A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 169

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans
Number of Pages: 1612

USA > Ohio > Scioto County > A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record > Part 169

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The first surveys of the Congressional lands in Scioto county was made under the Act of May 18, 1796, which provided that the land not already sur- veyed should be divided into townships, six miles square, by north and south lines run by the true meridan and six miles apart, called range lines and by parallels or township lines run east and west every six miles, connecting said range lines, making said townships six miles each way. The ranges are six miles wide and are numbered from east to west, from one upward, beginning with No. 1 bordering on the west side of the state line between Ohio and Penn- sylvania and increasing westward, while the townships are numbered from one upward, beginning on the Ohio river as a base line and numbering north- ward consecutively to the south line of the United States Military land whose southwest corner is near Marble Cliff on the Scioto river in Franklin county, northwest of Columbus,

Under this Act one half of the townships surveyed were to be sub-divided into sections, by running through the same, each way, parallel lines at the end of every two miles, and by making a corner on each of said lines at the end of every mile," and it further provided that "the sections shall be numbered re-

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CONGRESSIONAL LANDS.

spectively, beginning with number one in the northeast and proceeding west and east alternately, through the township, with progressive numbers till the thirty- sixth be completed which will be the one in the southeast corner of said town- ship." This method of numbering sections is still in use, although there have been some improvements adopted in the field work in establishing the meri- dians and parallels and in sub-dividing the interior of said townships into sec- tions. The intention of the law was to sub-divide the interior of said town- ships into two inile blocks by runnng parallel lines north and south and east and west at every two miles from one township line to the other, also from one range line to the other making straight lines clear through the township, but from the topographical records lett by those surveyors it appears that they were not so sub-divided, but that each two mile block was surveyed separately.

The Congressional lines within Scioto county lie in ranges 18 to 22 inclu- sive, and townships 1 to 5, inclusive. The survey of these lands into two mile blocks according to the above act of Congress, was made during the year 1799, by Elias Langham, except perhaps, the eastern part of Madison township, which was surveyed by Levi Whipple. The Act of Congress of February 11, 1805, provided that the townships surveyed and divided into two mile blocks according to the Act of May 18, 1796, should be further sub-divided and that the sub-division into sections, as provided for by said Act of 1796, be made by run- ning straight lines from the mile corners, previously marked, to the opposite corresponding corners, and by marking on each of said lines, intermediate cor- ners, as nearly as possible, equidistant from those two corners that stand on the same line, and in this way, by actual survey, divide the township into sections and quarter sections and mark the half and quarter section corners. The point where these two lines. crossing said two mile blocks at right angles, intersect, will be the true corner to the four sections within said two mile blocks. The sub-division of the lands in Scioto county under the Act of Feb- ruary 11, 1805, was made by James Denny in the year 1805.

The following diagram will clearly illustrate how the land was surveyed and sub-divided under the two acts above referred to. The heavy lines and corners are the boundaries of the two mile blocks as surveyed by Elias Lang- ham, and the finer lines are those surveyed and established by James Denny.

The accompanying diagram will clearly illustrate how the land was surveyed and subdivided under the two acts above referred to. The heavy lines are the boundaries of the two-mile blocks as surveyed by Elias Langham, and the finer lines are those surveyed and established by James Denny.

This will also illustrate the method of numbering the sections within each township.

There is in Scioto county the town- ships of Bloom, Clay, Harrison, Jef- ferson, Madison, Porter, Valley, Ver- non and Wayne, all of which are com- posed entirely of Congressional lands as surveyed under the two Acts of Congress noted above.

The Congressional lands in Scioto county were surveyed and sold under the provisions of the Act of May 18, 1796 entitled, "An Act providing for the sale of the lands of the United States in the Territory northwest of the river Ohio, and above the mouth of the Kentucky river." This Act will be found in Vol. 1, page 464 of the General Statutes of the United States. They were to be sold at Pittsburg. The minimun price was two dollars per acre. One twentieth of the purchase money was to be deposited at the time of the sale, one half of the amount was to be paid in thirty days and the remainder in one year. Cash buyers were given a deduction of ten per cent. By the Act of May 10, 1800, Vol. 2 General Statutes, p. 73, a land office was established at

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PIONEER RECORD OF SOUTHERN OHIO.

