in township 42, of range 25 ; thence south on section line to the southwest corner of section 17, in township 42, of range 25; thence east on section line to the eastern boundary of the county ; thence north on county line to the beginning."

"Beginning at the northeast corner of section 35, in township 44, of range 26; thence west on section line to the middle of the main channel of Big Creek to its confluence with Honey Creek; thence up the middle of the main channel of Honey Creek to the line between townships 43 and 42; thence east on said township line to the southeast corner of sec-

"Beginning at the northwest corner of the county; thence running east on the county hne to the middle of the main channel of Big Creek on the north line of section 36 in township 44, of range 28 ; thence down the main channel of Big Creek to the middle of the main channel of Grand River; thence up the middle of the main channel of Grand River to the western boundary of the county; thence north on county line to the beginning."

"Beginning at the southwest corner of the county; thence north on county line to the middle of the main channel of Grand River; 1 hence down the middle of the main channel of Grand River to the line between ranges 26 and 27; thence south on said range line to the southern line of the county; thence west on the county line to the beginning."

"Beginning at the southwest corner of township 40, of range 26; thence north on said range line to the middle of Deepwater; thence down the middle of the main channel of Deepwater to its confluence with Grand River; thence down the middle of the channel of Grand River to the Benton County line; thence south on county line to the middle of the channel of Osage River; thence up the middle of the main channel of Osage River to the south line of township 40, of range 24; thence west on township line to the beginning."

"Beginning at the northeast comer of section 24, in township 42 of range 24; thence south on section line to the middle of the main channel of Grand River; thence up the middle of the channel of Grand River to the mouth of Deepwater; thence up the middle of the main channel of Deepwater to the line between ranges 26 and 27 ; thence north on said range line to the middle of the main channel of Grand River; thence up the middle of the channel of Grand River to the mouth of Big Creek; thence up the middle of the main channel of Big Creek to the mouth of Honey Creek; thence up the middle of the main channel of Honey Creek to the line between townships 42 and 43; thence east on said township line to the northeast corner of section 6, in township 42, of rang-e 25; thence south on section line to the southwest corner of section 17, township 42, of range 25; thence east on section line to the beginning."

In 1868 it was found necessary to change the boundary lines of two of these townships, Tebo and Grand River. Prior to the date of changing the boundary line two voting precincts had been established in each. One of the new townships was to be designated as White Oak, the other was Windsor. The description of White Oak township was as follows:

"Commencing at the southwest coi'ner of section 18, township 41, of range 28, running thence north on county line between Henry and Bates to the center of the channel of Grand River ; thence down the center of the channel of Grand River to the section line between 2 and 3, in township 41, of range 27; thence south on said section line to the southeast corner of section 15, township 41, of range 27; thence running west on section line to place of beginning, and it is ordered that that part of Henry County enclosed in said boundaries be, and the same shall be known as 'White Oak township'."

Windsor tovsmship was to be all of that portion of Tebo tovimship lying east of the Warsaw and Warrensburg road, while that line west of the road was Tebo township. These changes caused alterations in the township lines of Deepwater and Grand River townships, given as follow:

"Commencing at the southwest corner of Henry County, thence running north on county line between Bates and Henry, to section line between sections 18 and 19; thence east on section line to the northeast corer of section 22, township 41, range 27; running thence south on section line to the center of the channel of Deepwater Creek; thence down the center of the channel of Deepwater to the range line between ranges 26 and 27; thence south to county line between St. Clair and Henry; thence west on said line to the place of beginning."

No change of any note was made in the township boundary lines until after the session of the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, which met in Jefferson City in the winter of 1872-73. At this session of the General Assembly a new township organization law was passed. Under this township organization law, it Avas necessary to divide the county into new municipal districts, so the nine townships were changed into nineteen - being the nineteen which now constitute Henry County. Under this township organization law which was adopted by a vote of the people, it being optional with the several counties, it was necessary to elect five judges of the County Court instead of three, as was formerly the case. The County Court therefore divided the county into four divisions, this division being made on July 22, 1873.

Under this division the first district was to be composed of the following municipal townships: No. 1, Windsor; No. 2, Tebo; No. 3, Shawnee ; No. 4, Big Creek ; No. 7, Honey Creek ; No. 8, Fields' Creek.

The second district was to be composed of: No. 5, Bogard; No. 6, White Oak; No. 14, Davis; No. 15, Walker; No. 16, Deepwater; No. 17, Bear Creek.

Clinton township, No. 13, was to compose the third district. The fourth district was to be composed of : No. 9, Deer Creek ; No. 10, Springfield ; No. 11, Leesville ; No. 12, Bethlehem ; No. 18, Fairview ; No. 19, Osage.

In addition to the four judges to be elected from each one of these districts there was to be a presiding judge elected at large. The court was elected on the election of the twenty-first day of August. It was composed of: William R. Taylor as judge at large; M. A. Stewart, F. M. Goff, Lewis P. Beaty, and B. L. Owen.

This township organization law which went into effect in 1873 did not last long in Henry County, for in 1877 the people by their vote changed the County Court back to three members. In 1878 the two districts now existing in the county were constituted; the ten townships lying in the northern half of the county becoming district No. 1 ; the nine townships in the southern half of the county were district No. 2. In connection with the organization of municipal townships it is proper to note that during the years 1870 and 1871, and later, in the session of

1872-73, a suggestion was made in the Legislature of Missouri that there should be a new county organized out of the northeast part of Henry, the northwest part of Benton, the southwest part of Pettis and the southeast part of Johnson Counties, the same to be known as Meadow County. A glance at the geography will show that Windsor was the geographical center of this proposed county ; in fact, the measure got so far along that on the twenty-first of February, 1871, news reached Henry County that the bill had actually been favorably reported in the Legislature. It got no farther, however, than this report of the committee.