History of Mercer County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part 1

Author: Scranton, S. S
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 786


USA > Ohio > Mercer County > History of Mercer County, Ohio, and representative citizens > Part 1


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N


ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02483 8366


GENEALOGY 977.101 M53h


HISTORY


OF


MERCER COUNTY, OHIO


AND


REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS


EDITED AND COMPILED BY HON. S. S. SCRANTON CELINA, OHIO


"History is Philosophy Teaching by Examples."


PUBLISHED BY BIOGRAPHICAL PUBLISHING CO. GEORGE RICHMOND, PRES. C. R. ARNOLD, SEC'Y AND TREAS. CHICAGO, ILLINOIS 1907


1


-


1


1437097


Preface


The aim of the publishers of this volume has been to secure for the his- torical portion thereof full and accurate information respecting all subjects therein treated, and to present in a clear and impartial manner the data thus gathered. If, as is their hope, they have succeeded in this endeavor, the credit is mainly due to the diligent and exhaustive research of the editor of the historical statement, Hon. S. S. Scranton, of Celina. In collecting and ar- ranging the material which has entered into this history, it has been his aim to secure facts and to present them in an interesting form. His patient and conscientious labor in the compilation and presentation of the data is shown in the historical portion of this volume. All topics and occurrences have been included that are essential to the usefulness of the history. Although the purpose of the author was to limit the narrative to the close of 1906, he has deemed it proper to touch on many matters relating to the current year.


The reviews of resolute and strenuous lives, which make up the bio- graphical department of the volume, and whose authorship is wholly inde- pendent of that of the history, are admirably adapted to foster local ties, to inculcate patriotism and to emphasize the rewards of industry, dominated by intelligent purpose. They constitute a most appropriate medium of per- petuating personal annals and will be of incalculable value to the descendants of those commemorated. They bring into bold relief careers of enterprise and thrift and make manifest valid claims to honorable distinction. If "Bi- ography is the only true History," it is obviously the duty of men of the present time to preserve in this enduring form the story of their lives in order that their posterity may dwell on the successful struggles thus recorded, and profit by their example. These sketches, replete with stirring incidents and in- tense experiences, will naturally prove to most of the readers of this book its most attractive feature.


In the aggregate of personal memoirs thus collated will be found a vivid epitome of the growth of Mercer County, which will fitly supplement the his- torical statement; for the development of the county is identified with that


4


PREFACE


of the men and women to whom it is attributable. The publishers have en- deavored in the preparation of the work to pass over no feature of it slight- ingly, but to give heed to the minutest details, and thus to invest it with a sub- stantial accuracy which no other treatment would afford. The result has amply justified the care thus exercised, for in our belief no more reliable production, under the circumstances, could be laid before its readers.


We have given special prominence to the portraits of representative citi- zens, which appear throughout this volume, and believe they will prove a most interesting feature of the work. We have sought to illustrate the dif- ferent spheres of industrial and professional achievements as conspicuously as possible. To those who have kindly interested themselves in the successful preparation of this work, and who have voluntarily contributed most useful information and data, we herewith tender our grateful acknowledgement.


Chicago, Ill., March, 1907. THE PUBLISHERS.


Mote


All the biographical sketches published in this volume were submitted to their respective subjects or to the subscribers, from whom the facts were primarily obtained, for their approval or correction before going to press; and a reasonable time allowed in each case for the return of the type-written copies.


Most of them were returned to us within the time allotted, or before the work was printed, after being corrected or revised; and these may there- fore be regarded as reasonably accurate.


A few, however, were not returned to us and as we have no means of knowing whether they contain errors or not, we cannot vouch for their ac- curacy. In justice to our readers, and to render this work more valuable for reference purposes, we have indicated these uncorrected sketches by a small asterisk (*), placed immediately after the name of the subject. They will all be found on the last pages of the book.


THE PUBLISHERS.


-


5


Contents


CHAPTER I.


The Northwest Territory 16 ·


CHAPTER II.


County Organization and History


48


CHAPTER III.


Jefferson Township and Celina . . .. . 90


- CHAPTER IV.


Center, Union, Dublin and Black Creek Townships


I28


CHAPTER V.


