The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-04

A recent work entitled "Ohio and Her
Western Reserve presents some new in
formation on the subject from original
ern Reserve" was in common colloquial use
to designate ten counties of northern Ohio
and fractions of four others adjoining. The
ten entire counties are Ashtabula, Lake,
sGeauga, Cuyahoga, Lorain, Huron. Erie,
Medina, Portage and Trumbull. Two-thirds
of Mahoning county and all but two town
ships of Summit and two townships respect
lively of Ottawa and Ashland counties were
included in the western Reserve" The
designation was originally applied to this
considerable area of country because it was
purchased by the Connecticut Land Com
pany out of a much larger tract reserved
by the State of Connecticut.
1t is a matter of history that the hardy
and enterprising sons of Connecticut tried
to establish a settlement and form a new
colony on lands claimed by Pennsylvania.
The charter Of Connecticut, which was
granted by Charles III in 1862. conveyed to
that colony all Of the territory of the
present State. and '.all of the lands west of
1t, to the extent of its breadth to the South
sea-" meaning the Pacific ocean. On the
strength of this underlined grant Connecti-
cut claimed nearly two-fifths of the present
State of Pennsylvania. The attempt to es-
tablish this claim gave rise to a violent dis
oute between the two colonies. In 1853 the
Susquehanna Company was formed in Con-
necticut. and after buying out the Indian
title to the land i'm the Wyoming valley 1T
began a settlement there. The first settle
ment was about mile above the present
site of Wilkesbarre-which place. by the
way, receives its name from John Wilkes
and Isaac Barre, champions of the colonies
i'm the British Parliament. The Connecti-
cut settlement in Pennsylvania attained a
population of about 5000 persons. but be-
tween wars with the Indians and with the
PennsyIvanians they had stormy time of
it. Even the massacre Of Wyoming, in
HIS. did not break up the settlement. and
the land and boundary dispute continued for
several years after the revolutionary war.
the Pennsylvanians finally winning.
The settlement of the Western Reserve"
was more successful. This was one OF the
greatest tricks made by New England
emigrants to the West. The first settle
ment of Ohio, as readers generally know.
was made at Marietta in the southern part
of the State. by emigrants from Massachu-
sets. in 17ss. but the movement of Connecti-
cut men into the northern part OF the State.
a few years later. was stronger at the be-
ginning and quite fruitful of important
results. In 1856 Connecticut coded to Con-
gress the western territory which she
claimed under her charter and which really
| had no western limitation. but she reserved
| from the ccssion a certain tract supposed TO
/ be equal in extent to the tract she had
| finally given to Pennsylvania in 17S2. This
territory. embracing the Ohio counties
above named, soon came to be called the
Western Reserve of Connecticut and final
| ly the Western Reserve" II was also some
| times called New Connecticut. Washington
| was opposed to allowing Connecticut &c
reserve this large tract of land from her
cession TO Congress. and so were the Vir-
| ginia members of Congress. but il prevailed
Under an act of the General Assembly OF
| Connecticut her Western reserve lands were
| sold in 1895 by separate contracts TO land
| syndicates, realizing for the State s., 200 900
a small sum for land which now comprises
ten entire counties and parts of several
others. The first band Of emigrants which