Lorain City (part 46 of 77)

The largest amount of gas so far derived from this source in the county was olitained in Avon where two or three wells each produced at first more than r),fK)0,()00 euliic feet a day. At tlie present writing there are seventeen i)io(lueing wells iu Avon, furnisliiiig about 10,000,000 cubic feet of gas a day. In Lagrange one well |)ro(luci'(l at first 1,500,000 ciiliie I'cct per day. In Ku.ssia (iiic well produced at first 1, ;')()(), 000 cubic feel per day, and one produced in addition to tiic gas five liarrels of oil i)cr (lay for six months, when for some i-eason water got into tlie well and inferfered witii tin? siip|)ly. In I'ittslield, one well jiroduced at first 4,000,000 cubic feet ])er day, and six i)roduced 500,000 ciiliic feet each. At the present linu' one well is producing from five to .seven bairrls of oil. If will finis appear tliat a belt of gas-|iroduciiig territory I'liiis lliidiigli tl:e ciislcrn and ccnirai part of flic coiinly fi'oin nortii to soiith. But the county has not heen explored for gas and oil as have IMedJna and Ashland counties and others farther south, where iiuK-h larj^er (luantities of gas and oil art; heing olitained. Tliat the gas exists in limited pools unconnected with each other is sliown hy the fact tliat tlie ])ressurc diininislies after a time, while often a dry well and a good well are sunk near to each other.

Following is tlie log of a well hored hy the Lagrange Cleveland Stone Company, which gives a good idea of tlie rock strata underlying tlie county :

It may he well to note that in the above log the Corniferous limestone .struck at 920 feet is the rock that appears at Sandusky, ]\Iarblehead, and Kelly Island; and that the Niagara and Clinton deposits are those which appear in the Niagara gorge overlying the ]\Iedina sandstone. It is interesting to notice, also, that an abundant quantity of rock salt underlies Lorain County as well as Barl)erton, Cleveland and Fairport.

AVheii the first settlors came the land was covered with a dense forest, much of it valuable timber. About sixty species of trees have been noted in the county belonging to seventeen families and thirty genera: the Oaks, Maples, Elms and Ashes being the most abundant.

Tile tall straight Oaks (Quereus allta) many feet xij) to the lowest limljs from having grown .surrounded by other trees were perhaps of tlie greatest value. They were sawed into plank three or four inelie.s thiek and sold for ship-plank. In 1816 these 2)lank sold for $10 per thousand. In 1S47 the j)riee had ri.sen to $11 per thousand, and $16 for long plank. Many of these trees measured over 1,000 feet of plank, but the average was below that. Thirty years later the ])riee of White Oak kunl)er sawed in four, live, and six inch plank, had risen to $38 per thousand at tlie sawmill and was sold as high as $45 per thousand delivered in Tonawanda. New York. One AVhite Oak tree measured 2,500 feet of plank, but the average was about 800 feet. Some of the finest oaks grew where the Steel Plant is now situated, on soil that in some places is only a few ftet deep over the shale. AViiite Oak also grew near the streams in rii-h soil. Oidy a few of these fine old trees are left in the county now. The Bur-Oak aiul Swamp AVhite Oak are included with tlie White Oak in commeree. They have been used extensively for railroad ties and fence j)()sts. We have live other si)ecies of Oak known as the lied Oak, Pin Oak, Seai'let Oak, Chestinit Oak ((^uei'cus Mnhleiibei-gii), and Yellowbarked or Piack Oak (Quereus velutina). The iiuicr l)ark of this last named Oak was used by the ])ioneers for coloring cloth.

The 'i'ulip-tree (Liriodendron tulipifera), conniionly known as the "Whitewood, is one of the most bcautil'ul of our native trees. It gi'ew iimst aluuulantly near the lake ridges. Tlie Indians used this tree for their dugout canoes. The lund)er was much prized by the early settlers in building houses, cf^pecially for siding.

Tlie Chestnut tree is also foniul on the ridges. The fruit is valuable and in cai'Iy times llu; Chestnut made llie best wood J'oi' I'ail I'enees, because it is readily s])lit and is durable.

Tlie White I'ine (Pinus strobus) is round on the river bank in Elyvia Township, and in a lew scattering places farther down the stream, and also to some extent in Brownhelm on Vermilion River. These, with a few specimens of the Ilendoek and the Red Cedar, are the only other evei'gi'eens we have.

Specimen tree prcseiveil Iroiu the origiiml forest. Until tlie Nickel Pl.ite R. K. was built tliis tree stood upon tlie t:irm of Norman Day ia SliellielJ. Originally tlie whole county was thickly covered witli trees of this size.

Very lai'^e T-lnck Walnul lives gi'ew near the streams and on the rich bhii-k soil of the liottom hinds along the river. AVith great labor ^\'illnll^ trees \vci-c cut down liy the early settlers and burned in log heajis tiiat would have proved a fortune if saved. In ISvSf) the l^la(;k Walnut trees that grew on three acres of land in Hheflield Township were sold standing by Judge William Day for ^l.-'iOO. The largest tree,

The Syeauiore or Biittomvood grew to an immense size near the river. »Soine of these trees, too large to be sawetl wiiole, were split in two with dynamite.

There are several speeies of ]\Iai)les. The Ked or Soft Maple grows most luxuriantly in the swamps. The Sugar ]\Iaples (Aeer saeeharum) are abundant all over the eounty. The early settlers obtained a bountiful supply of sugar from these trees, and it was evident tliat some of the large old Maples along the river had been tapped before the settlers came. The making of maple syruji and sugar is an important industry in the county at present. In 1915 there were 75,74-1 ]\Iaple trees from which syrup or sugar was made, the product lieing 2,150 pounds of sugar and lo,652 gallons of .syrup. The Curly or Birdseye Maple that is now very valuable is found occasionally. This is not a different species of r>Iaple, but is found in all the si)e(;ies.

'i'hci'e ai'e s(;veral species of Hickory. The Shagbark Hickory yields the [))-incii)al hickor}' nut of the market. Tiie tree is not veiy alnuuh.nt now. The Indians made great use of the luits for food.

The BliU'k Cherry (Prunus serotina) grows to a lai-ge size. The lumbci' was much i)rize(l in early days for making fui'uiture. Tlic birds feast on tiie fruit.

The Amei'ican Elm is a well-known tree. It sometimes reaches a great size when growing near streams. Tiie Red or Slippery Elm is also iibundant.

There ai'e four s])ecies of Pojilar, including the American Aspen and the Large-toothed Aspen. Populus heterophylla is a large tree growing in the swamps. This tree is called the Black Poplar. Populus deltoides is called Cottonwood. As a native tree this is not very abuutlaut, but is found along the lake shore.

There are four siiecies of A.sh trees. The White Asii and Black A.sh ai-e best known. There is also the E<'d Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvaiiica), and the vai'iety lanceolata, known as the (Jri-en Ash, and the Pmiiiikin Asli (Fraxinus profunda).

Tile 15eeeh ( Fagus grand! folia ) is one of our (iiiesi trees. It has a smooth ash-gray bai'k that makes it a noticeable tree in winter as well as siiiniiii r. It often grows willi tlie llendock, the two I rees liarmoni/.ing perrrclly. l''ossil i-cmains I'l'piTscnling this genus have been found in

Alaska, Colorado, and California. There is a yellowish-brown plant, named Beeeh-drops, tliat is always found under Beech trees, a parasite on tlieir roots.

The Blue Beech (Carpinus earoliniana) is a small tree belonging to the Bii'ch family. It is also called Hop Hornbeam. The wood is very dense.

There are a number of trees in the county that are never very abundant in Northern Ohio. Among these are the Cucumber-tree (Magnolia acuminata), Kentucky Cotfee-tree, Honey Locust, Pepperidge. Red Mulberry, C-'ork Elm, Ilackberry, Box Elder, and the Yellow Birch. The Kentucky Colfee-tree, resembling the Locust, has been found in two localities in Sheftield, four or five trees in each group; the Cucumber-tree in Elyria Township ; the Honey Locust, as a native growtii, near tiie mouth of Black River. Tlie Ilackberry or Sugafberry (Celtis occidetitalis), a lieautiful tree resembling an FAm, grows near the streams; the fruit is a bei'ry. The Box Kkler grows where tiie soil is very rich.

Tiie Yellow Bircli (Betula lutea) is found in tiie township of Elyria and Sheffield near the nortii ridge. Tlioreau says of the Yellow Birch: "How pleasing to stand near a new or rare tree; and few are so handsome as this; singularly allied to the black birch in its sweet checkerberry scent and its form and to tlie Canoe Birch in its peeling or fringed and tassel bark."

The Pepperidge or Black Gum (Nyssa sylvatica) is known by its shining leaves and horizontal ])ranclies. It is so seldom one finds a Bepperidge tree that its location is always remembered.

The .June-berry, Pawpaw, two of the Dogwoods (Cornus) and one Black Haw (A'iliurnum) often grow to the size of trees. AVe also have the Oiiio Buckeye, Hutternut, Wild Crab Apple, and a number of si)ecirs of Thorn.

Tin; Witcli-llnzel (Ilaiiiaiiielis virgiiiica) I^Iossoinn late in the autumn, somc'timt's after the snow conies, and matures its seeds tlie next autumn, bearing flowers and ripe fruit at tiie same time. In early days the fruit of the wild plum and the wild grape was gathered for use.

The High or Swamp ]51uel)erry, growing in the marshes, furnished delicious fruit for many years. There were also cranlterries at tiiat time in the marshes. Both are now nearly extinct. The Red Raspberry still grows on the mai-gin of the swamps. The Black Raspberry vines were not seen until openings were made in the forest. They sprang up where brusli heaps had been burned. There is a variety with yellow fruit. The Blackberry is the finest of our wild fruits, surpassing in sweetness the cultivated berry. Tiie Huckleberry (Gaylu.ssacia resinosa), a low slirub, is (]uite abundant. The variety with white berries is found in Avon. The wild strawberry is becoming very eonunon, growing along all our roadsides and ou the borders of the fields. There is also a variety of wild strawberry with white fruit. The elderberries are also a valued fruit. All of these fruits furnish food for the birds.

The wild flowers that grow within our limits are very numerous, the flrst in the springtime being the IIei)atieas, followed in quick succession liy all the troops of delicate wild beauties.

A number of Orchids have been noted, among them the Sho\vy Orchis with its rich green leaves and pink flowers, the Ragged Pringed- Orcliis, and the l)eautiful liabenaria psycodes with its rich red purple l)lossoms. The Yellow Lady's Slipper is founil occasionally, but the Pink Lady's Slipper (Cypripedium aeaule) has not been found for a number of years. Butty-root (Ai)lectrum hyemale) is an orchid that forms a solid bulb each .year, and these bulbs were eaten by the pioneer boys with much enjoyment, imt tiie j)lant was not (piite exterminated by this use.

