Jefferson was a township before Grundy became a county, and was one of the original eleven townships upon the organization of the county in 1841.1 The Township was organized between 1830 and 1840 as part of the early, sprawling development of the region, which was later formally established as Grundy County in 1841.
Many of the early settlers of Grundy County were actually "old" residents of Livingston County, which was created in 1837 and beget Grundy in 1841.
Pioneers began settling the region north of the Livingston-Grundy line in the mid-1830s. The following pioneers acquired land and/or settled in the area south and west of Hickory (a.k.a. Hickory Creek or Hickory Station) and north of the present Livingston-Grundy county line. This section of Jefferson Township embraced the north half of the so-called "Kingdom of Poosey".
The "Kingdom of Poosey" is a historic, rural community in North Missouri, located between Livingston and Grundy counties. Settled around 1835 by pioneers from Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee, it was named after Poosey, Kentucky. Today, it is mostly known as the Poosey Conservation Area, a popular, rugged 5,658-acre site. Read more about "the kingdom" here.
Hickory (or Hickory Creek/Hickory Station)was a trading point in the east-central part of the townshiP.
Chapter 301 of Birdsell & Dean's "The History of Grundy County..." is devoted to Jefferson Township. Highlights of content provided at beginning of each chapter. Below is the content highlights for Chapter XXX.
"How Situated — Area in Acres — When Organized — Its Metes and Bounds — Earh/ Settlers
— Fancy Sketch — First Election, 1S37 — Pioneer Incidents — Schools and School-houses
— The Cost of the First School-house — Pioneer Transportation — Climate, Soil and Pros-
perity— Township Officers, 1881 — Biographies."
Jefferson TwP., Grundy Co., MO
Sections 19-36, Township 60, Range 25
19 20 21 22 23 24
30 29 28 27 26 25 } Configuration of Sections
31 32 33 34 35 36
| Name | Acres | Date | Name | Acres | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Section 19 | |||||
| RUCKER, John S. | 140 | 07 May 1839 | LEONARD, Benjamin G. | 160 | 07 May 1839 |
| PEERY, Thomas | 139 | 01 Apr 1839 | PEERY, Thomas | 80 | 30 Oct 1840 |
| SMITH, Stephen H. | 29 | 30 Aug 1847 | SMITH, Hiram | 29 | 30 Aug 1847 |
| Section 20 | |||||
| RUCKER, John S. | 156 | 01 Apr 1839 | RUCKER, John S. | 39 | 01 Apr 1839 |
| WOLF, Sarah | 78 | 14 Dec 1838 | WOLF, Sarah | 39 | 17 Dec 1838 |
| SMITH, Edward | 78 | 10 May 1856 | BOND, William W. | 39 | 08 Dec 1838 |
| CONKLIN, Zela | 39 | 26 Nov 1838 | PEERY, Thomas | 156 | 17 Dec 1838 |
| Section 21 | |||||
| RUCKER, John S. | 39 | 01 Apr 1839 | RUCKER, John S. | 39 | 01 Apr 1839 |
| SMITH, Stephen | 39 | 14 Dec 1838 | SMITH, Edward | 39 | 14 Dec 1838 |
| LEONARD, Benjamin G. | 156 | 13 May 1839 | TURNER, Alfred | 39 | 21 Oct 1856 |
| LEONARD, Benjamin G. | 78 | 13 May 1839 | MATTOX, Edwin A. | 39 | 17 Jul 1839 |
