Daily globe., 1879-02-13
NUMBER 80.
CARVER'S CLAIM.
II NAN IN OHIO WANTS $50 ACRES
OF III.
History of the Pretended Grant of Land--
1t Covers st. Paul and Minneapolis, and
Large Section of Contiguous Territory.

Large Section of Contiguous Territory.
The secretary of state yesterday received a
letter from man named Mishler, dated at
Mogadore. o., enclosing a deed to 800 acres of
the pretended Carver grant, belonging to the
estate OF one Levi Mishler, deceased, and asks
If it is worth anything" The secretary of
state very curtly, although very courteously,
replied that it was 'worth only the paper on
which it was printed
The Carver grant of land has had
curious history. Jonathan Carver
was the first American who ex-
plored this region. He came here in 1866 and
wlntered in Minnesota. In his work, valu-
able and interesting book, he states that on
May l, l767, he held grand council with the
Indians (Sioux) at ''the Great Cave" the same
one that Is still known as Carver's cave under
Dayton's Bluff. He went to ENGLAND nuh-
llshed his book and died there. After his death
MS heirs pretended that they had found the
deed among his papers. Carver nowhere speaks
In his book OF any deed or grant of land. and
historians are now of the opinion that he never
got any, nor during his life made any such
pretense but that his heirs forged the deed so
as to make something out of it. Some fiftv or
SIXTY years ago. deeds to this land, the title
coming from his heirs, were sold by thousands
to persons East. After St. Paul became town.
real estate dealers here used to receive copies of
these deeds from persons in Eastern States to
oca1e, ihey still turn up occasionally,
just as the following document did Yesterday:
This indenture, made the 23d day of October.
A. D. 1861, between Sidney NJ Root, of Sum.
nit county, State of Ohio, of the one part. and
W. W. Habcomb, of the county of Cuyahoga,
state OF Ohio, of the other part witnesseth,
that whereas Hawnopawiatin and Otohton-
goomllsheaw, chiefs of the Naudowissie In
dlans, did, by their certain decd under their
respective seals, give grant and convey to a GER
tain Jonathan Carver. in the words following.
to wit:
To Jonathan Carver, chief of the most
mlghty and potent George the Third, king of the
English and other nations, the fame of whose
courageous warriors has reached our ears and
mas been more fully told us by our good brother
Jonathan aforesaid, whom we rejoice to see
among us, and bring us good news from his
country; we, chiefs of the Naudowissies. who
nave hereunto set our hands and seals, do by
these presents, for ourselves and our heirs for
ever, in return for many presents and good
services done by the said Jonathan to ourselves
and allies, give, grant and convey to him. the
SAID Jonathan Carver, and his heirs and
assigns forever, the whole of certain tract of
territory Of land, bounded as follows. to-wit:
IRON the Falls Is OF st. Anthony, running on the
SG.
as Tar as the south end of Lake Pepin, where
the Chippewa river joins the Mississippi, and
from thence eastward five days travel, account
ing twenty English miles per day, and from
thence north six days travel, at twenty English
miles per day, and from thence to the Falls of
st: Anthony in straight line. We do, for our
selves, our heirs and assigns forever.
give unto the said Jonathan, his heirs
and assigns forever, all the said land,
with all the trees. rocks and rivers therein, re-
serving to ourselves and heirs the sole liberty
Of hunting and fishing on the lands not planted
or improved by the said Jonathan. his heirs or
assigns, to which we have affixed our respective
seals, at the great cave, May the first, one thou
sand seven hundred and sixty, seven
HAwNoPAwJAT1N (Turtle) his mark
OToHToSGooaI1sHEAw (Snake) his mark.
Which said deed is In the records of the plan
tatlon ta ounce, White Hall, London. And whereas,
the aforesaid Jonathan Carver departed this
life on or before the thirtieth day of January.
IN the year of our Lord, one thousand seven
hundred and eighty, in the city of London. in
that part Of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain called England, leaving two sons and
hve daughters. joint heirs and sole inheritors of
the aforesaid tract or territory, viz: Rufus
Jonathan, Mary, Abigail. Olive, Sarah and Min,
oerell. And whereas, the aforesaid heirs and rep
representatives of the aforesaid Jonathan Car
yer, deceased, did in due form of law, grant.
bargain, gn sell and convey in the month of Octo-
Thousand
acres OF the above described tract of land.
And whereas, the aforesaid Paul Hawks. of
dexter, Wastenaw county, State of Michigan,
dld, on the sixteenth day of January, A. D. one
Thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven.
grant, bargain, sell and convey to Asa LEX the
above described twenty-six thousand acres of
lana. @ And whereas, the above said Asa Leik,
OF Dexter, Washenaw county, Michigan, did, on
the third day of May, A. D. 1887, grant, bar
gain and sell to Harry s. Lee, three thousand
acres Of the above tract of land And whereas.
the said Harry S. Lee did, on the third day of
August, 1874, grant, bargain and sell unto
the above tract of land. And whereas .ss 1i
day of October, 1s1s. 'a grant .ne haraain saa;n
and sell to Seth NJ. Root six hundred and forty
acres OF the above described land. And where
as Seth NJ. Root decided to me six hundred and
forty acres of the above land:
Know all men by these presents. that 7. Sid.
ney Root, of Clinton, Summit county and
state OF Ohio in consideration of six hundred
dollars paid by W. w. Holcomb, (the recent
whereof do hereby acknowledged have remis-
ed, released, sold and forever quit-claimed. and
90 Tor myself and my heirs, by these presents
the said W. W. Holcomb his heirs and assigns
three hundred and twenty (320) acres of the
above tract of land, decided to me as aforesaid.
to be located on any part of said tract not here
tetore sold, located and settled, to have and to
hold the aforementioned premises, with all the
privileges and appurtenances thereunto belong
ing, to him the said W. W. Holcomb, his heirs
and assigns forever.
In witness whereof, I. the said Sidney NJ, Root.
nave hereunto set my hand and seal this 23d
day of October, in the year of our lord. one
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
SIDNEY NJ. RooT. L. ST.
Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of
CHAs. RNEHERT,
A. NJ. RUSSELL.
On the back of the deed is an acknowledg-
ment OF W. W. Holcomb, that for and in con-
slderatlon OF 81 1000 he had sold his interest in
the land described, to L. Mishler of Spring.
held, the gentleman who sends the document
to the secretary of State, with the very perti-
nent inquiry as to Ito ,rai,,a a.. u!