Liberty, Hopewell, Washington and Butler Townships


154


CHAPTER VI.


Recovery and Gibson Townships


168


CHAPTER VII.


Granville, Marion and Franklin Townships


194


CHAPTER VIII.


Early History of the Methodist Episcopal Church 208


1


6 CONTENTS CHAPTER IX.


Roman Catholic Institutions and Churches 216


CHAPTER X.


The Bench and Bar of Mercer County . 241


CHAPTER XI.


The Medical Profession of Mercer County 253


CHAPTER XII.


Military Record of Mercer County in the Civil War 256


Representative Citizens


271



-


1


Index


Biographical


:


PAGE


PAGE


Allen, Jeremiah 726


Alt, John 528


Bolton, William Lewis 5.58


Alt, Peter


5.56


Borger, Bernard


597


Archer, Joseph W.


717


Bowman, S. A.


507


Armantrout, William Robert


427


Brackman, John 610


Armstrong, Hon. Stephen A.


329


Brackman, Henry


616


Ashcraft, Orville S.


631


Brackmann, Rev. Theodosius H ..


533


Brandon, Isaac


397


Brandon, James Calvin


416


Brandts, Edmund


417


Brehm, John


601


Bastian, William H. 285


Brehm. Valentine W.


594


Bauer, Andy


350


Brewer, Alpheus


431


Beach, Adam 740


Beams, David A. 501


Beauchamp, Mrs. Sarah Ann 573


Brookhart, E. J.


595


Becher, George W. 567


Brown, Geo. W.


483


Bruns, Charles 525


Bryan, William H. 619


Bryson, Ed. L. 252


Bucanon, John L.


509


Buck, Reuben


732


Buehler, Andrew


630


Burch, Roberson Green


502


Carmichael, Thomas J.


643


Carpenter, Emmet F. 316


Clay, Henry 682


Clay, John M.


685


Clune, Casper


564


Coate, Noah


534


Bollenbacher, John Jacob


407


400


Bollenbacher, Andrew


415


Bollenbacher, George


390


334


Bettinger, Adam


601


Birkmyer, Bernard


579


Bohmann, John


574


Beiersdorfer, John


583


Beiersdorfer, Philip


592


Bennett, Henry Brandenberg


437


Beougher, Harvey


513


Bertke, Edward W.


Brock, Leonard Gurley


467


Beauchamp, Wesley W. 593


Brown, Charles A., D. D. S.


280


Becher, Jacob 604


Beckman, H. A. 718


Brock, Daniel 427


Baker Jacob J. 639


Barber, Warren 447


Barker. Orlington 567


Bolman, Christopher F., M. D. 492


Boley, Daniel Evi 645


Bollenbacher, Adam


Coate, Rev. Abither David


499


1


8


INDEX


PAGE


PAGE


Coats, U. Grant 290


Collins, Hon. Franklin S. . 57I


Copeland, Sylvester Kennedy 404


Cordier, Rev. Frank P. 496


Crampton, Ira E.


524


Cron, William


746


Curry, William 488


Dabbelt, Aloys 479


Dabbelt, Barney John


443


Dabbelt, Frank Ludwig 462


Dammeyer, Henry Fred 607


Davis, E. H. 626


Day, Hon. James H. 283


De Ford, John W. 339


DeHays, Philip


675


Dibble, Edward A.


389


Dixon, Samuel


387


Drake, Enos Nicholas


490


Dues, Barney


426


Dues, George H. 410


Hamilton, William Addison 635


Dues, John G.


505


Egger, Rev. Samuel 650


Eichar, William 306


Eichenauer, Tobias 743


Fast, Abraham G. 702


Fast, Ethan H. 725


Feltz, Louis 276


Felver, George


364


Fennig, Daniel 707


Fiely, Henry John 668


Fishbaugh, A. W. 244


4 Fishbaugh, Preston Wiley


584


Ford, Emmett


Fort Recovery Stirrup Company, The. 500


Fox, Henry C.


49I


Fox, Lewis Edward


661


Frahm, August 598


Frahm, John F.


