On December 20, 1783, the state of Virginia
authorized its delegates to make a deed to the United States of all
its rights in the territory northwest of the Ohio river, upon
condition that the territory so ceded should "be laid out and formed
into states, containing a suitable extent of territory, not less
than one hundred nor more than one hundred fifty miles square, or as
near thereunto as circumstances will admit; and that the states so
formed shall be distinct republican states and admitted members of
the federal union, having the same rights of sovereignty, freedom
and independence as the other states."
These were only a part of the conditions. Among
others were the following: "That the French and Canadian inhabitants
and other settlers of the Kaskaskies, St. Vincents and the
neighboring villages, who have professed themselves citizens of
Virginia, shall have their possessions and titles confirmed to them
and be protected in the enjoyment of their rights and liberties.
That a quantity, not exceeding one hundred fifty thousand acres of
land, promised by this state, shall be allowed and granted to then
Colonel, now General, George Rogers Clark, and to the
officers and soldiers of his regiment who marched with him when the
posts Kaskaskies and St. Vincents were reduced, and to the officers
and soldiers who have since been incorporated into the said
regiment, to be laid off in one tract, the length of which not to
exceed double the breadth, in such place, on the northwest side of
the Ohio, as a majority of the officers shall choose, and to be
afterward divided among the said officers and soldiers in due
proportion, according to the laws of Virginia. That in
case the quantity of good land on the southeast side of the Ohio,
upon the waters of the Cumberland river, and between the Green river
and the Tennessee river, which have been reserved by law for the
Virginia troops upon continental establishment, should, from the
North Carolina line bearing in farther upon the Cumberland lands
than was expected prove insufficient for their legal bounties, the
deficiencies should be made up to the said troops in good lands, to
be laid off between the rivers Scioto and Little Miami, on the
northwest side of the river Ohio, in such proportions as have been
engaged to them by the laws of Virginia. That all the lands
within the territories so ceded to the united States, and not
reserved for or appropriated to any of the before mentioned purposes
or disposed of as bounties to the officers and soldiers of the
American Army, shall be considered a common fund for the use and
benefit of such of the United States as have become, or shall
become, members of the Confederation or Federal Alliance of the said
states, Virginia included according to their usual
respective proportions in the general charge and expenditure, and
shall be faithfully and bona fide disposed of for that purpose, and
for no other use or purpose whatsoever."
In agreement with these conditions, a deed was made on
March 1, 1784. The number of soldiers in the Virginia
continental line proved to be one thousand one hundred twenty-four.
The tract reserved for them between the Scioto and Little Miami
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The following is the record of the first
entry made in the territory now comprising the county of Clinton:
"No. 550, Aug. 4, 1787. Richard C. Anderson and Mayo
Carrington enter 4,000 acres of land on Military warrant No.
856, on the waters of the Little Miami, beginning three miles
southeast of Col. Logan's encampment, in October, 1786, when
a man deservted from him; running southwest 400 poles, and from the
1786, when a man deserted from him; running southwest 400 poles,
and, from the beginning northeast 400 poles; thence at right angles
southeast from each end of this line for quantity." In the
same record, page 58, is the survey, as follows:
"Surveyed for Richard Clough Anderson and
Mayo Carrington, 2,000 acres of land, on part of a military
warrant No. 856, on the waters of the Little Miami, Beginning at a
sugar tree, ash and black oak, running south forty-five degrees west
400 poles to three sugar trees; thence south east 800 poles,
crossing a creek at 38 and at 200 poles to two sugar trees and a
sassafras; thence north forty five trees west 800 poles, crossing a
branch at 70, and the creek at 360 poles, to the beginning.
"Andrew Potter - C. C.
"Charles Pigman -
"David Flough, M." |
John Obannon, D. S.
March 3, 1794
June 23, 1794 |
Although this tract was the
first one entered in the county, it was not the first one surveyed,
as Nathaniel Massie had made several surveys to 1792-93.
