A Pictorial Description of Ohio

APPENDIX.

PUBLIC LANDS IN OHIO.

FROM the addenda to Howe's valuable "Historical Collections of Ohio," we extract the following abridgment, from the Ohio Gazetteer, of a detailed notice of the various public lands in Ohio.

In most of the states and territories lying west of the Allegany mountains, the United States collectively, as a nation, owned, or did own, the soil of the country, after the extinguishment of the aboriginal Indian title. This vast national domain comprises several hundreds of millions of acres; which is a beautiful fund, upon which the general government can draw for centuries, to supply, at a low price, all its citizens with a freehold estate. When Ohio was admitted into the federal union as an independent state, one of the terms of admission was, that the fee-simple to all the lands within its limits, excepting those previously granted or sold, should vest in the United States. Different portions of them have, at diverse periods, been granted or sold to various individuals, companies, and bodies politic.

The following are the names by which the principal bodies of the lands are designated, on account of these different forms of transfer, viz. :—

9. Refugee Tract.

10. French Grant.
11. Dohrman's do.
12. Zane's do.
13. Canal Lands.
14. Turnpike do.

15. Maumee Road Lands.

16. School

17. College
18. Ministerial
19. Moravian
20. Salt Sections.

do.

6. Ohio Co's. Purchase. 7. Donation Tract. Congress Lands are so called, because they are sold to purchasers by the immediate officers of the general government, conformably to such laws as are, or may be, from time to time, enacted by Congress. They are all regularly surveyed into townships of six miles square each, under authority, and at the expense of the national government.

The townships are again subdivided into sections of one mile square, each containing 640 acres, by lines running parallel with the township and range lines.

In addition to the foregoing division, the sections are again subdivided into four equal parts, called the northeast quarter section, southeast quarter section, &c. And again, by a law of Congress, which went into effect in July, 1820, these quarter sections are also divided by a north and south line, into two equal parts, called the east half-quarter section, No. and west half-quarter section, No. which contain eighty acres each. The minimum price has been reduced by the same law, from $2.00 to $1.25 per acre, cash down.

In establishing the township and sectional corners, a post is first planted at the point of intersection; then on the tree nearest the post, and standing within the section intended to be designated, is numbered with the marking iron, the range, township and number of the section.

Section No. 16 of every township is perpetually reserved for the use of schools, and leased or sold out, for the benefit of schools, under the state government. All the others may be taken up either in sections, fractions, halves, quarters, or half-quarters.

For the purpose of selling out these lands, they are divided into eight several land districts, called after the names of the towns in which the land offices are kept, viz.: Wooster, Steubenville, Zanesville, Marietta, Chilicothe, etc., etc.

The seven ranges of townships are a portion of the Congress lands, so called, being the first ranges of public lands ever surveyed by the general government, west of the Ohio river. They are bounded on the north by a line drawn due west from the Pennsylvania state line, where it crosses the Ohio river, to the United States military lands, 42 miles; thence

Connecticut Western Reserve.-Fire Lands.-United States Military Lands.

south to the Ohio river, at the southeast corner of Marietta township, thence up the river to the place of beginning.

Connecticut Western Reserve, often times called New Connecticut, is situated in the northeast quarter of the state, between Lake Erie on the north, Pennsylvania east, the parallel of the 41st degree of north latitude south, and Sandusky and Seneca counties on the west. It extends 120 miles from east to west, and upon an average 50 from north to south although, upon the Pennsylvania line, it is 68 miles broad, from north to south. The area is about 3,800,000 acres. It is surveyed into townships of five miles square each. A body of half a million acres is, however, stricken off from the west end of the tract, as a donation, by the state of Connecticut, to certain sufferers by fire, in the revolutionary war.

