Ashley township was organized in 1852 under an old Spanish land grant. It was carved out of the southern part of Cuivre township and is bordered by Cuivre township on the north and east, by Hartford township and Lincoln County on the south, and by Indian township on the west. It was originally a wooded area, with no prairie except for a small portion on the east, and the tall healthy trees of linden, hickory, elm and ash. Consequently, no towns of notable size ever flourished beyond those of Ashley and St. Clement. Today it contains some of the finest grain and livestock farms in Pike County.

Ashley was named for General Ashley of Arkansas and the town was laid out in 1836 by William Kerr. Its distinguishing feature was an institution known as Watson's Seminary, which in the late 1800's and early 1900's educated many young people in what might now be equivalent to a modern high school's educative status. In 1800 Ashley was a town of approximately 400, boasting a hotel, general stores of all descriptions, a blacksmith business, a machine shop, a factory manufacturing reapers and mowers, and a chair factory. In the 1990's it is quite small (less than 100 people). Its location alongside Highway 161 gives easy access to Bowling Green and St. Clement, thus the townspeople who remain are dependent for their mail and produce elsewhere. Watson Seminary, once a big "drawing card" for the town, closed its doors in 1916.

St. Clement

St. Clement, located between Ashley and Bowling Green on Highway 161, was founded by persons of Prussian ancestry who brought their language and customs to the settlement in the early 1870's. Clement Grote and William Klumpe were the first settlers. By 1873 the St. Clement Catholic Church had been constructed and a few years later, the St. Clement Catholic School began operation. It was also known at one time as "Dutch Town" or "German Town". In the latter 19^th century, St. Clement had several stores and shops, including a blacksmith shop and wagon factory. In the 1980's St. Clement remained a predominantly Catholic community. The St. Clement school still teaches young Catholic boys and girls from the surrounding area; a new Catholic Church has been constructed, and the St. Clement Knights of Columbus built a new community hall. There are a grocery store, implement business, and general merchandise store there. St. Clement had less than 50 people in 1980.

Ashley Township

Buffalo Township

Calumet Township

Cuivre Township

Hartford Township

Indian Township

Peno Township

Prairieville Township

Salt River Township

Spencer Township