18
George Washington, then twenty-two years of age, as a messenger. With Christopher Gist as guide, and four attendants or servants, Washington set out through the wilderness on his perilous journey. He held a conference with the chiefs of the Six Nations at Logstown in November, 1753. He learned something of the condition of the French, but the Indians desired to remain neutral and were disposed to be non-committal. Washington proceeded to Venango, where there was a French post called Fort Machault. ,Here he delivered to the French governor Dinwiddie's letter, and received the answer of St. Pierre, the commander of the fort, declining to give up without a struggle. Preparations for war were made in all the English colonies while the French continued to strengthen their lines of fortifications.
        It will thus be seen that what is known as the French and Indian war had its origin in this dispute about the possession of what is now one of the fairest and richest portions of our Republic. It resulted, not only in England maintaining her right to the territory in dispute, but in wresting Canada from France. It was a war of eight years duration, commencing with the attack of the French and Indians on the English post at Piqua in 1752, and virtually ending with the fall of the city of Montreal in April, 1760.Ticonderoga, Crown Point, Niagara, and Quebec had all previously surrendered to the English, the first two without resistance. After the fall of Montreal the Governor of Canada signed a capitulation surrendering the whole of Canada to the English. One post, however, that of Detroit, still remained in possession of the French. Major Rogers was sent from Montreal to demand its surrender. Beletre, the commander of the post, at first refused, but on the 29th of November, having heard of the defeat of the French arms in Canada, he also surrendered. September 29th, 1760, the treaty of peace between France and England, known as the treaty of Paris, was made, but not ratified until February 10th, 1763. Meantime the Northwest territory was entirely under English rule and settlements began to extend. The Indians who had been the friends and allies of the French during the war were not reconciled to the English, claiming that they had not carried out their promises. Under the famous Ottawa chief, Pontiac, they united in a general conspiracy to cut off all the English posts on the frontier. The Chippewas, Ottawas, Wyandots, Miamis, Shawnese, Delawares and Mingoes, buried the hatchet in their local quarrels, and united to exterminate the English.
       Owing to treachery on the part of some of Pontiac's followers, he failed in the complete execution of his plans, but in May, 1763, several British posts fell, and many whites were victims of the merciless tomahawk, In the arrangement among the Indians it was agreed that Pontiac's own immediate field of' action was to be the garrison at Detroit. He laid siege to the post May 12th, and continued it until October 12th. To obtain food for his warriors during this time, he issued promissory notes, drawn upon birch bark and signed with the figure of an otter. All these notes were faithfully redeemed. Being unsuccessful in reducing the garrison, the tribes generally sued for peace, but Pontiac remained as yet unsubdued. To Alexander Henry, an Englishman who visited Missillimacinac the next spring, he said: "Englishman, although you have conquered the French, you , have not yet conquered us. We are not your slaves these lakes, these woods, these mountains, were left us by our ancestors. They are our inheritance, and we will part with them to none. Your nation supposes that we, like the white people, cannot live without bread, and pork and beef; but you ought to

