OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Tidbits of Ohio -- Part 99 ************************************************************************ 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 September 4, 2006 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Historical Collection of Ohio And Then They Went West Know Your Ohio Tid-Bits - Part 99 by Darlene E. Kelley notes by S. Kelly Whittlesey notes on map Holley's journal ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tid Bits - Part 99 First Map or Plat of City of Cleaveland by Whittlesey " The original map or plat of the city of Cleaveland, Oct 1, 1796, was found among the papers of John Milton Holley, at Salisbury, Connecticut, in the charge of his son, Gov. Alexander H. Holley. It was endorsed in the hand writing of Amos Spafford; " Original plan of the town and village of Cleaveland, Ohio, Oct 1, 1796." This sheet was formed, by pasting several sheets and parts of sheets, of foolscap together, evidently extemprized in the field. It was the first rough shetch, used by the surveyors before their return to the east. Superior Street was at first named Broad Street- a very appropriate title, as it had no equal in width. Miami Street had the name of Deer Street - probably from the appearance there, of one of those animals during the survey. Maiden Street, or Lane, was ignored in the subseqent platt of Spafford, in 1801, and thus abandoned. On this map there is no extension of Superior Street to the river, which was done by Spafford, under the name of Superior Lane. The Public Square was indicated by a blank space, like a enlargement of the streets crossing each other at that point. Ontario had the first name of Court Street, which is erased and the present name is inserted. One the face of the original, there are the numbers of the lots - two hundred and twenty in number, the streets, Superior, Water, Mandrake, Union, Vineyard, Bath, Lake, Erie, Federal, Maiden, Ontario, Huron, Ohio and Miami -- fourteen in number, and the names of the parties who had selected the lots. These were Stoddard, lot 49, north-east corner of Water and Superior Streets; Stiles, lot 53, north-east corner of Bank and Superior Streets; Landon, lot 77, directly opposite, on the south side of Superior St; Baun, lot 65, sixteen rods east of the Public Square; Shepherd, lot 69, and Chapman, lot 72, all on the north side of the same street. " Pease's hotel " as the styled the surveyors' cabin, was placed on the line between lots 202 and 203, between Union Street and the river. North-west of it, about ten rods, on lot 201, their store house was laid down. Vineyard, Union and Mandrake streets were laid out to secure access to the upper and lwer landings on the river. Bath Street provided a way of reaching the lake shore and the mouth of the river. After the return of the surveyors, regular field notes of the surveys of the city, were made by Seth Pease, which are regarded as the official returns. With these notes is a map, styled on the face of it " Plan of the City of Cleveland, 1796," which is substantially the same as the one here discribed. The river bluffs are slightly dfferent, and the sand spits at the mouth is longer. There are the same number of streets with the same names, with the lots are alike on both, but the name of the city is spelled on the field plat without the letter " a " probably through inadvertence. In the papers and correspondence of those times, and until after the war of 1812, it is spelled both ways. General Cleaveland, from whom the city was named, always signs with the letter " a " in the first syllable. Several copies of the plat, were made on a scale about the same as the first darft, during the winter of 1796-97, for the use of the company, but was never engraved. The first published map of theReserve is that of Seth Pease, after his return in 1797. About the year 1816, soon after the organization of the village corporation, when some new streets were thought to be necessary, the authorized book of foeld notes, with its minature plan, was brought to here by James Root, Esq., brother to Ephram Root, the secretary of the company. This book remained until about the year 1856, since when, not being in official custody, it has disappeared. There is not upon the Western Reserve a collection of the papers, maps, field books and proceedings of the company, from whom all our land titles are derived. A part of the field notes of Pease, Holley, and Warren are in my possesion." Charles Whittlesey. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Back To Holley's Journal The survey of the city was commenced on the 16th of September 1796, and completed about the 1st of October. Holley's discriptions of their departure and journey homeward as far as Canandaigua are full and interesting. Monday, Oct 17th, 1796 -- Finished surveying in New Connecticut; weather rainy. Tuesday, Oct 18th - We left Cuyahoga at 3 o'clock 17 minutes, from home. We left at Cuyahoga Job Stiles and wife, and Joseph Landon, with provisions for the winter. Wm. B. Hall, Titus V.Munson and Olney Rice engaged to take all the pack horses to Geneva. Day pleasant,and fair wind about south-east; rowed about seven and half miles, and encamped for the night on the beach. There were fourteen men on board the boat, and I never presume, were fourteen