The first thing you need to know is the Township and Range number. This map shows the Jasper County Township and Range markings as well as the current governmental township lines. The east - west lines are called Ranges and the north - south lines are Townships. North and south Townships in Jasper County are T (for Township)-78-N (for north), T-79-N, T-80-N, and T-81-N. East and west Ranges are R-17-W; R-18-W; R-19-W; R-20-W; and R-21-W. On a map this forms a grid of six-mile squares upon which land descriptions are based. Eventually each of these grids formed the basic shape of the many of the current township governmental units in Jasper and most other counties.
Be cautious about reading townships for early settlers. Townships recorded in census records (1850-1870) are not the same townships as today. For instance Newton township in 1850 included the entire western part of the county.