19

know that He, the Great Spirit and Master, of Life, has provided food for us upon these broad lakes and in these mountains."
       Pontiac still entertained the hope that the French would renew the war, and finally conquer the English, and endeavored to incite the Indians on the Miami, and in other parts of the, West, to continue hostilities. He applied, but unsuccessfully, to the French commander at New Orleans. Being, unable to unite again those who entered so eagerly into his original conspiracy for destroying the English settlements, he went to the Illinois country, where he made a stand, and had for a time the sympathy and co-operation of the French fur traders in that region. Soon, however, all but his immediate followers deserted his cause, and he then reluctantly accepted peace on the terms offered by the English. From this time he had but little influence with the tribes. He was killed by an Illinois Indian, while drunk, at Kaholda, in 1769. At the time of his death he was about fifty-seven years of age.
Great Britain now held sovereignty over the entire Northwest, and to prevent Louisiana from also falling into the hands of the English, France by secret treaty, in 1762, ceded it to Spain. The next year the treaty of Paris formally gave to England possession of the Northwestern Territory. The English now began to prepare for settlement and occupation of the country. In 1770 persons from Virginia and other British provinces took up the valuable lands on the Monongahela and along the Ohio to the mouth of the Little Kanawa. In October of the same year George Washington with a party descended the Ohio from Pittsburg to the Kenawa, which last named stream they ascended about fourteen miles, and marked out several large tracts of land. Buffalo were then abundant in the Ohio valley, and several of them were shot by Washington's party. Pittsburg was then a village of twenty houses, the inhabitants being mostly Indian traders.
       The British govermnent was inclined to observe a liberal policy toward the French settlers in the West. In 1763 the king, by royal proclamation, had forbidden his subjects from making settlements beyond the sources of the rivers which fall into the Atlantic; but his subjects in the colonies were little disposed to observe this restriction. Finally, in 1774, Governor Dunmore, of Virginia, began to encourage emigration to the West. A number, of settlements were made in the Ohio valley, the settlers often coming in conflict with the Indians. Several battles were fought, ending in the battle of Kenaya, in July, when the Indians were defeated and driven across the Ohio. During the years following, up to 1776, several land companies were formed, and engaged in extensive operations. One, called the "Illinois Land Company," obtained from the Indians large tracts of land on the Mississippi river, south of' the Illinois. An association, styling itself' the "Wabash Land Company," obtained a deed from eleven chiefs to 37,497,6OO acres of land. The War of the Revolution interfered with these and many other similar schemes of speculation. The parties interested subsequently made efforts to have these land grants sanctioned by Congress, but did not succeed.
       In 1771, according to the best information we have, Kaskaskia, contained eighty houses, and nearly one thousand inhabitants, white and black. Kaholda contained fifty houses, with three hundred white inhabitants, and eighty negroes. There were a few families at Prairie du Rocher, on the Mississippi river, opposite St. Louis. At Detroit, there were in 1766, about one hundred houses. This place was founded by Antoine de la Motte Cadillac, in 1701, and is the oldest town in the Northwest.

20

       When the War of the Revolution commenced the British held Kaskaskia, Kahokia, Vincennes, Detroit, and other important Posts in the West. Col. George Rogers Clark, a master spirit of the frontier, who was familiar with all the important movements of the British in the West, and also with the disposition of the Indians, formed a plan unequalled in boldness for subjugating these posts. He repaired to the capital of Virginia, Patrick Henry being then Governor, and presented to the authorities his plan of operations, which was approved by Governor Henry. He was accordingly furnished with two sets of instructions—one secret and the other open. His open instructions authorized him to enlist seven companies to go to Kentucky, subject to his orders, and serve three months from their arrival in the West. The secret order authorized him to arm and equip his troops at Pittsburg, and proceed to subjugate the country. Co1. Clark succeeded in raising but three companies, but with these and a few private volunteers, he descended the Ohio as far as the falls, in the spring of 1777. Here he fortified a small island, known as Corn Island, and then announced to his men their real destination. Leaving a small garrison, an the 24th of June, during a total eclipse of the sun, he moved down the river. Under a burning July sun, with his chosen band, he marched to Kaskaskia, reaching that post on the evening of July 4th. Without the loss of a man on either side the fart and village were captured. He easily induced the Indians to give their allegiance to the American cause. They accompanied him to Kahokia on the 6th, and through their influence the inhabitants of that place surrendered without resistance. The priest at Kaskaskia, M. Gibault, hastily joined in rendering all the aid he could to forward the purposes of' Clark. He established a government for the colonies he had taken, and then made ready to march upon St. Vincent, or Vincennes, as it is more commonly known. But Gibault offered to go alone and induce the post on the "Oubache" to throw off the authority of England. Clark accepted the offer, and an the 14th of July Gibault started an his mission. On the 1st of August he returned, with intelligence of entire success, the garrison at Vincennes having taken the oath of' allegiance to Virginia. Col. Clark placed garrisons at Kaskaskia and Kahakia, and sent orders far the erection of a fort at the Falls of the Ohio, where the City of Louisville now stands. He also sent Rocheblave, the former commander of Kaskaskia, a prisoner of war to Richmond. The county of Illinois was established in October of the same year, by the Legislature of Virginia. John Todd was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel and acting governor. Courts were established, and the colony was provided with a government complete. The Indians acknowledged allegiance to the new government.
        While Col. Clark was arranging far the government of the Illinois colonies, the British Governor, Hamilton, was planning an expedition to move from Detroit down the Wabash to Vincennes, intending to recapture the posts which had surrendered to Clark, and thence extend his operations to Kentucky. He knew nothing of the capitulation of Vincennes until his arrival; when he found the fort in command of Capt. Helm, who had been sent by Co1. Clark to take charge of the garrison. Hamilton demanded the surrender of the fort, and being granted the rights of a prisoner of war, Capt. Helm surrendered to a superior force. On the 29th of January, 1879, Clark received intelligence of what had transpired at Vincennes, and of the intended operations of Hamilton. Having sufficiently garrisoned Kaskaskia and Kahokia, and dispatched a force down the Mississippi to ascend the Ohio