men more anxious to pursue an object, than were to get forward. The names of the men in te boat were; Augustus Porter; James Hamilton; James Hacket, Nathan Chapman; Genesee; Seth Pease, Ralph Bacon; Stephen Benton; Milton Holley; Richard Stoddard; George Proudfoot; Joseph Tinker; Charles Parker; Wareham Shephard; Amzi Atwater. Walnut creek, a pretty stream twenty or thirty links wide, empties into the lake about seven miles east of the Cuyahoga; not navigable for boats. The township of Cleaveland lies on the lake shore, eight miles, four chains, seventy links. About one hundred and thirty chains east of the corner a stream, considerably larger than Walnut creek, empties into the lake. This is in the town purchased by the surveyors, and named ( by Moses Warren, Esq. ) Euclid; in memory of the man who first made principles of geometry known. About ten miles from the Cuyahoga, a rock shore begins and continues to Chagrin river. This river is about fourteen rod wide at its mouth, and navigable for boats up three or four miles at all times, when there is no obstruction at the outlet, which however, is frequently the case, with this as well as most of the other rivers upon this lake, in consequence of the waves driving up the bank of sand. Wednesday morning, 3 o'clock- Clear and pleasant; moon shone bright, and we hoisted sail. About daybreak it began to thicken up in the west, and by sunrise the sky was hid from sight. Just before sunrise we passed the first settlement (except those made by ourselves) that is on the shore of the lake in New Connecticut. This is done by the Canandaiqua Association Company, under the direction of Major Wells and Mr. Wildair. After the sun rose the wind got into the north and north-east, and came on to blow so fresh that we were obligd to run ashore on the beach and pitch our tent, about a mile east of the Chagrin. Thursday, Oct 20th, 1796 - Started hale after six in the morning; no wind; against the ninth Range of towns. About nineteen miles by the lake shore from te Cuyahoga, a creek came in, which forms a large marsh lying a mile along shore, on a average one hundred rods wide; at twenty seven miles come in the Grand River. This stream is almost always a good harbor for boats, the outlet into the lake being about two or three rods wide and two or three rods wide and two or three feet deep. Just above the the sand bar, made by the washing of the lake, the river is nearly twenty rods wide, and the depth sufficient for large vessels to anchor in. It continues this depth almost a mile, and is navigable for boats a great distance, I suppose forty or fifty miles at least. the general course is north, till it approaches within eight miles of the lake, when it runs twenty miles nearly due west before it empties itself. About thirty-six miles a burning spring in the lake, two or three rods from shore, which is very perceptible as you stand upn the beach, from its boiling motion. Mr. Porter told me that he, with General Cleaveland ad Mr. Stow, had made a trial to know if it really was inflammable, which they found to be the case, although it was a very unfavorable time when they did it. The waves run high, and the wind blew hard. They held a torch well lighted very close to the water, when there appeared a flame like that of spirits burning, but as it was so much mixed with air, and the water so deep over it, ( four feet ) the flame would go out immediately. About 11 o'clock the wind began to blow from the north-east, and came so hard that we put ashore, and encamped near the spring at 1 o'clock, P.M. Friday, 21st. - Started about 2 o'clock; wind north-east, not strong; about 10 it lulled away, and we rowed to Conneaut; arrived about half after 12; took inventory of the articles left there, and about 4 o'clock in the morning, that is, on Saturday, the 22nd, we hoisted sail for Presque Isle. We sailed and rowed prettily to the peninsula, unloaded, drew the boat across, and arrived at the garrison at 12 o'clock. Received a letter from my father of Sept.16th, and one from Myron of te 15th, by Esquire Paine, of Onondaga county. This place is settling considerably fast, and I think, must be a place of consequence, as it affords a good harbor vessels, has a good country around it, and is but fifteen miles by land from Le Beuf, which is on French creek, and about one hundred and fifty miles from Pittsburgh, to which place from Le Beuf, is good boating through French creek and the Allegheny river all the way. The journey is preformed often in two days. settlers from the north-western part of Pennsylvania take this route to get on the Presque Isle lands. The peninsula is about seven miles in length, and from twelve rods to a mile wide. It is very little more than a bank of sand, although a great part of it is thickly timbered. The bay is about six miles in length and two miles wide. In the channel there is sufficient depth of water for ships to anchor, but they cannot get near shore. With some expense, a wharf can be made out to the channel, which is probably the case. Opposite the east end of the peninsula, on the main land, stands a fort. It has a commanding prospect and is agreeably situated, except a bad narsh between it and the lake, which in dry seasons is extremely unhealthy. Sunday, Oct 23, '96 - Left Presque Isle at 35 minutes past one o'clock in the morning; a