Adams County, Ohio - Land Grants, 1880

Land Grants

The following arc the names by which the different bodies of these lands arc designated, on account of these different forms of transfers, to-wit:

Congress Lands arc so called because they were sold to pur- - i ' by the immediate agents of the government; conformably -w< enacted by Congress. They are all regularly surveyed iown>hip> «>f six miles >quare each, under the authority and - expense of the national government. In the eastern half s,atc. that is, ensi of the Scioto river, and on a meridian h I r.*i w it three miles within the eastern limits of Marion and ( -- lord counties, the ranges are counted from cast to west, and

Mm numbers of the townships, from south to north, beginning on tin- Ohio as a base, lint in the west half of the State, the ranges begin on the. S'atc line of Indiana, and arc counted eastwardlv, umil they reach the other ranges, which arc numbered westwn i dly, ns above mentioned, excepting between (lie two Miami rivers, where the ranges run from south to north, and the numbers of the townships from west to east, 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 liorth latitude, from which the townships arc numbered both north and south.

United States Military Lands

1708, fo satisfy certain claims of the officers ana soldiers of Ihc revolutionary war. Thu tract of country embracing these lands is hounded as follows: Beginning n! the north-west corner of the original seven ranges, I hence south fifty miles, thence west to the Scioto river, thence up said river to the Greenville treaty line,

I lienee north-easterly with said line, to old Fort Lawrence on the Tuscarawas river, thence due east to the placo of beginning, including a tract of about 4, OOO Square miles, or 2,580,000 acres of land. It is, ol course, bounded north by the Greenville treaty line, cast 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 acres each. Subsequently, some of these quarter townships were subdivided into forty lots ol 109 acres each, for the accommodation of those soldiers who held warrants for 100 acres only. And again, after the time originally assigned for the location of these warrants hud expired, certain quarter townships, v/liich had not been located, were divided into sections of one mile square each, and sold by the general g verument like the main body of congress lands.

Western Reserve

This land, as before stated, was originally granted to Coitne client, by Charles II., in 1002. This territory is situated i-n the north-i-.-i^t portion of the State, between Lake Eric on the north, Pen *-- I ,mi:i on the east, the parallel of t lie 41st degree of latiluii u. the south, and Sandusky and Seneca counties on the we -i It extend* I2'> miles from east to west, and will avornge about .*7 > miles nor. i i and south, though upon the Pennsylvania line it i us mile- from north to south. The area is about 3,890,- 000 acres. It is surveyed into townships of five miles square.

A ft ci tin- Li. - «-ti Si ate* became a nation, the interfering claims of the dilleivni >ialcs in regard to the original grants made by the K lugs of I- 'iiiland. a* before stated, were likely to become a source of t : - n i i . I * that might terminate in disastrous results. When Uopgrc** undertook to obtain the title from the States, of their rig h: - :«- tlic*c territories, it was with difficulty that the consent '»!' < "imc.-i i ii. to the cession of her rights, could be obtained. A ' "Mi jinum-i- was finally effected, by which Connecticut retimed I < i i i t the -nil of these 3,800,099 acres, while Congress ohlaiiiid H v:: 1 1 1 -«» i he jurisdiction over it. They then united this Ira: i : i riinry that now forms the State of Ohio.

Fire Lands

This is a Iraet of 781 fqunrc miles, or 500,000 acres, in the *.v esl e i-n part of the Reserve. The name originated from the circumstances of the State of Connecticut having granted these lands in 1792, as a donation to certain sufferers by fire, occasioned by the burning ot the property of her citizens by the English during the Revolutionary war, particularly at New Loudon, Fairfield and Norwalk. These lands include the five westernmost ranges of the Western Reserve townships. Lake Erie and Sandusky Lay project so far south as to leave hut the space of six tiers and some fractions of townships between them and the 41st parallel, or a tract of about 30 by 27 miles in extent.

This is a body of land containing about 1 ,500.0J0 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 comities. This tract was purchased by the government, Oct. 27, 1787, by Manassch Culler and Winlhrop Sargoant, from the neighborhood of Salem, Massachusetts, ns agents for the "Ohio Company" so called which had been formed in Massachusetts, for the purpose of a settlement in the Ohio country. Only 904.285 acres were ultimately paid for, and, of course, patented. This body of Jsyid was then apportioned out into 817 shares of 1,173 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 040 acres, one of 202. one of 100, one of 100, one of 8, one of 3 acres, besides the before-mentioned town lot.

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 Ifilly and sterile or any tract of land of similar extent in the State.