and operate with the land forces in that direction, on the 5th of February he set out himself ith one hundred and twenty men on his hard march to Vincennes. He reached the fort on the 22d, and was joined by the remainder of his command, which had come by water. He immediately commenced his attack on the fort, and on the 25th Gov. Hamilton surrendered; he was sent as a prisoner of war to Virginia, where he was kept in close confinement, and thus failed to accomplish his purpose of uniting the Indian tribes against the Americans. All the important posts in the Northwest, except Detroit, were now in the hands of the Americans. Had Clark received reinforcements, which had been promised, he would doubtless have captured Detroit also; but Virginia and the other colonial governments at this time doubtless had all they could do to attend to the operations of the war east of' the Alleghanies. The Legislature of Virginia passed resolutions complimenting Col. Clark and his men, and in 1781 he was promoted to the rank of Genera1. Previous to this he had taken part with Steuben against. Arnold, when the latter invaded Virginia, in, 1780. Subsequently, Virginia gave to Gen. Clark and his men one hundred and fifty thousand acres of land, wherever they might choose to locate it, north of the Ohio; They made selection of a tract opposite the Falls of the Ohio; between New Albany and Jeffersonville, Indiana. Gen. Clark died near Louisville, Kentucky, February 13th, 1808.
       The years 1781 and 1782 were dark years in the history of the infant settlements of the Northwest, in consequence of the many outrages practiced by the Indians. Many deeds of cruelty were committed under the leadership of the outlaw, Simon Girty, occurring chiefly in the Ohio Valley. Several battles between the Indians and frontiersmen occurred north of the Ohio, while in Kentucky the famous Daniel Boone and his companions were engaged in protecting the frontier outposts in 1783 the treaty of peace, which ended the Revolutionary struggle; was concluded, and by its terms the boundaries of the West were defined as follows: On the north, to extend along the center of the Great Lakes; from the western point of Lake Superior to Long Lake; thence to the Lake of the Woods; thence to the head of' the Mississippi river; down its center to the 31st parallel of latitude; thence on that line east to the head of Appalaohicola river, down its center to the junction with the Flint; thence straight to the head of St. Mary's river ; and thence down along its center to the Atlantic Ocean. .
       For some time after the cessation of hostilities, General Haldimand, the British commander at Detroit, refused to evacuate; on the ground, as he claimed, that his king had not ordered, him to do so. It shortly, however, passed under the control of the United States, and so remained, except when held by the British, through the surrender of Gen. Hull, for a few weeks in August and September, 1812.
       The war of independence had been fought and gained, and England, as we have seen, had renounced her claim to the Northwest, but the Indian title was not yet extinguished. From 1783 to 1788 various treaties were made, by which the Indians relinquished their title to extensive tracts of territory. The individual States also held claims to the territory surrendered by Great Britain, and acts of cession were necessary to vest the title to the soil in United States; but of this we shall treat more fully in, another place. In 1779 Virginia had passed her "land laws," by which grants made to settlers were confirmed, and providing for selling the rest at forty cents per