боз


Franks, F. A. 486


Freeman, Granville


378


Frisinger, George W. 305


Fullenkamp, Henry 586


Garman, George 580


Gast, Henry 723


Gaus, Henry 497


Gebele, Silverius 669


Gemmill, Andrew D., V. S.


334


Gieseke, John 484


Godfrey, Hon. Thomas J. 27I


Goecke. Henry 503


Goldschmidt, Rev. Henry, C. PP. S. 503


Graeber, John 378


Green, David 436


Green, George 278


Grier, John 510


Grieshop, Barney 684


Grieshop, Barney, Jr. 713


Grieshop, Henry 687


Griffin, Claudius 456


Griffin, George F. 53I


Grothjan, Anthony B. 398


Hageman, Henry 482


Hair, William 386


Hall. Lewis A. 345


Hamburger, August 396


Hamburger, John E. 455


Hamilton, Charles Justus 647


Hamilton, Moses Silas 637


Hansel, William S. 739


Hart, Thomas 672


Haslinger, John Bernard 543


Hastings, Eli T. 304


Hattery, J. E.


377


Heap, James K.


748


Heath, William B.


719


Hehmeyer, Fred 657


Heitz, Rev. Joseph, C. PP. S. 519


Hellwarth, Benjamin 696


Hellwarth. George F. 676


Hemmelgarn, Paul Henry 473


Hemmelgarn, Theodore 399


Hildbold, Jacob 738


Hinders, Joseph 327


Hone, Henry 344


Hood, Clement Vallandigham 625


54I


Howick, George 508


544


Hoyng, Henry 488


Huelskamp, Bernard 612


Huerkamp, Bernard


674


Hulsman, Clemmons


H.


665


Hunter, John A. 646


Huwer, Jacob 596


Hyler, Samuel C. 406


Imwalle, John 286


Jackson, E. E.


376


250


Howick, David


Howick, James M.


9


INDEX


PAGE


PAGE


Jackson, Foster 745


Jenkins, Roy 327


Jewett, Harry A. 708


Johnsman, Bernard 617


Johnson, Hon. James D. 250


Johnston, Joseph 537


Jones, Aaron 393


Jones, Abraham


365


Jordan, Calvin Marion 735


Jutte, John


692


Lumb, J. Frank


417


Luthmann, John Joseph 527


McDaniel, W. A. J 583


McDonald, Joseph 598


McKim, Charles H. 298


McQueen, John


664


Macke, Joseph


658


Mackenbach, Charles W. 506


Maffett, Nelson 568


Malick, James 355


Marsh, Hon. Archelaus D. 346


Marsh, Clarence E. :


369


Mattingly, Hon. Robert L. 246


May, Clement V.


315


Meinerding, Joseph A. 662


Mercer, Gen. Hugh 48


439


Klostermann, Henry 45I


Klostermann, Rudolf 448


Mersman, Walter J.


406


Koch, Anton


663


Metzger. Felix


675


Koch, William 500


Kramer, Henry 430


Kramer, John 25I


Kraner, Lewis M. 328


Kremer, Frank John 706


Kremer, John D.


705


Krenning, George W. 628


Krugh, Milton O. 480


Kuhn, Frederick 614


Kuhn, Henry 618


Kuhn, John George 613


Kuhn, Joseph A.


561


Landfair, Edward 585


Landfair, Robert B. 252


Lange. John Henry 460


Larue, Abraham W. 279


Lauber, Sebastian 640


Laudahn, John H. 633


LeBlond, Hon. Francis C. 319


Le Blond, Gideon 387


Le Blond, John P. 387


Leininger, Jacob


619


Leistner, Sebastian


622


Leugers, Bernard 557


Linn, Peter 565


Link, Jacob 509


Loree, John Wesley 246


Loughridge, James G. 243


Lowry, Aaron Morten 690


Lowry, William Henry 638


Newcomb, Joseph Beach 449


Newcomb, William Ellis 470


Nickerson, Captain Samuel A.


589


Niekamp, Frank


44I


Niekamp, Frank, Jr. 471


Niekamp, Peter


747


Nuding, Joseph


314


Ontrop, August 632


Orr, William A. 317


Overly, David


367


Overman, Anton


721


Overman,. Bernard


714


388


Knapke, John J.


609


Mescher, Anton.


500


Miller, Hon. C. G. O.


363


Miller, Henry A. 250


Miller, Frank P. 428


Miller, Frederick 356


Miller, Perry C.


349


Miller, William M. 369


Monroe, James Francis 656


Monroe, James H. 654


Monroe, Walter Nimrod 651


Moorman, Henry


526


Morrow, James L.


582


Morrow, John Henry


566


Mott, Abraham


343


Mott, James Z. 318


Murlin, Giles Peter 691


Myers, Jesse W.


469


Myers, John W.


452


Kelly, Eli H. 546


Kenney, Patrick E. 249


Kettering, George 515


-


Keyser, Isaac Newton


335


Kincaid, Hugh


742


Klingshirn. George 673


Mersman, Albert


Mersman, Edward H.


-


IO


INDEX


PAGE


PAGE


Palmer, W. T. 357


Schneider, Adam 712


Pausch, William Frederick 671


Schott, Michael 737


Pax, Joseph 599


Schroyer, David 644


Pearson, James 626


Schunck, Christopher 366


Platt, Lewis 699


Schwietermann, Harman Gerhard. 459


Pleiman, Joseph 561


Schwietermann, Harman Henry. 495


Powell, John


652


Schwietermann. John Henry 472


Preston, Benjamin


347


Schwietermann, Joseph


442


Pulskamp, Herman 746


Scranton. Hon. S. S.


245


Puthoff, Frank 600


Selby, Wilson 357


Rammell, George 439


Rathweg, Anthony


396


Sheeley, Lanney Lee


749


Raudabaugh, Israel F.


245


Shelley, William M. 287


Raudabaugh, Orville


252


Shively, John W.


297


Rawers, Henry George 733


Short, Frank V. 25I


Regedanz, John 368


Slabaugh, S. V. 309


Reusch, Michael 611


Sloan, William E. 655


Rentz, August 730


693


Smith, Andrew J. 742


Rentzsch, Otto, Jr.


576


Smith, George


514


Reuter, George A. 627


Smith, George W.


516


Rhodes, Capt. John Stafford


293


Smith, William N.


543


Richardson, J. V. 409


Snyder. Hon. A. P. J.


323


Rickets, George 310


Snyder, James C.


324


Riley, Calvin E. 383


Riley, Calvin Willshire


307


Riley, Capt. James


313


Riley, James Watson


IOI


Spriggs, William 734


Riley, James Watson


314


Springer, Joseph S. 55I


Riley, Robert Ellsworth, M. D. 289


Stanbery, Henry Stanley 358


Robinson, Frank G. 244


7II


Roeckner, John F.


608


Roether. John 620


Roether, William Justin


629


Rohler, Barney


468


Romer, Frank Bernard


517


Romer, John G.


542


Romer, John Henry


534


Romer, John Joseph 538


Ross, James 274


Sager, Joseph. M. D. 303


Schaadt, Adam 654


Schindler, John 520


Schlarman, Bernard 689


Schlosser, John M. 380


Tingley, Jacob Alexander 477


Schmitt, J. B. 562


Tou Velle, Hon. William E. 250


Schmitz, Peter J. 740


Schnarre, Jolin 384


Stukenborg, John 729


Swarts, J. A. 720


Tabke, Rev. Anthony 487


Taylor, L. L. 252


Taylor, Martyn, M. D. 429


Taylor, T. P., M. D. 408


Taylor, William R., M. D. 435


Tennent, John 596


Tilton, John 349


Upton, Elmore Green 703


338


Ridenour, John William, M. D. 577


Snyder, Trussten Bruce.