Chillicothe, Ohio, on May 1, 1801. Under this Act the minimum price was $2.00 per acre. One twentieth of the purchase was to be paid down, one half in forty days, one fourth in two years, one fourth in three years and one fourth in four years from sale. Interest at six per cent was to be paid on the deferred payments. The mode of surveying these lands was further regulated by the Act of February 11, 1805, Vol. 2, p. 313, United States Statutes at Large.

The following table will give a synopsis of the original quantities as well as what part of the original or Congressional townships are now contained in each political division, called townships.

Civil Township.

Sections Included in Each.

Area in Acres.

Bloom-

5 and 6'.

5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30, 31, 32.

From 1 to 36 inclusive.

30087.82

Clay --

2, 3, 4, 9, 10, fractional 5, 6, 11, 13, 14 and part of 7, 8, 15 and 16.

13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 32, 33, 34 and 35. Fractional 18, 19, 29, 30 and 31.

16831.94

Harrison-

From 1 to 36 inclusive except N. 1/2 of N. W. 1/4 of the N. W. 14 of Sec. 6

47 a. in 33, 240 a. in 35, and 205 a. in 36.

24'and 25

23667.45

Jefferson-

1, 2, 3, 10, 11 and 12 and the east half of 4 and 9

1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 14, 15, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 34, 35, 36 and the east half of 21, 28, 33.

14683.61

Madison-

5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30, 31 and 32

North half of N. W. 14 of the N. W. 14 of 6.

21 32105.68

Porter ---

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 22 and 23, also fractional 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, 21, 26 and 27.

1 and fractional 12

36.

14829.98

Vernon-

Fractional 4, 5, 6 and 13

From 1 to 28 inclusive and 32, 33, 34 and 35 and fractional 29, 30 and 31

22071.85

Valley-

Fractional 5, 6, 7, 8, and west half of 4 and 9 ...

4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 29, 30, 31 and 32. West half of 21, 28 and 33 ..

1 and fractional 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9

15715.10

Wayne --

All of fractional 17, 19 and 20 and part of fractional 7, 8, 15, 16

1120

Washington-

Part of 18

All of 7

140.26

Total Acres of Congressional Lands in Scioto County 171,253.69

INDIAN TRAILS, TOWNS, CAMPS AND PIONEER TRACES IN THE VIRGINIA MILITARY DISTRICT IN SOUTHWESTERN OHIO.

Allen Latham was the son-in-law of General Richard Clough Anderson and when the latter died in October, 1826, came into the custody of all the pa- pers, records, and documents, which the General held relating to the office of Surveyor of the Virginia Military District. which he had held from October, 1783, until his death. Latham had the custody of these books and documents from 1826 to 1838 in which time he made copies of them all and when he sur- rendered the office and the original books he held on to his copies. These descended through different hands until they reached Daniel Gregg; from him they passed to Dr. Richard G. Lewis, who still holds them.

It occurred to Dr. Lewis to make a map of the Indian Trails, Towns, and Camps and the Pioneer Traces and he called to his assistance Mr. Walter M.

and 18

From 1 to 36 inclusive except 47 a. in 33, 240 a. iu 35 and 205 a. in 36. 12, 13, and 24.

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REFERENCES

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MAP OF THE INDIAN TOWNS, VILLAGES, CAMPS % TRAILS IN THE VIRGINIA MILITARY DISTRICT

AND

SOUTH-WESTERN OHIO COMP FROM THE ORIGINAL UNPUBLISHED ACCORDS AND DOCUMENTS OF THE PRINC POL SUR. CTOR OF THE VIRGINIA MILITARY DISTRICT HORYN-WEST OF THE RIVER OHIO NIQQFROM VARIOUS OTHER SOVACIS Went FAST HROUGHY TOGETHER

SCALE OF MILES

9/1/1

FICHARD C LEWIS WALTER M DAWLŁY CF. CHILLICOTHE UNIC

TWOT MANKI

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INDIAN TRAILS, TOWNS, ETC.

Dawley, C. E. With Mr. Latham's records and papers and from original notes, surveys, and letters of General Nathaniel Massie, William Lyle, John O'Bannon, Duncan McArthur, and Israel Ludlow, he made the map of Indian Trails and Towns, herein. The documents used were made between 1785 and 1825. Messrs. Lewis and Dawley used local histories, Howe, Atwater, Scott. Fin- ley, and the lives of Boone, Wetzel. Kenton, Logan, Blue Jacket, Tecumseh, etc. The original map was much larger than the one published herein, and covered the entire northern portion of the state. Messrs. Lewis and Dawley very kindly consented to the publication of a part of their map in this work. To any one reading up the history of the Indian occupation, of the same part of the country, and of the first operations of white men in the same territory, the map is invaluable, as a reference.

