The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-07-14
From the Milan Advertiser.I
HISTORY OF MILAN TOWNSHIP,
ERIE co.
PrepSred for the Centennial Anniversary,
Fourth Of July, 1876.
~ Ply d ArTEP

The first question naturally presenting ltSeii III
the history of Milan Township is, What title have
we to the land now occupied by us? The reply
is ours is a royal title In l6G2, Charles the ii,
king OF Great Britian-by letters patent ceded TO
John Winthrop and eighteen Others, all the land
now embraced in the State of Connecticut and
extending Westward, between its North and
South boundaries to the Pacific Ocean. This
western portion was called the Western Reserve
of fCOnneeticutDuring the of the Revolution
the British made incuTsions into the towns of
Connecticut-eapturing and cruelty treating its
inhabitants. and destroying property. These
towns were New Haven, Fairfield, NOrwalk,
Greenwich, Groten, Ridgetield, New London end
Danbury, names familiar to Us. ours being memo
rias OF those just mentioned, indemnity for the
Losses sustained by citizens of these towns. The
State of Connecticut, in 17S2 granted to these
sufferers half million land to be divided
among themselves and their heirs. Those lands
were described lying West OF the State o: Penn
sylvania on the south shore OF Lake Ere, and
embraced what is now Erie and Huron counties
and part of Ottawa county. They We're called
the sufferers Lands Fire Lands" since the
Losses principally by fire. In l7g5, the State
OF Connecticut sold the remainder OF the Reserve
10 the Connecticut Land Co. The following year
the Fire Lands Co. was organized. These compa-
mics set out to survey their lands. At the same
time the United States claimed jurisdiction over
all this Northwest Territory and there diff
cultieS a. to boundaries and right OF possession.
II finally agreed in 1900 by the United States
and State OF Connecticut that the titles 10 these
lands DC made good TO the purchasers and the
United states have jurisdiction ovOr said tact OF
land In lS0s the Ohio legislature Incorporated
the Fire Land Co In 1906 a treaty was made with
the Indians assembled on the Maumee River, by
which tho Indian title 10 the land eNtin-
sFs1sShaJ 4 was in 1,x-S
Hoyt, Jabez Wright and Almon RuggleS, and on
account OF inaccuracies new survey by the last
NAMED, the following year, who also laid of the
land into townships and Sections-each township
oi four sections. the center of Milan township be-
ing about at the residence Of Michael Peters In
dividing these lands among the sufferers each one
presented his claims for damage the records of
which are found in tho court house al Norwalk
Whether any of these sufferers Were settled the
land apportioned TO them in Milan township is a
a matter unsettled. The claims We're bought and
the land located by the purchaser The names of
fifty three persons are found a. having their
claims located in part OF wholly in this township
but only thirteen purchasers. For example
Philip Allyn has claim for damage 10 the
amount oi nine pounds. fifteen shilling five and
one-hali pence Guy Richarls and Others take
this claim and locate it 10 the value OF four
pounds, seventeen shillings and eight and one
fourth pence. The same persons take eight other
claims; samuel Hughes buys twenty claims; Eb-
enezer Avery and Others buy thirteen claims.
This last lot OF Land was called the Avery Tract
and hence the first name Of TIE township
Avery, Here also, on the east side of the river,
WAS the county seat on the farm of Mr.. Sands.
About the year 1907 or their land came into
market. Previous TO this time there were squat
tiers or royers on tours OF inspection who remained
for a few months cultivated a little of the
prairie or bottom lands. Some Of these may have
become actual settlers afterwards
WHITE sETTLERs
In lsG9 David Abbott OF Bloomfield, Mass pur-
chased 1900 acre of land in the northeast section
OF the township and lying on both sides of the
Huron River. with the intention of permanent
settlement, but did not remove with his family
till lSl0. But as early lsOS Mr. Jared Ward,
who died in 1857, at the age OF ninety-hve had
bought of an Indian a log house and land on the
west side of the river, three miles north Of Milan
In 1863 he purchased the same OF Mr.. Abbott, thus
making good his title to the land Mr. Ward was
therefore the 6rSt actual 1hite settler in Milan
Township. He claimed 10 have cut the first stick