300


Snyder, Washington


333


Sonderman, Frank J 545


Spriggs, Seth 722


Stark, Frank C. 581


Roebuck, Joseph Warren


Stephenson, Arlington, M. D. 337


Stephenson, Edgar E. 732


Stewart, A. G. 252


Streacker, Anton


581


Richardson, David H., M. D. 353


Snavely, John


Severns, Charles 701


Severns, Richard


695


Rentz, Xavier


Smith, Andrew 506


3 1833 02483 8366


II


INDEX


PAGE


PAGE


Varwig, Mrs. Henrietta 419


Velten, Michael


666


Willenborg, John B., Sr. 288


Willke, Alois John 730


Willmann, Henry F. 373


Windker, J. H. 578


Winhoven, Joseph 522


Winkeljohan, J. H. 498


Wintermute, G. J. C. 360


Wirtz, Joseph


633


Wollam, Ira T. 563


Wright, John Peter 479


Weist, Jonas 308


Wendeln, John Henry 536


Zeller, Ward Clifton, M. D. 298


Zenz, John


425


White, John


413


Wilkin, Sylvester


276


Wilson, William E.


385


Younger, Hon. Charles S.


354


Illustrations


PAGE


PAGE


Auditorium, Chautauqua Grounds. Ce- lina


56


Banks-


Citizens', Celina


I60


Commercial, Celina


I60


First National, Celina


I60


Battles of the Maumee, Plan Illustrat-


ing the


37


Boulevard Along Lake Mercer


56


1


Churches-


Catholic, Holy Trinity, Coldwater .. 160 Catholic, Immaculate Conception, Ce- lina I90


Catholic, Mary, Help of Christians,


Fort Recovery


236


Catholic, St. Henry's, St. Henry. 236 Catholic, St. John's, St. Johns. 236 and Family 332 Springer, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph S., and Family 549


Catholic, St. Paul's, Sharpsburg ...


236


Evangelical


Lutheran, St. John's,


Celina


248


Evangelical Lutheran and Reformed,


Celina


248


First Church Built in Celina.


I20


Methodist Episcopal, Celina


212


Methodist


Episcopal, Fort


Recov-


ery 212


Methodist Episcopal, Mercer


212


Methodist Episcopal, Rockford


212


Presbyterian, First, Celina


248


Presbyterian, Rockford


I42


United Brethren, Rockford


I42


Family Groups-


Barber, Mr. and Mrs. Warren, and Family 446 Carmichael, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J., and Family 6.42 Griffin Family Group of Five Gen- erations 530 Hamburger, Mr. and Mrs. John E., and Family 454 Jones, Mr. and Mrs. Aaron, and Family 392 Snyder, Mr. and Mrs. Washington,


White. Mr. and Mrs. John, and


Family


412


Willcutt,


Mr.


and Mrs. George Washington, and Family 678 Zenz, Mr. and Mrs. John, and Fam- ily 422


Fort Recovery, Scenes of the Destruc- tive Explosion at I90


Vining, Samuel J. 560


Voke, Edward 649


Wallischeck, Joseph 735


Walter, Andrew X. . 485


Waters. Price T., M. D.


403


Watkins, James Sanford 736


Weaver, Sylvester H. 336


Weir, William 744


Willcutt, George Washington 681


West, William Roscoe


410


Yaney, John H.


602


12


INDEX


PAGE


Forts-


Fort Amanda 44


Fort Defiance, Plan of 39


Fort Washington 44


Free Public Library, Celina.


I 20


Grand Reservoir, View on, in 1846.


58


-


Mercer County Court House and Jail,


Celina


80


Mercer County Fair Grounds Views


Scene on the Fair Grounds.


56


Pioneer Home, A


56


Mercer County Infirmary,


Jefferson


Township


84


Portraits-


Brock, Mrs. Elizabeth L. 465


Brock, Leonard Gurley


464


Clark, Gen. George Rogers


28


Collins, Hon. Franklin S 570


Dammeyer, Gustav


606


Dammeyer, Julius


606


Dammeyer, Theodore


606


Day, Mrs. Frances S.


282


Day, Hon. James H.


28I


Godfrey, Hon. Thomas J.


270


Harmar, Gen. Josiah


28


Harrison, Gen. William Henry .28


Mercer, Gen. Hugh


49


Miller, Hon. C. G. O. 362


Mott, Mr. and Mrs. Abraham 342


Nickerson, Mrs. Lucinda M.


588


Nickerson, Capt. Samuel A.


588


Platt, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis


698


Rhodes, Capt. John Stafford 292


Richardson, David H., M. D


352


Richardson, Mrs. Mary L.