22

acre. Kentucky was included in the territory of Virginia until 1792. It was originally explored by Daniel Boone and his compeers about the year 1769. Harrodsburg was founded in 1774, and Lexington a year or two later, when the news of the battle of Lexington wail fresh in the minds of its founders.

THE NORTHWESTERN TERRITORY.

Territory held by States - Articles of Confederation - Objections of certain States -Delaware Resolutions - Action of Congress - Maryland - New York - Cession of Territory by States - Ordinance of 1787 - Territorial Organization of the Northwest - Fort Washington - Wm. H. Harrison - Arthur St. Clair - Early American Settlements - New England Company - Gen. Rufus Putnam - John Cleves Symmes - Cincinnati Founded - Treaty With Spain - Division of the Northwestern Territory - Organization of the Territory of Indiana - Division of Indiana Territory-Territory of Michigan - Gov. Wm. Hull -
Destruction of Detroit by Fire.

       AT the time the Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union were pending a number of the States held, or claimed, large tracts of territory not now included in those States. New York, Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia, all held such territory. Virginia claimed all that vast region which now embraces the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and that part of Minnesota east of the Mississippi river. That State had made provision, by legislative enactment, to dispose of her lands to settlers. Certain States, claiming that the unoccupied western lands were rightfully the common property of all the States, insisted on limiting the area of those States claiming western territory. This was a subject of warm and protracted discussion in the adoption of the Articles of Confederation. The delegates from Maryland, under instructions from the General Assembly of that State, declined, in the Congress of the Confederation, to sign the Articles of Confederation until provision was made for restricting the boundaries of the States, and vesting the soil of the western territories in the Confederation for the common benefit of all the settlers. Virginia had remonstrated against this course. On the 25th of November, 1778, the act of New Jersey for ratifying the Articles of Confederation was presented in the Congress. Her delegates were directed to sign the articles "in the firm reliance that the candour and justice of the several States will, in due time, remove as far as possible the inequality which now subsists." The delegation from Delaware, after having signed the articles, on the 23d of February, 1779, presented sundry resolutions passed by the legislature of that State, among which were the following:
       "Resolved, That this State thinks it necessary, for the peace and safety of the States to be included in the Union, that a moderate extent of limits should be assigned for such of those States as claim to the Mississippi or South Sea; and that the United States in Congress assembled, should, and ought to, have the power of fixing the western limits.
      "Resolved, That this State consider themselves justly entitled to a right in common with the members of the Union, to that extensive tract of country which lies westward of the frontier of the United States, the property of which was not vested in, or granted to, private individuals at the commencement of the present war. That the same hath been, or may be,gained from the King of Great Britain, or the native Indians, by the blood and treasure of all, and ought, therefore, to be a common estate, to be granted out on terms beneficial to the United States."