The Wild Hyacinth, growing on the bottom lands in great abundance, has a root that resembles an onion, which the Indians used for food. The AVhite Water Lily (Castalia tuberosa) gi-ew in the river at the lower end of the island opposite the steel plant, until a few years ago.

The wild Sunflowers of several species, and Ihe Joe-Rye Weed form a mass of color along the I'iver diii-ing August and Se|)teiiil)er. The tall yellow Coreopsis aiul the (Jreat Willowdierb are showy flowei-s at South Loi-ain.

There are about thirty species of fenis growing in our county, ranging from the stately Ostrieli Fei'ii growing in alhivial soil to the ch;lieate As])leninni Triehoiiiaiies and tlie Walking Leaf on tlie roeks in Flyria. Tlie Christinas Fern tliat is green all winter is one of our most common ferns and tlie Bladder Ferns the most beautiful. Dieksonia is a sweetscented fern.

A large number of gras.ses in the county now are naturalized grasses, but the native grasses numlier fifty or more, the streams, marshes, and lake beach adding many tall showy species. The i\Iarsh Grass, or Slough Grass, three or four feet tall, grows on the baidc of French Creek Jiear its moutli. Indian liiee, or Water Oats (Zizania a(iuatica) a beautiful grass is found near the mouth of Black River. The grain is white like rice and in Canada the Indians use it for food. The Reed Grass (Phragmites conmumis), growing ten or twelve feet high, is found at Jjorain. It spreads from the roots, and so forms large patches. Two tall graceful grasses grow along the lake beach, Switch Grass (Panicum virgatum) and Wild Rye with long drooping spikes. There are native Poas, Panicums, Erogrostos, and Agrostis, .some growing in open ])laces, some kinds in woods, some where it is dry, others in wet places - all having their favoi'ite locations.

The flora of our county whose congenial luibitat is farther north is the Hemlock, IMountain ]\laple, Red-lierried Elder, Purple Flowering Raspberry, Gobi Thread, Calla jjalustris, Swanif) Saxifrage, and Club- Moss (Lycopodium luciduluin). These are all eonunon in the North and their presence here is due to the Glacial pei'iod. Nearly all jjlants have a preferred habitat. The Pyrola, or Shin Leaf, with its white fragrant blos.soms chooses pine or hemlock woods. The Closed Gentian grows where the ground is rich aiul moist. The lovely ^loss Pink (Phlox su])ulata) grows on our dry banks. This plant and our Climbing Rose (Rosa setigcra) are often cultivated. The Swamp Rose I\lallow (Hibiscus jMoscheutos) makes the marshes at Lorain and Beaver Creek bright with its lai'gc! jiink blossom. Tlie AVild Cobiiubiiie (Afpiilegia canadensis) grows its best in tlie shale of the jx'rpendicular river bank at llic Fort Spi'iiig in Mlyi-ja Township witli Die water from the spring above constantly dri|)ping over it.

(!aiii(len Lake in (lamdcn Township is sni'roundcd by a low wet bog where S|>liagiiiiiii Moss, the preiloiiiiiieni source of nenl, grows. In lliis hog many plants lliat have Ih-coiiio rare or extiiiet in otlier parts of the county are t'ouiid growing ahundantly. Among the slii'\ihs foinid here are Poison JOhh'r or. Poison Sumadi (Rhus vernixj, tlie most poisonous ]ilant we have; the species of Chokeherry witli hhick I'ruit (I'yrus melanoeari)a) ; tlie Junelterry or Sliad JJusli (Amelancliier spicata). Tile fruit of this species rii)ens in September, while tin; fruit of our common Juiiehei-ry ripens in June; Mountain Holly (Neopantlnis nuK.Tonata) and Withe-rod (Vihunnim cassinoides). The American Cranberry (Vaccinnium macrocarpon) and the Trailing Swamp lilackberry grew together in tiie moss. A number of fine water-loving Orchids have been found in this bog - Pogonia ophioglossoides, Calopogon pulchellus, Ilabenaria clavellata, and Ladies' Tresses (Sj)ii'anthes cernua). Arrow Arum (Peltandra Virginica) flourishes here. The fern NVoodwardia Virginica, and the Pitcher Plant (Sarraeenia purpurea) have been found only here.

In Dr. J. S. Newberry's catalogue of Ohio plants published in IS.')*) he gives the names of a number of i-are species of plants collected in Elyi'ia by Doctor Kellogg that have not l)een collected in the county since. Four rare ferns were reported - Woodsia glal)ella, a small fern that grows on moi.st mossy rocks and is found in Noithern New England, New York, and Minnesota, and in Alaska and Greeidand; AspL-nium pinnatifidum, a very rare fern, and Asplenium montaiuim, both growing on cliffs and rocks; and [{otrychrum simi)lex. The shrub jjabrador Tea (Ledum (Jrocnbindieum) whicii grows in l)ogs and on mountain slopes north wai'd and is found in Greenland. Doctor Kellogg is the only one to rej)oi-t tliis plant from Ohio. lloi'setail (E(|uisetum variegatum), a rare plant, also coming from the north, is reported from Black River.

Chapter Iii

Native and JMigratouv Bhjos - Changes in Varieties - Wateu Birds - SoNOSTEus - JMammals of Ijt»i{AiN CouxTV - Pkehistoimc Kemains - Fishes of the County - Amphibians - Rei'tiles - Insects.

There liave been found within the confines of the county 2G1 diiferent species of Inrds whicii eitiier reside in the county regularly or visit the county in tlieir migrations north and south. Most conspicuous regular residents are Boh AVliite, Cardinal, Chickadee, Bald Eagle, Goldliiich, eight species of Hawk, Blue Jay, Praii'ie Horned Lark, Whitebreasted Nuthatch, five species of Owl, Tufted Titmouse, Cedar Waxwingl, three species of Woodpecker, and Carolina Wren. In small numlxjrs, also, members of ttie following species remain during the wintei', namely, Ihe Crow, Robin, ]iluel)ird, ]\lea(low Ijark, Nortliern Flicker, Bron;a'd Crackle, and JMourning Dove.

Tliere are eighty-si.x; species whicli l)reed in tlie county, and tlie following species reside in the county in tlic winter only, namely, P>rown Creeper, Tree Sparrow, Golden ('rowned Kinglet, Slate Coloreil Junco, Purple Finch, Winter AVren, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Pine Siskin, Horned Lark, Nortliern Shrike, and Snowflake. Wild Geese, Swans, various species of L)ucks, and otlier water birds visit the Oberlin water works foi- a short period of rest on their migratory journeys.

The Wild Turkey and Passenger Pigeon have entirt'ly disappeared bel'ore llie advance of civilization, and the RulTcd Grouse and Northern Pileati'd Woodpecker ai'c pi'aclieally exteiMiiinated, only an occasioiud

TIm; (lisappearanec of the vast forests has hrouf,'ht about sonu; markiMl eliaMf,'es in bird life. Many iiehi birds which were unknown wliik^ the forests remained have gradually spread over tlie state as the area of open iields lias increased. We still notice this movement of certain Inrds wiiich have invaded the county within the past score of years, sucli as Baciinum's and Lark Sparrows, both beautiful songsters.

Lake P^rie furnislies us with some rare water l)irds, such as tlie Ljeland Gull and Briinnich's ]Murre. Wliile there has been no appreciable lessening of the numliers of the gulls and terns which are found along tlie lake, tliere has been a marked decrease in the numliers of ducks and geese and siiore Ijirds. Where once vast numliers were to be found now only scattering individuals are met witli. This decrease is due both to pot hunters and sportsmen, and to tlie settlement of the lake shore and the occupation by industrial plants of the swamp lands at the mouths of the streams which emi)ty into tlie lake. Where coiisideralile areas of swamp and marshland still remain ducks and geese may still be found in coiisideralile numbers.

It is worth noting that certain of the song birds have greatly increased in the last iifteen years. Cardinals were scarce fifteen years ago but are now common over most of the county, ('arolina Wnnis were hardly known at all llieii wiiile they are to-be found in every river gorge and in some of the villagi'S now. Yellow-breasted Chats could be iiuiiibered on the lingers of both hands twenty years ago, Init now nearly every consitlerahle brushy copse harbors a pair or more. Bewick's Wren and Carolina (Miiekadee have been found in Oberlin within the last three y,..,is - first eounly records. Lorain County is on the migration route of the rare Kirtland's Warbler.

AVhen the farmers come to appreciate the value of the (luail as the most important enemy of the (;onimon potato beetle this bird will receive the iirotection which it deserves and we shall again iiiid it along the I'oadway and liear its call in every field. This county represeiils the iiorthormuost limit of the range of the quail, and in severe winters many are frozen to death. J3ut if tliey are supplied with al)undaiit food and provision made for sheltering them where predatory mauimals eaiiiKjt iind tlieni at night tliey will certainly survive in snflieient numbers so that they will prove of invaluahle aid in the control of the potato beetle and other insects wiiieh injure crops.

The Opossum is tiie oidy representative of the ]\Iarsupials in the county. There is a record of tweidy-one Kodenls for the county, of \vhicli the Cray and lilack S(iuirrels and Beaver have disappeared entii'cly. They were numerous wiicn the county was settled and for years al'lerwartl.

The only native I'ngulates seem to have been the Common Deer and the Wapiti, both of which have long been extinct, except for an oci-asional stray deer [)robably fi'om IMichigan. It is possii)le that straying indivitluals cross the lake on the rare occasions wiien it is solitlly frozen over.

I find records of tliirteen or fo\irtecn .species of Carnivora for the county. Of these the Black liear. Otter, Jiadger, Gray Fox, Timljer AVolf, Wild Cat and Punm or Panther are gone. The Raccoon, Skunk, Weasel, l^Iiiik are still faii'ly common, while the Retl Fox is rarely rel)ortc(l. 'i'iu' least Weasel has been recorded only twice. It is inevitable that the larger Carnivora should be driven out or exterminated with the increasing settlement of the county.

Of coui'se the Indians have disappeared, but theiv still renunn the three kitchen-middens where for ceiduries, probably, they lived in villages fortified against their foes. One of tiiese is on the forks of French Creek, north of Elyi'ia, another on the Black River about half way between Elyria and Lake Erie, the otiier on the Vernulion River near the Swift farm.

Any account of the inhabitants of the county would be incomi)lete which did not contain mention of tiie Mastodon remains whicii havibeen i'oiiiid. On the i"'reni-li f;irm, in Mrownhelm Township, both tusks, most of the skull, and numerous vertebrae and other fragments of the skeleton were; discovered while a drain diteli was being dug in n nuick ai'ca iiiiiiicdialcly soiilli of tlii; laku rid^'i; at tliat place. Tlu'sii I'ragiiiciits are now in the Oherliii JMiiseimi. Ki'at^iiieiil.s ol' iiiolai' teeth ol" a mastodon were I'ound in a muek jjateli wliieli was lieini^ drained tiii'ee miles soutiiwest of Oherlin. Tliis is some live miles south of the soiilhernmost extent of the upper lake ridge. This indicates that the mastodon wandered over the I'egion which is now Lorain County at least as late as the close of the Ice Age.

