USA > Ohio > Adams County > Caldwell's illustrated historical atlas of Adams County, Ohio. 1797-1880 > Part 2
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In the next half century, from 1700 to 1750. various tribes pressed into what is now Ohio, across all its borders. In the car- ly part of the eighteenth century, the Wendats, ealled by the French Quendats, and spelled by the English Wyandots, extend- ed their settlements into the northwestern part of Ohio, and became permanently fixed there.
The Miamnis pushed their borders into the western portion Shawnees settled the Scioto valley. The Shawnees were not found: originally in Ohio. but migrated there after 1750. They were called by the French Chaonanous, by the English, Shaw- anoes, which was afterwards changed to Shawanee and recently to Shawnee. The Delawares settled the valleys of the Muskingum. Detachments of the Five Nations, mostly Senecas, occupied part of the northern and eastern part of the State. The Senecas, who settled the northern part were called by that name. Those who settled in the eastern portion, between the Delawares and the Pennsylvania border, were called Mingoes. The Five .Nations were called Iroquios by the French, Maquas by the Dutch, Five Nations hy the English, and Mengwe by the Delawares. The Pennsylvanians, changing the appellation "Mengwe," which they had heard used by the Delawares, called the Five Nations "Min- goes." And so the band of Senecas who settled in Ohio, between the Delawares, on the Muskingum, and the Pennsylvania border: went by the name of Mingoes.
These were the Indians that occupied the territory that now forms the State of Ohio, immediately before its settlement by the whites-and these were the tribes whoin our forefathers had to subdne, before they could peacetuily possess the land.
THE FRENCH TITLE.
The claims of the different European monarchs to large por- tions of the western continent, were based upon the Ilest discov- eries inade by their subjects, without regard to the rights of the occupants of the country-the Indians.
Thus France claimed, by right of priority of discovery, all the territory now comprised within the limits of Ohio, which was a part of that region between tlie Alleghany and Rocky Mountains, tirst known by the general name of Louisiana.
THE ENGLISH TITLE.
The principal ground whereon the English claimed dominion beyoml the Alleghunies, was, that the Six Nations owned the Ohlo
valley, and had placed it with their other lands, under the protec- tion of England. Some of the western lands were also claimed by the British us having been actually purchased, at Lancaster, Penn., in 1744, ut a treaty between the colonists and the Six Na- tions, at that place.
These conflicting claims of France and England were settled by the arbitrament of the sword, and after long and bloody wars France succumbed to the power of England, and by the treaty of Paris in February, 1763, she formally relinquished to Great Brit- ain all her claims to that portion of her territory between the Ohio and the Mississippi.
THE TITLE OF THE UNITED STATES.
The colonies having, in 1776, renounced their allegiance to the British king, and assumed rank as free, sovereign and independ- sut States, each State claimed the right of soil and jurisdiction over the district of country embraced within its charter from the kings of England.
The claim of the English to the late northwestern territory was ceded to the United States, by the treaty of peace signed at Paris, September 3, 1783. The provisional articles which formed the basis of that treaty, more especially as related to the bound- ary, were signed at Paris, November 2, 1782. During the penden- cy of the negotiation relative to these preliminary articles, Mr. Oswald, the British commissioner, proposed the Ohio river as the western boundary of the United States, and but for the indomit- able perseverance of that revolutionary patriot, John Adams, one of the American commissioners, who opposed the proposition. and insisted on the Mississippi as the boundary, the probability is, that the proposition of Mr. Oswald would have been acceded to by the United States commissioners.
Those States which had no charters for western land grants insisted that these unappropriated lands ought to be used for the benefit of all the States, according to their population, as the titles to them were secured by the blood and treasure of all. Congress repeatedly urged upon those States owning western unappropri- ated lands, to make liberal cessions of them for the common ben- efit of all.
The States claiming rights or titles to these western lands finally ceded their claims to them to the general government, to be held for the benefit of all the States, with certain reservations made by Virginia and Connecticut, as will be presently stated.
Thus the United States ostensibly acquired the sole title to the territory that now embraces within its limits the State of Ohio.
But these were not, however, the enly claims that had to be extinguished, prior to the commencement of settlements within its limits. Numerous savage Indian tribes asserted their respeet- tive claims, by virtue of prior possession, which bad also to be extinguished.
A treaty for this purpose was accordingly made at Fort Stan- wix, October 27. '781, with the sachems, and warriors of the Mohawks, Onandagas Senecas, Cayuga>. Oneidas, and Tuscaro, ras ; by the third article of which treaty, the said Six Nations ceded to the United States all claims to the country west of a line ex- tending along the western boundary of Pennsylvania, from the month of Oyonnayed to the river Ohio. A treaty was also con- cluded at Fort MeIntosh. JJanuary 21. 1785 with the Wyandor. Delaware, Chippewa and Ottowa nation-, by which more acces- sions of territory were acquired.
THE CLAIMS OF VIRGINIA AND OTHER STATES TO THE TERITORV NORTHWEST OF THE OHIO RIVER, AND THE CESSION OF THEM TITLES TO THE GENERAL GOVERNMENT.
As just stated, at the close of the Revolutionary War, several of the confederated States claimed titles to :more or less of this territory, by virtue of grants made by the Kings of England. pre- vious to that struggle. Virginia acquired a title by its several charters granted by James L., bearing dates respectively April 10, 1605: May 21, 1600: March 12. 1611. The colony of Virginia flrst attempted to exercise anthority in. or jurisdiction over. that portion of its extensive domains, that was organized by the ordi- nance of '87, in "the territory northwest of the River Ohio." when in 1769, the House of Burgesses, of said colony passed an act estali- lishing the county of Botetourt, with the Mississippi River as it- western boundary. The aforesaid act recited, that "Whereas, the people situated on the Mississippi, in the said county of Bote- tourt, will be very remote trom the court honse, and mist neces- sarily become n separate county, as soon as their numbers are
10
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF ADAMS COUNTY. OHIO.
-neient, which will probably happen in a short trine, be u there- fore enacted by the the authority aforesaid, that the inhabitants ut'that part of the said county of Botetourt which lies on the said waters of the Mississippi, shudll be- exempted from the payment of any tevies to be laid by the said county court for the purpose of building'a court house and prison for said county.
Comretient also held a claim for a portion of this territory extending to the Pacific coast, granted by Charles 11, April 23. 1002. Massachusetts had similar claims, so also had New York. I'rom the vagne and indefinite ideas of the English govern- ment in regard to the geography of the "New World," these grants were not clearly defined or described, and sometimes th. y over- lapped. This was likely to lead to disputes aml wrangling among the claimants that would be difficult to decide.
In th . Legislature of Connecticut was asserted the undoubted and exclusive right of jurisdiction, and it "Resolved, that his excellency, the tiovernor, be desired to issue his proclamation. declaring and asserting the right of his State to all the lands within the limits afaresaid. and strictly forbidding all persons to enter o: settle thereon. without special license and authority, first obtained from the General Assembly of this State."
In consequence of this state of atiairs. Congress, in 1784, and- dressed a recommendation to all the States having territorial taim- in the West, asking them to cede their lands to the contre- Tracy, to aid the payment of the debts incurred during the revo- Imion, and to promote the harmony of the I'nion.
In accordance with this recommendation, Virginia, on the first day of March, 1784, by her delegates in Congress, Thomas J.fferson. Samnel Hardy, Anthur Lec aml James Monroe, deeded all her rights in the territory northwest of the Ohio, to the l'uitrd states,
On the first day of March, 1781, New York ceded all her claims to the northwest territory to the general government ; and on the 18th day of April, 1785, Massachusetts ceded to the United States all her claims to the westera territorio ..
On the 14th of September, 178", the delegates from Connecti- eut exerted a deed of cession, in accordance with the terms pro- pasel by Congress : thus the title to the whole of the territory northwest of the Ohio, became the property of the government. This vast domain contained several hundred millions of neres.
When Ohio was admitted into the Union as an independent State, one of the terms of admission was, that the fee simple to all the lands within its limits, except those previously granted or sold, should vest in the I'united States. Different portions of these lands had or have at different periods been granted or sold, to variousindividuals, companies, or bodies politic.
CHAPTER IL.
LAND GRANTS.
The following are the names by which the different bodies of these lands are designated. on account of these different forms of transfers, to-wit:
1. Congress Lands. 11. Zane's Grant.
2. United States Military.
3. Western Reserve.
1. Fire Lands,
5. Ohio Company's Purchase
6. Donation Thirt.
16. College Lands.
7. Symme's Purchase.
17. Ministerial Lands.
S. Refugee Tract. IS. Moravian Lands.
9. French tirant.
19. Salt Sections.
10. Dobirman's Grant.
20. Virginia Military Land.
1 CONGRESS LAND :,
Congress Lands are so called because they were sold to pur- 's by the immogliate agents of the government, conformably W - enacted by Congress. They are all regularly surveyed townships of six miles square each, under the authority and . expense of the national government. In the castern half " State, that is, east of the Scioto river, and on a meridian Brawn three miles within the eastern limits of Marion and 1 as find counties, the ranges are counted from east to west, and 'He numbers of the townships, from south to north, beginning on the Ohio as a base. But in the west half of the State, the ranges begin on the State line of Indiana, and are counted enstwardly, mitil they reach the other ranges, which are numbered west- wardly, as above mentioned, excepting between the two Miami rivers, where the ranges run from south to north, and the num- bers of the townships from west to cast, that is, from the Great Miami as a base. In the purchase made in 1818 north of the
Greenville treaty line, however, a " base line" Is made in about the middle of the tract, on the parallel of the 41st degree north latitude, from which the townships are numbered both north andl south.
UNITED STATES MILITARY LANDS.
These lands are, so called, from the circumstance of their hav- ing been appropriated, by an act of Congress, of the 1st of June
1796, to satisfy certain claims of the offleers ant soldiers of the revolutionary war. The truet of country embracing these hands is bounded as follows : Beginning at the north-west corner of the original seven ranges, thence south litty miles, thence west to tho Sciato river, thence up said river to the Greenville treaty line, thener north-easterly with said line, to old Fort Lawrence on the Tusearawas river, thence due east to the placo of beginning, in- eluding a traet of about 4,000 square miles, or 2,560,000 acres of land. It is, of course, bounded north by the Greenville treaty line, eust by the seven ranges of townships, south by the congress and refugee lands, and west by the Scioto river.
These lands are surveyed into townships of five miles square. The townships were then again originally surveyed into quarter townships, of two and a half miles square, containing 4,000 ueres each. Subsequently, some of these quarter townships were sub- divided into forly tots ot 100 acres each, for the accommodation of these soldiers who held warrants for 100 acres only. And again, after the time originally assigned for the location of these war- rants has expired. certain quarter townships, which had not been located, were divided into sections of one mile square each, and sold by the general g. vernment. like the main body of congress
WESTERN RESERVE .. 1
This land, as before slated, was originally granted to Corr- nestient, by Charle- 11., in 1662. This territory is situated in the north-east portion of the State, between Lake Erie on the north, Pen & Wania on the east, the parallel of the Alst degree of lati- tude on the sontb. and Sandusky and Sencca counties on the west It exterals 120 miles from east to west, and will average . about So miles north and south, though upon the Pennsylvania time it : 68 mile- loan north to south. The area is abont 3,800,- ()() acres. It is surveyed into townships of five miles square.
Atter the L'hôted States hecame a nation, the interfering claims of the different States in regard lo the original granty made by the Kings of England. as before stated, were likely to become a source of tronide, that might terminate in disastrous results. When Cupgress undertook to obtain the title from the States, of their rights to these territories. it was with dificulty that the con- sent of') uphecticat, to the cession of her rights, could be obtained. A compromise was finally effected, by which Connecticut re- Luned ler belt is the soil of these 3,800,000 acres, while Congress olgahad il . right to the jurisdiction over it. They then united this fre 11 . 1 1. ritory that now forms the State of Ohio.
FIRE LANDS ..
This is a tract of 781 square miles, or 200,000 aeres, in The "western part of the Reserve. The name originated from the eir- enDistances of the State of Connecticut having grauted these lands in 1792, as a donation to certain sufferers by fire, occasioned hy the burning of the property of her citizens by the English during the Revolutionary war, particularly at New London, Fairfield and Norwalk. These lands include the five western- most ranges of the Western Reserve townships. Lake Erie and Sandusky Bay project so far south as to leave but the space of six tiers and some fractions of townships between them and the 4Ist parallel, or a tract of abont 30 by 27 miles in extent.
This tract is surveyed into townships of about five miles square each, and these townships are divided into four quarters.
OMO COMPANY'S LAND.
T'Ins is a body of land containing abont 1,500.0.10 acres, includ- itig however, the donation traet, school lands, &c., lying along the Ohio river, and including Meigs, nearly all of Athens, and a con- siderable part of Washington and Gallia counties. This tract was purchased by the government, Oct. 27, 1787, by Manassch Cutler and Winthrop Sargeant, from the neighborhood of Salem, Massachusetts, as agents for the "Ohio Company " so called, which had been formed in Massachusetts, tor the purpose of a settlement in the Ohio country. Only 964.285 neres were ulti- mately paid for, and, of course, patented. This body of land was then apportioned out into 817 shares of 1,173 neres each, and a town lot, of one-third of an acre to each share. These shares were made up to each proprietor, In fracts, one of 640 acres, one of 262, one of 160, one of 100, one of 8, one of 3 acres, besides the before-mentioned town lot.