A great portion oPUs first, settlers were revolutionary officers and soldiers, with their families. They made their first settlement 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 109,000 acres set off in the northern limits of the Ohio Company '8 tract, and granted to them by Congress, provided they should obtain one actual settler, upon each 100 acres thereof, within five years fro^ 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, l>6 considered a part of the Ohio Company's purchase. It is situated iir the northern limit* of Washington county. It lies in an oblong shape, extendin'' neat ly seventeen miles from oa$t to west, and ahum seven and a half miles from north to south.

This was a tract of 311,682 acres of land, in the, south-western quartel* of the State, be* ween the Great and Littlo Miami rivers. It borders on tho Ohio river, a distance of 27 miles, and extends so far back. from the latter between the two Miamis, as to include Jhe quantity of land just mentioned. It was patented to John Cloves bymincs, in 1794, for G7 cents per acre. Every section 10. oF mile square in each township, was reserved by Congress for the use of schools; and section 59 for the support of religions institutions, besides 15 acres around Fort Washington, in Cincinnati. This tract of country is now one of tho most valuable in the State.

Refugee Tract

This a bodv of 100, 000 acres of land granted by Congress, February 18. 1801, to certain individuals who left the British provinces during the revolutionary war and espoused the cause of freedom. It is a narrow strip of country 4'a' miles broad fi -: north to south, and extending eastward from the Scioto river miles at Columbus into Muskingum county. It includes poni of the counties of Franklin, Fairfield, Perry, Lickingand Muskingum.

French Grant

This a tract of 21,000 acres of land bordering on the Ohio river, in the south-eastern portion 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. It extends from a point on the Ohio river, 1)4 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 extremities of that line, extending back at right angles sufficiently far to include the quantity of land required, which exceeded four and a half miles back.

Twelve hundred acres additional were afterwards granted, adjoining the above mentioned tract, at its lower. end, toward the mouth of Little Scioto river. Although the land in question was originally granted exclusively to Frenchmen, not more than eight or ten French families permanently settled on it, the other portion of the population being composed of emigrants from Vermont, New Hampshire and other States. This tract is composed of the township of Greene in Scioto county.

This is a six mile square township of land, containing 21,010 acres, situated in the south-east portion of Tuscarawas county. It was given to Arnold Ilcnry Dohrman, a Portuguese merchant of Lisb-m. by act of Congress, of February 27, 1801, "in* consideration of liis 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 confirmed by the act of Congress, of June 1, 1790, 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 L now Tuscarawas county. They arc called by the names of Scbimibrun. Gnadcnhuttcn, and Salem tracts. The Indians have long Mine left them.

These arc three several tracts of one mile square each - one » u the Muskingum river, which includes the city of Zanesville - -on* at the crossing of the Hocking river, on which the town of I oleaster is laid out - and the third on the left bank of the S«- i. »i «* river, opposite Chillicothc. The)' were granted by Congress, in May, 179P>, to Ebcnez/T Znno, on condition that he should open a road through them from 'Wheeling. Virginia to Maysville, Kentucky. ,

There were also three other tracts, one mile square each, granted to Isaac Zanc, in 1 *.02, in consequence of his having been taken prisoner by the lnuians 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 towards the American people. These tracts are situated hi Champaign county, on King's creek, from three to live miles north-we-t of Urban a.

The Maumee Road Lands

These arc a body of lands, averaging two miles wide, lying, along, one milo on each side of the road from the Maumee river at Porrysburg, to the western limits f i.«e Western Reserve, a distance of about 40 miles, and comprising nearly GO, 000 acres. Tin*) were originally granted by the Indian owners, at the treat) ot Brownsville, in 1808, to enable the United States to make a road on the lino just mentioned. The general government newr moved in tho busiuoss, until February, 1823, when Congiv"

These are forty-nine sections, amounting to 31,300 acres,, si tu a ted along the western side of the Columbus and Sandusky turnpike, in the eastern pacts of Senccn, Crawford and Marion counties. They were originally granted by an net of Congress, on the 3d of March. 1827, and more especially, by a supplementary ad the next year. The considerations, for which these lands were gnu ted, were that the mail stages; and all troops and property of tin Cnit.'d St- tes, which should ever be movod and transferred along this road, should pass free of toll.

Ohio Canal Lands

Coiigivs* b\ nil net. passed on the 21th of May, 1828, granted to the Sta.e of Ohio 300,000 acres of land to aid the State in completing he1' eainds. and also a quantity "equal to one-half of live m 'ci ions ii width on each side of said canal," (the Miami canal) so far as it passe* through the public lands, north of the old Greenville treat*' line, and this is estimated at 100 miles, thereby making the quant ly of mud thus granted 310,000 acres - or 810,000 acres in ail. pro hied that all troops and property of the United States transporte d thereon, shall pass free of toll, as in the case of the before mentioned turnpike lands.