Several surveys were made Aug. 6, 1787, being as
follows: All on the "lower side of Caesar's creek:"
No. 567, by Clement Biddle, assignee, 905 203 acres; No. 569
by Archibald Blair, heir, 1,000 acres; No. 570, by John
Anderson 1,000 acres; No. 571 by Albert Gallatin,
assignee, 766 1-3 acres; No. 567, by Col. Abram Ruford, 1,000
acres; No 583, by Isaac Webb, 1,000 acres; No. 625, by
Thomas Finn 1,500 acres. The entire number of entries made
in the Clinton county portion of the tract, during the month of
August, 1787, was one hundred and sixteen.
Gen. Horatio Gates had for his share of the
Virginia Military Tract twelve thousand five hundred acres, which he
sold his son-in-law, Dr. James Murray, who deeded to settlers
such quantities of land as they chose to purchase, at the rate of
"seven quarter dollars per acre." Murray's deeds are as
follows:
December 3, 1803, John McGregor, 200 acres,
survey 1,632.
December 3, 1803, James Magee, 250 acres, survey
1,632
December 12, 1803, Joseph Carter, 100 acres,
survey 1,559
December 12, 1803, Robert Eachus, 160 acres,
survey, 1,558,
December 13, 1803, John Vestal, 690 acres survey
1,559.
December 13, 1803, James Moon, survey 1,558.
December 13, 1803, Isaac Perkins, 67 acres,
survey 1,558
December 13, 1803, James Odle, 159 acres, survey
1,558
December 19, 1803, Layton Jay, 50 acres
survey 1,558
December 17, 1803, Jacob Haines, 125 acres
survey 1,558
December 15, 1803, Center meeting house, 15 acres,
survey 1,558
January 19, 1805, Solomon Stanbrough, 140 acres,
survey 1,558
January 19, 1805, Samuel Stanton, 100 acres,
survey 1,558
______________, David Ferris, 200 acres,
survey 2,229
August 5, 1809, Mahlon Farquhar, 175 acres,
survey 2,231
August 5, 1809, William Mendenhall, 170
acres, survey 1,554
June 8, 1805, Mordecai Mendenhall, 146 acres,
survey 1,554
Dec. 17, 1806, Israel Wright, 517 acres, survey
1,554
February 7, 1805, Nathan Hines, 94 acres,
survey 2,258
February 7, 1805, George Phillips, 220 acres,
survey 2,232
February 4, 1812, John Ballard, 75 acres,
survey 1,557
February 5, 1809, Daniel Linton 100 acres,
survey 2,248
December 21, 1809, David Ballard, 112-3/4
acres, survey 1,556
December 21, 1809, Hur Hodgson, 100 acres, survey
2,248
August 5, 1809, Enoch Ballard, 110 acres,
survey 2,248
June 8, 1805, Nathan Linton, 112-1/2 acres,
survey 2,231
June 8, 1805, Mordecai Mendenhall, 146 acres,
survey 1,554
December 17, 1806, Israel Wright, 517 acres,
survey 1,554
February 7, 1805, Nathan Hines, 94 acres,
survey 2,258
February 7, 1805, George Phillips, 200 acres,
survey 2,232
February 4, 1812, John Ballard, 75 acres, survey
1,557
February 5, 1809, Daniel Linton, 100 acres,
survey 2,248
December 21, 1809, David Ballard,
122-3/4 acres, survey 1,556
December 21, 1809, Hur Hodgson, 100 acres,
survey 2,248
August 5, 1809, Enoch Ballard, 110 acres,
survey 2,248
July 4, 1807, Enoch Wickersham, 200 acres,
survey 2,232
July 12, 1808, Daniel Hodgson, 117-1/2
acres, survey 2,248
July 12, 1808, Jonathan Hodgson, 118
acres, survey 2,848
December 26, 1805, Jacob Haines, 111 acres
January 26, 1807, Benjamin Farquhar,
100 acres, survey 1,554.
August 5, 1809, John Hadley, 250 acres,
survey 2,231
Nathan Mendenhall, 170 acres, 1,554
Stephen Mendenhall, survey 2,248
David Patterson, 41 acres, survey 2,248
September, 20, 1824, Eekiel Leonard,
107-1/4 acres, survey 2,248 |
Any person holding a
warrant for land in the Virginia Military Tract had the
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