I\lr. L. M. iMcConnick, in a "Descriptive List of the Fishes of Lorain County, Ohio," published by Oberlin College in 1892, gives eighty-nine species, of which the "Paddle Fish" is jjrobably the only species which has entirely disappeared. The college museum contains a somewhat nuitilated specimen of this large fish. It is undoubtedly true that many of the food fishes and game lishes have decreased in numbers in the last twenty-live years, especially in the streams which have, in the interval, been utilized for industrial plants. The lessening How of most of our streams and their filling with del)ris must have e.Kerted some influence upon the fishes which live in them.

The Sturgeons are very common off shore in the lake and often grow to a large size. One specimen measured 6 feet 2 inches and weighed 12!) pounds.

The Garpike, or Bill-fish, is common in the lake, and large schools come into the rivers in April to spawn. They grow to be from 2 to 5 feet long.

The Catfishes are represented by ten species. Of these the Blue Cat, connnon in the lake and lower parts of the rivers is highly prized as food. Individuals sometimes weigh as much as 100 poiuid.« ; Init five jiounds is the probable average of those that are caught.

Suckers are represented l)y nine species, of wbich the White-nosed Sucker, the Big-mouthed IMullet, and the Small-mouthed Alullet, are most common. Ja early spring these crowd up into the rivers to spawn; but by the middle of IMay most have returned to the lake. Small ones, however, up to 8 inches or more can be found all sununer.

Twelve si)t'cies of miiuiows are found. Some of these are extremely beautiful in their coloring, in the spring es|)ecially. They ai'i' chiefly valnabli' as furnishing green pastures for lai'ger speckles. During the iiioiitlis of April and IMay they crowd nj) the rillles in inniiensc niunbci's to spawn; but by the lirst of -Inly (hey have nearly all retui'ued lo the lake.

The Salmons are among the most valued of all the fishes, ineluding the White Fish, J^ake lleri'ing, and J^ake Trout; but they do not i'requeiit the rivers. J\Ir. Nieliohis of Veimilion reported a wiiite lish tliat wi'iglied li*|/^ pounds.

The Pikes are represented by three species. The Little Pickerel frecjuents tlie headwaters of most of the streams, and are coiiuuon in Vermilion River near Kipton. Tliey feed on smaller tish, even on their own young. One 6V2 inches long was found in the act of digesting the head of another which was 'iyn inches long, the rest of the body waiting its turn outside. The Muskalonge was formerly very abundant but now rarely taken.

The Sun Fishes are re^jresented by ten species of which the Rock Bass is most valuable and common in the large streams. The Pumpkinseed is abundant in tlie ril'llcs of tlie larger streams, and in the bayous near tlie lake. It is not frecjuent above the dams in the streams, but is found in Camden Lake where it attains a large size.

The Perches are represented by fourteen species, of which the Rainbow Darter, Yellow Perch, and Blue Pike are the most eomiuon. The Blue Pike occasionally reaches the length of three feet and a weight of mort' than thii-ty pounds. Jt is very common in the lake but enters streams oidy occasionally. This is one of the most valualtle food fishes taken in the pounds.

The Sea Bass (White Bass) is closely allied to a large saltwater family, and is supposed to be the land-locked form of the Striped Bass. This is quite common in the lake, ascending the streams to the dams; but I\Ir. (ieorge Dewey reported finding them in Kipton far above the dams.

The Sheeps-head, a worthless tish common in the lake and in the streams below the dams, is principally remarkable for its ear bones which are the lucky stones often found on the lake beach.

There are between twenty-five and thirty species in Lorain County, but the group has not received the exhaustive study which would make ]iossil)le ])ositive statements. Probal)ly most of the sjx'eies which are dei)endent upon swamj) or marsh conditions have decreased with the decreasing areas of their proper habitats. In favorable places the large

Bull Frog may be found in some numbers, and his "l)ellowings" heard. Jiccaii.se the Wood Frog lives only in beeeh woods, and such woods are fast disapi)cariiig, this sixM-ies is fast deereasing. Tice h'rogs are also less ninneroiis than hel'oi't; tlie woods beeanie so scattering and so small. Many of the breeding places of the frogs have either been completely drained, or now dry up in summer so that the species which require more than a sliort season for growth in the tadpole stage are unable to lind suitable breeding places.

L. ^I. ]\IcCormick is the chief authority on this group for this county. The list which he compiled and was made ready in 1892, contains the names of forty-three .species, of which fifteen are turtles and twenty-eight snakes or snake forms. j\Iost of the turtles have decreased with the decreasing swamps and marshes and i)onds, but may still be found in the extensive marshes outside of the county. ]\Io.sr, if not all, of the extremely large Snapping Turtles have been captured. The small Painted Turtle is now the connuonest of the turtles.

Only three venomou.s snakes have been found in the county, and they are now apparently exterminated. The Banded liattle Snake, the ]\Iassasauga or Black Rattler, antl the (."opperhead have not been found within the last ten years. It is likely that there are none in the county, except possibly as occasional wanderers. None of the remaining true snakes are venomous, and none are harmful, wliile many of them are distinctly bc'iieheial in their food haljits.

It would be hopeless to try to say more tlian that the county has its full (]Uota of insects. Such pests as the Ten-lined Potato Beetle, the Codling ]\Ioth, Canker Worm, San Jose Scale, and many others have invaded the county within recent years. It is likely that many species have disappeai'ed with the cluinging conditions due to settlement, and that nuiiiy have changed their food plants and otherwise so modified their behavior that they were able to successfully meet the changed conditions. The number of species is so great, and many of the forms so small that the task of compiling a complete list of all of the species which live in tlie county is too great for any one generation of students of insects. Very little real i)rogress has yet been made towartl th(! control of insect ])ests.

the most ^n-iHTiil Icniis. A little iirof^rcss lias l)c'fii iiiadt^ in llio. study oE tilt' (')'aylislu's, a little has been done with the niiiiiite ('rusta<'ea whii-ii are found in water, we know a little about our fresh water Coelenterates, Spon^'es, and Protozoons, and some work has been done on the Molluses, partieularly the Snails and the Clams. But the field is an open one and a rieli one.

Chapter Iv

EUENCH NokTIlWEST TeRIUTOUY - FORMALLY ClAIM liOUSIANA - ENGLISH SEUVh; Notice of I'osse.ssion - First Ohio Company and Auknt Gist - George Croghan - In the Land of the Delawares - French AND English Clash - The Delawares I\1ove Westwardly - The Ottawas and the Wyandots of the Lake Erii': Region - Bouquet's EXI'EDITION - ShAWNEES LaST TO SURRENDER - A NoRTHWFST

Territory Assured - Lifting of the Indian and Statk Titles - Lord Dunmore's Squatters - American System of Land Surveys - Public Ijands - (Congress Lands - Connecticut Western Reserve - I<'iRE Lands - United States ]\1ilitary Ijands - Virginia Military IjAnds - Ohio Comi'any's 1'urchase - The Germ of Ohio - I )oNA'i'ioN Tract - Symmes Purchase - Refugioe Tract - French Tract - Canal J^ands - School Ijands - Other Public Tracts.

During- tlie forty years preceding the close of the Revolutionary war, tlie lakes region and tlie Vadey of the Oliio weretiie great hatth,' gi'ounds contested l)y the Fi-eneh, Fnglisli and Aiiierieans, witli tlieir respective Indian allies. Altiiougli the French claimed the land hy vii'tue of discovery and exploration and seventy years of loose oceupane)', the English, as later adventurers, laid claim to the rich and heautiful valley through their j)o\\'erful red allies, the Six Nations. This claim was of rather dubious strength, considering that the Ohio Valley and the vast domain included witliin its meshes were never in xindispiited possession of the L'ocpiois. But the English point of contention was tiiially i)ressed home through force of English arms and diplomacy.

The second distinct phase of the international contentions over tlie Ohio Valley and the territory to the nortliwest of it hinged on the conflict lietween Great Britain and her American colonies, with the result wliich is world's histoiy. The wi-iler will therefore (irsl enter into certain essential details regarding the discovery, clashes at arms and uncertain ()cc'U|)ancy ol' the country hi'oadly designated as the Valley of the Oliio previous to the cstaltlisliineiit of a gliostly civic body over tlie vast territory iiortliwest of the Oliio Ifiver hy tiie Ordiiiaiiet! of 1787.

The explorations of Marquette, Joliet and LaSalle from New France to the Mississippi Valley, and gi'adually to its nioutli, were conducted for nearly a decade from 1671^, hut their routes from the (Jreat Lakes to till! valley of the Great Jfiver were hy way of tlie Wisconsin, the Illinois and the Wabash - almost eontiinious waterways. There was no such feasible, fairly continuous and inviting courses through the interior of Ohio. Actual settlements and even the appearance of the French voyageurs and fur traders were therefore of a later date than like occurrences in regions farther to the west. But tlie discoveries and explorations of these fearless French pioneers placed upon the maj) of tlie world the stupendous Territory of Louisiana wliich contained the smaller regions included in tlie country of the (Jreat J^akes and Valley of tlie Ohio.

After the tour of exploration by Marquette and Joliet and tlie unsuccessful etfort at colonization by LaSalle, tlie French, still ardent in their ])urpose of securing possession of the fertile lands east of the Mississippi, had the satisfaction of seeing a comprehensive scheme of colonization established by ]\L D 'Iberville, who is considered the founder of French authority in Louisiana. lie was sent with an expedition comprising four ships and two hundred settlers to explore the mouth of the ^lississippi. This he did, erecting a fort on what is now tlie southern shore of the State of j\Iississipi)i and which was afterward abandoned for one on the west bank of the ]\Iol)ile Kiver. Later he built fortifications at a point corresponding to the City of Natchez, protected the settlers from the incursions of the English, and in other ways strengthened the French claim to the Valley of the JMississippi.

Previous to the year 1725 the Colony of Louisiana had been divided into quarters, each having its local government, but all subject to the (-(iiincil general of fjouisiana at (Quebec. One of these (|iiarfers included the territory nortiiwest of the Ohio Iviver.

At this time the Fi'encii had ennded forts on the upjxir Mississippi, on tlie Illinois, on the Maumee and on the fjreat Lakes. Communication witli (Canada was cliicfiy tliiou,i,'li Lake Micliif^aii, l)ut liiiioro 1750 u Freiicli ])().st liad Ijccm TofliliiMl at the luoulli of tin; Wahasli, and a roiit(.' to New France was established tlirouj^li that river and tlie Waiuaee of the Lakes. The French had. now established a chain of foi'ts from the mouth of the JMississippi up the valley and its chief connectinjj waterways with the Oreat Lakes, along tlie shores of the lakes and up tile Ohio Valley to the Englisli settlements of the Allegheny region.

