When Clinton County was founded, this name was retained for the township then most settled.

As established on May 15, 1830, it included all of Perry Township (which was cut off in 1834) and the south half of Madison (made separate in 1835).

William Clark, the first white settler to come to this area, arrived in 1826 and built a cabin just north of what later would become Jefferson.

David Kilgore and family arrived the next year and settled nearby.

[4] The township contains three cemeteries: Abbot, Jefferson and Providence.