The Pioneer Traces, Deer Licks, Bear Wallows and Indian Trails were all referred to in the first Surveys and in this manner were readily traced and verified. For example, Todd's Trace and Todd's War Road were both made in June, 1787. Every Survey made between 1787 and 1797, through which the trace or War Road passed, called for them.

The Indian Trails or paths followed the tops of the dry ridges as much as possible. This was for several reasons. It was the dryest ground, and left the least trace of those who passed. It was the most open part of the forest and was free of vines and fallen timber. From the tops of the hills the In- dians could observe the smoke of other encampments. The Indians cared nothing for going up and down hill. On the other hand, the Pioneer traces were made along the valleys because the pioneers went horse back, had pack horses, and when atter Indians, had flankers out on the adjoining hills. Some of the principal roads in the State. follow and are laid upon the Pioneer traces, which were cleared of timber about four feet wide.

Messrs. Lewis and Dawley in searching for the commencement of the land titles in south-western Ohio, were struck by the numerous references, in the entries and surveys to events, monuments, places and persons connected with the Indian occupation of the country. The reference to Indian towns, villages, camps, cabins, traces, war roads, hunting paths, licks, forts, and bat- tlefields were frequent. From these, the gentlemen passed to history, tale and legend. From the sources named, Messrs. Lewis and Dawley have made the first map of south-western Ohio, of the time they sought to cover.

The Shawnees, Miamis. Delawares. Mingoes, Wyandots, Eries, and Ot- tawas had towns and villages in southwestern Ohio. There were fragments of other tribes. In contest with the whites, the Shawnees, the Wyandots and the Mingoes were aggressors. The Delawares, Miamis, and Eries were not so hostile, but were sometimes forced to hostility to the Americans, by the French or British. The Shawnees were the most frequently on the war path, while the Wyandots were the best warriors and the Mingoes were the most predatory.

It was not till 1749 that the Colonies of Virginia and Pennsylvania under- took to enter the territory represented on the map. Then the Governors of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia united in clearing a trail for their traders from the forks of the Ohio, nearly due west, crossing the Muskingum and the Scioto to Pickawillany (just north of Piqua) and on toward the Wabash Country of Indiana, The same year French expeditions went from Lake Erie down the Ohio, stopping to plant metal plates at the mouths of the larger tributaries of the Ohio, claiming the territory for the French King. The Zanes and others settled at Wheeling in 1770 and two years later witnessed a flood in the Ohio. equal to the great flood ot 1884. Settlements were made in Kentucky about the same time by Boone, Harrod. Bullitt, Taylor and other fearless pioneers. But it was not till atter Wayne's Victory in 1794, that the land north-west of the Ohio, began to be settled rapidly. Boone, Kenton, Wetzel, the Poes, McDon- ald, the McIntyres, Bowman, Downing and other scouts and hunters, on their expeditions; or during their captivities, saw more and more of the rich Ohio lands and spoke of them wherever they went.

The valleys and plains of the two Miamis afforded good trails from De- troit and the north to the mouth of the Licking river. Each expedition, or hunting party, traveled where it saw best, yet there were certain valleys that

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PIONEER RECORD OF SOUTHERN OHIO.

were natural pathways, and some of these trails were so much used as to be vis- ible through the forest. The settlements or towns and camps in the north-west, owing to French influence, were more permanent than those in south-western Ohio, which were debatable grounds between the Indians on the north and the Kentuckians south of the Ohio. Logan, Blue Jacket, Tecumseh, Pluggy, Tarke and others located at different points in different years. It was easier to move the cabins and settlements to the game than to carry the game to the towns. Though an Indian town had cleared cornfields and orchards, they would abandon them at any time for better hunting grounds.

The expeditions, raids, and marches are too numerous to mention here. The last and greatest was that of General Anthony Wayne, in 1793, cutting a clear road north from Fort Washington to Fort Jefferson, or in modern terms, from Cincinnati to Greenville, in Darke county. The treaty of Green- ville in 1795, did away with the Indian paths and trails, the hunting and war roads, and opened the north-west territory for full settlement.

The Indian paths and trails passed out with the Indians. White men could not and would not use them but the pioneer traces and expeditionary roads are now covered by public highways and paralleled by railroads and trolley lines. The Pioneer trail was the fore runner of the state and county road.