Tlie l']nglish l)ecame alarmed at this systematic occupancy of interior America, especially as the French took formal possession of Louisiana in 1741). This was done by the burial of leaden plates ))y the royal emissai'ics sent from New France, in connnand of Celoron de Bienville, their locations in the Ohio country lu'ing at the junction of the river by that name with the Rlississippi, and at the mouths of the nuiin tributary streams of the Ohio. That found at the mouth of the Kanawha in March, 1846, nearly a century after it was placed there by the French commandant, has been translated as follows: "Jn the year 174!), of the I'eign of Louis XV of France, we, Celoron, commandant of a detaciuaent sent by the IManiuis de la Galissoniere, Captain (Jeneral of New France, in order to re-establish tran<iuility among some villages of savages of these parts, have buried this i)late at the mouth of the river Chi-no-dahicli-e-tha, the ISth August, near the I'iver Ohio, otherwise Beautiful River, as a monument of renewal of possession, which we have taken of the said river Ohio, and of all those which empty themselves into it, and of all the lands of both sides even to the sources of said rivers; as have enjoyed, or ought to have enjoyed, the preceding kings of France, and that they have maintained themselves there by force of arms and by treaties, especially by those of Ryswick, of Utrecht and of Aix-la- Cliapelle."

Altogether, Celoron planted six plates at the mouths of the various Ohio ti-ibutaries, as of the Kanawha, JMuskingum and the Great ]\Iiami, signifying a renewal of possession of the country. This was done as follows: TTis men were drawn up in order; JiOuis XV was proclaimed lord of all that I'egion ; the arms were stamped on a sheet of tin nailed to a tree; the plate of lead was buried at the foot, and the notary of the ex[)e(lilioii (li'ew up a foi'iiial aet^ of tlu- entire procee<lings.

For several years pi'cviously the English had sei'ved notices on their rivals that they would dispute iiossession of the Ohio Valley; in fad.

From October, 1750, to May, 1751, Christopher Cist, a land surveyor and agent of the Ohio Comi)an3' (an association of ^Maryland and Virginia gentlemen organized to buy lands in the Ohio Valley), exploivd the country adjacent to the main river and at various points some distance inland. As he kept a journal of his travels, it is evident that ho found a number of traders on the ground, botii French and English, the whole region being in the throes of the conflict between the people of the rival nations. In December, 1750, he reached an Indian town a few miles above tlie mouth of the ^Muskingum, inhabited by AVyandots, who, he says, were divided in their allegiance between the French and the Englisli. The village consisted of about 100 families.

George Croghan was the leading English trader of that region, and had lioisted the English colors at the post. While ]\Ir. Gist lingered tliere, stoi-ies came in of the capture of I\Ir. Croghan 's men by Frenclimen and their Indian allies. He was invited to marry into the ti'ibe, l)ut delicately declined. In January an Indian trailer came to town and informed the English tradi-rs that the Wyandots of the Lake Erie region had advised him that the region around the great lakes was claimed by the Frencli, but that all the branches of the Oiiio belonged to them and their brotliers, the English; tiiat the French liad no business there, and it was expected that the southern bi'anch of the Wyandots would desert the French and come over bodily to the English.

i\Ir. Croglnin was aflerwai'd appointed deputy Indian agent. On tile 15th of January, 1751, he and Andrew i\Iontour, an influential man among the Delawares and Sluiwiiees, accompanied Mr. Gist in his visit to an Indian town at flic mouth of the Scioto and to the towns on the

]ii<,' I\Iiaini. Tlieir trip to the Valley of the .Scioto and down the river to its month is descrii)('d in ]\Ir. Oist's joni-nai. Under chite of Jannaiy 15, ITni, h(! says: "We lel't jMnskinf^inii and wt-nt live miles lo the While Woinan's ereek, on wineh is a small town. Tins white woman was taken away from New England when she was not above ten years old by the French Indians. She is now upwards of fifty; has an Indian husband and several children. Her name is i\Iary Harris. She still remembers they use to be very religious in New England, and wonders how the white men can be so wicked as she has seen them in the woods.

"Wednesday, 16: Set out .southwest twenty-five miles to Licking creek. The land from j\Iuskingum is rich and broken. Upon the north side of Licking creek aijout six miles from its mouth, were several salt licks or j)onds, formed by little streams or di'ains of water, clear, but of blueisii color and .salty taste. The tradei's and Indians boil their meats in this water, \,hich, if proper care is not taken, will sometimes make it too salty to cat."

The course was west and .southwest from Licking Creek to (rockhocking, a small Delaware town, and thence to the Ujjper Scioto, which was descended for about twenty miles to Salt Lick Creek. On the 2.3th he traveled twenty-eight miles, all the way thi'ough a country occupied by the Delaware Indians, and on Sunday arrived at om- of their towns on the southeast side of the Scioto, about five miles from its mouth. Thi.s, Mr. Cist says, was the last of tiie Delawai'e towns to the westward. He renuiined a few days at that locality, held a council with the friendly Indians who made several speeciies. He continues: "The Delaware Lidians, by the liest accounts I could gather, consist of about five hundred iighting men, all firmly attached to the English interests. They are not i)roperly i)art of the Six Nations, but are scattered about among most of the Lidians on the Ohio, and some of them among the Six Nations, from whom they have leave to hunt ui)on their land."

At the time of Cist's visit the Delawares had commenced to come into notice as an expanding tribe or Indian nation in much of the tei-ritoi'V now embraced in Northeastern and Eastern Ohio. They were an eastei-n people, had been ti'aditional enemies of the lro(piois iiy whom they were crowded beyond the Allegiienies, but in their western home ]-ose into power with the permanent decline of their old-time rivals and eon(pierors. I'.y the coiiimencemeni of tile eighleeuth century, the Delawares were a. densely settled nation wlio.se teiwitory virtually stretched from the Dliio to Lake lOr'ie, with the center of their jiower in the iijjper Muskingum and Tusc'arawas.

Al'lcr IIk; I'ctur-ii of Mr. Oist tli(r Ohio (Joiiipiiiiy proceeded to tiik(; possession oi' tile lands they elaiiiied on the Ohio and establislied a tradiiijj house on tlie liig Miami about a luuidrod miles from its mouth. Early in 1752 the French heard of this proceeding and sent a military expedition to the Indians demanding the surrender of tlie P]nglish traders as intruders upon the French lands. As the demand was i-efused the post was attacked by the French, assisted by the Ottawas and. Chippewas. After a tierce engagement, during which fourteen Indians were killed, the trading house was captured and destroyed and the Englishmen car- I'ied as prisoners to Canada. This was considered the first settlement in tile Ohio Valley which approached permanency.

In the following year Washington, with Gist as liis guide, had recommended the erection of an English fort upon the present site of Pittsburgh, and the fiercest conflicts between the rivals for the possession of tile Ohio Valley were waged in that vicinity for tiie capture of Fort Du(^)uesiie, the military heachiuai'ters of the French.

The Delawares, by the middle of the eighteenth century, or at the commencement of the French and Indian war, were most numerous in the Valley of the Tuscara>\'as, Eastern Ohio, but thirty years later the center of their strength was near the present center of the state, in the region of the county which bears their name.

By liie beginning of the nineteenth century tin.' several ti'ibes, whose territories \\-ere (|uiti' clearly defined iifty years iireviously, had commingled iis a means of defense against the common wiiite enemy, and as the shores of Lake lOrie and Valley of the Ohio became fringed with the cabins and villages of the pale faces, the tribal lines of the rM men lu'canie more and moi'e oblitei-ated. In Xortheni, lOastern and Central Ohio, where the Delawares and Sliawiiees once held almost undisputed sway, there were now to be found also Ottawas, Wyandots, ]\Iingoes and even :\riamis from the western border. The Ottawas and the Wyandots were especially partial to the Lake Erie region or the northern regions of what was to become the Western Reserve.

This commingling and union of the Ohio Indians I'csulted largely from tlieii- experiences in the Fiviieh and Indian war of liry'y-G-i. The pi'omi)t action of the h'reneh in desti-oying the JMiglish trading i)ost on the Big ?iliami and taking its occupants to (Canada as jirisoners of war brought eountei- action from the British government. Farly in the spriii;^ of 1755 (Jeiicral linuldoek, witli a ('Oiisiderable Toree, was sent to take possession of tlie Oiiio country. His terrible defeat near Fort l)u(^ucsn(' was rollowcd \ty a fruitless expedition, the ycai' alter, vvliieh was dircetiMl aj,'ainst tlie Indian towns on the Oliio. Finally, in 1758, the Freiieli were expelled from Fort DuQuesno, and in 1763 France ceded to Great Britain all her North American settlements. The Britisli then gave their attention to the defiant Indians.

In 17C4 General Bradstreet, having dispensed the Indian forces besieging Detroit, passed down into the AVyandot country by way of SandiLsky Bay. Having ascended the bay and river as far as possible in boats, the party encamped and concluded a treaty of peace witli the representatives of many of the Indian tribes.

But tlie Shawnees of the Scioto River and the Delawares of the Mu.skingum continuetl hostile. For the purpose of subduing or placating them. Colonel Bouquet was sent from Fort Pitt into tlie heart of the Ohio country on the ]Muskingum River. This expedition was conducted with great prudence and skill ; but few lives wei'e lost, a treaty of peace was effected with the Indians about a mile from the forks of the ]\Iuskinguin, but not before all the white prisoners, amounting to some .'500, had been delivered to the colonel and his force.

Accompanying Colonel Boucpiet as an engineer was Thomas Ilutchins, who afterward l)ecame geographer of the United States. Mr. Ilutchins drew a map of the country through which the expedition passed. It was pul)lished in London two years after the return of the expedition and covers much of the territory now emiiraeed in Eastern Ohio.

Various expeditions were sent against the Hclawares, AVyandots and Iroquois of "Western Pennsylvania, Virginia and Eastern Ohio in 1774, and as they were chieHy under the direction of Lord Dunmore, governor of Virginia, they are usually designated as " Dunmore 's war." Lord Dunmore 's march took him up the Hocking Valley and over into wiuit is now Pickaway County, where, in the fall of 1774, he made a li'ealy with all the hostile Indians at Camp Charlotte, near the present site of Circleville.