The manner by which Connecticut became possessed of the land in question, was the following: King Charles II., of England, pursuing the example of his brother-kings, of granting distant and foreign regions to his subjects, granted to the then colony of Connecticut, in 1662, a charter right to all lands included within certain specific bounds. But as the geographical knowledge of Europeans concerning America, was then very limited and confused, patents for lands often interfered with each other, and many of them, even by their express terms, extended to the Pacific ocean, or South sea, as it was then called. Among the rest, that for Connecticut embraced all lands contained between the 41st and 42d parallels of north latitude, and from Providence plantations on the cast, to the Pacific ocean west, with the exception of New York and Pennsylvania colonies; and, indeed, pretensions to these were not finally relinquished without considerable altercation. And after the United States became an independent nation, these interfering claims occasioned much collision of sentiment between them and the state of Connecticut, which was finally compromised, by the United States relinquishing all their claims upon, and guarantying to Connecticut the exclusive right of soil to the 3,800,000 acres now described. The United States, however, by the terms of compromise, reserved to themselves the right of jurisdiction. They then united this tract to the territory, now state of Ohio.

Fire Lands, a tract of country so called, of about 781 square miles, or 500,000 acres, in the western part of New Connecticut. The name originated from the circumstance of the state of Connecticut having granted these lands in 1792, as a donation to certain sufferers by fire, occasioned by the English during our revolutionary war, particularly at New London, Fairfield, and Norwalk. These lands include the five westernmost ranges of the Western Reserve townships. Lake Erie and Sandusky bay project so far southerly, as to leave but the space of six tiers and some fractions of townships between them and the 41st parallel of latitude, or a tract of about thirty by twenty-seven miles in extent. This tract is surveyed into townships of about five miles square each; and these townships are then subdivided into four quarters. And for individual convenience, these are again subdivided, by private surveys, into lots of from fifty to five hundred acres each, to suit individual purchasers.

United States Military Lands are so called from the circumstance of their having been appropriated, by an act of Congress of the 1st of June, 1796, to satisfy certain claims of the officers and soldiers of the revolutionary war. The tract of country embracing these lands is bounded as follows: beginning at the northwest corner of the original VII. ranges of townships, thence south fifty miles, thence west to the Scioto river, thence up said river to the Greenville treaty line, thence northeasterly with said line to old Fort Laurens, on the Tuscarawas river, thence due cast to the place of beginning; including a tract of about 4,000 square miles, or 2,560,000 acres of lands. It is, of course, bounded north by the Greenville treaty line, east by the "VII. 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. These townships were then again, originally, surveyed into quarter townships of two and a half miles square, containing 4,000 acres each--and subsequently, some of these quarter townships were subdivided into forty lots of one hundred acres each, for the accommodation of those soldiers holding warrants for only one hundred acres each. And again, after the time originally assigned for the location of these warrants had expired, certain quarter townships which had not then been located, were divided into sections of one mile square each, and sold by the general government, like the main body of Congress lands.

Virginia Military Lands.-Ohio Company's Purchase.-Donation Tract.-Symmes' Purchase. The place of each township is ascertained by numbers and ranges, the same as Congress lands; the ranges being numbered from east to west, and the numbers from south to north.

Virginia Military Lands are a body of land lying between the Scioto and Little Miami rivers, and bounded upon the Ohio river on the south. The state of Virginia, from the indefinite and vague terms of expression in its original colonial charter of territory from James I., king of England, in the year 1609, claimed all the continent west of the Ohio river, and of the north and south breadth of Virginia. But finally, among several other compromises of conflicting claims which were made, subsequently, to the attainment of our national independence, Virginia agreed to relinquish all her claims to lands northwest of the Ohio river, in favor of the general government, upon condition of the lands, now described, being guarantied to her. The state of Virginia then appropriated this body of land to satisfy the claims of her state troops employed in the continental line, during the revolutionary war.

This district is not surveyed into townships or any regular form: but any individual holding a Virginia military land warrant may locate it, wherever he chooses, within the district, and in such shape as he pleases, wherever the land shall not previously have been located. In consequence of this deficiency of regular original surveys, and the irregularities with which the several locations have been made; and the consequent interference and encroachment of some locations upon others, more than double the litigation has probably arisen between the holders of adverse titles, in this district, than there has in any other part of the state, of equal extent.