THE GOVERNOR LUCAS MANSION

stands two miles east of Piketon on the Jackson road, in the Beaver valley. The house was built in 1824 and is of brick, hard-burned. The original roof has been removed and it now has a metal roof. The character of the original roof was not ascertained, but was supposed to have been of shingles. The house is of two stories. It faces the south and as one stands in front of it, the west room is the parlor; the hall is in the center and the east room is the sitting room. There is a wing to the north from the east room, two stories high. Next to the roof, there is a water-table. The bricks are projected and set on their corners for three courses.

The windows below have 24 panes; the caps of the windows are of stone, worked with a hammer and chisel. The caps over the parlor or west room project; none of the rest do, but are even with the wall. The front door has panels on the side and in the center, and over the door is a stone, on which is cut the words, "Virtue, Liberty, and Independence." Below the "Liberty" in the center is a five-pointed star; in addition, there are the words "R. Lucas. 1824" under the motto. The floor of the hall and all the floors are of broad oak boards. The stair-way in the hall has two platforms. The parlor has no windows in the end down stairs, but there is a large fireplace with old fashioned cupboards or closets on each side. The walls are 18 inches thick. The founda- tion is of dressed stone. There is no cellar under the main house, but under the wing, there is a full cellar. The parlor has two front windows and a door leading to a porch in the rear opposite the front windows. The rooms in the main part are about 18 feet square and the ceilings are about 9 feet high.

The sitting room to the east has a double chimney; one fire-place is in the sitting room and one in the room in the rear of it, which may have been used for a bed-chamber. To the right of the chimney in the sitting room is a quaint cupboard reaching from the floor to the ceiling. It has glass doors with six panes of glass in each door. The sitting room has two windows to the east and two to the south. To the left of the fire-place in this room, the door opens into another chamber. Going into that chamber there is one window to the east and a large fire-place with a capacious closet to the left of it. All of the rooms have chair-boards about three feet from the floor, and old fash- ioned wash-boards above the floors everywhere. North of the chamber and in the rear of the sitting room is a large kitchen. It has a door and a window on each side and the fire-place is the feature of it. The latter is 6 feet wide and 4 feet high. To the right or left, on either side, is an immense closet or cupboard.

Passing out of the large kitchen to the west, there is a two-story porch, open below and weather-boarded above which was built with the house. It is west of the wing and north of the parlor and hall. There is a stair-way in the

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REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS.

coruer of this porch and the sole use of this stairway was to afford an en- trance and passage to the upper chambers in the wing. The upper porch was weather-boarded ouly on the out-side aud had suitable windows. In fact, the only entrance to the upper chambers in the north wing was from this porch. Each chamber upstairs (there were four of them) had an old fashioned fire-place, but not as large as those down stairs. The doors had from six to eight panels and had old fashioned locks but not a transom in the house. The porch below was originally floored with oak, but is now floored with flagging. A modern addition has been built to the north of the parlor, a wood trame, one story. The timbers forming the porch are all hewed, those sustaining the upper floor of the porch are exposed below, and they are in as good condition as when they were set in place. When this Mansion was finished in 1824, it was undoubtedly the best, finest and most expensive in southern Ohio, and here it was that Governor Lucas entertained his friends in great state. The farm of 437 acres, on which the house was located, is now owned by Peter Vallery, who resides iu it with a numerous family.

THE ARCADIAN MINERAL SPRINGS.

These celebrated Springs are situated nineteen miles north from the Ohio. river, and four miles south from Mineral Springs station on the Cincin- nati, Portsmouth & Virginia Railroad, in a delightful valley, surrounded by scenery the most picturesque and beautiful to be imagined.

The chemical analysis of these waters show them to be very highly charged with gas, and to contain 205.35 grains of solids to the gallon. These are composed of chloride of magnesia, sulphate of lime, carbonate of lime. chloride ot calcium, chloride of sodium, oxide of iron and iodine.

For the benefit of those seeking the curative properties of this water as well as rest there is a large and commodious hotel with hot and cold baths, and numerous rustic cottages for the accommodation of guests. These Springs afford a sequestered retreat to those seeking respite from the cares of business. or in need of the influence of mountain scenery and climate. The buildings are located with a view to the health and comfort of visitors, at the base of Peach Mountain or "Greasy Hill," which casts a shadow over them at four o'clock in the evening, making the nights cool and pleasant, so that when it is too warm to sleep elsewhere, the tired and careworn can enjoy a refreshing night's rest at this resort.

There is a beautiful chapel on the grounds for the church-going guests, and a commodious amusement hall for the entertainment of those seeking di- version in bowling, billiards, dancing and such recreation.

There are telegraph and telephone connections with

the hotel. The present proprietor, S. R. Grimes, a scion of one of the pioneer families of Adams county, is a most affable and accommodating host.

REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS.

WILLIAM DEVER of Amherst county, Virginia, was born in 1763 in Maryland. He enlisted November, 1780, in Lt. Eades' Company for three months. March 1, 1781, he enlisted for four months in Capt. James Dillard's Company, Col. Washington. In June, 1781, he enlisted for three months in Capt. John Lovering's Company. At the expiration of this service he served two months in Captain Montgomery's Company. He was engaged in the seige of Yorktown. At his first enlistment he was an apprentice and ran away from his master to enlist. He applied for pension October 19, 1832, from Buncombe county, North Carolina. His daughter Hannah married William McNelly and their son, John Calvin McNelly, who has a sketch herein, resides near Pinker- man, this county.

JESSE EDWARDS was born April 3, 1754, in the state of Maryland. He enlisted as a soldier of the Revolutionary war, May, 1776, for two months, as a private of Captain William McCalla's Compauy; Colonel not stated. He enlisted from the state of Pennsylvania and re-enlisted from the same state, July, 1776, for six months, as a private in Captain Thomas Craig's company, Col. Nathaniel Baxter. He enlisted a third time from the state of Virginia,

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PIONEER RECORD OF SOUTHERN OHIO.

July 17, 1781, for two months as a private of Captain Beaver's company; Col- onel not stated. He was engaged in the battles of Staten Island and Fort Washington, at the latter of which places he was made a prisoner. At the time of his first enlistment, he was a resident of Bucks county. Pa., and at the time of his enlistment, a resident of Loudon county, Va. He applied for a pension October 25, 1832, and at that time resided in Jefferson township, Adams county, Ohio, being at the age of seventy-six years. He obtained a land war- rant and exchanged it for land near New York city, which he leased for nine- ty-nine years. After the Revolution he first came to Kentucky and married a widow by the name of Skilman. She was a slaveholder and they separated and were divorced. He then came to Adams county and married a Miss Beat- man. He settled on Scioto Brush creek on the site of the village of Rarden in Adamis county, but a re-survey of the county put the place in Scioto county. He reared a large family and his wife died in 1840 at Isma Freeman's near Ot- way. From that time until his death he made his home with John Edwards, a grandson. His death occurred the second day of November, 1856, at the great age of 101 years, 7 months and 29 days. His descendants made an effort to recover his New York property, but failed on account of being unable to es- tablish their identity.

WILLIAM FORREST, 3d, enlisted in Captain Jeremiah Clough's Com- pany May 27, 1775 for 2 months and 10 days. He was promised a regimental coat but as it was never furnished, he received four dollars instead. In Au- gust, 1775, Washington conceived the idea of sending a force to capture Que- bec. They were to ascend the Kennebge; go through the woods of Maine to the Chaudiere river and St. Lawrence; then sail down to Quebec. William Forrest 3d, was one of the 1,100 men selected from Poor's and Stark's regiments and sailed September 19, with rations for forty-five days. Benedict Arnold led the expedition. He did not return with the three discouraged Companies who left Arnold October 27th. The rest pushed on and reached Quebec, November 8, 1775. On his return he took part in the battles of Bennington and Stillwater and was discharged September 27, 1777 after the first battle. He re-enlisted in Captain Giles' regiment June 12. 1778 and was discharged at Rhode Island January 6, 1779 but re-enlisted under Captain Giles June 23, 1779. He served through the entire war as a private and without disability. After the close of the war, he received a commission, as he is called in the town records, En- sign, also Lieutenant William Forrest of the State Militia.

He was an ancestor of Mrs. Bessie Hall Titus.

JOHN HAMBLETON was First Lieutenant 13th Virginia, November 16, 1776; regiment designated 9th Virginia September 14, 1778; resigned November 23, 1778. He was an ancestor of Mrs. George O. Newman.

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A history of Scioto County, Ohio, together with a pioneer record, Part 169

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913 Publication date: 1903 Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans Number of Pages: 1612

Author: Evans, Nelson W. (Nelson Wiley), 1842-1913
Publication date: 1903
Publisher: Portsmouth, O. N. W. Evans
Number of Pages: 1612