During and after the Revolutionary war, various American exi)editioiis were sent a^alust the warlike? Shawnees, but the scenes oi' tliese forays and ei»nllicts were in the upper Vidley of tlie Scioto. In 1771'

CoJonel Bowman heiulod au expedition against tlieiii, and their village ol' Ciiillieotlie waf? burned; liiit tlie Sliawnee wari-iors .showt'd an undaunted iroiit and the whites were J'oreed to retreat. Jji tlie summer of tlie following year (Jeneral Clarke led a body of Kentuekians against the iShawnees. On their approaeh the Indians burned Chillieothe themselves and retreated to their town of Piqua, six miles below the present site of Springfield. There they gave battle and were defeated. In Septemher, 1782, this officer led a second expedition against them and destroyed their towns of Upper and Lower Piqua, in what is now Miami County. Other expeditions from Kentucky were directed against the stubborn Shawnees of the upper Scioto Valley antl along the .Miami rivers farther west, these eonHiets covering 1786-8.

In the meantime, by the treaty of Paris concluded between Great liritain and the United States in 1783, the western boundary of the United States was declared to be the Mississippi instead of the Ohio IJiver. The British commissioner stoutly contended that the Ohio was Its legitimate limits; but sturdy John Adams, the American representative, carried the day for the Missi.ssi])pi Kiver, thus saving for liis countrymen the splendid Xorthwest Ten-itory.

The next great step in the l)uilding of the nation was to satisfy the land claims of the origuial occupants of the soil. Tiie fii-st negotiations were with the Six Nations of the East. Finally, at Fort Staiiwix, in October, 1784, the Mohawks, Onondagas, Senecas, Cayugas, Oneidas and Tuscaroras ceded all their claims to the western lands to the Government of the United States. But citizens could not settle in that great domain until every other Lidian title was lifted, and the individual states also relincjuished tiieir claims. By the year 3786 all the eonnnonweallhs of the Union had ceded their claims to the General Government; then remained tiie task of extinguishing the Indian claims other than those ceded by the Six Nations. Elforts had been contiinious since the conclusion of peace with Great Britain. But the problem was a difficult one.

The Indian tribes were allies of the English, with such minor exceptions as the Moravian Indians, or Chi'istian Delawares of Lake Erie \u-ii'wn and the Muskingum and Tuscarawas valleys, and did not surrender their homes without a struggle. For several yeai's their was a

Hut for more than a decade "squatters" had planted themselves ill the fertile soil of the Ohio Valley. Wiieii Lord Dunmore's army of 1,200 men was disbanded at the month of the Hocking Kiver in 1774, there is nuicli evidence that not a few of them saw that the land was good to look upon and decided to occupy it. At least, in January, 1785, when the commissioners appointed by the (jovcnuneiit to treat with the Delawares and Wyandots arrived in the Oliio country they found white settlements at Hocking Falls, at the Muskingum, tlie Scioto and ]\Iiami, and along the north bank of the Ohio. The largest appeared to have been Hocking, and there was quite a town on the .Mingo Bottoms oj)posite what is now Wheeling.

The Indian comnu.ssioners, George Rogers, Richard Butler and Arthur Lee, wen; compelled to cea.se Jiegotiations with the Delawares and Wyandots until all the lands west of the Ohio were di.spos.sessed of the whites. Ensign John Armstrong was sent by Colonel Ilarmer to drive the wliite invaders from Indian soil, and by March most of them had left the country, although .some failed to leave and kept hilling ujitil the titles to the lands w-ere made clear.

In 1784, ten years after the disbandment of Dunmore's army at the mouth of the Hocking River, Congress passed an ordinance for the govei-nment of the Northwest Territory, all claim to which had been reliiKiuished l)y CJreat Britain. So far as the organization of any civil govei-innent under it is concerned, it was a dead letter, but under its general provisions one very important stop was taken toward the realization of the white man's order and the security of property rights. On i\Iay 20, 1785, a supplementary ordinance was passed for the survey of the western lands. 1954138"

A siii'veyor was ebosen from each slate winch oi'iginally laid claim to the doiiiairi west of the Alleghenies, who was lo act under the geographer' of IIk' I'nited Stales, Thomas llulchins, in laying olV Ihe laud into townships of six miles s(iuare. The geograplier was instructed to designate tlie townships l)y nuinhers, from south to nortli, and tlie rangi'S were to he inimhei-etl from east to west. It is tliis simi)le system of dcscrihiiig land that has heen followed hy the (Jovernment and private surveyors ever since, and may be called the American system. The survey of the western lands was well under way at the time of the passage of the permanent and living ordinance of 1787, which has been described as "the last gift of the Congress of the old Confederation of the people of the States."

When Ohio was admitted into the Federal LInion as an independent state, one of the terms of admission was that the fee simple to all the hauls within its limits, excepting those previously granted or sold, should vest in the United States. Different portions of them at divers l)eriods were granted or sold to various individual companies and bodies politic.

These ten principal bodies of pul)lic lands are noted and described, with the accompanying map, that tiie reader may obtain a clear idea of their comparative importance in the development of tlie state. It will be seen that willi the excei)tion of the Congress and the Virginia I\lilitary lands, lliosc included in the Western Reserve constituted the lai'gest hotly and, in view of its favorable i)osition adjacent to the wellsettled di.slriets of Western Pennsylvania and to easily-acce.ssi])le regions of Lake ICrie, it was the cream of the territory northwest of Ihe Ohio River.

iii-i' so called l)ocause they are sold to purchasers by the iiniiiediate officers of the General Government, confonnahle to sn(;h laws as are, or may be fiom Hmk; to time, enacted ))y Congress. They are all regularly surveyed into townships of six miles scjuarc ea<'li, under autlioi'ily and at 1lie expense of the National (government. In tli(; eastern half of the state - that is, east of the Scioto river and of a mcritlian line drawn lliree miles within the ea.sterii limits of Marion and (,'rawford counties - the ranges are counted from east to west, and the numl)ers of the townships from south to north, beginning on the Ohio river as a base. But in the west half of the state, the ranges begin on the state line of Indiana and are counted eastwardly until they reach the other ranges, which are numbered westwardly, as above mentioned; excepting lictwcen the two ]\Iiami rivers, where the ranges run from south to north and the nuiidiers of the townships from west to east - that is, fi-om the Great ]\Iiami river as a base. In the pui'chase 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 forty-first degree of north latitude, from which the townships are numbered both north and south. The townships are again subdivided into sections of one mile sipiare, each containing 640 acres, by lines running parallel with the township and range lines.

"In establishing the township and sectional corners, a post is first planted at the point of intersection ; then on the ti'ee nearest the post and standing within the section intended to be designated, is numbered with tile marking iron, Ihe range, townshii) and muiiber of the .section.

"Section No. 16 of every lownshii) is perpetually reserved for the use of the schools and leased und(;r the state government. All tlie others may lie taken up either in sections, fractions, halves, (juarters or half quarters.

"For the purpose of selling out these lands, they are divided into eight land districts, called after tin; names of the towns in which the ol'lices are kept, namely: Woostctr, Steid)('nville, Zanesville, Marietta, Chilli(-othe, Cincinnati, Pi<pui and Tiffin.

"Ciiillicothe Land Disti'ict is composed of the seven westernmost of the Iwcnty-two j-angcs of townships of (!ongress lands south of th(^ Kefugce tract, and therefore extends from said Ivefngee tract on the nortli to the Ohio river soutii, and from the Zanesville land district and Ohio f'ompany's Purchase on the east to the Scioto river on the west. It ineliKJes parts of l^'i'aidvlin, l^'airlield, I'ickaway, ivoss, Athens, liock-

" (,'iiicinnati Ijand Distcict coiiijH'iscs that ])ortion oi' tlio southwi'stijrii quarter of the stale honiuled hy tlie old Gireeiiville ti'oaty line on tlie iiortli. the Ohio river soutii, the V'^irgiiiia Military Traet and Syiunies Purchase east and the Indiana state line west; and also that part of tlie state of Indiana lying east of a lirie run directly from opposite the mouth of the Kentucky river to Fort Recovery, at the northwest corner of Darke county. It includes all of Miami, Darke, Prehle, Montgomery, and considerahle portions of Shelby, Logan, Champaign, Clark, Green, Warren, Putler and Hamilton counties, Ixisides all of Dearborn, and parts of Switzerland, Franklin, Union, AVayne, Ranaolph and Adams counties, in the state of Indiana. This district is not probably, excelled by any other in the westei-n country in the fertility of its soil, especially for tlie production of wheat, and the number and goodness of the various mill scats abounding ui)on its almost infinitely muncrous .streams aiul rivulets.

"^Marietta Land District is small, embracing only parts of Belmont, JMonroc and Washington counties. There are no rivers or streams of any considerable magnitude, excepting the Ohio river, which washes its whole southeastern limits.

"Pi(|ua Uaiul District is in the northwest quarter of the state, adjoining Michigan territory north, the Tiffin district east, Cincinnati district south, and the state of Indiana west. It cnd)races the first eight ranges of townships in the land purchased of the Indians in 1818. It is forty-eight miles broad, from east to west, and, upon an average, cighty-hve miles long from north to south, endjracing an area of al)0ut -1,080 sipuire miles, or 2,611,200 acres of land. This computation, however, includes all the Indian reservations at Wappakouetta on Hlanchai'd's I'ork on the Auglaize, and on St. Mary's rivers - altogether about 120,000 acres, thereby leaving about two aiul a half million acres sold, and to be sold by the general goveriniient in this district. It is not yet mucii settled, but the Ohio Legislature, in 1820, to set at rest antici])ated future trouble in i)ai'tielling it out into counties, divided it into seven districts to which they attacheil the names of Allen, Putnam, Henry, Williams, Paulding, Van Wert and IMerct'r, to be organized into separate counties, whenever sufficiently settled. Reside which, about one hundred and fifty s(|nare miles of the disti-ict falls wilhin the linuts of Shelby county. .Vone of these coniities ar'c, however, yet organized, excepting i\Iereer and Williams, il is watered by the J\laumee, Auglaize and St. Mary's rivers, besides their numerous branches. The I'oute for the confenqihifed !\liami canal rinis centrally through this disti'ii't. It

"Steuhenville district includes all CoUind)iana, -JelVerson and Harrison, and parts of Stark, Tuscarawas, Guernsey, and Belmont counties. It contains extensive bodies of valuable laml. A consideral)le portion of tlie district, however, is very hilly, and of an indiH'erently good soil, ft has some salt si)rings, iron ore, and abundance of stone coal.

"Tiffin district is composed of the nine easternmost ranges of townships in the Indian purchase of the year 1818. It extends from iMichigan territory and Lake Erie ou tlie north, to the old Greenville treaty line south, a)id from the Connecticut "Western Reserve and tlie Wooster district on the east, to the Pi(iua district on the west, comprising about two antl a half millions of aci'es. it is nearly eighty miles long, north and .south, and fifty-four broad from east to west, and eird)races all of Sandusky, Seneca, Hancock and AVood, and the greater part of Crawford, iMarion and Hardin counties. It is watered by the Maumee, Portage, Sauilusky, Scioto and Whetstone rivers; and by Touisanl, iVIuddy, Muscalunge, Green, AVolf, Tymoehtee and Honey creeks, and lilanchard's fork of the Auglai/e river. A considerable portion of the land in Crawford and JMarion counties is open ])rairie,' called 'the Sandu.sky ])lains. ' In Sandusky and Wood comities, boi-dering upon Lake Erie, much of the land is low and marshy. Hut taking this whole region of country together, it may be considered fertile and valuable. The land oiifice is kept at Tiffin, to which i)lace, in 1828, it was removed, from Delaware, where it was formerly kept. It was therefore, formerly, called Delaware district.