23

        The same day, after the presentation of these resolutions, Congress passed the following:
       "Resolved, That the paper laid before Congress by the delegates from Delaware, and read, be filed; provided, that it shall never be considered as admitting any claim by the same set up, or intended to be set up."
        Eight States voted in favor of this resolution, and three against it.
        The State of Maryland still persisting in her refusal to ratify the Articles of Confederation, on the 30th of October, 1779, Congress, by a vote of eight States to three, and one being divided, passed the following:
        "WHEREAS, The appropriation of vacant lands by the several States, during the continuance of the war, will, in the opinion of Congress, be attended with great mischiefs: Therefore,
        "Resolved, That it be earnestly recommended to the State of Virginia, to reconsider their late act of Assembly for opening their land office; and that it be recommended to the said State, and all other States similarly circumstanced, to forbear settling or issuing warrants for unappropriated lands, or granting the same during the continuance of the present war."
        On the 19th of' February, 1780, the Legislature of New York, passed an act authorizing her delegates in Congress, for and on behalf of that State, by proper and authentic acts or instruments, "to limit and restrict the boundaries of the State in the western parts thereof, by such line or lines, and in such manner and form, as they shall judge to be expedient," and providing for the cession to the United States of certain "waste and uncultivated" territory. This act was fully carried into effect by her delegates on the 1st of March, 1781. .
        On the 6th of September, 1780, Congress passed a resolution earnestly recommending the States having "claims to the western country, to pass such laws, and give their delegates in Congress such powers" as might effectually remove the only obstacle to a final ratification of the Articles of Confederation, and requesting the Legislature of Maryland to authorize her delegates in Congress to subscribe to the articles.
On the 10th of October, 1780, a further resolution on this subject was passed by the Congress of the Confederation, as follows:
        "Resolved, That the unappropriated lands that may be ceded or relinquished to the United States, by any particular State, pursuant to the recommendation of Congress of the 6th day of September last, shall be disposed of for the common benefit of the United States, and be settled and formed into distinct republican States, which shall become members of the Federal Union, and have the same rights of sovereignty, freedom and independence as the other States; that each State which shall be so formed shall contain a suitable extent of territory, not less than one hundred, nor more than one hundred and fifty miles square, or as near thereto as circumstances will admit; that the necessary and reasonable expenses which any particular State shall have incurred since the commencement of the present war, in subduing any British posts, or in maintaining forts or garrisons within and for the defense, or in acquiring any part of the territory that may be ceded or relinquished to the United States, shall be re-imbursed; that the said lands shall be granted or settled ,at such times, and under such regulations, as shall hereafter be agreed on by the United States, in Congress assembled, or any nine or more of' them."
         In pursuance of the recommendation of Congress, of September 6th, 1780, several States made cessions of territory to the United States. Virginia

24

ceded her northwestern territory March 1st, 1784, and by an act of her Legislature of December 30th, 1788, agreed to change the conditions of the act of cession of 1784, so far as to ratify the 5th article of the ordinance of 1787, passed by Congress for the government of the, territory. The delegates in Congress from Maryland signed the Articles of Confederation at the date of t1le cession of territory by New York, March 1st, 1781, thus completing the confederation.
        On the 23d of April, 1784, Congress passed a resolution for the government of the territory ceded by Virginia, which was superceded by the famous ordinance of July 13th, 1787, entitled "An ordinance for the government of the territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio." The first part of this important enactment provides for the temporary government of the territory, and concludes with six "articles of. compact between the original States and the people and States in the said territory, and forever to remain unalterable, unless by common consent." The provisions of these six articles arc of such importance as to justify their insertion here in full:
       "ARTICLE 1. No person, demeaning himself in a peaceable and orderly manner, shall ever be molested on account of his mode of worship or religious sentiments, in the said territory.
       "ART. 2. The inhabitants of the said territory shall always be entitled to .the writ of habeas corpus, and of the trial by jury; of a proportionate representation of the people in the legislature, and of judicial proceedings according to the course of the common law. All persons shall be bailable, unless for capital offenses, when the proof shall be evident, or the presumption great. All fines shall be moderate, and no cruel or unusual punishment shall be inflicted. No person shall be deprived of his liberty or property, but by the Judgment of his peers, or the law of the land, and should the public exigencies make it necessary for the common preservation to take any person's property, or to demand his particular services, full compensation shall be made for the same. And, in the just preservation of rights and property, it is understood and declared that no law ought ever to be made, or have force in the said territory, that should, in any manner whatever, interfere with or affect private contracts or engagements, bona fide, and without fraud previously formed,
        "ART. 3. Religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall be forever encouraged. The utmost good faith shall always be observed towards the Indians; their lands and property shall never be taken from them without their consent; and in their property, rights, and liberty, they shall never be invaded or disturbed, unless in just and lawful wars authorized by Congress; but laws founded in justice and humanity shall, from time to time, be made for preventing wrongs being done to them, and for preserving peace and friendship with them.
       "ART. 4. The said territory, and the States which may be formed therein, shall forever remain a part of this confederacy of' the United States of America, subject to the Articles of' Confederation, and to such alterations therein as shall be constitutionally made; and to all the acts and ordinances of the United States, in Congress assembled, conformable thereto. The inhabitants and settlers in the said territory shall be subject to pay a part of the federal debts, contracted or to be contracted, and a proportional part of the expenses of government, to be apportioned on them by Congress, according to the same common rule and measure by which apportionments thereof shall be