land breeze from the south-west. The wind continued, and we rowed till about 1 o'clock P.M. when it came so fast from the west, from where it had hauled that we sailed till 4 o'clock; the wind then lulled, and we plyed our oars again; arrived in Buffalo creek at half after 10 in the evening. We struck a fire, and were asleep in less than thirty minutes from the time of landing. Monday morning, Oct 24th -- Left Buffalo creek at 9 o'clock in the morning. We ran down the river to Chipeway landing, which is twenty miles distant, at half after 12 o'clock. We were so fortunate, as to get out of the boat and luggage carried across the portage immediately, by some teams that came to the shore just as we did. We rode in a wagon to Queenstown. Came across Capt. Davis at Major Ingersoll's inn. With him, Mr. Hunn, Mr. Butler and Major Pixley, we spent a sociable evening. Tuesday, Oct 25th, We left Major Ingersoll's at half past 7, and came to Newmark. Davis came with us. We breakfasted at Wilson's. Newark is a pleasant village, situated on the west shore of Niagara river, just as its entrance into lake Ontario. It is laid out in city form, and there are many very pretty buildings. I think it will not be a place of so much business as Queenstown. Opposite Newark standsthe ancient fort of Niagara, built by the French. It appears to have been a place of considerable strength, though many parts are now tumbling to ruin. We left Newark ar half after 10 o'clock, A.M.; wind north-east; about 1 o'clock the wind lulled, and we continued rowing till sundown, then encamped on the beach at the mouth of the creek, or marsh, called Key Harbor. The shore of the lake to this place is generally low and clayey. Just before we came to the harbor, a rocky shore commences. The opening, whence te marsh or creek come in, is about fifteen rods, and about twenty miles from the fort. Wednesday, Oct 26th - Started at 4 o'clock in the morning; wind rather ahead. We rowed past Golden Harbor, the Eagle's Nest, and on to Oak Orchard; a creek of considerable size comes in here, supposed to be Tonawanda. From the appearance of the mouth, it never fills up with the sand, therefore is a good harbor for boats, ( the others metioned were filled ); arrived here about twelve o'clock. This is about forty-five miles from the garrison at Niagara. Thursday, 27th- Wind north-east, in consequence of which we are obliged to lie still. I had the headache this day. Towards evening the wind lulled away, and at a quarter after 6 o'clock we left our encampment, and determined to row all night. it was extremely cold; the waves ran high, and the wind came on to blow considerably hard against us. However, we continued rowing, and about sunrise passed the Genesee river. Friday, 27th- At 7 o'clock and 45 minutes we entered the mouth of Gerundicut bay, and found a fire burning here. We breakfasted, and pursued our way at 9 o'clock. This bay is about four miles in length, and from one-half to three quarters of a mile wide. A great part of it consists of flags, marsh, and a kind of mossy grass, coming close to the top of the water. Towards the head of the bay, the navigation is so difficult that we were obliged to strip, jump into the mud up to our waists, and haul the boat thirty yards to get into the channel. We pursued the river to the head of navigation, which is about eight miles as the river runs,which is very crooked. Porter, Pease, Stoddard, and myself stayed at Dunbar's that night, the others went on. Saturday, 29th - We breakfasted, and then set out on foot for Canandaigua, where we arrived at sunset. Lodged at Sanborn's. His " home" was at Suffield, on the banks of the Connecticut river, above Hartfort. +++++++++++++++++++++++ After the surveyors returned in the fall of 1796, a meeting was called on the 17th of January,1797, at which the Directors and Trustees, were required to urge the Legislature to erect a county comprising all the Western Reserve. A committee was appointed to enquire into the causes of the " very great expense of the Company, during the first year, the causes which have prevented the completion of the surveys; and why the surveyors and agents have not made their reports. A tax, or assessment, of five dollars per share, was also ordered, the number of shares being four hundred. A committee of Partition was appinted consisting of Daniel Holbrook, Moses Warren, Jr., Seth Pease and Amos Spafford. Another committee was raised to inquire generally into the conduct of the directors. At a subsequent meeting, on Feburary 22, 1797, this committee made their report, thoroughly white-washing the directors, and overwelming the dissatisfied stockholders. They also "voted that Moses Cleaveland's contract with Joseph Brant, Esq., in behalf of the Mohawks, of Grand river, Canada, be ratified." By this time the distressing fact became known, that the " Excess Company " had no land whatever. Augustus Porter, who had made a traverse of the lake shore, from the Pennsylvania line to Sandusky bay, asertained tat it bore much more to the south, than the old maps represented. Upon calculating the contents of the tract, including the Fire lands, he discovered that the Land Company had less than three million of acres, the quanity for which they had paid. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Tid Bits - con't in part 100.