352


Riley, Calvin E. 382


Riley, Capt. James 312


Riley, James Watson 98


Sager, Joseph, M. D. 302


St. Clair, Gen. Arthur 28


Schwietermann, Harman Henry 494


Scranton, Hon. S. S. I4


Snyder, Hon. A. P. J. 322


Stevens, Harry 716


Taylor, Mrs. Jennola K. 434


Taylor, William R., M. D. 434


Waters, Price T., M. D. 402


Wayne, Gen. Anthony 28


Willmann, Henry F.


372


Willmann, Mrs. Louisa M. 372


Residences- Archer, Joseph W. 716


Beougher, Harvey 512


Beougher, Harvey (Old Home) 512 Dammeyer, Henry Fred 606


Fox, Lewis Edward 660


Griffin, George F. 530


Griffin, George F. (Old Home) 530 Hood, Clement Vallandigham 624


Riley, Calvin E. 248


Springer, Joseph S. 549


Springer, Joseph S. (Old Home). 548 Tingley, Jacob Alexander 476 Willcutt, George Washington 679


Zenz, John


423


Richardson Block, Celina


I20


Roman Catholic Institutions -


Convent of Mary, Help of Chris- tians, near Maria Stein 220


Novitiate of the Fathers of the Most


Precious Blood, Burkettsville. ... 220


St.


Charles Borromeo Seminary,


Bird's-Eye View, Carthagena. ... 220


St. Clair's Battle-Field, Plan of.


36


School Buildings-


Celina, East Building 202


Celina, West Building 202


Chickasaw


202


Coldwater


202


Fort Recovery I72


Mendon


I72


Mercer


I72


Montezuma


172


Rockford


I42


Street Views-


Celina, Main Street 84


Celina, Street View in 1890


104


Fort Recovery, Wayne Street


84


Rockford, Main Street


84


Tile Works-


Fox, Lewis Edward


660


1


Springer, Joseph S.


554


Town Halls-


Celina


80


Coldwater


80


Mendon


80


Rockford


142


Water-Works


and


Electric


Light


Plant, Celina


I20


PAGE


1


& Stratton


1


history of mercer County CHAPTER I


THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY


Virginia acquired title to the great Northwest by its several charters: granted by James I., bearing dates, respectively, of April 10, 1606, May 23, 1609, and March 12, 1611. The Colony of Virginia first attempted to exer- cise authority in, or jurisdiction over, that portion of its extensive domains that was organized by the Ordinance of 1787 into the "Territory Northwest of the River Ohio," when in 1769 the House of Burgesses of said Colony passed an act establishing the county of Botetourt, with the Mississippi River as its western boundary. The aforesaid act recited that, "whereas, the people situated on the Mississippi, in the said county of Botetourt, will be very remote from the Court House, and must necessarily become a separate county as soon as their numbers are sufficient, which, probably, will happen in a short time, be it therefore enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that the inhabitants of that part of the said county of Botetourt which lies on the said waters shall be exempted from the payment of any levies to be laid by the said County Court for the purpose of building a Court House and prison for the said county."


Civil government, however, between the Ohio and Mississippi rivers was more in name than reality, until the year 1778, after the conquest of the country by Gen. George Rogers Clark, when the Virginia Legislature organ- ized the county of Illinois, embracing within its limits all the territory owned by Virginia west of the Ohio River. Col. John Todd served, under appoint- ment received from the Governor of Virginia, as civil commandant and lieu- tenant of the county until his death, at the battle of Blue Licks, in 1782, less than two years before Virginia ceded the country to the United States. Timothy de Montbrun was his successor.


In 1783 the General Assembly of Virginia passed an act authorizing


16


HISTORY OF MERCER COUNTY


the Virginia delegates in Congress to convey to the United States all the right of that commonwealth to the territory northwest of the river Ohio.


