# United States Statutes at Large/Volume 1/3rd Congress/2nd Session/Chapter 49

Chap. ⅩⅬⅨ.—An Act to authorize a grant of lands to the French inhabitants of Galliopolis, and for other purposes therein mentioned.
President to cause a certain tract of land to be surveyed.Section 1. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States shall be and he is hereby authorized and empowered to cause to be surveyed, in the territory northwest of the Ohio,1798, ch. 59. a tract of land situate on the northerly bank of the river Ohio, beginning one mile and a half on a straight line above the mouth of Little Sandy, thence down the said river Ohio along the courses thereof eight miles when reduced to a straight line, thence at right angles from each extremity of the said line so as to include the quantity of twenty-four thousand acres of land to be disposed as herein after directed.
To cause the French inhabitants of Galliopolis to be enumerated.Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That the President be authorized to cause to be ascertained the number of French inhabitants and actual settlers of the town or settlement of Galliopolis, being males above eighteen years of age or widows who are or shall be within the said town or settlement of Galliopolis on the first day of November next.
Letters patent to be issued to John G. Gervais for a tract of said land on condition.Sec. 3. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States shall be and he is hereby authorized and empowered to issue letters patent in the name and under the seal of the United States, thereby granting to John Gabriel Gervais, and his heirs, four thousand acres of land, part of the said twenty-four thousand acres to be located on the northwest bank of the river Ohio opposite to the mouth of the Little Sandy, with condition in the said letters patent that if the said John Gabriel Gervais or his heirs shall not personally within three years from the date of the same patent settle on the same tract of land, and there continue settled for three years next thereafter, the same letters patent shall be void and determine, and the title thereof revest in the United States as if this law had not passed.
Remainder to be distributed among the actual settlers of Galliopolis.Sec. 4. And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States shall be and he is hereby authorized and empowered to cause to be surveyed, laid off and divided, the remaining twenty thousand acres of land, residue of the twenty-four thousand acres, into as many lots or parts as the actual settlers of Galliopolis shall on the ascertainment aforesaid amount to, and the same to be designated, marked and numbered on a plat thereof to be returned to the secretary of the said territory, together with a certificate of the courses of the said lots, the said lots or parts of the aforesaid tract, to be assigned to the settlers aforesaid by lot. Patents to issue,And the President of the United States is hereby authorized and empowered to issue letters patent as aforesaid to the said actual settlers and their heirs for the said twenty thousand acres, to be held by them in severalty in lots to be designated and described by their numbers on the plat aforesaid, on condition.with condition in the same letters patent that if one or more of the said grantees his or her heirs or assigns shall not within five years from the date of the same letters make or cause and procure to be made an actual settlement on the lot or lots assigned to him, her or them, and the same continue for five years thereafter, that then the said letters patent so far as concerns the said lot or lots not settled and continued to be ​settled as aforesaid shall cease and determine and the title thereof shall revest in the United States in the same manner as if this law had not passed.
Settlers’ claims against contractors not to be impaired.Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That nothing in this act shall be taken or considered in any manner to impair or affect the claims of the said settlers against any person or persons for or by reason of any contracts heretofore made by them, but that the same contracts shall be and remain in the same state as if this law had not passed.
Approved, March 3, 1795.