25

made on the other States; and the taxes for paying their proportion shall be laid and levied by the authority and direction of the legislatures of the district or districts, or new States, as in the original States, within the time agreed upon by the United States, in Congress assembled. The legislatures of those districts, or new States, shall never interfere with the primary disposal of the soil of the United States, in Congress assembled, nor with any regulations congress may find necessary, for securing the, title in such soil, to the bonafide purchasers. No tax sha11 be imposed on lands the property of the United States; and in no case shall non-resident proprietors be taxed higher than residents. The navigable waters leading into the Mississippi and St. Lawrence, and the carrying places between the same, shall be common highways and forever free, as well to the inhabitants of said territory as to the citizens of the United States, and those of any other States that may be admitted into the Confederacy, without any tax, impost; or duty therefor.
       "ART. 5. There shall be formed in the said territory not less than three, nor more than five States; and the boundaries of the States; as soon as Virginia shall alter her act of cession, and consent to the same, shall become fixed and established as follows, to-wit: the Western States in the said territory shall be bounded by the Mississippi, the Ohio and Wabash rivers; a direct line drawn from the Wabash and Post Vincents due north to the territorial line between the United States and Canada, and by the said territorial line to the Lake of the Woods and Mississippi. The Middle States shall be bounded by the said' direct line, the Wabash, from Post Vincents to the Ohio, by the Ohio, by a direct line drawn due north from the mouth of' the Great Miami to the said territorial line and by the said territorial line. The Eastern State shall be bounded by the last-mentioned direct line, the Ohio, Pennsylvania, and the said territorial line; provided, however, and it is further understood and declared that the boundaries of these three States shall be subject so far to be altered, that if Congress shall hereafter find it expedient, they shall have authority to form one or two States in that part of' the said territory which lies north of an east and west line drawn through the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan. And whenever any of the said States shall have sixty thousand tree inhabitants therein, such State shall be admitted, by its delegates, into the Congress of the United States on an equal footing with the original States, in all respects whatever; and shall be at liberty to form a permanent constitution and State government, provided the constitution and government so to be formed shall be republican, and in conformity to the principles contained in. these articles, and so far as can be consistent with the general interests of the Confederacy, such admission shall be allowed at an earlier period, and when there may be a less number of free inhabitants in the State than sixty thousand.
       "ART. 6; There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in the said territory, otherwise than in the punishment of crimes, whereof the party shall be duly convicted; provided, always, that any person escaping into the same from whom labor or service is lawfully claimed in anyone of the original States, such fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed and conveyed to the person claiming his or her labor or services as aforesaid."
These articles, sometimes known as the "Compact of 1787," form the basis of the organization of the Northwestern Territory and of the several States into which it was subsequently divided. Although the original act of cession was adopted by Virginia in 1784, it will be seen that it was three years later before Congress agreed upon a plan of government. The