"Wooster district includes the whole of Richland, and Wayne, and parts of Stark, Holmes, and Knox counties, and a strip of three miles wide off from the east end of Crawford and jMarion counties. This is generally a hilly district of country, and comprises the highest region of land in the state. The land office is kept at Wooster, but during, and previously to the last war, it was kept at Canton, from which circumstance it was then called Canton di.striet. Salt springs, stone coal, and some iron ore are found in this district.

"Zanesville district embraces the whole of Morgan and parts of Perry, ]\Iuskingum, Guernsey, Monroe and AVashington counties. In Washington county, however, it includes only the six miles S(|iiare township (>r Aiirclius. I'>iil as there are a great many (piarter lowiisliips in the eastern half of tlu^ United States' Military lands, which have not been wanteil, to satisfy those warrants for which they were originally appi'opriatcd, these (|uarter townships have been surveyed, by the gen- eral yovenmieiit, into sections of 640 acres eacli ; and sucli lands situated within tin; first, eleven rant,M's of said United States i\lililary lands, arc sold, as oilier conKress lands nvc, at. the Za/iesville land ollie.e, and may therefore he considered as eonstitntint^ a j)arl of this district. In this view of tlio suhjeet, all .Muskingmn anil Coshocton counties will fall within its limits, and parts of Licking, Knox, Holmes, and the greater jKirt. of Tuscarawas, and fiuernsey counties. This district is generally hilly, and comparatively of a poor soil. But, as it is excellently well watered, by the Muskingum river and its numerous branches, well suited for various mills; lias the Ohio grand canal passing througii it; and has inexhaustible beds of stone coal, iron 'ore, and abundance of salt springs, it has already become a populous and wealthy ])Ortion of the state; anil is rapidly improving.

"The '.seven ranges' of townships, are a portion of the Congress land.s, 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, forty-two miles; thence south to the Ohio river, at the southeast corner of Marietta township, thence up the river to the place of beginning. It comprises all of Jefferson, Harrison and Belmont counties, the greater part of Monroe, and parts of Washington, Guernsey, Tuscarawas, Stark and Columbiana counties. These ranges compose all of Marietta, and a considerable part of Steubenville land districts.

"Connecticut Western Reserve, oftentimes called New Connecticut, is situated in the northeast quarter of the state, between Lake P^rie 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 one hundred and twenty miles from east to west, and, upon an average, fifty miles from north to south, although, upon the Pennsylvania line, it is sixty-eight miles broad from north to south. The area is about 3,800,o6o 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 IIk; Revoliitionai'y war. These laiuls constitute Huron county.

"New Connecticut is divided into the eight counties of Ashta1)ula, Truiid)ull, Portage, (Jeauga, Cuyahoga, Lorain, ]\Iedina and Huron ; and is i)rincij)ally settled l)y emigrants from the states of Massachusetts and

'"I'lic maimer by wiiich (yonnecticiit became possessed of Ibe land in 'luestion, was the following: King Ciiark's 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 specified bounds. ]?ut as tlie 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 ternis, extended to the Pacific ocean or South sea, as it was then called. Among the rest, that for Connecticut enibi-aced all lands contained between the fortytiist and forty-second parallels of north latitude, and from Providence plantations on the east to tlie Pacific ocean west, with tlie exception of New York and Pennsylvania colonies; and, indeed, pretensions of these were not finally relinquished without considerable altercation. And, after tiie 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 tlie United States relinquishing all their claims upon, and guaranteeing to Connecticut the exclusive right of soil to the ;5, 800, 000 acres now described. The Uniletl States, however, by tiie terms of comi)romise, reserved to themselves the riglit of jurisdiction. They then united this tract to the territory, now state of Ohio.

"Fire Lands, a tract of country so called, of aliout 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 IJevolutionary 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 forty-first parallel of latitude, or a tract of abont thirty by twenty-.seven miles in extent. Tiiis tract is surveyed into townships of about five miles scpiare each; and these townships are then subdivided into four fjuarters. The principal waters, beside Sandusky bay and Lake Erie, whicii skirt the whoh; northern boundary, an; Huron and Vermillion rivers, and Cold, Pipe and IjaChapelle creeks, running northwardly into Sandusky bay.

"United States I\Iilitary Lands are so called, from the circumstance of their having been appropriated, by an act of Congress, of the ]st of June, 1796, to satisfy certain claims of the ofificers and soldiers of the Revolutionary war. The tract of country embracing these lands, is bounded as follows : Begiiniing at the northwest corner of the original seven ranges of townships, thence south fifty miles, thence west to the Scioto river, thence up said river to the (Jreenville treaty line, thence northeasterly with saitl line to oUl fort Lawrence on the Tuscarawas river, tlience due east to the place of beginning; including a tract of about 4,000 square miles, or 2,560,000 acres of land, it is, of course, bounded north by the Greenville treaty line, east by the seven ranges of townships, south by the Congress and Refugee lands, and west by the Scioto river. These lands are surveyed into townsiiips of five miles square. These townships were then again, originally, surveyed into (luarter townships of two and a half miles sciuare, containing 4,000 acres each - and subsecjueiitly, some of these quarter townships were .subdivided into forty lots of 100 acres each, for the accommodation of those soldiers, holding warrants for only 100 acres eacii. 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 sciuare each, and sold by the general government, like the main body of Congress lands. The greater part of the following counties are situated in the United States' ^Military lands; namely, Tuscarawas, (Juernsey, Muskingum, Coshocton, Holmes, Knox, Licking, Franklin, and Delaware; but not the entire whole of either; excepting Coshocton. Franklin county, however, is not more than aliout one fourth, comjiosed of these lands. For a more particular description of tlie.se lands, the reader is referred to the several descriptions of the above-named counties, respectively, in the sul).se(iuent part of this voliniie. And for a vu-w of tlu! ranges and townsliii)S, reference may be had to the author's large i\Iap of the stale of Ohio.

soiilli. TIr' stiitc of Vii'j,'iMiii, Iroin tlir iiidcliiiitc iiiid v!i^,'ii(' tcniis <»L' oxi)iT.s.si()ii, ill its orif(iiial colonial cliartor of territory from Jaiiies 1, Kiii<^ of Kiigla/id, in tlu' year ]00!), claimed all llie eoiitiiieiit \v< st of tlie Oliif) river, and of llie north and south hreadth of Virf^inia. hut finally amoiij^ several other compromises ol' eonfiicdiiij^ claims, which were made sul)se(iuently to the attainment of our national independence, Virginia agreed to reliiKpiish all her claims to lanils northwest of the Ohio river, in favor of the general government, upon condition of the lands, now descrihed, being guaranteed to lier. 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 consecjuence of this deficiency of regular original surveys, and theirregularities with which the several locations have been made, and the consequent interference and encroachment of some locations ui)on others, more than dou])le the litigation has probably arisen between tlie liolders of adverse titles in this district, than there has in any other part of the state of equal extent. It embraces a body of 6,570 scpjare miles, or 4,204,800 acres of land. The following counties are situated in this tract : Adams, Brown, Clermont, Clinton, Payette, Ilighhuul, IMadison, and nnion entirely; and greater or less portions of Marion, Delaware, Franklin, Pickaway, Ross, Pike, Scioto, Hamilton, AVa.rren, Green, Clark, Champaign, Logan and Hardin.

"Ohio Company's Purchase is a l)ody of land (containing al)out 1,500,000 acres, including however the Donation tract, school lands, etc., lying along the Ohio river, and including Rfeigs, nearly all of Athens, and a considerable part of Washington and Gallia counties. Coiisideral)ly less tlian 1,000,000 acres was, however, ultimately paid for, and, of course, patented. This tract was purchased of the General Govcriinicnt in Ilic year 1787, by Manasseh (Sutler and AVinthrop Sergeant from the neigbl)orhood of Salem, IMassachusetts, agents foi' tlie Ohio ('()iii|»any, so called, which had then been formed in Rlassachnsel ts for the ])ur])ose of a settlement in the Ohio country. Peside every section Ifi, set apart, as elsewhere, for the support of schools, every section 2i) is aiiproi)riated for the su])port of i-eligious institutions. In addition to wliieh, were also granted 1 wo six miles scpiare townships, for tlic use ol" a colk'jjc. But, unfortunately foi' the Ohio Company, owing to tlu'ir want of toi)OKraj)liieal knowh^-tlge of the country, the body of land seh'et(Ml Ijy them, with some partial exceptions, is the must liilly and sterile, of any tract of similar extent in tlie state.

"A great portion of the first settlers were revolutionary soldiers, with their families. They made their first settlement on the Ohio river, at tlie mouth of the Muskingum, wliere they founded the town of jMarietta. Tiiis ))eing the first important settlement in the state, is often referred to, by writers Jind orators, as the nucleous around wiiich the whole state has suiiseciuently grown. As an instance of this I'hetorical figure, the following extract is selected from an address, delivered at Salem, Mas.saehusetts, on the 18th of Sept., 1828, by the lion. Edward - Everett, on occasion of the Li-eentennial celebration of the first settlement of that town: 'It is just forty years, this summer, since a long ark-like looking wagon was seen travei'sing the roads, and winding through the villages of Essex and Middlesex, covered with a black canvas, inscribed on the outside, in large letters, "To Marietta on tiie Ohio." That expedition, under Dr. Cutler of this neigid)Oihood, was the firet germ of the settlement of Ohio, which now contains near a million of inhabitants. Forty years have scarce pa.ssed l)y, and this great state, with all its settlements, imi)rovements, its migiity canals and growing population, was covered uj), if 1 nuiy so say, under the canvas of Dr. Cutler's wagon. Not half a century, and a state is in existence (twice as large as our old Massachusetts), to whom, not old England, but New England is the land of ancestral recollection.'

"Donation tract, is a body of 100,000 acres set off in llu; northern limits of tile Ohio Comjjany's tract, and granted to tlicm by Congress, provided they should obtain one actual .settler upon each hundred acres thereof within five years from the date of the grant, and tliat so much of the 100,000 acres aforesaid as should not thus l)e taken up shall revcirt to the Ceneral Gov(trnment. This tract may, in .some respects, be considered a part of the Ohio (!(>mp!iny's purciuise. It is situiited in the nortiiern linuts of Washington county. It lies in an oblong sliape, extending nearly seventeen miles fr'om cast to wi'st, and about seven and (uie-half miles from north to south.

