History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio, Volume I, Part 7

Author: Drury, Augustus Waldo, 1851-1935; S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, pub
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 966

USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Dayton > History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio, Volume I > Part 7

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The French called the Great Miami the Chianbusky and later la Roche. The English, translating the latter name, called it the Rocky River. This name, doubtless, was given because of the rocky bed in a part of its lower course. Captain Thomas Hutchins, the author of the rectangular system of surveys, in a work published in London in 1778, speaks of the Little Mineami river and the Great Mineami, Afferemet, or Rocky river, and also of Mad creek. The two Miamis came thus to be called because of the Miami Indians, who had their homes on their upper courses when the whites began to penetrate the western wilderness. The northern rival, the Miami of the lakes, in time was called the Maumee, after the manner of the French pronunciation. In the time when transportation by water was much more necessary than it is now, the Great Miami and its branches, Mad river, the Stillwater and Loramie's creek were valued and used for purposes of transportation. By means of short portages, con- nections were made with boats on the St. Mary's and the Au Glaize and thus to Lake Erie. Mad river, called thus from the raging torrent which often oversweeps its channel, was at one time called Chillicothe river, the name Chillicothe being

DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY

common with the Shawnee Indians. It has a long course and has furnished water power for almost innumerable mills. The Stillwater, often called the Southwest Branch, has a long course and has been made to serve useful purposes. Wolf creek, said to be thus named from the wolves that were numerous in its valley, rises in the northwest part of Montgomery county, its valley occupying a consid- erable area. Coming together within the corporate limits of Dayton there are the Great Miami proper, Mad river, the Stillwater and Wolf creek. Other affluents of the Great Miami may be named also-Hole's creek, first called Silver creek, on the east and Bear creek and Twin creek, with others on the West. The surface is for the most part gently undulating. The upland vies with the rich lowland in making Montgomery county the source of great agricultural wealth. At the same time, many advantages combine to build up diversified industries and promote com- mercial growth. As will later be seen, the city of Dayton has an unsurpassed po- sition for attracting to itself enterprise and strength from near and from far.

Before this country on the eve of occupancy could ring with the white man's ax and be furrowed by his plow, the surveyor with compass and chain must mark the bounds for future ownership and use. Likewise, from the government or from some intermediate proprietor, title must be secured.

LARGE PURCHASES OF LANDS.

Nothing further need be said at this point as to the struggles and tribulations of Judge Symmes in his endeavors to secure his title to his Miami purchase. We look rather to those who immediately contracted with him for large tracts, they to receive their title when he fulfilled his obligations to the government.

After the long halt in settling the country caused by the Indian war, the out- look became more favorable following the victory of General Wayne in August, 1794. Especially after the peace of Greenville, August 3, 1795, were the condi- tions encouraging. Seventeen days after that peace, August 20th, 1795, an im- portant contract was entered into between Judge John Cleves Symmes on the one part and General Jonathan Dayton, then a member of congress and later a senator from New Jersey, General Arthur St. Clair, governor of the Northwest Territory, General James Wilkinson, for a time commanding general of the United States army, Colonel Israel Ludlow from Long Hill, Morris County, New Jersey, on the second part. By this contract Judge Symmes made a transfer of all of his rights to the four persons named to the seventh and eighth ranges between the Great Miami river and Mad river on one side and the Little Miami river on the other side, including about sixty thousand acres. The southern boundary of the seventh range is four miles south of the mouth of Mad river and the northern boundary of the eighth range is the present northern boundary of Wayne township. At about the same time that this large purchase was made, a larger one was made from Judge Symmes of land in the seventh, eighth and ninth ranges in the angle north of Mad river and east of the Great Miami river and one township east of Mad river in the ninth range, said boundaries including eighty-six thousand seven hundred acres. The purchasers were G. Turner and Peyton Short, the latter a son- in-law of Judge Symmes. The township east of Mad river was the individual pur- chase of Mr. Turner. This township includes the site of Springfield. There are

DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY

indications of other large purchases, including territory as far north as the north line of the eleventh range, this being on a line with Piqua.

THE SURVEYS.

The report of survey of the external boundary of the Miami purchase was re- turned to the government January 10, 1794, by Colonel Israel Ludlow, the work of making the survey having been entrusted to him in November, 1792, after the final revision of the contract with Judge Symmes. The interior surveys into townships six miles square and sections one mile square were to be made by Judge Symmes, he in certain cases devolving a part of this work on those making large purchases of him. He first ordered an east and west base line run far enough north to avoid the bends of the Ohio river. This line left two fractional tiers of townships to the south. From this base line his surveyors ran meridian lines, one mile apart, twelve miles to the south line of the third range, planting stakes at the end of each mile. With the completing of the survey south of the third range, we are not concerned. The third or military range was not surveyed till some time after the land north and south of it was surveyed. In 1788, Captain John Dunlap ran the east and west line north of the military range. From this as a new base line, Symmes' surveyors ran meridian lines, one mile apart, to the northern part of the purchase, planting posts called monuments at the end of each mile. By May, 1789, the surveyors had car- ried their work to a line beyond the mouth of Mad river. They continued their survey without any great interruption till their plat was extended to include the eleventh range. The plan for the survey was very imperfect in that it did not pro- vide for continuous intersecting lines east and west. Hon. William McMillan, member of congress from the Northwest Territory from 1800 to 1801, consulted Benjamin Van Cleve with reference to a method to remove some of the difficul- ties. As a result, congress, by an act of March 3, 1801, provided for a re-survey of land in the Symmes purchase north of the land patented to Symmes. The proprie- tors north of the seventh range had adopted corrected lines, but they had no au- thority in law. Under the authority of the above named act, these surveys were corrected, completed and confirmed. The old survey, south of the seventh range was traced anew and modified according to the discretion of the Surveyor General, with special reference to the rights of those who already occupied or had claims to the land. The following from Benjamin Van Cleve's journal fully explains the puzzles in the surveys :

"The persons below the sixth range had settled agreeable to the monument cor- ners on the lines run north from the military or third range. No east and west lines had been run and the lines running north, having been run by different sur- veyors by the time they reached the sixth range some mile posts were about half a mile further north than others, the variance decreasing southward to the military range from whence they began. Yet the people had settled invariably by these monuments. Mr. Ludlow as agent for the proprietors under Symmes for the seventh and eighth ranges had a standard line run from the third to the sixth range and then ran the south boundary of their purchase from his eighteenth mile post, which cut off in some instances nearly three-fourths of a mile and mostly half a mile from the upper tier of sections in the sixth range. He had from this boun-

DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY

dary so regulated that he commenced his surveys of the seventh and eighth ranges and ran it into sections. The surveys of all the lands north were regulated again by his, so that, had the surveys been corrected by the standard line, many of the purchasers below the seventh range would have lost their improvements, wher- ever the improvements had been made in the northern part of their sections, quart- ers, etc. And if these old lines had been established and the surveys of the upper country had been regulated by them, all above the sixth range would have fallen on different tracts. Agreeable to my recommendations, Mr. McMillan had the pre- empted lands so drafted that the monumental corners of the old lines were estab- lished south of Ludlow's lines at the south boundary of the seventh range and the residue was to be surveyed as would best accommodate the purchasers. I think I was here instrumental in doing a great service to a very considerable part of the settlers of this country."

The sixth and a half of the fifth range are above the south line of Montgomery county. The re-survey by the government was completed, so far as Montgomery county lands are concerned, in 1802, and the plats and field notes of this survey are the final authority for all points covered by them. In the survey between the two Miamis, the ranges of townships are counted from south to north, and the numbers of the townships are counted from west to east, beginning with the fractional township on the Miami river. The sections in a township are numbered from south to north, beginning with the southeast corner. It must be borne in mind that the present political divisions called townships do not necessarily correspond to the originally surveyed townships. It is probable that there is not a case of such agreement in the area between the Miamis.

WEST OF THE MIAMI.

We now turn to that part of Montgomery county lying west of the Great Miami, including 337 square miles as compared with the 131 square miles east of the Great Miami, or midway between three-fourths and two-thirds of the entire area. As before stated, the territory west of the Great Miami was in 1790 made a part of Knox county, with its county seat at Vincennes. In 1798 that part east of the Indian boundary line was made a part of Hamilton county. This land was never sold to any large proprietor, but was to be sold directly in small tracts to purchasers. Such lands were called congress lands. Congress made provisions for the survey May 18, 1796, of different tracts of congress lands, among them that tract west of the Great Miami. Because of the lack of adequate appropriations and other causes the survey of lands west of the Great Miami was not begun till late in 1798. A meridian running north from the mouth of the Great Miami river was made the base line and the ranges of townships were numbered from west to east and the number of the township was reckoned north from the fractional town- ships bordering the Great Miami river. The sections were numbered in tiers east and west, beginning in the northeast corner of the township, and were marked back and forth. The survey, as made, was regular and more than usually accurate. It is deserving of notice that four of the present political townships in Montgomery county correspond to the original surveyed or congressional townships. The sur- vey, which was begun within the territory of Montgomery county in November,

DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY

1798, was not completed for the territory within the county till December, 1801, or' shortly thereafter, although, for the most of this territory, the survey was com- pleted much earlier. The plan of the original survey called for the division of the townships by lines two miles apart, with stakes at one mile limits. In 1805 and 1806, and in some cases later, these two mile lots were divided by regular surveys.

Before noticing the sale of lands in general, we may go back and notice more minutely the steps leading up to the Dayton settlement. Perhaps at this point we may best notice the character and careers of those who stood as proprietors in opening the country for settlement and civilization. It will be noticed that a number of these were officers in the war of independence. In that struggle, they had become impoverished or had lost their opportunity for winning a competence. The government was unable to pay them for their services, or paid them in land warrants which had come to have little value.

JUDGE SYMMES.

Judge John Cleves Symmes, the chief land proprietor, who has claimed so much of our attention already, and who will come to our notice again and again, was much more than an ordinary man. He was born July 21, 1742, his parents being Rev. Timothy and Mary Symmes, the daughter of Captain John Cleves. As early as 1774, he was chairman of the committee of safety in Sussex county, New Jersey. The following year, he was commissioned colonel of the third battalion of militia of the same county. In 1776, his battalion was employed in erecting fortifications on Manhattan and Long Is- lands. He held concurrently a number of legislative, judicial and military positions. In February, 1777, he was appointed the third justice of the supreme court of New Jersey, retaining the position till December, 1783. He received a re- appointment, but later resigned. In October, 1785, he was elected a member of the continental congress for the regular term of one year, and in 1786, was reelected. When the last term of the continental congress closed in 1787, Judge Symmes turned his great energy toward new enterprises. Before his last term in congress closed, he made a trip of inspection to the west, passing down the Ohio river as far as Louisville, and on his return from this trip, met Major Benjamin Stites, who had gone to New Jersey to arrange for a colony north of the Ohio river. In 1787, Judge Symmes wrote of having been in the western country. This trip before he came to have an interest in Miami lands gave him little knowledge of the country. His land venture has already been noticed, some features of which will yet claim attention. Judge Burnet, who accompanied him to Philadelphia in 1796, refers to his tender of money at that time with a view to his securing patents for ad- ditional land within his so-called purchase, and to the failure of his mission. He was unable to pay back money that had been paid to him for lands for which he could not give titles. In 1802, when on a visit to New Jersey, he was sued and also ar- rested on charges rising out of his sales of land. At this time, he wrote to Pey- ton Short, his son-in-law : "But do not, my dear sir, suffer my persecutions to give you uneasiness. I am a philosopher and an honest man. My enemies may ruin me, but they will never break my spirit, nor convict me of the smallest fraud against any of them." In 1802, a committee of congress hesitated to pronounce entirely

DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY

against his claims, but the opinion of General Lincoln, the attorney general, ren- dered in 1803, disposed finally of all his hopes and contentions. In 1811, his man- sion at North Bend was burned by an incendiary and many valuable papers were destroyed.

Of the career of Judge Symmes as a judge in the Northwest Territory from February, 1788, to the time when Ohio became a state in 1803, only the most hon- orable mention can be made. To meet the sessions of the general court at Ma- rietta, Vincennes, and later at Detroit and elsewhere, a travel of two or three hun- dred miles on horseback was required, involving the spending of six or eight days in the wilderness, being compelled to swim every watercourse too deep to be forded. It was necessary that the horse selected for this service have a good reputation as a swimmer. In these journeys of the court and bar, five or six persons often pro- ceeded in company, taking an extra pack-horse to carry books and provender be- yond what could be carried otherwise. Sometimes the course lay through Dayton to Detroit. Judge Burnet says that from 1796 to 1803, Governor St. Clair and Judge Symmes "never missed a term" at Marietta or Detroit. It is likely that they were just as faithful in attendance elsewhere. As one of the judges, he had a share in the task of providing the Northwest Territory with its first code of laws. He died in Cincinnati, February 26, 1814, at the home of his daughter, the wife of William Henry Harrison.

GOVERNOR ST. CLAIR,

General Arthur St. Clair has already been described. He was a man of large ability, of the highest integrity, a hero of the Revolution, a man of fortitude under the greatest adversities. 'In becoming one of the proprietors in the purchase of Miami lands, he had a reasonable prospect of building up his fortunes and pro- moting the development of the country. In addition to his interest in the seventh and eighth ranges, he acquired an interest in parts of certain ranges north of the eighth range, the same being adjacent to the Great Miami. It is a very general impression that Governor St. Clair has not received the measure of appreciation due to his character and services. Judge Burnet, who knew him intimately and was by no means blind to his shortcomings, thus speaks of him: "The governor was unquestionably a man of superior talents, of extensive information and of great uprightness of purpose as well as of suavity of manners. His general course, though in the main correct, was in some respects injurious to his own popularity ; but it was the result of an honest exercise of judgment."

Governor St. Clair spent his last years in neglect and poverty in a humble home near Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Some tardy recognition brightened his closing days. He died August 31, 1818.

GENERAL WILKINSON.

General James Wilkinson served in the Revolutionary war as adjutant-gen- eral and brigadier-general and secretary of the board of war. He had charge of various expeditions in the west. In 1794, he commanded the right wing of Wayne's army, and in 1796, was made commanding general of the army, and in 1805 and 1806, was governor of Louisiana territory. For intrigues with Burr and with Spain he was court-martialed in 1811, and although believed to be guilty, was acquitted. Randolph said of him : "Wilkinson is the only man that I ever saw

Jona : Dayton

From "Early Dayton," by permission of the U. B. Publishing House. GENERAL JONATHAN DAYTON.

BENJAMIN VAN CLEVE

DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY

who was from the bark to the very core a villain." Conspiring at first with Burr, as was generally believed, he became his chief accuser.

GENERAL DAYTON.

General Jonathan Dayton belonged to an old New Jersey family. He was born October 16, 1760, and died October 9, 1824. He graduated from Princeton college in 1776, entered the continental army in the same year, and became paymaster in his father's regiment, and in 1781, as a commissioned captain, gallantly led his com- pany against a British redoubt at Yorktown, and was rewarded with the command of a brigade. He studied law and was admitted to the bar. Later, he received the degree of Doctor of Laws. In 1783 he was elected to the legislature of New Jer- sey, and in 1787, was a delegate to the convention that framed the Federal con- stitution, and signed that document. He feared the influence of a strong central government, but when the constitution was framed, he gave it his support. Reck- oned at first a federalist, he did not stand with that party in favoring Eng- land as against France, and later was more of a republican (democrat) than a fed- eralist. He was rather an American than either. He was elected to congress in 1791, serving till 1799, from 1795 to 1799, occupying the place of speaker. In 1799, he resigned his place in the house of representatives to accept a place in the United States senate, which he held till the end of his term in 1805. He was a trusted associate of Burr in what is called Burr's conspiracy, and in 1807, was ar- rested, charged with connection therewith, but was never tried. After these events, he lived retired from all public employments.