| PEERY, Thomas | 78 | 17 Dec 1838 | RUCKER, John S. | 78 | 01 Apr 1839 |
| Section 22 | |||||
| LEONARD, Benjamin G. | 80 | 13 May 1839 | CLOYD, William | 80 | 02 Nov 1839 |
| SANDRIDGE, Tifney | 40 | 02 Apr 1856 | CLOYD, William | 80 | 02 Nov 1839 |
| PEPPER, George P. | 40 | 09 Jul 1849 | GIBBS, Barna G. | 80 | 23 Nov 1855 |
| EMBRY, Elijah | 40 | 25 Feb 1850 | GIBBS, Barna G. | 40 | 01 Apr 1856 |
| LEONARD, Benjamin G. | 80 | 13 May 1839 | PEPPER, George P. | 40 | 06 Nov 1849 |
| CHENOWITH, Simon | 40 | 01 Apr 1856 | |||
| Section 23 | |||||
| SANDRIDGE, Tifney | 40 | 02 Apr 1856 | HORTON, Lucinda | 40 | 21 Feb 1851 |
| BENNETT, James | 40 | 23 Aug 1839 | BENNETT, James | 40 | 23 Aug 1839 |
| NICHOLS, John M. | 80 | 19 Nov 1838 | WORTON, James L. | 40 | 12 Aug 1857 |
| EMBRY, Elijah | 40 | 03 Dec 1855 | BENNETT, William | 80 | 04 Jun 1839 Site of Gee Cemetery (a.k.a. Embry or Brummit Cemetery) |
| EMBRY, Elijah | 80 | 12 Dec 1838 | EMBRY, Elijah | 80 | 12 Dec 1838 |
| DOCKERY, Alexander | 80 | 18 Dec 1838 | |||
| Section 24 | |||||
| EMBRY, Elijah | 80 | 19 Nov 1838 Site of Hickory, MO |
EMBRY, Elijah | 80 | 12 Dec 1838 |
| ASHBY, Henry | 80 | 02 Apr 1839 | ASHBY, Henry | 80 | 02 Apr 1839 |
| ASHBY, Henry | 80 | 02 Apr 1839 | ANDERSON, John B. | 80 | 25 Jul 1856 |
| HARBERT, Nathan | 80 | 04 May 1840 | ASHBY, Henry | 80 | 02 Apr 1839 |
| Section 25 | |||||
| GEE, John | 160 | 19 Nov 1838 | ASHBY, Henry | 80 | 02 Apr 1839 |
| BREGEL, Valentine | 40 | 01 Sep 1845 | Rail Road | 40 | 09 Feb 1854 |
| JOHNSON, John Jr. | 160 | 19 Nov 1838 | NICHOLS, John M. | 80 | (no date) |
| HOBBS, Noah R. | 40 | 21 Dec 1840 | TOWNSEND, James S. | 40 | 18 Oct 1839 |
| Section 26 | |||||
| SHARING, Joseph | 40 | 03 Dec 1838 | GEE, John | 80 | 17 May 1839 |
| SHARING, Joseph | 40 | 03 Dec 1838 Site of Matt Green Cemetery |
GEE, John | 40 | 17 May 1839 |
| GEE, John | 80 | 19 Nov 1839 | GEE, Moses | 40 | 03 Dec 1838 |
| GEE, John | 80 | 19 Nov 1839 | GEE, John | 80 | 19 Nov 1838 |
| GRAY, Alfred | 80 | 21 Jun 1841 | GEE, Nathaniel | 40 | 11 Sep 1855 |
| STEpHENS, Robert | 40 | 27 Nov 1856 | |||
| Section 27 | |||||
| MATTOX, Edwin A. | 80 | 17 Jul 1839 | CHENOWITH, Simon | 40 | 01 Apr 1856 |
| SMITH, Hiram | 40 | 24 Aug 1839 | TARY, Jeremiah | 160 | 17 Dec 1841 |
| ANDERSON, Espy L. | 160 | 17 Jun 1839 | ANDERSON, Espy L. | 160 | 17 Jun 1839 |
| Section 28 | |||||
| HARRIS, Jesse | 160 | 19 Nov 1838 | KOONS, David | 80 | 19 Nov 1838 |
| ROLAND, William | 80 | 03 Dec 1838 | ROLAND, William | 160 | 27 Nov 1838 |
| HARRIS, Jesse | 160 | 30 Oct 1838 | |||
| Section 29 | |||||
| TROUT, George | 80 | 19 Nov 1838 Site of Gee's Creek Cemetery |
PEERY, Thomas | 80 | 01 Apr 1839 |
| HARVEY, William C. | 80 | 12 Apr 1857 | SMITH, Edward | 80 | 10 May 1856 |
| ROWLAND, William | 80 | 19 Nov 1838 | HARRIS, Jesse | 80 | 19 Nov 1838 |
| SMITH, Edward | 80 | 14 Dec 1838 | FANCHER, James | 80 | 22 Aug 1839 |
| Section 30 | |||||
| CONKLING, Zela | 28 | 30 Sep 1840 | BOND, John W. | 40 | 12 Jan 1843 |