Pursuant to the foregoing action of the General Assembly of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Hardy, Arthur Lee and James Monroe, Vir- ginia's delegates in Congress, did, as per deed of cession, on the first day of March, 1784, it being the eighth year of American independence, "convey (in the name, for and on behalf of, the said commonwealth), transfer, assign, and make over unto the United States in Congress assembled, for the benefit of said States, Virginia inclusive, all right, title and claim, as well of soil as of jurisdiction, to the territory of said State lying and being to the northwest of the river Ohio." Upon the presentation of said deed of cession, Congress resolved, on the same day, "that it be accepted, and the same be recorded and enrolled among the acts of the United States in Congress as- sembled."


The United States having thus secured title to the "Great Northwest," Congress soon deemed it advisable to take the preliminary steps looking to the permanent establishment of civil government in the new and extensive territory, of which it had just become the legal custodian. Accordingly, after much mature deliberation and careful consideration of the subject, as well as prolonged discussion of the important questions involved, they, on the 13th of July, 1787, gave to the world the results of their deliberations in "An Ordinance for the Government of the Territory of the United States Northwest of the River Ohio," which has come to be best known as the "Ordinance of 1787," sometimes called the "Ordinance of Freedom." As said ordinance was the fundamental law, the constitution, so to speak, of the great Northwest, upon which were based, and with which harmonized, all our territorial enactments, as well as all our subsequent State legislation; and moreover, as it is to that wise, statesmanlike document that we are indebted for much of our prosperity and greatness, we give it entire as follows :


TIIE ORDINANCE OF 1787.


An Ordinance for the Government of the Territory of the United States Northwest of the River Ohio.


Be it ordained by the United States in Congress assembled, That the said territory, for the purposes of temporary government, be one district, subject, however, to be divided into two districts, as future circumstances may, in the opinion of Congress, make it expedient.


Be it ordained by the authority aforesaid, That the estates, both of resident and non-resident proprietors in the said territory, dying intestate, shall descend to, and be distributed among, their children, and the descendants of a deceased child, in equal parts; the descendants of a deceased child or grandchild to take the share of their deceased parent in equal parts among them: And where there shall be no children or descendants, then in equal parts to the next of kin in equal degree; and, among


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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS


collaterals, the children of a deceased brother or sister of the intestate shall have, in equal parts among them, their deceased parents' share; and there shall, in no case, be a distinction between kindred of the whole and half blood; saving, in all cases, to the widow of the intestate her third part of the real estate for life, and one-third part of the personal estate, and this law, relative to descents and dower, shall remain in full force until altered by the legislature of the district. And, until the governor and judges shall adopt laws as hereinafter mentioned, estates in the said territory may be devised or bequeathed by wills in writing, signed and sealed by him or her, in whom the estate may be (being of full age), and attested by three witnesses; and real estates may be conveyed by lease and release, or bargain and sale, signed, sealed, and delivered by the person, being of full age, in whom the estate may be, and attested by two witnesses, provided such wills be duly proved, and such conveyances be acknowl- edged, or the execution thereof duly proved, and be recorded within one year after proper magistrates, courts, and registers shall be appointed for that purpose; and per- sonal property may be transferred by delivery; saving, however, to the French and Canadian inhabitants, and other settlers of the Kaskaskias, St. Vincents, and the neigh- boring villages, who have heretofore professed themselves citizens of Virginia, their laws and customs now in force among them, relative to the descent and conveyance of property.


Be it ordained by the authority aforesaid, That there shall be appointed, from time to time, by Congress, a governor, whose commission shall continue in force for the term of three years, unless sooner revoked by Congress; he shall reside in the district, and have a freehold estate therein, in 1,000 acres of land, while in the exercise of his office.


There shall be appointed, from time to time, by Congress, a secretary, whose com- mission shall continue in force for four years unless sooner revoked; he shall reside in the district, and have a freehold estate therein, in 500 acres of land, while in the exercise of his office; it shall be his duty to keep and preserve the acts and laws passed by the legislature, and the public records of the district, and the proceedings of the governor in his Executive department; and transmit authentic copies of such acts and proceedings, every six months, to the Secretary of Congress: There shall be appointed a court to consist of three judges, any two of whom to form a court, who shall have a common law jurisdiction, and reside in the district, and have each therein a free- hold estate in 500 acres of land while in the exercise of their offices; and their com- missions shall continue in force during good behavior.




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