[4] In 1857 William Chadwick, Appanoose County justice of peace, plotted the village of Milledgeville along the east bank of the Chariton River.

Independence Township covers an area of 35.73 square miles (92.54 km2) and contains no incorporated settlements.

According to the USGS, it contains six cemeteries: Brushy, Charitan River, Cozad, Johnson, Milledgeville and Wadlington.

The Teagarden School District was formerly located in the township; in 1966 it had 22 students.

This article about the geography of Appanoose County, Iowa is a stub.