| BOND, William W. | 68 | 08 Dec 1838 | CONKLING, Zela | 80 | 26 Nov 1838 |
| PEERY, Thomas | 40 | 01 Apr 1839 | CONKLING, Zela | 40 | 26 Nov 1838 |
| CONKLING, Zela | 160 | 19 Nov 1838 | BOND, William W. | 135 | 08 Dec 1838 |
| Section 31 | |||||
| FANCHER, James | 134 | 22 Aug 1839 | STARLING, Lyne | 160 | 23 May 1839 |
| FANCHER, David S. | 80 | 22 Aug 1839 | CREWS, Samuel T. | 80 | 26 Nov 1838 |
| Rail Road | 66 | 09 Feb 1854 | SMITH, Hiram | 40 | 12 Jun 1851 |
| Rail Road | 26 | 09 Feb 1854 | |||
| Section 32 | |||||
| STARLING, Lyne | 160 | 01 Apr 1839 | ROLAND, William | 80 | 19 Nov 1838 |
| HARRIS, Jesse | 80 | 19 Nov 1838 | CREWS, Samuel T. | 80 | 26 Nov 1839 Site of Livingston Cemetery |
| CREWS, Samuel T. | 80 | 19 Nov 1838 | LIVINGSTON, James | 80 | 01 Apr 1839 |
| CREWS, Samuel T. | 80 | 26 Nov 1838 | |||
| Section 33 | |||||
| THOMPSON, Lorenzo D. | 80 | 19 Nov 1838 | THOMPSON, Lorenzo D. | 80 | 19 Nov 1838 Site of THOMPSON Cemetery |
| THOMPSON, Lorenzo D. | 80 | 19 Nov 1838 | LIVINGSTON, James | 80 | 01 Apr 1839 |
| CREWS, Samuel T. | 160 | 16 Nov 1838 | CREWS, Samuel T. | 160 | 19 Nov 1838 |
| Section 34 | |||||
| STARLING, Lyne | 80 | 01 Apr 1839 | STARLING, Lyne | 80 | 24 Jun 1839 |
| STARLING, Lyne | 80 | 06 Jan 1841 | KERR, Samuel | 80 | 21 Aug 1856 |
| ROSSON, Charles | 160 | 26 Nov 1838 | BLACKBURN, James H. | 40 | 14 May 1844 |
| HALE, Coonroe? | 40 | 25 Nov 1856 | TERRY, Joseph | 40 | 17 Dec 1841 |
| POND, Eli | 40 | 30 Mar 1846 | |||
| Section 35 | |||||
| STARLING, Lyne | 160 | 06 Jan 1841 Site of Stevens Cemetery |
BREGEL, Valentine | 40 | 04 Jan 1850 |
| (unclaimed) | 40 | TARY, Joseph | 40 | 17 Dec 1841 | |
| Rail Road | 40 | 09 Feb 1854 | DAVIS, Andrew | 80 | 25 Oct 1839 |
| BLACKBURN, James R. | 80 | 19 Dec 1840 | DAVIS, Andrew | 160 | 25 Oct 1839 |
| Section 36 | |||||
| GEE, William (Jr.) | 40 | 22 Nov 1847 | HOBBS, Noah R. | 40 | 30 Nov 1855 |
| HOBBS, William L. | 40 | 08 Jun 1842 | TARY, Jeremiah | 40 | 17 Dec 1841 |
| MASTERS, Burrell | 40 | 25 Oct 1847 | WOLDRIDGE, William | 40 | 26 Nov 1855 |
| DOCKERY, George | 40 | 25 Sep 1848 | RUSLER, William | 40 | 05 Aug 1852 |
| MASTERS, Burrel | 40 | 04 Sep 1845 | FREELS, John | 40 | 08 Nov 1851 |
| MASTERS, Tarlton | 40 | 02 Jan 1841 | WARE, Rice | 40 | 30 Jul 1839 |
| TARY, Jeremiah | 40 | 17 Dec 1841 | WOOLRIDGE, William | 80 | 22 Jan 1840 Site of Woldridge Cemetery |
| ARBUCKLE, Stanley | 40 | 31 Jul 1839 | |||
Moved to new design, added history:
1 May 2026 9:58pm CDT
If you have questions, contributions, or problems with this site, email:
Grundy County Coordinator:
Lynda Coffman Peach
State Coordinator: Bob Jenkins
ASC: Timothy Stowell
ASC & Tech Advisor: Lynda Coffman Peach
If you have questions or problems with this site, email the County Coordinator. Please do not ask for specific research on your family. I am unable to do your personal research. I do not live in Missouri and do not have access to additional records. Members of The MOGenWeb Project team are listed to the left.
