I believe that after the Rev. War some states began surveying blocks of land and called them "townships". Several settlers could claim land within the township. If I remember correctly, the townships were square and each contained a specific number of acres or square miles of land. Nothing like a town was involved, but it was probably assumed that a small village or town would develop in that settlement. In the mountains of western NC the census was taken and listed as living within townships. One of these was Harrell Township on Big Rock Creek in Mitchell co. G. Lee Hearl Authentic Appalachian Storyteller Abingdon, Va.