Unfortnualely for the Ohio Company, owing to their want of topographieal knowledge of the country, the body of land se- lected by them, with some partial exceplions, is the most lfilly and sterile of any tract of land of similar extent in the State.
A great portion of its first settlers were revolutionary officers and soldiers, with their families. They made their first settle- ment on the Ohio river, at the mouth of the Muskingum, where they founded the town of Marietta, which was the first important settlement in the State.
THE DONATION TRACT,
Is a body of 100,000 acres set off in the northern lhails of the Ohio Company's tract, and graated to them by Congress, provided they should obtain one aetnal settler, upon cach 100 aere's thereof, within five years from the date of the grant, and that so much of the 100,000 acres aforesaid, as should not be taken up, shall revert to the general government.
This tract may, in some respects, be considered a part of the Ohio Company's porchase. It is situated in the northern limits of Washington county. It lies in an oblong shape, extending nearly sevruteon milles from onst to west, and about seven and a huif miles front north to south.
SYMMES' PURCHASE.
This was a tract of 311,682 acres of land, in the south-western quarter of the State, between the Great and Little Miami rivers. It borders on the Ohio river, a distance of 27 miles, and extends so far back. from the latter between the two Miamis, as to Include the quantity of land just mentioned. It was patented to Jolin Cleves Symines, in.1794, for 67 cents per acre. Every section 16, For mile square in each township, was reserved by Congress for the use of schools; and section 29 for the support of religious in- stitutions, besides 15 aeres aronad Fort Washington in Cincin - mati. This irnet of country is now one of the most valuable in the State.
REFUGEE TRACT.
This a body of 100,00 acres of land granted by Congre ... February 18, 1801, lo certain individuals who left the British prov- inces during the revolutionary war and expoused the cause of freedom. It is a narrow strip of country +2 miles broad f xa north to south, and extending castword from the Scioto river . miles at Columbus into Muskinguin county. It includes porti of the counties of Franklin, Fairfieldl, Perry, Licking and Mushin. gum.
FRENCH GAANT.
This a tract of 24,000 acres of land bordering on the Ohio river, in the sonth-castern portion of Scioto county. It. was granted by Cengress, in March, 1795, to a number of French fault- ilies, who lost their lands at Gallipolis, by invalid titles. It ex- tends from a point on the Ohio river, 113 miles above, but opposite the mouth of Little Sandy creek in Kentucky, and extending eight miles in a direct line down the river, and from the two ex- fremities of that liac, extending back at right angles sufficiently far to include the quantity of land required, which exceeded fon and a half miles back.
Twelve hundred acres additional wero afterwards granted, adjoining the above mentioned tract, at its lower end, toward the month of Little Scioto river. Although the land in question was originally granted exclusively lo Frenchraen, not more than eight or ten Freach families permanently settled on it, the other por- tion of the population being composed of emigrants from Ver- mont. New Hampshire and other States. This tract is compose,l of the township of Greene in Scioto county.
DOHRMAN'S GRANT.
This is a six mile square township of land, containing 23,010 acres, situated in the south-east portion of Tuscarawas county. It was given to Arnold Henry Dohrman, a Portuguese merchant of Listem, by act of Congress, of February 27, 1801, "in' considera- tion of his having, during the revolutionary war, given shelter and aid to the American cruisers and vessels of war."
MORAVIAN LANDS.
These are three several tracts of 4,000 acres each, originally granted by the old continental Congress, in July, 1787, and con- firmed by the act of Congress, of June 1, 1796, to the Moravian brethren, at Bethlehem in Pernsylvania, in trust and for the nse of the christianized Indians living thereon. They are laid out in nearly square forms, on the Muskingum river, in what is now Tuscarawas county. They are called by the names of Schonbrun. Gnadenhutten, and Salem Tracts. The Indians have long -inre left them.
ZANK'S TRACTS
These are three several Iraets of one mile square cach-one en the Muskingum river, which includes the city of Zanesville -die at the crossing of the llacking river, on which the town of Lan- caster is laid ont-and the third on The left bank of the Seidto river, opposite Chillicothe. They were granted by Congress, in May, 1796, to Ebenezer Zane, on condition that he should open a road through them from Wheeling. Virginia to Maysville, Ken- tneky.