School Lands

By compact between the United States and the State of Ohio, when the latter was admitted, it was stipulated, for and in consideration 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, ii point of quality of soil, be on an average with the whole of he land in the country, they decreed that it should be selected b lot, in small 'tracts, that to effect this fairly, it should e-Li-Ut of section number 16, let that section be good or bad, in every township of Congress land, and also in the Ohio Company's land, and in Syinmes' purchases, all of which townships arc composed oft lirty-six sections each, and for the United States Military T a lids and Western Reserve, a number of quarter townships, two and i half miles square each, (being the smallest surveys then math ) should be selected by the Secretary of the Treasury, in different places, throughout the United States military tract, cquivalcn in quality to the one thirty-sixth part of those two tracts re si actively. And for the Virginia military tract, Congress enacted tl at a quantity of land equal to the one thirty-sixth part of t lie estimated quantity of land contained therein, should be sc- Jected bv 'ot, in what was called the "New Purchase," now comprising W ivnc, Richland, and part of Holmes and Marion comities, in q u irtcr township tracts of three miles square each. Most of these selections were accordingly made, but in some instances, by the caiclcssi ess of the officers conducting the sales, or from some other cam - e, a few sections, 10, had been sold, in which case, Congress, when .applied too, generally granted other lands in lieu i hereof, a* for instance, no section 10 was reserved in Montgomery to\vn>:iip, in which Columbus is situated, and Congress aftcriirds gr:: nted therefore, section 21, in the township cornering - n on t( the south-east. Furthermore, as the Virginia military m u was found to be much larger than was at first supposed ihere was not really school lands enough set off for this district.

1 hese lands arc embraced in three townships, six miles squrre each, granted by Congress, two of them to the Ohio Com-' pany. for i ho me of a college to be established within their purchase and one for the use of the inhabitants of Symmcs' purchase.

1 lie two in flic Ohio Company's purchase, arc situatcd'nc.ir the center ot Athens county, and constitute a considerable payt of the permanent funds of the Ohio University rit Athens. That one bclo.igiiig to Symmes' purchase, composes the north-wcs.ern township in Ihiiler county. Its incoino is appropriated to the Miami University, which is erected thereon. This university was chartered in ISO*.), and located in the town of Oxford, which is - situated in the foregoing township of land, granted by Congress tor its support.

Ministerial Lands

section 23 - equal to one thirty-sixth part of every township- - was 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 regu t soHU . I clergyman in every town, they therefore stipulated hi die. . iginul purchase, that a permanent fund, in land, should thus be set apart for this purpose. In no other part of tlio State than in these (wo purchases, arc any lands set apart for this purpose.

Salt Sections

Near the ccnlro of Jackson county, Congress originally reserved from sale, thirty-sixsections, 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 whnt is now Delaware county, in all, forty-two and a quarter sections, or 27,- 010 acres. By an act of Congress, of the 28th of December, 182-4, the Legislature of Ohio was authorized to sell these lands, and apply the proceeds thereof, to such literary purposes as the Legislature may think proper, but to no other purpose whatever.

Virginia Military Lands

This is one of the largest and most important reservations of lands made by the States which ceded territorities to the general government. (

This tract of land is situated between the Little Miami and Scioto rivers. It embraces within its limits, Adams, Brown, Clermont, Clinton, Fayette, Highland, Madison and Union counties, entirely, and portions of Marion, Delaware, Franklin, Pickaway, Ross, Pike, Scioto, Warren, Greene, Clark, Champaign, Logan and llardin. It embraces a body of G, 570 square miles, or 4,201,800 acres of land.

As stated elsewhere, Virginia had, during the progress of the revolutionary war, promised her officers and soldiers serving in the continental line, large bounties in land. When she ceded her territory north-west of the Ohio to the general government, she reserved enough of the land to fulfill her engagements with her troops who had served in the continental army. Hence the name, "Virginia Military Lauds."

Noth wit hstandiiiii the United States bad, after the cession by the several States, of their claims to the western territory, made several treaties with the Indians, by which their titles to their lands seemed to have been extinguished, yet the tribes still maintained an attitude of extreme and relentless hostility, which continued until after Wayne's victory in 175)4, completely crushed their hopes and humbled their pride.

It was while the Indians were still in this hostile attitude, that the first lodgement of the whites was made in Adams county, at Manchester .in 1701.