Ohio Company's purchase is a body of land containing about 1,500,000 acres; including, however, the donation tract, school lands, &c., lying along the Ohio river; and including Meigs, nearly all of Athens, and a considerable part of Washington and Gallia counties. This tract was purchased of the general improvement in the year 1787, by Manasseh Cutler and Winthrop Sergeant, from the neighborhood of Salem, in Massachusetts, agents for the "Ohio company," so called, which had then been formed in Massachusetts, for the purpose of a settlement in the Ohio country. Only 964,285 acres were ultimately paid for, and of course patented. This body of land was then apportioned out into 817 shares, of 1173 acres each, and a town lot of one third of an acre to each share. These shares were made up to each proprietor in tracts, one of 640 acres, one of 262, one of 160, one of 100, one of eight, and another of three acres, besides the before mentioned town lot.

Besides every section 16, set apart, as elsewhere, for the support of schools, every section 29 is appropriated for the support of religious institutions. In addition to which were also granted two six miles square townships, for the use of a college.

But unfortunately for the Ohio company, owing to their want of topographical knowledge of the country, the body of land selected by them, with some partial exceptions, is the most hilly and sterile of any tract of similar extent in the state.

Donation tract is a body of 100,000 acres, set off in the northern limits of the Ohio company's tract, and granted to them by Congress, provided they should obtain one actual settler upon each hundred acres thereof, within five years from the date of the grant; and that so much of the 100,000 acres aforesaid, as should not thus be taken up, shall revert to the general government.

This tract may, in some respects, be considered a part of the Ohio company's purchase. It is situated in the northern limits of Washington county. It lies in an oblong shape, extending nearly seventeen miles from east to west, and about seven and a half from north to south.

Symmes purchase, a tract of 311,682 acres of land, in the southwestern quarter of the state, between the Great and Little Miami rivers. It borders on the Ohio river a distance of twenty-seven 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 John Cleves Symmes, in 1794, for sixty-seven cents per acre. Every 16th section, or square mile, in each township, was reserved by Congress for the use of schools, and sections 29 for the support of religious institutions, beside fifteen acres around Fort Washington, in Cincinnati. This tract of country is now one of the most valuable in the state.

Refugee tract, a body of 100,000 acres of land granted by Congress to certain indi viduals who left the British provinces during the revolutionary war, and espoused the

Maumee, School, and other Lands.

cause of freedom. It is a narrow strip of country, four and a half miles broad from north to south, and extending eastwardly from the Scioto river forty-eight miles. It has the United States' XX ranges of military or army lands north, and XXII ranges of Congress lands south. In the western borders of this tract is situated the town of Columbus.

French grant, a tract of 24,000 acres of land, bordering upon the Ohio river, in the southeastern quarter of Scioto county. It was granted by Congress, in March, 1795, to a number of French families, who lost their lands at Gallipolis, by invalid titles. Twelve hundred acres, additional, were afterward granted, adjoining the above-mentioned tract at its lower end, toward the mouth of Little Scioto river.

Dohrman's grant is one six-mile-square township, of 23,040 acres, granted to Arnold Henry Dohrman, formerly a wealthy Portuguese merchant in Lisbon, for and in consideration of his having, during the revolutionary war, given shelter and aid to the American cruisers and vessels-of-war. It is located in the southeastern part of Tuscarawas county.

Moravian lands are three several tracts of 4,000 acres each, originally granted by the old continental Congress, July, 1787, and confirmed, by the act of Congress of 1st June, 1796, to the Moravian brethren at Bethlehem, in Pennsylvania, in trust and for the use 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 the Shoenbrun, Gnadenhutten, and Salem tracts.

Zane's tracts are three several tracts of one mile square each-one on the Muskingum, which includes the town of Zanesville-one at the cross of the Hocking river, on which the town of Lancaster is laid out--and the third, on the left bank of the Scioto river, opposite Chilicothe. They were granted by Congress to one Ebenezer Zane, in May, 1796, on condition that he should open a road through them, from Wheeling, in Virginia, to Maysville, in Kentucky.

There are also three other tracts, of one mile square each, granted to Isaac Zane, in the year 1802, in consideration of his having been taken prisoner by the Indians, when a boy, during the revolutionary war, and living with them most of his life; and having, during that time, performed many acts of kindness and beneficence toward the American people. These tracts are situated in Champaign county, on King's creek, from three to five miles northwest from Urbana.

