OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Tidbits of Ohio -- Part 57A ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES(tm) NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm All documents placed in the USGenWeb Archives remain the property of the contributors, who retain publication rights in accordance with US Copyright Laws and Regulations. In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, these documents may be used by anyone for their personal research. They may be used by non-commercial entities so long as all notices and submitter information is included. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit. Any other use, including copying files to other sites, requires permission from the contributors PRIOR to uploading to the other sites. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgenwebarchives.org ************************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 June 23, 2005 ************************************************************************** Historical Collections of Ohio. And Then They Went West Know Your Ohio Tid Bits-part 57A notes by S. Kelly ---in [ ] ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tid Bits- part 57A The Washington Lands In the section of country lying between Racoon Creek and Miller's Run, near Mt. Pleasant township, lies a large body of lands, which are among the richest, and most productive in the country. These lands, drained on the east by Miller's Run and on the west by Raccoon Creek, include more than two thousand eight hundred acres, which have been known and mentioned for more than a century as " the Washington Lands," having been at one time owned by George Wasington, of Mount Vernon. In 1767, before the trans-Allegheny regions had been ceded by the Indians, Washington, who had seen it in 1753-55, wrote from Mount Vernon ( Sept 21st ) to his friend, Capt. William Crawford, who had settled at Stewart's Crossings, " to look me out a tract of about fifteen hundred or two thousand or more acres somewhere in your neighborhood. meaning only by this that it may be as contigious to your own settlement as a body of good land can be found. It will be easy for you to conceive that ordinary or even middling lands would never answer my purpose or expectations so far from navigation and under such a load of expenses as these lands are encumbered with. No, a tract to please me must be rich...... and, if possible, level. Could such a piece be found, you would do me a singular favor in falling upon some method of securing it immediately from the attempt of others, as nothing more certain than that the lands cannot remain long ungranted when once it is known that rights are to be had......" Under this arrangement and as soon as application could be filed in the land office for lands in the " New Purchase " of 1768, four tracts of land, aggregating sixteen hundred and sixty-one acres, in what is now Perry township, Fayette Co., were taken up, warranted to George Washington, William Athel, John Bishop, John Paty, and Thomas Jones. These warrents were all dated April 3, 1769. They all passed soon after to George Washington, for whom they were originally intended, and were patented to him Feb 28, 1782. The next year after these lands had been secured Washington made a tour through the section now Washington County, and having formed a favorable opinion of it, he instructed his agent, Capt. William Crawford, to select and purchase lands for him in this section. Thereupon Capt. William Crawford examined the great tract owned or claimed by George Croghan, but made no purchase from them. In a letter to Washington, dated April 20. 1771, he said..... " Agreeable to your request I went to view Col. Crogan's land, but before it could be done the line was to be run, which I attended, and viewed the whole, but I could not find the quantity of land you wanted, nor one thousand acres such as you would like, or such as I would have ..... What land is worth anything is already taken by somebody, whose survey comes within the line we run. But the colonel is not content with that line, as he thinks it does not include lands enough. I am afraid he has not a proper title to what he is claiming; but I will avoid giving him any certain answer about the land as long as I can possibly do so. I have found some good tracts of land on the head of Chartiers Creek and the head of Raccoon Creek. It is good level farming land, and good meadow, but not the quantity you wanted. I believe I can procure you a tract in one body of three thousand acres, wich is good, well watered, and about fifteen or twenty miles from the fort. I have not told him where the line lies, and I am afraid to tell him till he runs the line, for I think if he knew of it he would run it on purpose to have the selling of it to you, as he prides himself much upon it and makes it a handle to all bargains he is making with other people." In another letter dated Aug 2, 1771, Crawford says, " I have done nothing with Col. Croghan in regard the land you want of him as yet, as I could see none of his land in his line now run that will answer to be laid off as he wants it laid off. I have found some at about fifteen or sixteen miles from Fort Pitt, which is good farming land, and as good a meadow land as any. The upland is level, or no more hilly than is necessary to make the ground dry." The tenor of subsequent letters from Crawford to his principal show that he had succeeded in finding and selecting lands suitable in quanity and extent; also that Croghan, on ascertaining this fact, claimed that the lands so selected by Crawford for Washington were within the limits of his ( Croghan's ) grant, and used every means in his power to induce settlers to locate on the lands Crawford had selected, and promising them assistance to hold their claims against Col Washington. In the summer of 1773, Crawford wrote his principal,.... " Your lands on Chartier's are safe yet, but how long they may continue so I do not know, as the people that were going to settle on them at the time we came down were driven off, but attempted to return in the spring. I shall settle some man on them if possible, and hope by that means to secure them. Everything in my power shall be done. They must be stronger than I and my party are if they take them...." And again, in a letter dated Spring Garden , Nov 12, 1773, he said, " The reason these people sat down upon your land was that Colonel Croghan told them the officers and soldiers could never hold one foot of the land, and he further told them that I had no orders from the Governor to survey any land in the Ohio, that it was only a scheme between you and myself. The only chance you have to get land settled is to get some of your people near where you live to settle,....... or bring up some hired men, set them to work, and clear some land, with the least expense. Several persons are waiting for your land to relapse, who intend to fall on it immediately thereafter." Again, in a letter dated Dec 29, 1773, he said, ---- " Some people, about ten or twelve in number, have gone on your Chartier's land within these few days, and there is no getting them off, except by force of arms. They are encouraged by major ward, brother-in-law to Colonel Croghan, who claims the land and says he has a grant of it from the Crown. He will indemnify them, if they will move in any house where no person is living. He also offers the land for sale, warrenting the purchaser a lawful title. He further adds that Colonel Croghan says you and I have used his brother very ill, in pretending to buy his land and did not, but went and took the best of it, and would not agree to pay him. That was the reason offered for selling the land to any person who should choose to buy.... Those men have not bought of him but took your land, and say they will keep it. I could drive them away, but they will come back immediately --- as soon as my back is turned. The man I put on your land, they have driven away, and have built a house so close to his that he can not get in at the door...... Your land is two miles and better from the utmost limits of his land, as you will see by the way it is laid down the steam called Miller's Run. When Thompson run the land and made out the draft and delivered it to him, Colonel Croghan said it was not run right. Then he employed Mr. Campbell and told him that the river must be twisted up to the mouth of Peter's creek,as that was the bounds of his lands. When Mr. Campbell had run the line as it was marked, and delivered the draft to him, Colonel Croghan said he had not run the land right; he should have allowed him ten degrees variation of the compass. Then he got Mr. Hooper and run this last line as you see marked. He then employed Mr. Dorsey Pentecost to run thirty thousand acres on the head of Chartier's Creek and Cross Creek. This still left you out; but since then Major Ward takes you and myself and Lund Washington in, and says Colonel Croghan has a grant from the Crown for the land and has given him that part, as low as the mouth of Wheeling." Capt Crawford, in a letter dated Jan 10, 1774, advised Washington to take out a patent ( from Virginia ) for his lands on Chartier's Creek and Miller's Run, as that would be sure to prevent further dispute and trouble. Thereupon Washington, as a preliminary to the procuring of a patent, directed a survey to be made, which was done, and Crawford, in a letter dated May 8, 1774,says, " Sir --- Inclosed you have the drafts of the Round Bottom Lands, and your Chartier's Land, agreeable to Mr Lewis' direction." On the 5th of July, 1775,a ilitary patent for these lands was issued to Col George Washington by Lord Dunsmore, Gov of Virginia, describing them as " being in Augusta County, Vir., on the waters of Miller's Run, one of the branches of Chartier's Creek , a branch of the Ohio on Ohio future lands. Crawford again wrote to Washington, Dec 20, 1776 as follows: " your land on Chartier's Creek is well cultivated, ready to your hand, the men on it thinking you have no patent for it, or if you have, that you will lease the land on reasonable terms, etc..... Some I understand have been trying to sell their rights to your land. but I have had an advertisement printed and set up forewarning any person not to purchase those lands, setting forth your titles, etc." The settlers still remained in the possession of the tracts on which they located within the limits of the Washington patent. On the 10th of August, 1779, Col Crawford wrote from Fort Pitt to Washington, who was then in the field as commander-in-chief of the patriot armies, saying, " Dear General, ---- Agreeable to my promise the last time I had the pleasure of seeing you, I advertised your lands on Chartiers that are settled by those men I formally informed you of. they still remain on the land ......" And so they continued undisturbed until after the close of the Revolution. In the fall of the year 1784, after the close of Gen Washingtons military career and before he was called to the Presidency, he made a tour of exploration and insection through this section of the country, and kept a diary of the principal events of his " Journey over the Western Mountains," covering the time from Sept 1 +++++++++++++++ +++ NOTE+++ [ This journel has hitherto been unpublished, resting in the original manuscript in the State department at Washington, D.C. The presence of general Washington in Washington County in relation to his lands has been doubted by many, but the fact, as well as the authenticity of the journel quoted, is established by a letter from the Honorable W.S. Shallenberger of the house of representatives and signed by Fredk. T. Frelinghuysen. stateing the below exerts from Washington's diary to be correct.] +++++++++++++++++ This transcript comprises the entries from Sept 18th to 21st inclusive; "September 18th. Set out with Doctr.Craik for my land on Miller's Run --- crossed the Monongajela at Deboirs Ferry. 16 miles from Simpsons; bated at one Hamiltons, about 4 miles from it, in Washinton County, and lodged at a Col Cannon's on the waters of Shurtees Creek, a knid, hospitable man; and sensible. " Most of the land over which we passed was hilly; some of it very rich; others thin; between Col Crook's and the ferry the land was rich, but broken; about Shurtee, and thence to Col Cannon's the soil is very luxriant and very uneven. " September 19th. Being Sunday, and people living on my land apparently very religious. It was thought best to postpone going among them till tomorrow; but rode to a Doctr. Johnson's who had the keeping of Col Crawford's surveying records; but not finding him at hom, was dispppointed in the business which carried me there...... " September 20th. Went early this morning to view my land, and to recive the final determination of those who live upon it. Having obtained a pilot near the land I went first to the plantation of SAMUEL MC BRIDE, who has about 5 acres of meadow, and 30 of arable land undre good fencing; a logged dwelling house with a punchion roof, and stable, or small barn of the same kind; the land rather hilly but good, chiefly white oak; next JAMES MC BRIDE; 3 0r 4 acres of meadow 28 do of arable land. Pretty good fencing; land rather broken, but good; white and black oak mixed; a dwelling house and barn of middling size with puncheon roofs. THOMAS BIGGART; ROBERT WALKER living thereon as a tenant. No meadow; 20 acres of arable land. A dwelling house and single barn; fences tolorable, and land good.WILLIAM STEWART; 2 and 1/2 acres meadow, 20 acres of arable land. only one house, except a kind of builing adjoining for common purposes; good land and midling fences. MATTHEW HILLAST; has with my line about 7 acres of meadow, 3 besides; ararble; also small double barn. BRICE MCGECHEN; 3 acres of meadow 20 do arable land. under good fencing; a small new barn. good. DUNCAN MCGECHEN; 2 acres meadow 38 do ariable; a good single barn, dwelling house, spring house, and several other houses,--- the plantation under good fencing. DAVID REED; claimed by the last mentioned ( Duncan McGechen) 2 acres meadow, 18 do ariable land; nobody living on this place at present ---the dwelling house and fencing in bad order. JOHN REED,ESQ; 4 acres meadow, 38 do ariable; small dweling house but logs for a large one. Still house; good land and fencing. DAVID REED; 2 acres meadow. 17 do arable; a good logged dwelling house with a bad roof; several other small houses and an indifferent barn, or stable; bad fences, but very good land. WILLIAM HILLAS; 20 acres of ariable land no meadow. But one horse, and that indifferent; fences not good. JOHN GLEN; 2 or 3 acres of meadow within my liue; his plantation and the rest of land without. JAMES SCOTT; Placed on the land by THOMAS LAPSLEY; has 17 acres under good fencing; only a dwelling house (which stops the door of a Cabbin built by Captn.Crawford)-- white oak land; rather thin, but good bottom to clear for meadows. MATTHEW JOHNSON; 2 acres of meadow, 24 Do arable land; good logged house, materials for a dble barn; very good land, but indifferent fences. JAMES SCOTT; a large plantation-- abt 70 acres of arable land, 4 Do. of improved meadow; much more may be made into meadow-- the land very good, as the fences al do are. A barn, dwelling house and some other houses. The foregoing are all improvements upon this tract which contains 2813 acres. the land is leveller than is common to be met in this country, and good; the principal part of it is white oak, intermixed in many places with black oak; and is esteemed valuable tract. Dined at DAVID REEDS, after which MR. JAMES SCOTT and SQUIRE REED to equire whether I would part with the land, and upon what terms; adding that though they did not conceive they could be dispossessed, yet to avoid contention, they would buy, if my terms were moderate. I told them I had no inclination to sell; however, after hearing a great deal of their hardships, their religious principles ( which had brought them together as a society of Ceceders ) and unwilliness to separate or remove, I told them that I would make them last offer and this was--- the whole tract at 25s per acre, the money to be paid ay 3 annual payments with interest;--- or to become Tenants upon leases of 999 years, at the annual rent of Ten pounds pr. C. Ann. The former they had a long consultation upon, and asked if I wd.take that price at longer credit, without interest and being answered in the negative they then determined to stand suit for the land; but if having been suggested that there were among them some who were disposed to relinquish their claim, I told them I would receive their answers individually; and accordingly calling upon them as they stood, JAMES SCOTT, WILLIAM STEWART, THOMAS LANGLEY, SAML MCBRIDE, BICK MCGEECHEN, THOMAS BIGGAR, DAVID REED, WILLIAM HILLAS, JAMES MCBRIDE, DUNCAN MCGEECHEN, MATTHEW JOHNSON, JOHN REED, and JOHN GLEN, they severally answered that they meant to stand suit, and abide the issue of the law. This business being thus finished, I returned to Col. Cannon's in company with himself, Col Nevil, Captn. Swearingen ( high sherif ) and a Captn Richie who had accompanied me to the land. Septemeber 21st. Accompanied by Col. Cannon and Captn. Swearingen who attended me to Debore's ferry on the Monongahela which separates the counties of Fayette and Washington, I returned to Gilbert Simpson's in the afternoon; after dining at one Wickerman's [ Wickerham's ] mill near Monongahela. Col. Cannon, Captn. Swearingen and Captn. Richie all promised to hunt up the evidence which could prove my poossession and improvement of the land before any of the present occupier ever saw it." +++++++++++++++++++++ [Concerning the interview between Washingon and the settlers, the story has been told and retold for almost a century and that the General declared he would have the land, and accompanied the declaration of oath, for which Squire Reed promptly fined him five shillings, which the commander-in-chief as promptly paid, and accompanied the payment with an apology for his violation of the laws of God and man. This is represented to have occurred at the house of John Reed, Esq., but it appears from the diary that the interview was held at the house of David Reed. Mr. Joseph Reed, still living, and son of David, says he often heard his father relate that on that occasion Washington declared most emphatically that he would have the land, but that he never mentioned the circumstance of the oath and fine, and it is, therefore, more than probable that that part of the story is a mere fabrication. the story is related that after the dinner was over the business for which they had met was considered. Squire Reed, on behalf of the settlers, presented their case, spoke of the hardships they had endured, the improvements made, and increased value of the lands by reason of their labor, and claimed that inasmuch as they preferred a peaceable settlement of the matter, and there were grave doubts as to the validity of General George Washington's title, the occupants would expect liberal terms from the distinguished claimant. Gen. Washington replied with dignity and some warmth, asserting that they had been forewarned by his agent, and the nature of his claim fully made known; that there could be no doubt of its validity, and rising from his seat and holding a red silk handkerchief by one corner, he said " Gentlemen, I will have this land just as surely as I now have this handkerchief," and that he proposed to sell to them at eight shillings per acre cash. The Mr. Reed, on behalf of the occupants, replied they neither could or would accept such terms, and thereupon the conference ended. This story agrees very well with the diary, except the price at which he offered the land. ] ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Continued in part 57 B.