The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1905-07-07

have been of interest and probable
value, but we recognize the truth of
that saying, "Brevity is the spice of
life and it has been our endeavor
while going over the ground to con-
dense as much as possible into few
words, and thus avoid anything and
everything that would likely make the
narrative tedious or uninteresting to
the reader. While we may be pos
sessed Of a pretty general knowledge
of our country and its history, there
is often much that has transpired in
the past, in our immediate neighbor-
hood, that is full of interest to us, and
a knowledge gained of it, awakens
within us a degree of love and rever-
ence for those who bore the burden
and braved the hardships that envi-
roned them on all sides, and who have
left to us a heritage in religious and
moral training aside from splendid
homes, that calls for the greatest and
best tribute of respect that we can give
to their memory.
TO all those who are interested in
their countrys history both local and
general; and who love the memory of
their Pioneer Forefathers, this sketch
is respectfully dedicated.
The government began the survey
of its public lands in July 1856, under
the management and direction of
Thomas Hutchins the Geographer of
the United States. There was one sur
veyor appointed from each state, but
only nine Of them entered upon the
work assigned them in 1856.
The geographer took for his start
ing point the survey of Ohio, the north
ern bank of the Ohio river, where the
western line of Pennsylvania crosses.
From thence he ran a line directly
west over the hills of what is now
Columbiana and Carroll counties, This
line has since been known as the
"Geographer's line" and was run a
distance of AZ miles from the place
of beginning. At each mile post was
set and on each side witness trees were
marked Every six miles was marked
for town or township corner. 1t was
from these corners that the surveyors
ran the meridian or range lines south
to the Ohio river, and the east and
west township lines.
Hutchins began the numbers Of the
sections, No !, at the southeast cor
ner Of the township, thence north to
the northeast corner. The next tier
began with No. Z, on the south line,
and soon, terminating with No. 36, at
the northwest corner. The Geograph-
er's line terminated on the heights
south of the town of Sandyville, in Tus-
carawas county, about three miles east
of Bolivar. This portion of the state
was known as the Seven Ranges"
and it was not until the year 1875 that
the Congress lands west of the seven
ranges was surveyed.
Here instead of numbering the sec
tions from the southwest corner OF
the township as in the seven ranges,
they began at the northeast corner
with No. /, thence west along the north
line six miles; thence east along the
tier of sections adjoining on the south,
and so continuing on back and forth,
until the entire township was surveyed
and the sections numbered.
These lands as soon as they were
surveyed we're placed upon the market,
and land Offices were created at differ
ent parts of the state where the lands
could be purchased. The principal land
Offices were at Wooster, GAINESVILLE,
Steubenville, Marietta and Chillicothe.
Much of the land of the state of
Ohio was originally disposed Of, and
donated to different purposes in large
tracts; some of the different purchases
and donations being designated as the
Connecticut Western Reserve" an
area of 100000 acres; Fire lands"
100000 acres; ~. s. Military Land"
2,560,o00 acres; "Ohio Company's Pur-
chase" 100000 acres; Donation
Tract 100000 acres; "Symmes Pur-
chase" 81, $50 acres; Refugee Tract"
100000 acres; French Grant" 24000
acres; "Dohrman's Grant" 23,O40 acres;
"Moravian Lands" "Zane's Tracts"
"Maumee Road Lands" Turnpike
Lands" "Ohio Canal Lands" college,
Ministerial School Lands, Salt sections
etc." an aggregate of three million
acres or more, aside from those already
enumerated.
1t is not our purpose here to go
into details with regard to the manner
of the final disposition of these differ
ent tracts of lands. What is known as
Stark county" was embraced in that
part of the state between the Treaty
Line" of 1895 and the Geeographer's
Line, on Congress Lands, and was first
sold to purchasers in small tracts by the
immediate officers Of the general gov
ernment; consequently quarter sections
had been purchased here and there
by persons residing elsewhere, prior to
the advent of the first permanent sett-
lers.
Pike township lies in the southern
range of townships in Stark county and
is located pretty near the center Of the
county from east to west II is bound