There were also Three other tragts, one mile square each. granted to Isaac Zane, in 1502, in consequeure of his having been taken prisoner by the Indians when a boy, during the revolution- ary war, and living with them most of his life, and having during that time, performed many acts of kindness and beneficence to- wards the American people. These tracts are situated in (Tha in- paign county, on King's creek, from three to I've miles north-west of Urbana.
THE MAUMEE ROAD LANDS.
These are a body of Innds, averaging two miles wide, lying. along, one milo on each side of the road from the Mannice river at Perrysburg, to the western limits of tue Western Reserve, n dis- tance of abont 46 miles, and comprising nearly 60,000 acres. They were originally granted by the Indian owners, at the frenty of Brownsville, in 1808, to enable the United States to make a roul on the lino just mentioned. The general government never moved in the business, until February, 1823, when Congre ..
.
12. Canal Lands.
13. Turnpike Lands.
14. Manmee Road Lands.
15. School Lands.
11
HISTORICAL SKETCH OF ADAMS COUNTY, OHIO.
'oissel an act, making over the aforesaid lands to the State of Ohio, provided she wonkl, within four years thereafter, make nud Keep in repair, a good rond throughout the nforesaid route of Ist miles. This road the State government opened out, obtained the land and sohl it.
TURXPIRE LANDA.
These are forty-nine sections, nmounting to 31,360 acres, sit- unted along the western side of the Columbus and Snudusky turnpike, in the eastern parts of Seneca, Crawford and Marion counties. They were originally grauted by an act of Congress. on the 3d of Marel :. 1827, and more especially, by a supplementary act the next year. The considerations, for which theso lands were grat ted, were that the mail stages, and all troops and prop- erty of the United St: tes, which should ever be moved and trans- ferred along this road, should pass free of toll.
OmO CANAL LANDS.
Congress by an act, passed on the 24th of May, 1828, granted to the State of Ohio 500,000 aeres of land to aid the State in com- pleting her canals, and also a quantity " equal to one-half of five wwtions it width on each side of said canal," (the Miami caual) so far as it passes through the public lands, north of the old Green- ville treat" line, and this is estimated at 105 miles, thereby making the quant ty of sand thus granted 340,000 acres-or 840,000 acres in all. pro ided that all troops and property of the United States transportel thereon, shall pass free of toll. as in the case of the before mentioned turnpike lands.
For both the canal and turnpike lands, the Governor made deeds to the individual purchasers.
SCHOOL LANDS.
By compact between the United States and the State of Ohio, when the latter was admitted, it was stipulated, for and in con- sideration that the State should never tax the Congress lands, until after they had been sold five years, and in consideration that the public lands would thereby more readily sell, that the one thirty-sixth part of all the territory included within the limits of the State, should be set apart, for the support of common schools therein. And for the purpose of getting at lands, which should, ir point of quality of soil, be on an average with the whole of the land in the country, they decreed that it should be selected b . lot, in small 'tracts, that to effect this fairly, it should consist of section number 16, let that section be good or bad, in every towaship of Congress land, and also in the Ohio Company's land, and in Symmes' purchases, all of which townships are com- posed of t tirty-six sections cach, and for the United States Mili- tary J ands and Western Reserve, a number of quarter townships, two and t half miles square ench. (being the smallest surveys then made ) should be selected by the Secretary of the Treasury, in different places, throughout the United States military tract, equivalen in quality to the one thirty-sixth part of those two tracts respectively. And for the Virginia military tract, Congress enacted that a quantity ot land equal to the one thirty-sixth part of the esti natec quantity of land contained therein, should be se- , Jected by lot, in what was called the " New Purchase. " now com- prising Wayne, Richland, and part of Holmes and Marion conn- ties, in qu irter township tracts of three miles square cach. Most of these selections were accordingly made, but in some instances, by the carelessi ess of the officers conducting the sales, or from some other canse, a few sections, 16, had been sold, in which case, Congress, when applied too, generally granted other lands in lieu Thereof. a. for instance, no section 16 was reserved in Moutgom- Pry towns hip, in which Columbus is situated, and Congress after- wards granted therefore, section 21, in the township cornering wrron te the south-east. Furthermore, as the Virginia military maat was fomul to be much larger than was at first supposed there was noi really school lands enough set off for this district. It lacked iwo quarter townships or 18 sections.
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