The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1902-05-23
SOME EARLY HISTORY
FIRST OFFICIAL SURVEY OF OHIO
AND INDIANA LANDS.
Col Jared Mansfield, One OF the First
Teachers Appointed to the West
Point Military Academy, Had Charge
of the Work.

In a recent article relative to the
founding of the West Point Military
Academy some information Of inter-
est was omitted, notably the history
Of the first teachers of that famous
institution. The following facts have
been supplied by Mr.. Solomon Mercer
Of Coshocton, Ohio:
The first teachers in the academy
we're Col. Jared Mansfield and Capt.
Barron. Col. Mansfield's father and
family zane from Exeter, in England,
and were among the first settlers in
New Haven in 1859. Mr.. Mansfield
began his life as a teacher In New
Haven, and afterward taught at the
Friends Academy in Philadel-
phia, going from there to
West Point, where he taught
in the Military Academy in 1902 and
1903, and again from 1914 to 1928, In
elusive. In the meantime, however,
he was nine years in the state of Ohio,
holding the position of surveyor gen.
eral of the United States.
While teaching in New Haven Mr..
Mansfield published a book entitled
Essays on Mathematics" This book
was brought to the notice of Mr..
Jefferson, who was fond Of science
and scientific men. The consequence
was that Mr.. Mansfield became a cap
tain OF engineers, appointed by Mr..
Jefferson, with a view to his becoming
n Of the professors at the West
Point Military Academy, then estab-
lished by law. Accordingly he and
Capt. Barron, also of the engineers,
were ordered to West Point, and be-
came the first teachers of the cadets
in 1902.
Mr.. Mansfield was there but a short
time when he received an appoint
ment to a new and more arduous field
in the west, where the demand for
surveyors was urgent. He was made
surveyor-general Of the United States.
The position was by no means
sought after by Mr.. Mansfield, who
was a scholar and mathematician, and
fond of a quiet and retired life, but he
was induced to go under conditions
which perhaps were never granted to
any other officer. 1t vas agreed that
while he was engaged in the public
service in the west his commission
in the engineer corps should go on,
and he be entitled to promotion, al
though he received but one salary,
that Of surveyor general. In accord
ance with this agreement, he received
two promotions while in Ohio, and his
professorship at West Point was
awarded him on the recommendation
of President Madison in 1914, with the
rank and pay Of lieutenant colonel.
At that time but a part Of the lands
in Ohio to which the Indian title had
been extinguished had been surveyed.
For this purpose Mr.. Mansfield arriv-
ed at Marietta in the year 1893, -estab-
lished his Office there until the month
of October, 1906, at which time his
headquarters were moved to Cincin-
natl.
In the rapid progress of migration
to the west, and the success of Gov.
William Henry Harrison in treating
for the purchase OF land from the In
dams by treaty the public surveys also
were soon necessary in western Ohio
and in the Indiana territory, which
was then an unbroken wilderness, al
though the French had established the
post of Vincennes. There may have
been a settlement at GAINESVILLE, on
the Clark grant, but except these there
was not a white settlement in Indiana.
1t became necessary to extend the
surveyed lines through that state,
then only q part of the great north
west territory. For this purpose MI.
Mansfield, in the month OF October,
1906, undertook the first public sur
veying expedition in Indiana.
Although the military sages in their
centennial at West Point failed to
mention the name of Jared Mansfield
as n Of the first professors, he has
left many monuments in the west on
record that can never be obliterat-
ed or forgotten. II the reader will but
go to a certain point near Paoli, in
Orange county, Indiana, he will OBJ
serve the point from which Col.
Mansfield operated in Indiana. The
point referred to IL where the princi-
pal meridian and base lines cross
each other at right angles; from this
point all the public lands in the state
Of Indiana we're surveyed. Jared
Mansfield established both meridian
and base lines and established a Q
ment at their crossing every six miles
from that point, whether north, east,
south or west.
Colonel Mansfield made the first
map OF that part Of Indiana which
was duly recorded and the land
granted to the purchaser according to
thu survey he made. This was the
first opportunity he had to establish
o principal meridian and base line.
and for this alons millions Of people
have good u to remember Jared
Mansfield, one OF the first professors