The scheme of Burr was so different at different times, and so different to dif- ferent persons, was so undeveloped and so contradictory, that it is difficult to pro- nounce as to the guilt or innocence of those who were understood to be his as- sociates. Dayton was a distant relative of Burr, conferred with him at Cincinnati in 1805, was a close friend of Wilkinson, was well acquainted with restlessness in the west and the growing spirit of revolt against Spain in her neighboring pos- sessions. To commit Wilkinson finally to the scheme Dayton, July 24, 1806, ad- dressed him in the following vigorous language: "You are not a man to despair or even despond, especially when such prospects offer in another quarter. Are you ready? Are your numerous associates ready? Wealth and glory ! Louisiana and Mexico! I shall have time to receive a letter from you before I set out for Ohio."

He had much to do with negotiations in connection with the grant made to Judge Symmes, and as partner with Symmes and others, and then as one of the four proprietors of lands in the seventh and eighth ranges, had a large part in open- ing up the Miami lands for settlement. His land ventures were not successful and probably had something to do in his attaching himself to the fortunes of Burr. General Dayton was a man of ability and enterprise and, outside of his connection with the mysterious scheme of Burr, was honorable and patriotic. It is said that in choosing a name for the town to be platted at the junction of Mad river with the Great Miami, the name of Dayton was selected as being the most pleasing among the names of the proprietors. Probably all persons still say the same.

DAYTON AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY

COLONEL LUDLOW.

Colonel Israel Ludlow was born at Long Hill, Morris county, New Jersey, in 1766. His father was a lieutenant-colonel in the war of the Revolution. In 1787, Mr. Ludlow was selected by Thomas Hutchins, the geographer of the United States, to survey both the Ohio and the Miami purchase. In both of which undertakings he was defeated for the time by Indian troubles. However, he, in 1788, embarked in surveying enterprises in the employment of Judge Symmes in territory not far from the Ohio river. Later, he carried out the public surveys assigned, and also October 11, 1798, began the survey of lands west of the Great Miami river. After the death of Filson in 1788, he became the possessor of one-third interest in Cincinnati. At the organization of Ham- ilton county, he was made clerk of the courts and a captain of the militia, and probably later was given command of a regiment. In 1794, he surveyed the plat of Hamilton, of which he was the exclusive owner. Later, he surveyed the plat of Dayton and of various tracts in the seventh and eighth ranges, having become one-fourth owner of the large tract purchased in these ranges. He was active, generous, and courageous and did a large part in preparing the wilder- ness for occupancy by man. He died at his home just outside of Cincinnati, January 20, 1804.

VAN CLEVE'S ACCOUNT OF SURVEY AND SETTLEMENT.

In giving an account of the formation of the Dayton settlement, every writer attempting the task has made much use of the diary of Benjamin Van Cleve, almost the only early historical document outside of public records that has come down to us. It may be well to quote in full this document as far as it relates directly to the Dayton settlement, even though some repetitions and explanations are thereby made necessary.

"September 21st (1795). Started with Cooper and Dunlap to survey lands for Mr. Ludlow and General Wilkinson. Came to Voorhees station. In the morning, Cooper was detached with a party in order to cut a road to the mouth of Mad river, and measure the distance on said road, thence to meander Mad river until he should meet Dunlap. Mr. Bedell was taking a wagon out to his section of land in the third range. Captain Dunlap was to go with him and start from his northwest corner and run from thence four miles east, thence two north unto the line between the third and fourth range of townships run by Captain Dunlap in 1788, and from one of his corners or mile trees to run due north eighteen miles unto the line dividing the sixth and seventh ranges, estab- lishing his mile trees at the end of this line to run an east and west line from one Miami to the other, to proceed from his nearest stake to the Little Miami twelve miles north to the south line of the ninth range, thence west to Mad river, and meander it down until he met Cooper.

"I never having seen this part of the country, my object was to see as much of it as I could, and, knowing Captain Dunlap's party would have the best op- portunity, I went with him. Took Harmar's trace and lay with Mr. Bedell on his section this nig? :. ? 3d. We came to Dunlap's old line and encamped. 24th.

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History of the city of Dayton and Montgomery County, Ohio, Volume I, Part 7

Author: Drury, Augustus Waldo, 1851-1935; S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, pub Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 966

Author: Drury, Augustus Waldo, 1851-1935; S.J. Clarke Publishing Company, pub
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 966