Douglas Township was created on October 15, 1860 and comprised almost one half of the county. In January 1867, Douglas Township was divided and Lincoln Township was set off. Other townships set off include Herdland, Garfield, Logan, and Gillett Grove. William Crozier is thought to be the first permanent settler, arriving in the summer of 1858, in what is now known as Douglas Township. John Kindlespyer settled that same summer on section 32 of what is now Herdland Township. Other early settlers included Ezra Wilcox and George Gillett.
The following information was taken from The History of Clay County, Iowa, containing a History of the County, Towns, Etc. by W. C. Gilbreath, published 1889.
| Abell, H. D.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Hurn, J.C.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids |
| Anderson, Charles--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Jones, D.D.--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Asche, Goest--farmer, P.O. Willow Creek | Jones, David R.--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Binge, J.F.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Jones, Evan--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Bowdle, H.M.--farmer | Jones, G.H.--farmer, farmer, P.O. Willow Creek |
| Bowen, R.O.--farmer, P.O Sioux Rapids | Jones, Griffith--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Bowie, W.T.--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove | Jones, Hugh--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Bradshaw, B.H.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Jones, J.W., Rev.--P.O. Linn Grove |
| Bradshaw, J.B.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Jones, Thomas--farmer, P.O. Willow Creek |
| Bremer, John H.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Kleine, Fred--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids |
| Brown, J.C.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Langlois, George--farmer & stock breeder, P.O. Greenville |
| Brown, Wm. T.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Lee, Clayton--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Buck, C.D.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Lee, Wm.--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Burkholder, J.Q.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Lewis, Lewis--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Burr, George--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Lewis, Martha--P.O. Linn Grove |
| Burr, John--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Long, Edward--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Bushey, F.L.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Lowe, Robert--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids |
| Chesley, J.D.--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove | Lundems, L.J.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids |
| Clark, A.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Lundt, H.B.--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Clark, Elba--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Lynch, Patrick--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Cook, Alex--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Maurer, J.J.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids |
| Cramotte, Gus--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Mills, Jesse--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids |
| Craskey, J.L--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Mitchell, David--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids |
| Davis, David--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove | Morris, Robert--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids |
| Davis, D.B.--farmer, P.O., Linn Grove | Morris, T.W.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids |
| Davis, John--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Morris, W.H.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids |
| Davis, Noah--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Murphy, Edward--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Davis, Timothy--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove | Owens, John--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Davis, W.J.--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove | Parry, H.--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Dubois, Hiram--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Parry, Wm.--farmer, P.O. Willow Creek |
| Dubois, John--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Pearson, John--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids |
| Dubois, Peter--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Phillips, David--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Dubois, Stephen--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Phillips, Wm.farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Dumkreiger, J.T.--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove | Piedersen, Hendricks--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Eade, William--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Powell, Llewellyn--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Eckley, J.L.--farmer, P.O. Greenville | Powell, Theophilus P.--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Evans, E.L.--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove | Powell, W.W.--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Evans, George--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove | Radabaugh, John--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids |
| Evans, James--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove | Reese, Henry--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Evans, Jos.--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove | Richards, Evan--farmer, P.O. Willow Creek |
| Evans, Wm.--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove | Roberts, David--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Geisinger, W.J.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Roberts, G.H.--P.O. Willow Creek |
| Geisinger, W.J.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Roberts, Jane--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Goodge, J.S.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Roberts, Hugh--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Goslar, Hans--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Roberts, R.P--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Hage, James--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Ross, George--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Hanson, Simeon--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove | Rosser, Roger--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Harris, A.O.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Smart, James--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids |
| Herrington, S.B.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Snelling, H.N.--farmer, P.O. Willow Creek |
| Hoaland, Thomas--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Struck, Jacob--farmer, P.O. Annieville |
| Holthouse, Lambert--P.O. Peterson | Tanhoff, Phillip--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |
| Horr, George--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Thomas, V.R.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids |
| Hughes, C.J.--farmer, P.O. Willow Creek | Vincent, O.K.--farmer |
| Hughes, John--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids | Watson, R.S.--farmer, P.O. Sioux Rapids |
| Hughes, John Capt.--farmer, P.O. Willow Creek | Williams, David S.--farmer, P.O. Linn Grove |