The Maumee land roads are a body of lands, averaging two miles wide, lying along one mile on each side of the road from the Maumee river at Perrysburg, to the western limits of the Western Reserve; a distance of about forty-six miles; and comprising nearly 60,000 acres. They were originally granted by the Indian owners, at the treaty of Brownstown in 1808, to enable the United States to make a road on the line just mentioned. The general government never moved in the business, until February, 1823, when Congress passed an act, making over the aforesaid lands to the state of Ohio; provided she would, within four years thereafter, make and keep in repair, a good road throughout the aforesaid route of forty-six miles. This road the state government has already made; and obtained possession, and sold most of the lands.

Turnpike lands are forty-nine sections, amounting to 31,360 acres, situated along the western side of the Columbus and Sandusky turnpike, in the eastern parts of Seneca, Crawford, and Marion counties. They were originally granted by an act of Congress, on the 3d of March, 1827, and more specifically by a supplementary act, the year following. The considerations for which these lands were granted, were that the mail-stages and all troops and property of the United States, which should ever be moved and transported along this road, shall pass free from toll.

The Ohio canal lands are lands granted by Congress to the state of Ohio to aid in constructing her extensive canals. These lands comprise over one million of acres, a large proportion of which is now (1848) in market.

School Lands.-By compact between the United States and the state of Ohio, when the latter was admitted into the Union, it was stipulated, for and in consideration that the state of Ohio should never tax the Congress lands, until after they should have 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, in point of quality of soil, be on an average with

Ministerial Lands and Salt Sections.-Governors of the State.-Salaries.

the whole land in the country; they decreed that it should be selected, by lot, in small tracts each, to wit: that it should consist of section number 16, let that section be good or bad, in every township of Congress lands; also in the Ohio company, and in 8ymmes' purchases; all of which townships are composed of thirty-six sections each; and for the United States' military lands, and Connecticut reserve; a number of quarter townships, two and a half miles square each (being the smallest public surveys therein, then made), should be selected by the secretary of the treasury, in different places throughout the United States' military tract; equivalent in quantity, to the one thirty-sixth part of those two tracts respectively. And for the Virginia military tract, Congress enacted that a quantity of land equal to the one thirty-sixth part of the estimated quantity of land contained therein, should be selected by lot, in what was then called the "New Purchase," in quarter-township tracts of three miles square each. Most of these selections were accordingly made: but, in some instances by the carelessness of the officers conducting the sales, or from some other cause, a few sections 16 have been sold; in which case, Congress, when applied to, have generally granted other lands in lieu thereof; as for instance, no section 16 was reserved in Montgomery township, in which Columbus is situated; and Congress afterward granted therefor, section 21, in the township cornering thereon to the southeast.

College townships are three six-mile-square townships, granted by Congress, two of them to the Ohio company, for the use of a college to be established within their purchase, and one for the use of the inhabitants of Symmes' purchase.

Ministerial Lands.-Both in the Ohio company and in Symmes' purchase, every section 29 (equal to one thirty-sixth part of every township) is reserved, as a permanent fund for the support of a settled minister. As the purchasers of these two tracts came from parts of the Union where it was customary and deemed necessary to have a regularlysettled clergyman in every town, they therefore stipulated in their original purchase, that a permanent fund, in land, should thus be set apart for this purchase. In no other part of the state, other than in these two purchases, are any lands set apart for this object. Salt Sections.-Near the centre of what is now Jackson county, Congress originally reserved from sale, thirty-six sections, or one six-mile-square township, around and including what was called the Scioto salt-licks; also one quarter of a five-mile-square township in what is now Delaware county; in all, forty-two and a quarter sections, or 27,040 acres. By an act of Congress of the 28th of December, 1824, the legislature of Ohio was authorized to sell these lands, and to apply the proceeds thereof to such literary purposes, as said legislature may think proper; but to no other purpose whatever.

GOVERNMENT OFFICERS, Erc.

THE following is a list of the governors of Ohio from the period of its admission into the Union as an independent state to the present time. General Arthur St. Clair was appointed governor of the northwest territory in 1789, which office he held until the adoption of a state constitution, in 1802, and the election of an executive under it. His successors were: