OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Tidbits of Ohio -- Part 57B ************************************************************************ 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 27, 2005 ************************************************************************** Historical Collections of Ohio. And Then They Went West Know Your Ohio Tid Bits -- part 57 B. by Darlene E. Kelley Notes by S. Kelly [ ] ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tid Bits- Part 57B. Continuation of Washington's Lands. [ Mt. Pleasant Twp. ] Soon after Col. Washington's visit to the lands, he secured the services of Thomas Smith, Esq., of Bedford County, leading attorney [ afterwards a justice of the Supreme Court ], to commence suits of ejectment against the parties. Suit was brought at the December term, 1784. Hugh M. Brackenridge represented the defendants. No claim was made on the part of the settlers to priority of title, and was the rights of Washington by the Virginia patent were well authenticated, and the suit was successful against the settlers. The claim brought by them was that the lands were purchased by Col. Washington of Col George Croghan, who obtained his rights by Indian purchase, which were not recognized by either the States of Virginia or Pennsylvania. Ohio was yet, not a State. The names of the settlers who had located on the Washinton Lands and against whom ejectment suits were brought were SAMUEL MCBRIDE, JAMES MCBRIDE, THOMAS BIGGET [ Bigger ], WILLIAM STEWART, BRICE MCGEHAN, JOHN REED, ESQ., DAVID REED, JOHN GLEN, JAMES SCOTT ( the elder ) WILLIAM HILLIS, and MATTHEW JOHNSON. Possession was given to Gen. Washngton, some of the parties remaining on the land as tenants, others on land adjoining. THOMAS BIGGER removed to the land in which he settled in 1773 in what is now Robinson township. Matthew Ritchie acted as local agent for Washington, and on the 1st of June, 1796, he purchased the entire tract for twelve thousand dollars. Shortly after the purchase he advertised the lands for sale, and says of it, " There are thirteen farms cleared and cultivated. The soil is of excellant quality, rich, level, well timbered, and well watered." No deeds of record to show that Matthew Richie ever sold any of the tract. He died in the spring of 1798. By his will made on the 25th of February, 1798, and probated in March that year, he devised this land to Aleander Addison and his heirs and assigns, subject to account for the profits after payment of the purchase money." The executors of the estate were John Ritchie and Alexander Addison. The records do not show any settlement of account by them, nor is there any release on file to Addison, or settlement by him for profits on sale of land. In the month of March, 1802, Absalom Baird, then sheriff of Washington County, advertised the two thousand eight hundred and thirteen aces of land for sale, they being " The Lands and tenements of Col Matthew Ritchie, Deceased, in my Bailiwick." He was ordered to levy on the land, " as wel as a certain debt of $6409.20., being the last two installments due upon a mortgage which is held by Bushrod Washington, William Augusta Washington, George Steptoe Washington, Samuel Washington, and Samuel Lewis, Executors, and Martha Washington, Executrix, of Gen. George Washington," In pursuance were exposed at public vendue on the day advertised, and were sold to Alexander Addison for sixty dollars, he being the highest bidder. The sheriff's deed bears the date of May 4, 1802. Judge Addison commenced the sales of lands after this purchase, and on the 3rd of April of that year conveyed three hundred and one acres to James Scroggs, one hundred forty acres to John Cowden, and one hundred and ninty four acres to James McDowell. On the 8th of September the same year ninty nine acres were sold to Matthew Hillis. Two hundred and fifty-one acres were conveyed to John Berry, Aug 15, 1804; one hundred and fifty acres to Robert George, April 10, 1805; and three hundred and nine acres to Samuel Scott on the 4th of may the same year. Judge Addison died Nov 27, 1807, and Mrs. Addison, his widow, was executrix of the estate. She appointed John Johnson her attorney. He purchased two hundred acres of the remainder on the 1st of April, 1810, and on the 5th of April te same year Jane Addison, as executrix, sold all the residue or remainder of the two thousand eight hundred and thirteen acres yet unsold at that date, which was about thirteen hundred acres to John Johnson. Of the settlers on these Washington lands, James Mc Dowell, in addition to his first purchase from Addison, bought of John Johnson one hundred and forty acres ( also part of the Washington lands), Jan 23, 1812. This tract he sold two days later to James Campbell. The land he bought of Judge Addison was sold by his executors, Feb 5, 1828, to William Crewford, who left it by will with other lands, Feb 27, 1846, to his son James, Thomas, and Robert. The one hundred and ninety- four acres first purchased by James MCDowell was sold by James Crawford to JOHN REED. James Scroggs, who bought three hundred and one acres, lived to a ripe old age, and left two sons, James and Reynolds. The land now belonged to JOHN REED. John Cowden, who bought in 1802, one hundred and forty acres, lived on this place until his death, when the land was sold to William Crawford. He left several children, Isaac, a son, settled near Hickory, where John McBirney now owns. JOHN and DAVID REED, brothers, and sons of DAVID REED, were natives of Lancaster County. They came to tis county in 1777, and induced by the representations of agents of Col. George Grohgan, andthe offer of settlement rights by the State of Virginia on compliance with certain conditions, they settled on these lands, clearing off a small portion, and building each a cabin. In the