"SyiiniK'.s PureliusL' is ;i tract of ;J11,C82 acres of land, iti llie soiitliwcstcni (juartcr ol" tlio slate, between the (jreat and Jjiltle JMiami rivers. It l)orders on tlie Oliio river, a distance of twejity-seveii miles, and extends so far back from tiie latter between tlie two JMiamies as to inclnde the quantity of land just mentioned. It was patented to Jolm Cleves yyuimes, in 1794, for sixty-seven cents per acre. Every sixteenth section, or mile scjuare, in each township, was reserved by Congress for tile use of seiiools, and sections 29 for the support of religious institutions, beside fifteen aci'cs around Fort AVashington in Cincinnati. This tract of country is now one of tlie most valuable in the state.

"Uefugee Tract, a liody of 100,000 acres of land granted by Congress to certain iiidivitluals who left the British provinces during the revolutionary war, and espoused the cause of freetloin. It is a narrow strip of country four and one-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 lanils north, and XX 1 1 ranges of Congress lands .south. In the western borders of this tract, is situated the town of Columl)us.

"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 ]\Iarch, 1795, to a number of French families who lost tlieir lands at Gallipolis by invalid titles. It extends from a point on the Ohio river, one and one-half miles above but oi)posite the mouth of Little Sandy creek in Kentuek}', extending eight miles in a direct line down the river, and, from the two extremities of that line, back at I'ight angles sufficiently far to include the (piantity of land re(|uired, which somewhat exceeds four and a half miles. Pine or Hale's and Genet's creeks are tiie principal waters, excepting the Oliio river, whicli forms its southwestern l)oundary. Although the land in (piestion was originally granted exclusively to Frenchmen, yet there ai'e not al)ove eigiit or leu i"'i'eneh families who now reside upon it, the other poilion of the population being composed of emigrants from New Hampshire autl other states. Here a postoftice is kei>t called French Gi'ant office. Tliis tract composes the townsliip of Green, Scioto cnimfy.

"jMoraviaii lands ai'o tlircc! several tiaets oF 4,(K)() acres eaeh, originally j^raiited by llie old (Joiitiiientai Coiit^rvss, July, 17H7, and eonfirmed, l)y tile aet oi" Coiif^i'ess, oT June 1, 17IiG, to the Moravian liretlm^n, at Bethlehem in Pennsylvania, in trust and for the use of the Christianized Indians living thereon. They are laid out in nearly sciuare forms, on the Muskin^im river, in what is now Tuscarawas county. They are called by the names of the Schoenlirun, (inadenluitten and Salem tracts. The Indians, however, have now, nearly or (luite all left them.

"Congress, by an aet, passed on the 2-ith of May, 1828, granted to the State of Ohio, 500,000 acres of land, to aid the state in completing its extensive canals, now in progress: and also a quantity, 'ecpial to onehalf of five .sections in width, on each side of saiil canal' (meaning the Miami canal) so far as it passes through the public lands, north of tlie old (Jreenville treaty line (estimated at one hundred and six miles), thereby making the cpiantity of land thus granted 340,000 acres (840,000 acres, in all), provided that all troops and property of the United States transported thereon shall pass free of toll, as in the case of the beforementioned Turnpike lands. Tiiey have been selected under the direction of the Governor of Ohio, chiefly in the Piciua and TifHn distrietn. For both the Canal and Turnpike lands, the Governor of Ohio is to make tiie deeds to individual purciiasers.

"By compact Iietween 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 yeai's and in considei'ation that the ])ublic lands would thereby more readily sell, that the one thirty-sixth part of all the territory included within the limits of the state should he set apart for the support of couunon schools tlieirin ; and, foi- the i)uri)0se of getting at lands, which sliould, in point (Jf (juality of .soil be on an average with the whole land in the country, they dcci'ecd tiiat it should be selected, by lot, in small tracts each, to wit -that it should consist of section ninnbcr Ki, let that .section I)e good or bad, in every township of Congress lands; also in the Ohio (!oiii- ])aiiy, and in Synnnes' |)urchascs; all of which townsiiips ari' composed of thirty-six sections each; and for the United Slati's' Military Lands, and Coiiiu'eticul livserve; a muiil)L'r oi' quarter to\vusliii)s, two and oiiolialt' miles scuiaro each (heiiiy the NiiiaUcst piil)lie surveys tliereiii, tlieii made) should l>e selected by the seeretui-y of the tr(;asury, in dilVereut places throughout the United .Stat(;s Military tract; e'|uivalent, in quantity, to the one thirty-sixth part of those two tracts respectively. And for the Vii'ginia JMilitary tract, Congress exacted that a quantity of land equal to the one thirty-sixth part of the estimated (piantity of land contained therein, should be selected, by lot in what was then called tile New i'urchase, now composing Kichland, Wayne, and part of Holmes, and Marion counties, in (piarter township tracts of three miles square eacii. JMost of these selections were accordingly made, but, iu 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, has generally granted other lands in lieu thereof; as for instance, no section 16 was reserved in Montgomery towJiship, in whieli Columbus is situated, and Congress, afterwards gratited therefor, section 21 in the township coi'neriug thereon to the southeast.

"Furthermore, as the Virgiiua J\lilitary tract has latterly been found to be much larger than was formerly supposed, there are not, really, school lands enough set oft' for tliis district, into two quarter townships, or eighteen sections. Also when the school lands for the Western lieserve wei'e set oft', the Indian title had not been extinguished any further west than to the Cuyahoga river; so that Congress has never yet set oft' any land for that part of the Keserve, west of said river.

"The conse(juence of these, and some other deficiencies, is that we have, in fact, according to the official report by the state Auditor, in 1826, but 500,74*J acres: whereas, by compact, we are entitled to 711,111 acres; which is the one thirty-sixth part of 25,6UU,0U0, the wliole number of acres of land, actually in the state : tiiereby leaving a deficiency of 210,362 acres, to which we are yet .justly entitled. The total valuation of these 500,749 , acres of lands, as appraised, in the year 1825, was $910,728.

"All these lands are vested in the Legislature, in trust, for the use of the people for school purposes. And by the adoption of a principle which many consider incon'eet, the Legislature has sanctioned a principle, contended for by the people of certain townships, wherein is an extraordinary good section - namely, that the said section IG was granted to them, sjiecificaliy, and not that they are barely entitled to their i)rol)orli()n of the annual ])i'ocecds of all the school lands in the state, which would seem to be the most reasonable constru(;tion to put upon the original ij;eneral grant. Tiie original intention of Congi-ess was, no doubt, that llie total rents or anniuil proceeds of all the lands through- out the state, granted Tor seliool purpose, should be throwu into one conunon mass, and tlien be annually distributed, by the Legislature, according to population: if otherwise, they would, doubtless, have set apart the school lands lor eacii section of country, within its own limits; for instance, the Vii-ginia IMilitary lands would have had their proportion set off, within their own bounds ; but which is not the case.

"A lair opening is however now presented to the Legislature, for correcting the former course of proceeding since the school lands, with the permission of Congress, are all authorized to be sold ; the money for which they shall sell, to be vested in permanent funds and the interest only, to be annually distributed for school purposes. It would also vastly siniplify the iiscal arrangements of the state government, if they would now adopt this ])road principle of throwing into one common fund the total products of tiie sales of all the sections 10 tliroughout the state, all tlie Lhiited States Military, all the Virginia Military and the Western Reserve school lands, lying within the state ; and then, annually, distribute the interest of the whole amount among the several counties according to poi^ulation.

"Collcgi,' Townsliips are tiirce si.x miles si|uare townships granted by C!()iigivss; two of tliciu to till' Oliio Company, I'oi- tlie use of a college to be established within tlieir purchase, and one I'or tlie use of the iniuibitants of Synnnes' purchase. Tiiose two in the Ohio Company's purcha.se are situated near the center of Athens county, and constitute tlie principal part of the permanent funds of tlie Ohio university. That one l)elonging to Synnnes' purchase composes the nortliwe.sternmost township of Butler county. Its income is appropriated to the Miami university, which is erected tiiereon. These laiitls are no donations, but were part of the considerations inducing tlie Ohio company and J. C. Symmes to make their respective i)urchases.

"Li l)Oth the Ohio Comi:)any and in Symmes' purchases every section 2U (('(iiuil to one tliirty-si.xth part of every township) is reserved, as a permanent fund, for the support of a settled minister. As the i)urchasei's of these two tracts came from parts of the union where it was customary and deemed neeessai-y to have a I'cgidarly settled clergyman in every town, they l!iei'eror(! slipidated, in tiieir original pni'ciiase, that u pei'iiianent fund in hind shoiihl tiius Ix- sr| apari for lliis purpose. Ill no otlitT pai't oi' the state, othei' liian in liiese two purciiases, are any hinds set iijiiii'l I'di' this objccl, "

Dawn Of Civil Government

The Ordinance of 1787 - Oiho-IMichigan Boundary Finally Fixed - First Surveys of Western Lands - How the Reserve Became National Territory - ]\Iilitary and Civil Friction - First Judiciary - Indians at Last Suudued.

As to the author of the famous ordinance of 1787, credit is now generally accorded to Dr. IManasseh Cutler, whose depth of scholarship, grace of diction and hreadth of practical al)ility, as well as loftiness of purpose, endowed him with all tlie qualities which breathe tlirough that nolile document. Undoubtedly, lie embodied the views of Thomas Jefferson, as expressed in tiie ordinance of 1784, witli his own commanding personality.

Doctor Cutler had come before Congress to purchase for a company composed eliiefly of ]Massachusetts men, a large body of public lands. In the opinion of the associates of the Ohio Company, the purpose would be virtually useless if uncovered by the guarantee of civil law and order.

The ordinance of 1787 was the answer, and the necessary predecessor of tile first substantial colonization of tlie Northwest Territory. Congress wisely considered that such a colony would form a barrier against the British and Indians, and that the initial movement would be speedily followed by other purciiases and extending settlements.

The southern states had even a greater interest in the West than New England, and Virginia especially was eager for the development of the country beyond the Ohio. The South in general warmly supported the planting of colonies of men in the West whose energy and patriotism were wt'U known; and liiis, notwithstanding the aiili-slavery provision.

hoiiiulary, not less than three and not more than tive states. If only tliree states were ereeted, tlie westennnost was to be bounded by the .Mississippi, the Ohio and tlie \Val)ash rivers; a direct lint; drawn from the Wabash River and Port Vincent (Vincennes) nortii to the international boundary, and westward along the Canadian line to the Lake of the Woods and the Mississippi River. Thus Illinois.

The middle state was to be blocked off between the Ohio and the international boundary, Illinois, and a line drawn due north from the mouth of the Great Miami to Canada. That was Indiana.

Tlie easternmost state was to be Ohio, whose southern and eastern Ijoundaries were to be the Oliio River and Pennsylvania, and its northern limits the Dominion of Canada.

