The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1889-10-02
CONNECTICUT WESTERN RE.
SERVE
A Valuable Historical sketch.

Letters of inquiry from men of
other states, asking the meaning of the Connect
icut Western Reserve, and the fact that so few of
our own citizens fully understand that it is his
toric ground, for which Nations and States have
contended for centuries, has induced the writer
to prepare the following epitomized sketch.
Ownership of the Connecticut Western Re-
serve has been claimed by England. France and
Spain. The history of the Northwestern Ter
ritory commences in 1855, at the time of the'
Treaty Of the u S. with the Indians at Fort Nc
Intosh, near Beaver, Pa. The history of the
Connecticut Western Reserve goes back to 1902.
BY the Treaty of 1885. the U. S. acquired all the
territory northwest of the Ohio river and east
of the Cuyahoga river, Portage Path and Tus-
carawas. BY this purchase from the Indians,
the u. S. claimed to own the whole territory but
the state of Connecticut had a charter granted
by Charles II, of England, in 1862, conveying to
that state, when colony, the territory bounded
by the south line of Massachusetts, on the north,
and extending to Long Island Sound on the
south, and from the Naraganset river on the east,
to the Pacific ocean on the west. These bound
aries included!not only what is now called Con-
necticut, but portion of New York, New Jersey,
nearly one-half of Pennsylvania. the northern
part of Ohio, Indiana Illinois, Michigan, parts
of Kansas, Nebraska, Utah, Oregon and Cali
fornia. The Indians, who were the rightful
owners of this territory, were never consulted.
King Charles assumed he had a right to it, and
granted a charter of it to Connecticut Liter,
H. ob, nc a.. f
York, for what is now the state of New York,
and one toWilliam Penn, for what is now Penn
sylvania. Both of these charters cut entirely
across the territory previously granted to Con-
necticut, and long controversy followed between
Connecticut, the Duke of York and William
Penn, which was continued until 1864, when it
was decided by Commissioners appointed by the
King for that purpose. These Commissioners
decided that Connecticut had no right to the
territory embraced in the Patent or Charter of
the Duke of York.
Although compelled to submit to this decision,
Connecticut Insisted on her claim west of New
York, including Northern Pennsylvania. In
1881, Pennsylvania and Connecticut appointed
Commissioners to settle the dispute, and an Act
of Congress was passed, granting to these Com
missioners full power to act, and make final
settlement. The Commissioners met at Trenton,
New Jersey, in 1852 and on full hearing, de-
cided that Connecticut had no right to the terri
tory in dispute. but that it belonged to PeAnsyl-
vania. To avoid all further controversy, in
1886. Connecticut, by her Representatives in
Congress, proposed to cede all her lands west of
Pennsylvania to the U. S.. excepting a Reserve
of Izo miles west of Pennsylvania and north of
latitude "A deg. This proposition was accepted
and the long controversy settled.
The Connecticut Western Reserve, I2o mills
long and 81 miles wide, containing about the
same area as the state of Connecticut. This
Reserve was divided into twelve counties
viz, Ashtabula. Trumbull. Mahoning, Geauga
Lake. Portage. Summit. Medina, Lorain. Erie
Huron and Cuyahoga.
Spain claimed the vast territory of which Por-
tage. county is part, by virtue of the discovery
of the south end of the continent, called Florida,
by Ponce de Leon in 1872, and a gift of confirm
alton other claim to the continent by the Pope.
The Pope assumed that God owned it, and he as
his Vicegerent, had right to dispose of it
Protestant England Catholic France were
willing to recognize the Pope's authority to dis
pose of the territory unless he could show le-
gal Power OF Attorney from the grantor. The
only claim that France could make was based on
the fact that Marquette, Hennepin and other
Catholic Missionaries, from Quebec, went up
through the lakes and rivers and from the lakes,
overland to the Mississippi river. preaching to
the Indians and planting the Cross. On this
fiimsy pretext the French based their claims to
all of North America, and commenced building
a chain of Forts from Quebec to the north west
end of Lake Michigan, thence across to the
Mississippi and down the river. They also built
them in the interior. showing determination to
enforce their claim if necessarily resort to
river in what is now Northampton. formerly in
Portage county. The English claim was based
on the fact that, in 1897. the Cabots. father and
son, sailed along the coast and discovered New
foundland.
France and England, though deadly opposed
to each other, were united in their opposition to
the claim of Spain. and by their advances south
and finally, by settlement made by Sir Walter
Raleigh in 1882, in North Carolina, backed as
he was by the power of England. Spain was COM
PEELED to abandon her claim TO all the territory
except Florida, which she was allowed to hold by
virtue of the discovery of Ponce de Leon. Eng
land and France being now sole owners of this
valuable prize, it was soon apparent that both
nations were preparing to test their exclusive
claim by arbitration of arms. In 1854 the threat
ened contest began and continued till 1860 when
France was defeated, and BY the treaty of Paris
in 1868, she transferred her title to America to
England. and England. by the Treaty of 17s 3
at the close of the Revolutionary war, surrend-
cred her title south of Canada, to the U. S. By
the Treaty of Fort Mcintosh in 1875, the In
dams ceded all the territory northwest of the
Ohio river and east Of the Cuyahoga, Portage
Path and Tuscarawas river to the U. S.. the In
dian. Spanish, French and English claims were
thus all merged in the u S. title. By the COM
promise between the u. S. and Canada in 1886
consumated by the deed of the President of the
u. S. on the goth of May, 1900. the U. S. con-
veyed the title of the Reserve Of 12o miles west
of Pennsylvania to the state of Connecticut
which, on the sth of Sept. 1895. gave deed to
John Morgan. Jonathan Brace and John Cald
WELL of the Reserve, to hold as Trustees for the
company. and from thence is derived all the la nd
titles on the Western Reserve.
1t is notable fact that these Trustees all lived
till every acre of land decided in trust to them
was sold. Previous to this sale 500 900 acres off
the west end of the Reserve were. in 1892, grant
ed by Connecticut, to the inhabitants of New
London, Fairfield and Norwalk, in that state, for
losses by the burning of those towns by the
British in the Revolutionary war. From this
circumstance they are called the Fire Lands '
The balance, about 100000 was sold to the
Land Company for s., ,2oo. 900. being about forty
cents an acre.
A large per cent of the early settlers of the
Western Reserve were from Connecticut. The
state is composed of only eight counties, yet it