Place:Burr Oak, Doniphan, Kansas, United States

Township of Burr Oak

Burr Oak is a civil township situated in the northeastern part of the county of Doniphan, state of Kansas, United States of America. It is bounded on the north and east by the state of Missouri (including to the north the county of Holt and its township of Forbes, to the north and east the county of Andrew and its townships of Lincoln and Jefferson, and to the east the county of Buchanan and its township of Washington), on the south by the township of Washington, and on the west by the township of Center. The Missouri river forms its northeastern boundary with the state of Missouri.

History

Burr Oak was one of the five original civil townships erected at a meeting of the county commissioners on 17 September 1855 after the county was erected the preceding month. It was named after the Iowa tribe who were living in the township at that time. The first settler in the township was John Smith, who came in 1852 before the territory was opened for settlement (in 1854), and in 1855 he laid out the town of Smithton. He also organized the first Masonic Lodge in the state.

Boundaries

Originally the township's boundaries were fixed as follows:

Bounded on the north and east by the meanderings of the Missouri River, on the south by the second section line south dividing Townships 2 and 3, and on the west by Iowa and Wolf River Townships.

On 16 September 1856, the county board caused the boundary of the township to be changed so as to occupy all of the territory lying east of the range line between Ranges 21 and 22, except that part occupied by Wayne Township.

On 21 October 1856, the county board redivided the county, forming the townships of Marion and Center. The boundaries of Burr Oak were changed and fixed as follows:

Commencing at a point one and a half miles south of the town line, dividing Towns 2 and 3 on range line between Ranges 21 and 22; thence north along said line until it strikes what is known as Burr Oak Bottoms, at the foot of the bluff; thence along the foot of the bluff to the Missouri River; thence down the main channel of the river until it strikes the open line one and one-half miles south of the line dividing Towns 2 and 3; thence west to place of beginning.

On 21 June 1859, a change was made and the boundaries were fixed as follows:

Commencing at the southwest corner of Section 14, Town 2, Range 21, thence down the Missouri River to the southeast corner of Section 1, Town 3, Range 22; thence west to the southwest corner of Section 1, Town 3, Range 21; thence north to northeast corner of Section 23, Town 2, Range 21; thence west to place of beginning.

Research Tips

Bibliography

See the entries for Doniphan County.