26

subject was one of serious and earnest discussion at various times. At one time a motion prevailed to strike from the proposed plan the prohibition of' slavery. Another proposition was agreed to by which the territory was to be divided into States by parallels and meridian lines, making ten States which were to be named as follows: Sylvania, Michigania, Chersonesus, Assenisipia, Metropotamia, Illenoia, Saratoga, Washington, Polypotamia and Pelisipia. When this plan was submitted to the legislatures of the States there were serious objections made, especially by Massachusetts and Virginia. There were objections to the category of names, but the chief difficulty was the resolution of Congress of October 10th, 1780, which fixed the extent of each State at not less than one hundred nor more than one hundred and fifty miles square, or as near thereto as circumstances might admit. So the subject was again taken up in 1786, arid discussed during that year and until July 12th, 1787, when the ordinance finally passed, as, stated above.
       An act of territorial organization was approved August 7th, 1789. Gen. Arthur St. Clair was appointed Governor, and William H. Harrison Secretary. In 1788 a town had been laid out by John Cleves Symmes at Fort Washington, and was named Losantiville, but afterward Cincinnati. The place was settled by persons from the New England States and, from New Jersey, but did, not extensively improve until after Gen. Wayne's defeat of the Indians in 1794. This became the seat of the new territorial government. The, election of representatives for the territory was held February 4th, 1799. As required by the ordinance of 1787, these representatives met at the seat of the territorial government to nominate ten persons, out of which Congress was to appoint five to serve as the territorial council The following persons were commissioned: Henry Vandenburg, of Vincennes; Robert Oliver, of Marietta; James Findlay and Jacob Burnett, of Cincinnati, and David Vance, of Vanceville. The first Territorial Legislature met September 16th, 1799, and on the 24th both houses were duly organized, Henry Vandenburg being elected president of the council. On the 13th of October the legislature elected Wm. Henry Harrison as delegate to Congress. He received eleven of the votes cast, being a majority of one over his opponent, Arthur St. Clair, son of the Governor. At this session thirty-seven acts were passed and approved. Eleven other acts were passed which the Governor vetoed. The greater part of the legislation of the session related to the organization of the militia and to revenue matters. The session closed December 19th, 1799. President Adams appointed Charles Willing Bryd as secretary of the territory to succeed Will. Henry Harrison, elected to Congress, and the senate confirmed the, nomination. James N. Varnum, S. H. Parsons and John Armstrong were appointed to the judicial bench of the territory in October, 1187.
       Having briefly outlined the legislation which resulted in the formation of a Territorial government, we return to notice some of the earlier American settlements in the Territory. As elsewhere stated, a few French settlements had been made by emigrants from Canada and Louisiana, on the Ohio river, and in the region known as the Illinois country, but it was not until after the Virginia cession that any permanent American settlements were made. Then several treaties were made with the Indians, in which they relinquished their title to large portions of the territory. The government made several large grants to companies and individuals, for the purpose of colonizing the country. One of these was to a company from Massachusetts and Connecticut, called the New England Company, of a tract lying along the Ohio and

