LYON COUNTY GENEALOGY
TOWNSHIP HISTORIES
In September, 1871, the authorities of Woodbury county, under whose jurisdiction Lyon county was at that time, created two civil townships of the entire county -- the eastern half known as Rock and the western half as Lyon. Soon a change took place and Doon was created. At the June session of the Board of Supervisors, 1872, Elgin, Riverside, Grand and Dale were created. Various changes were made from time to time, as the settlements demanded it, until September, 1887, the last change occurred, making Logan township. The county is now divided into eighteen townships, of which more extended reference will be made below, beginning with Elgin:
Elgin. This subdivision of the county is in the extreme northeastern corner and comprises all of congressional township 100, range 43. It was set off to its present bounds, June, 1877. Its population is 744, including the village of Little Rock, which numbers 399. The Rock Island railway passes diagonally through it, from southeast to northwest. In the extreme southeastern corner is situated the village of Little Rock.
Midland, township 100, range 45, was created in September, 1885. It had a population of 385 in 1900.
Riverside, comprising township 100, range 45, dates its present limits to June, 1877. A portion of the city of Rock Rapids is within the south part of this township and its population, including county and town, is 1,766. The territory is crossed by the Rock Island, Omaha, and the Illinois Central railways.
Allison, created in September, 1885, is all of township 100, range 46. It is crossed by the Illinois Central railway and has a population of 340.
Larchwood was cut to its present bounds in 1879. Its population is 1,040, including the villages of Lester and Larchwood. The former has 225 and the latter 450 people. The Rock Island system traverses it from east to west, with the above mentioned villages en route. The Sioux City & Northern passes through the eastern part of the township.
Sioux was set off from Larchwood in January, 1879. It is comprised of all of township 100, range 48, and so much of range 49 as is east of the Big Sioux river. Its population is 449, including the hamlet of Granite, on section 19, which has about fifty persons. This township is bounded on the north by South Dakota and Minnesota, on the east by Larchwood township, on the south by Centennial and on the west by the meanderings of the Big Sioux river. A line of the Rock Island system of railway passes from east to west through its territory en route to Sioux Falls.
Centennial, as its name indicates, was created June 5, 1876, and comprises all of township 99, range 48. Its population is 395 -- purely rural, as this subdivision of the county has no villages or railroads within its borders.
Logan, all of township 99, range 47, took on its present form in September, 1887. It has a population of 550. The Sioux City & Northern railway touches its northeastern corner.
Cleveland was formed from a part of Rock, in 1885, and comprises all of township 99, range 46. Its population is 571. The western portion of its territory is traversed by the Sioux City & Northern railway, while the Rock Island system is in the northeastern part.
Liberal, formed from a portion of Grant, is all of township 99, range 44, and was created in 1884. Its population is 688. The Illinois Central railway passes through the southwestern portion of its territory with a small station known as Edna, on section 19.
Grant, created in June, 1877, is all of township 99, range 43. Its population is 621. Osceola county bounds this township on the east.
Rock, one of the original townships in the county, was reduced from time to time, assuming its present form and size in June, 1877, making it conform to congressional township 99, range 45. Its population, including that portion of the city of Rock Rapids within its territory, is 2,059. Its railways are the Illinois Central, Rock Island, and "Omaha" systems, centering at Rock Rapids, in the extreme northern portion of the township.
Dale was created from territory once belonging to Grant, in June, 1877. It comprises township 98, range 43. Its population is 555. Its southwestern corner is touched by the Illinois Central railway.
Wheeler was formed in 1877 and comprises township 98, range 44. Its population is 956, includng that of the village of George, which has about 400 population. Its railroad is the Illinois Central.
Garfield, all of township 98, range 45, was formed in June, 1882. Its population is 488. The Sioux City & Northern railway touches its northwestern corner.
Doon assumed its present form -- township 98, range 46 -- in June, 1877.
Its population is 1,370, including 249 in the village of Alvord and 549 in Doon. The "Omaha" and Sioux City & Northern railways pass over the territory of this township.
Richland, formed from a portion of Lyon, took its present lines in June, 1877. Its population, including village of Inwood, is 1,041. The village contains about 477 people. It is all of township 98, range 47.
Lyon, one of the first of two townships created in Lyon county, was changed in shape and its territory reduced from time to time until its present boundaries were made in June, 1877. It is all of township 98, range 48, and all of 49, east of the Big Sioux river. Its population is 543, including the village of Beloit, on section 31.
Webization by Kermit Kittleson - Aug. 2006