Townships of Jefferson County Illinois

   This township has Marion county on the north and Washington county on the west, Rome and Casner townships east and south. Most of its lands are prairie, with surface sufficiently rolling to afford drainage without artificial means, the principal streams being tributaries to Big Muddy, Ray's creek and other small streams. It is a splendid farming and stock raising region and can boast of some of the finest farms and some of the most prosperous farmers in the county.
   Among the first settlers were Abraham Casey, James Ray, the Baldridges, the Breezes, William Fulton, Stephen Cameron, French, Roberts, Taylor, Depriest, Bangamon, Woods, Reilly, Poston, Clark Casey and others.The first named was a brother to Governor Casey. These original settlers gave Grand Prairie a good name for intelligence, sobriety and indusrty, and these characteristics have been prominent with the citizens of the township all these years. It was the first township in the county to cut loose from the bourbons and assert itself along new political lines. Its first marriage was that of Clark Casey and Polly Bangamon, the ceremony being performed by Governor Casey. The first death was that of Joseph Baldridge. At first the people voted at Mount Vernon, but later Grand Prairie precinct was formed, with the voting place at Poston's Mill. Religious services were held from house to house till Pisgah and Gilead churches were built. The first supervisor after the adoption of township organization, was Joseph Breeze. There is no villiage in Grand Prairie, but it is near Centralia in Marion and Richview and Irvington are close by, in Washington county.