OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Moses Cleavland / Western Reserve [1]
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by
Darlene E. Kelley
http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374
June 26, 1999
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Historical Collections of Ohio
The Kelley Family Collections
Newspaper article, Plains Dealer
compiled by S.J. Kelley-- 1925
And Then They Went West
by Darlene E. Kelley  1998
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Series 1-- How Moses Cleavland came to Western Reserve--

In Canterbury--

     In an ancient cemetery in Canterbury, Conn., is the grave of Moses
Cleaveland, who founded Cleveland many years ago. The stone is
inscribed,
          " Moses Cleaveland, Esq. "
          Died November 16, 1806
               Age fifty-two
     In the next lot are two tablets, erected may years ago.  These are
memorials to his parents.  The one over his father's grave has the
following inscription:

     In memory of Col. Aaron Cleaveland, who died in a fit of apoplexy
on the 14th day of April, 1785, aet 57.  Born on the 7th day of Dec'r,
1727.  On the 17th of June A.D., 1782 when in bloom of health and prime
of life, was struck with the Numb Palsy;  From that time to his death
had upwards of 60 fits of the Palsy and Apoplexy.  He was employed in
sundry honorable offices, both civil and military.

     Followed a verse the first line of which is; " Calm and composd, my
soul her journey takes."
     I have before me, copies of three letters written by Cleaveland on
that journey along Lake Erie in 1796 to survey the Western Reserve.
They are rare and were long in keeping of the Phelps family at
Canandaigua, N.Y.  Oliver Phelps and his associates were listed among
the original owners of the Reserve as entitled to more than 500,000
acres of land, which Cleaveland was to survey.  All are addressed to
Phelps, were started in May and the last one was written in August.

The Start--
     The first dated May 19,1796, says he arrived in Albany with rain
and bad roads; that Porter, head surveyor, had left Schenectady and one
man was drowned. He is already short of money and cannot easily obtain
credit, as the Connecticut Land Company is not well known. Thomas Mather
& Co. of Albany will cash checks on the assurance of money from
Hartford, the company's headquarters, at an early date.
     It is clear expenses will be greater than estimated.  Porter has
made the best progress possible west but the party should be supplied
with everything necessary to settle the Reserve.
     The next letter, written at " Port Independence, alias Conneaut
Creek" on July 5, says that they left Buffalo Creek a week ago, against
head winds in heavily loaded boats and reached the creek just inside the
Reserve.  At 6 o'clock July 4. Hearing guns from Presque Isle (Erie)
they fired a Federal salute, then gave one in honor of the new " State
of Connecticut," which it seems the name intended for this territory.
They christened the spot, drank a few toasts, dined and retired.
     Cleaveland says Marengo Indians lived on the creek, with Paqua, the
Bear, as their chief; that he held a council, smoked the pipe of peace
and told them they might continue hunting, cultivate their land and
raise corn.  There are more Indians ahead but he has no fear.  The next
morning Porter is to locate the line of the Reserve nearly 70 miles
south and commence running ranges westward.  Settlers are on the gound
from Presque Isle.
     The third letter dated Aug 5, is long. Cleaveland has seen the Mary
Easter (Ashtabula) and Grand Rivers.  He describes lake shore lands as
excellant with forests of black and white walnut, sycamore, cypress and
hickory.  Wild grape and hop vines, crabapple and plum trees are
plentiful. He does not mention the Chagrin but he has entered the
Cuyahoga in a Schenectady boat and paddled to the old Moravian Indian
town. The length of  the trip--25 miles-- is due to sweeping bends and
he imagines the town is 12 or 15 miles from the lake.  The valley is
wide, water clear and current lively, with streams falling into it.
Indian corn, etc, is growing but the Indians are away hunting.  He found
the Cuyahoga navigable for sloops eight miles from its mouth and that
small boats could reach the portage if fallen trees in the river were
cleared.
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To be continued in second series---