But, as is well known, advantage was eventually taken of the provision that Congress might form, two other states from the territory between the Ohio, the .Mis.sissippi and the international boundary, north of a line drawn east and west from the southernmost bend to Lake Michigan. Under that .proviso were created ^Michigan and AViseonsin, and the substantial estaljlisinncnt of the boundaries of Ohio as we know them today.

As it is the duty of the historian to explain any (pialifying word in his narrative, the author i)auses at this point to explain the term "substantial establisliment." The qualifying word was used because the eonelusive survey of the Michigan-Oiiio boundary ami the placing of the State Line monument was not a matter of liistory \uitil 1015.

It was the original intention, and so incorporatetl in tiie constitution of the state, that the northern boundary of Ohio should fall north of the mouth of ]\Iaumee River. Also, if possible, it slmuld be a due east and west line from the southerly extreme of Lake Llichigan. However this due east and west line fell some seven miles south of the :Maumee Bay and a new line from the northerly cape of ^Maumee Bay to Lake ]\Iichigan was run.

About 1817, (iovernor Cass of Michigan employed "William Harris to locate the southern boundary of jMichigaiL Through a misunderstanding he ran the second of the above lines which caused much ill feeling in ]\li(']iigan. In ISIO, Pi-esident ]\lonroe commissioned John Fulton to I'cUx-ate llie line. He ran tlic east and west line wliich was not at all pleasing 1() Ohio. I'^inally in 1S:{7, Coiigfcss ordi'ivd llie Harris line re-rini and, witii tlie view of settling the 1n)\il)le, gave .Michigan the |)i'esent n|)i>er Peninsula in lien of tlie sir'ip tliey claimed to Inive lost by this survey. Tlie old stakes have Jjceii lost and on account of Iho (level()|)iricnt of llu; country it was deemed necessary to pernuinently mark the line. Al'lei- s(;v('ral ycai's ell'ort, autlH>i-ity to do the work was finally f,'ranted by lej^ishitures ol' both .states. Under tiie direction of C. E. Siiei'inan for Ohio and P. C. Allen for Michigan, the line has becii re-run and j)eriiianently inomniiented by S. S. (Jannet of the United States (Jeolof^ieal Survey.

The nionuMieiit at the end of Point Place Koad near Toledo, was dedicated November 24, 1915, under the auspices of the Toledo Society of Engineers. On tiie transverse side, cut e(iually l)y the state line.

On the .Michigan side: "iMiehigan. Woodbridge N. Ferris, Governor. Erected by authority of the 48th Legislature, Act .'54, Pul)lic Acts of P)!;"). Py ]\Iichigan Geological Survey - P. (.'. Allen, Director. Jointly with the State of Oliio."

On liie Oiiio side: "Ohio. Frank P. Willis, Governor. Ki'ccted by aulhoi'ify ot the Hist (ieneral .Assembly, Act ol' .May 27, IDlf.. Py Ohio Geological Survey - ('. P. Sherman, Inspector', .jointly with the State of I\Iicliigan."

F. A. O'Brien, representing tiie Mieliigan Historical Commission; lion. Junius K. Jieal, representing tlie Pul)lie Domain Commission, and Prof. C. T. Jolin.son, representing the Michigan Engineering Society.

There were also present C. E. Siierman and P. C. Allen, respectively inspector and director of the Ohio and Michigan geological surveys; S. S. Gannet, geographer of United States Geological Survey ; Frank Rogers and Clinton Cowen, respectively state higlnvay commissioners of I\Iichigan and Ohio.

As has heen noted, a survey of the western lands had hecn commenced under authority of an ordinance passed by Congress in 1785. Thus authorized, the Government surveyors laid out the first seven ranges l)ounde(l hy Pennsylvania on the east and the Ohio River on the south.

On the 14th day of September, 1786, the delegates in Congress from the State of Connecticut, being authorized and directed so to do, relin- (piished to the United States all the right, title, interest, jurisdiction, and claim, that she ])osses.sed to the lands lying west of a line running north from the 41st degree of north latitude to 42 degrees and 2 minutes, and being 120 miles west of the western line of Pennsylvania. The territory lying west of Pennsylvania for the distance of 120 miles, and between latitude 41 and 42 degrees, 2 minutes north, although, not in terms reserved by the instrument of conveyance, was in fact reserved - not having been conveyed - and by rea.son thereof was called the AVestern Reserve of Connecticut. It eml)raced the present counties of Ashtal)u!a, Trund)ull, Portage, Geauga, Lake, Cuyahoga, jMedina, Lorain, Huron, Erie, all of Summit, except the townships of Franklin and (ireen; the two norlhcni 1iers of 1ownshii)s of Mahoning; tlie townsliips ol" Sullivan, Ti'oy and Ruggies, of Ashland; and the islands lying norlh of Sandusky, including Kelley's and l'u1-in-Hay.

In 171)5 Connecticut sold and conveyeii all of Ihe Reserve, excejit the ''SuH'erer's Island," to Oliver Phelps and Ihirty-live others, for the coiisidcratiou of $1,200,000. Those piircliasors formed llieniselves into a company ealled the Conned icut Land ('om|)any. Somu; uneasiness concerning tin; validily of llie title arose from the fact that whatever interest Virginia, Massachusetts, or New York may liav(^ had in the lands reserved and claimed hy Connecticut, liad been transferred to the United States, and if neither of the claiming states had title, the dominion and ownership passed to the IJnitW States hy the treaty made with England at the close of the Revolution. This condition of things was not the only source of difficulty and trouble. The Reserve was so far from Connecticut as to nuike it impracticable for that state to extend her laws over the same, or ordain new ones for the government of the iidiahitants; and having parted with all interest in the soil, her right to provide laws for the peo])le was not only doubted but denied. Congress luid provided by the ordiiuuice of 1787 for the govennnent of the territory northwest of the Ohio; but to admit jurisdiction in the United States to govern this part of that territory, would cast grave doubt upon the validity of the company's title. It was therefore insisted that the regulations prescribed by tliat instrument for the government of the Xortliwest Territory luul no operation or etfect witliin the limits of the Reserve. To quiet apjjrehension, and to reiiu)ve all ca\ise of anxiety on the subject, Congress, on the 28th of A])ril, 1800, authorized the President to execute and deliver on the part of the United States, letters patent to the governor of Connecticut, whereby the United States released for the uses named, all right and title to the soil of the Reserve, and confirmed it unto those who had purchased it from that state. The execution and delivery, however, of the letters patent were upon the condition that Connecticut should forever renounce and release to the L^nited States, entire and complete civil jurisdiction over the territory released. This condition was accepted, and thereupon Connecticut transferred her jurisdiction to the United States, and the United States released her claim and title to the soil ; and thus, while jurisdiction for purposes of government was vested in the United States, a complete title to the soil, in so far as the states could give it, was transmitted to the Connecticut Land (!ompany and to those who had j)urchased from it.

(lovernor St. Clair ei-ected a Court of i'robate, established a Court of Quarter Sessions, divided tlie militia into seniors and juniors, and in August, 1788, added three justices of the peace to the three whom he had ai)pointeil during the previous month; the new appointees were Archibald Cary, Isaac Pierce and Thomas Lord, and they were authorized to hold the Court of Quarter Sessions. Keluru Jonathan .Meigs was clerk of the court.

Thus did the governor endeavor to maintain a nice l»alanee between the military, civil and judicial authorities of Wasiiington County and the Noi'thwest Territory. But the Indians of tin- Northwest, I'ucouraged and supported by the Hritish, weiv still to lie reckoiied with liefore white settlers felt at all secure in their possessions or lives. It required nearly live years of warfare between the American ti'oops and the Indian warriors, with bloody disaster on both sides, the defeat of St. Clair and the crushing campaign of ]\Iad Anthony Wayne, before the peace of 17!)5 was effected. Tn that year the twelve tril)es which had given the most troul)le signed tlie ti-eaty at Greenville. Tiiis was soon followed by the Hi-ilisii evacuation of all western military posts. Thereafter, neitlier llie Indians nor the I)i'itish seriously interfered with the s])rea(l of American sclllenicnt and eivili/ation in the lakes region, northern Oliio, liie Western l\eserve or Loi'ain (!oiinly.

Secure Under The Laws

How THE Reserve Was Sold - Acreage oP the Reserve - Judge Parsons, Pioneer Land Buyer - Washington County (1796) Claimed Jurisdiction - In the Country of Canaiiogue - Wayne County (1796) - Jefferson County (1797) - Lawless But in Name - Trumuull County (1801)) Recognized - Period of Civil Comi^lication.

Before iiulicating how the Western Reserve was gradually brought under the eivil authority of county government and how its territory, more speeifieally that of Lorain County, was surveyed, its land titles cleared and all prepared for the secui'e residence of homehiiilders, a condensed statement should he given, showing who were the original purchasers of that great domain of the Northwest Territory, which was at first so rebellious, and the acreage covered by the original surveys. For that purpose we glean the following from the "History of the Western Reserve," issued by this comi)any several years ago.

"After formally resolving to sell it," says tlie account, "the legislature selected a committee of eight, one from each county, to transact the business. They were John Treadwell, Hartford county; James Wadsworth, New Haven county; I\Iarvin Wait, New London; William Edmons, Fairfield; Thomas Grosvenor, Windham; Aaron Austin, Litchfield; Elijah Hul)bard, ]\Iiddlesex, and Sylvanus Ciilbert, of Tolland county. It will be seen that the names of these men and these towns were used in many ways in New (Connecticut, as were also the names of the pui'cha.sers. At this time several individuals wished to ])uy land for lliemsclves or liicir friends, but the land company feared that some of llicm who wi'i'c not from ( 'onnecticul wriH- no! (inancially responsible, while the price others olT'ered was not sulbcient. Among the latter were Zepheniah Swift, author of Swift's Digest, ex-chief justice of

Connecticut. He offered a million dollars for the whole tract. This, however, was not entirely individual ; some of his friends were interested with him.

"Tlie eai'ly diaries show some little ditt'erenees in names and amounts, the total always remaining the same, but the foregoing is from the Book of Drafts in the recorder's office at Warren.

"These, then, were the men who formed themselves into the Connecticut Land Company. So careful were they as to the letter of tlie law, so exacting as to the carrying out of their obligations, and such personal standing had they that, whereas in tracing titles in most places in the United States one must go back to the grants made by the rulers of the old world, in northeastern Ohio it is sufficient to go back only to the Connecticut Land Company.

"In the beginning, that territory was supposed to contain four million acres, but it was found later that early maps and sketches had been defective ; that Lake Erie made a decided southern dip ; so that part of the land proved water, with some air thrown in. Below is a table prepared by Judge Frederick Kinsman, who was very accurate in all statements, showing the quantity of land (acres) in the Connecticut Western Reserve by survey :