27

Muskingum rivers, embracing 1,500,000 acres. Here the town of Marietta was laid out, in August, 1787, at the confluence of the Muskingum and Ohio rivers. Fort Harmar was built on the opposite, or west hank of the Muskingum, the year before. The New England Company sent its first party of settlers in the spring of 1788. They consisted of eight families, and some other persons, and all under the superintendency of Gen. Rufus Putnam. The party, after a long and weary journey over the Alleghanies, and down the Ohio, arrived at Marietta on the 7th of April, 1788. This little band had the honor of being the pioneers of Ohio, unless the Moravian missionaries may be so regarded. The settlement was first-known, as the "Muskingum," but on the 2d of July, 1788, at a meeting of the directors and agents of the company, the name was changed to Marietta, in honor of Marie Antoinette.
       In 1786, John Cleves Symmes, of New Jersey, visited the country between the Miamies, and being pleased with its appearance, made application to the government for the' purchase of a large tract of land, to be settled on similar conditions with those of the New England Company. The grant was made to Symmes and his associates the following year. Associated with Symmes, was Matthias Denman, also of New Jersey, who located, among other tracts in the Symmes purchase, the section upon which Cincinnati was laid out. Denman sold to Robert Patterson and John Filson, each one-third of his location, retaining the other third himself. In August, 1788, they laid out the first portion of what, in a few years, became one of the great cities of the West. Fort Washington was erected here in 1790, and was for some time the headquarters of both the civil and military governments of the Northwestern Territory. There were but few settlers here until after 1794, when settlers began to arrive rapidly. In July, 1815, the population was 6,500.
In October, 1795, the treaty was signed between the United States and Spain, which secured to the former the free navigation of the Mississippi. After this the Northwest began to settle rapidly. During the next year settlements were made at various points along the Miami and Scioto rivers, including those at Piqua and Chillicothe. In September, of the same year, the city of Cleveland was laid out.
       The great extent of the Northwestern Territory, and the rapid increase of population at the beginning of the new century, began to render the efficient action of the courts impossible; and to remedy this evil a division of the Territory was proposed. A committee in Congress, to whom the matter had been referred, on the 3d of March, 1800, reported in favor of two distinct territorial governments, and that the division be made by a line beginning at the mouth of the Great Miami river, and running directly to the boundary line between the United States and Canada. The report was accepted, and an act passed, which was approved May 7th, of the same year, making the division. It provided, among other things, that from and after the next 4th day of July, "all that part of the territory of the United States northwest of the Ohio river, which lies to the northward of a line beginning at a point on the Ohio, opposite to the mouth of the Kentucky river, and running thence to Fort Recovery, and thence north until it shall intersect the territorial line between the United States and Canada, shall, for the purpose of temporary government, constitute a separate territory, and be called the Indiana Territory." The same act provided, that until the Legislatures of the Territories, respectively, otherwise ordered, Chillicothe, on

28

the Scioto river, should be the seat of government of the Territory east of the line of division; and that Vincennes, on the Wabash river, should be the seat of government of the Indiana Territory. On the 3d of November, of that year, the, Territorial Legislature met at Chillicothe. William Henry Harrison was appointed Governor of Indiana Territory, and entered upon his duties in 1801. The new Territory then embraced all that region now comprising the States of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and that part of Minnesota east of the Mississippi river. Nearly the whole of it was at that time in the possession of the Indians. Soon after the arrival of Governor Harrison at Vincennes, he concluded several treaties with the Indians, whereby large grants of land were obtained from the various tribes, By a treaty made at St. Louis, August 18th, 1804, he obtained a relinquishment of Indian title to over 51,000,000 of acres. The year before the government had obtained Louisiana from France; by purchase, and that being divided, the "District of Louisiana" (the "New Northwest") was annexed to Indiana Territory, thus extending Gov. Harrison's authority over a vast domain, occupied chiefly by savage tribes.
        By an act of Congress, of January 11th, 1805, Indiana Territory was divided into two separate governments, and the new Territory of Michigan formed. William Hull was appointed Governor of the new Territory, and Detroit was designated as the seat of government. On the 30th of June; the Territorial government of Michigan was to go into operation. When Gov. Hull, and the other Territorial officers, reached Detroit, they found the place in ruins and the inhabitants scattered. On the 11th of that month a fire had destroyed almost every building in the place. Gov. Hull adopted a new plan for rebuilding the town, and, in population and importance it soon regained all it had lost by the fire.
       Other changes were subsequently made in the boundaries of the Western Territories, as new States were from time to time admitted; into the Union, until finally, all that vast domain originally designated as the "Northwestern Territory" became sovereign States.

Return to top