fall they returned to Lancaster County. John was already married, and David was married on his return home. In the spring following they with their wives moved to their new homes. They lived several years undisturbed. Soon after the organization of Washinton County in 1781, John Reed was chosen justice of the peace of the district which afterwards in 1787 became the fourth, and justice of the peace of the court of Common Pleas, and was reappointed in November of 1788. On October 2nd 1783, he had purchased of David Lindsey ' all that tract or parcel of land lying and between on the water's of Miller's Run, within the county and containing four hundred acres," adjoining James McCormick and others. After the ejectment suit was decided he removed to his land in Cecil township, after owned by Mrs. Cubbage. Here he died in 1816, leaving a son David, and daugters, Catherine, Ann, Jane, and Mary. David settled on the farm and later removed and spent the rest of his time near Felicity and Rural, and buried in Mt. Pleasant, near where his grand-daughter, Belle Reed, daughter of Joseph Reed and Racheal ( Morgan) Reed raised a family of eleven children. David Reed's son John, lived on the farm many years, and sold to a party in Pittsburg, who sold to John Cabbage. Catherine became the wife of Rev. Daniel McClean, who settled at Chenango, Pa; Ann married Robert Story and moved to Mt. Pleasant; Jane became the wife of Rev David Emery, and settled at Darlington, Beaver County; Mary married the Rev. Alexander Murray, and settled for a while at Slippery Rock, Pa. David Reed the brother of John Reed,Esq., lived there till the ejection suits were decided, and purchased in Cecil township and later at Mt. Pleasant. It was at his house that Washinton dined when he came to tese lands on the 22nd of Septemeber, 1784. A David Reed was listed [ by Rev. W.A. McConnell ) on the oldest record of the session of Mt. Pleasant as one of the ruling members that bears the date of June 1, 1821, of the United Presbyterian Congregation of Mt. Pleasant. It is recognized as a congregation in the oldest minute of Chartiers Presbytery now exant, the record of Nov.10, 1801. Name's on this record is ; Messrrs, Patrick Douglas, William Nelson, Thomas Mc.Call, David Reed, Loudowick McCarrell, and John McBride. Succeding elders were installed later, with John Reed Esq, installed in 1846. The elders in charge of the congregation were of the time of this writing; John Mc Burney, Robert Jeffery, Nathaniel White, James Caldwell, Samuel Moore, J.H. Moore, T.M. Berryhill, and Alexander V. Reed. All within the limits of Mt. Pleasant Twp. Matthew Hillis was a settler here before these lands were sold. he had taken a tract of land on a Virginia certificate, one hundred and thirty acres of which he sold Dec 5, 1803, to John McKibbins. He died in 1803. He left a wife, Elizabeth, and seven daughters,-- Elizabeth ( Mrs. Hugh Dobbins), Martha ( Mrs. John McKibbens), Eleanor ( Mrs. Abraham Boyd), Rebecca ( Mrs. Ebenezer R. Donaldson), Jane ( Mrs. Charles Glass ) Agnes ( Mrs. Wm Smith ) and Mary. There were a Richard and William Hillis; the later was one of those ejected in 1784. Robert George, who purchased one hundred and fifty acres in 1805, lived here until his death. His son, bought one hundred and five acres of Thomas Cherry, March 28, 1835, about one mile from Midway, where his son Samuel lived. John Berry, a native of Ireland, came to Mt. Pleasant township, and purchased two hundred and fifty acres of the Washington land of Alexander Addison on the 15th of August, 1804. He lived on this farm till his death, and left two sons, John and William. John remained on the original tract. His son William finally owned it. John, a son of John, had four sons,--- Jonathan and John who went to Steubenville, Ohio; William, who settled on the home tract; and Samuel, who became a presbyterian minister. Of the daughters, Eliza became the wife of Alexander May, of Cecil township; Mary married Robert Riddle, Willam, the son of John Berry Sr., moved to Venice, purchased a farm in North Strabane township, where he settled , and his descendants still live. Samuel Scott, on the fourth of May, 1805, purchased of Alexander Addison, three hundred and nine acres of land, where he lived till his death. Of his sons, John settled on the homestead and died there. His son, John received the farm. J.P. Scott, of Cecil township, married a daughter of Robert Cook, and resided on the Cook farm in Cecil. John Scott, a son of Samuel, was a soldier in the war of 1812, and settled in Mount Pleasant township, where his sons, John and Joseph also resided. Of the lands John Johnson purchased of Mrs. Addison,Vincent Cockins bough two hundred and sixty-five acres, August 1, 1817, on which his son, John Cockins resided. Dr. James Irwin purchased one hundred and four acres, May 7, 1810; John Hogseed, one hundred and eighty acres, Apr.1. 1813; David McConehey, one hundred and eighty acres, Sept 10, 1817; Matthew Johnson was one of the ejected in 1784. He purchased, Mar 7, 1783, of David Long, a tract of land along the waters of Shirtee Creek.[ It is said to contain two hundred acres. ] Church meetings were at first held in private houses, and afterwards in the grove south, until the erection of the churches. Two churches therein contained were Mt. Prospect Church, The United Presbyterian Congregation of Mt. Pleasant. All within 6 miles of the residents. There does not appear to have been a building of any kind untill the church was formally organized. After they build a board " tent was first erected in the grove, which occupied by the congregations in the summer, while they started the erection of the churches, which were ready by the summer of 1826. They were built by Hugh McConaughey. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Continued in part 58 A.