Ohio History Journal

EVOLUTION OF OHIO COUNTY BOUNDARIES

BY RANDOLPH CHANDLER DOWNES, M. A.

Instructor at Marietta College, 1925-1927

FORMATION OF COUNTIES

The first of Ohio's eighty-eight counties was estab-

lished in 1788. The last revision in the boundaries was

made in 1888, exactly one hundred years later. The

following study has taken all the data concerning the

boundaries, and by arranging them in eighteen chrono-

logical groups, has presented graphically the evolution

of Ohio's counties in eighteen maps. Each map is ac-

companied by the necessary explanation to make its

meaning clear and to establish authorities for doubtful

points. At the end I have constructed an alphabetical

list of the counties, with a chronological list under each,

of all the legislative enactments affecting that county.

An effort has been made to combine strict accuracy

with simplicity of presentation. The best authorities

on Ohio geography have been used in all cases and have

been noted in the proper place. The bulk of the locating

of the points in the laws was done in the Map and Manu-

script Division of the Wisconsin Historical Society.

The basic map used, was one by E. Mendenhall & Co., en-

titled A New Map of the State of Ohio from the Latest

and best Authorities, Exhibiting the Sections, Fractional

Sections, Townships, . . . Cincinnati, Ohio, 1853. Scale,

about 5 miles to 1 inch. Many other maps have been

used and are referred to whenever difficulties in the lo-

(340)

342      Ohio Arch and Hist. Society Publications

NEW COUNTIES

Washington -- July 27, 1788.

Beginning on the bank of the Ohio where the west-

ern boundary line of Pennsylvania crosses it; with that

line to Lake Erie; along the southern shore of said Lake

to mouth of the Cuyahoga; up said river to portage be-

tween that and the Tuscarawas branch of the Mus-

kingum; down the branch to the forks at the crossing

place above Fort Lawrence*; with a line to be drawn

westerly to the portage on that branch of the Big Miami

on which the fort stood that was taken by the French

in 1752, until it meets the road from the Lower Shaw-

nese Town to Sandusky; south to the Scioto; down to

its mouth; up the Ohio to place of beginning. Chase,

Statutes of Ohio, III, p. 2096.

W. H. Smith in his Life and Public Services of

Arthur St. Clair, I, pp. 147-148, dates this proclamation

July 26, 1788. However, Miss Maud G. Sites, of the

Library of Congress, writes me, "The correct date is

July 27, 1788. I had in my hands and read this docu-

ment. In D. W. Parker's guide it is numbered 6077,

p. 302."¹ She adds, "Most of the documents are copies

of the originals, and there is no way of knowing where

the original documents are. It is supposed that most of

them have been destroyed -- that is, before they had a

chance to reach Washington."

* It will be noted that the spelling of Fort Laurens is varied in this

text, due to the fact that the spelling of the various authorities is quoted

exactly.

1 David W. Parker, Calendar of Papers in Washington Archives Re-

lating to the Territories of the United States (to 1873), Washington, D. C.,

Carnegie Institute, 1911.

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  343

The Cuyahoga Portage Line is taken from the Green-

ville Treaty Line as drawn in C. C. Royce, Indian Land

Cessions in the United States, Washington, Government

Printing Office, 1900. Map No. 49, entitled "Ohio."

The crossing place above Fort Lawrence is shown to

be about a mile and a half above Fort Laurens in C. E.

Sherman, Original Ohio Land Subdivisions, Vol. III,

Final Report, Ohio Cooperative Topographic Survey,

1925, Plate 20, p. 95.

The portage of that branch of the Big Miami on

which the Fort stood that was taken by the French in

1762, determines the direction of the line west from the

crossing place above Fort Laurens. It coincides with

line of the Treaty of Fort McIntosh, 1785, by which some

of the Indian tribes released their claims south of that

line.² It also coincides with the Greenville Treaty Line

of 1795. This line runs from the crossing place above

Fort Laurens "westerly to a fork of that branch of the

Great Miami River running into the Ohio, at or near

which fork stood Loramie's Store and where commences

the portage between the Miami of the Ohio and St.

Mary's River, which is a branch of the Miami which

runs into Lake Erie."3

The fort taken by the French in 1752, as mentioned

in St. Clair's proclamation, is not, of course, the same

as Loramie's Store referred to in the Treaty Line. They

are, however, on the same stream, Loramie's Creek, the

former being at the junction of the creek with the Great

Miami, the latter up the river at the St. Mary's portage

point.

² U. S. Statutes, VII, p. 16, Indian Treaties.

3 Ibid., p. 49.

344       Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

Parkman refers to Fort Anglois which he also calls

Fort Pickawillany as being at the mouth of Loramie's

Creek.⁴ Miss Kellogg describes how it was founded by

the Miami Chief, "La Demoiselle," or "Old Britain,"

who led a delegation of the Miamis in ceding from

French to English affiliation after the war of 1740-1748.⁵

After 1748, English traders flocked there and when

Christopher Gist arrived in February, 1751, the traders

had built a fort under Old Britain's protection.⁶ Father

Bonnecamps, the Jesuit accompanying Celoron de Bien-

ville among the Indian tribes in 1749, refers to their ar-

rival at the village and saluting "La Demoiselle" in his

Fort.⁷

This village of Pickawillany and its fort were cap-

tured by Charles de Langlade in 1752.8 There was thus

established the basis for the French supremacy and con-

trol of the fur trade of the Ohio Valley which was the

cause of the great and far-reaching war between France

and England from 1756 to 1763.

The Loramie's Store, referred to in the Treaty Line,

was established in 1764 by the French trader, Peter

Lorimier and his son, Louis, both of Montreal.⁹ They

established their trading house at this vantage-point on

the portage between the Great Miami and the Maumee

Rivers and acquired a large influence with the neighbor-

4 Francis Parkman, Montcalm and Wolfe, Boston, 1887, Vol. I, pp. 51,

56.

5 Louise P. Kellogg, The French Regime in Wisconsin and the North-

west, Madison, Wis., 1925, p. 413.

6 Quoted from William M. Darlington's, Christopher Gist's Journals,

Pittsburgh, 1893, in C. A. Hanna, The Wilderness Trail, New York, 1911, II,

pp. 271 ff.

7 Quoted in Hanna, II, p. 264.

⁸ Kellogg, pp. 421-422.

9 R. G. Thwaites in "Fur Trade on the Upper Lakes 1778-1815" in

Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, XIX, p. 265.

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries         345

ing Indians. The store was plundered and burned by

George Rogers Clark and his Kentuckians in 1782, be-

cause it was the basis of British and Indian border expe-

ditions.10

The road from    the Lower Shawanese Town to the

Sandusky. The intersection of this road and the Indian

Boundary Line is based on Thomas Hutchins' map of

1778, entitled, "A New Map of the Western parts of

Virginia, Pennsylvania . . . comprehending the River

Ohio and all the Rivers which fall into it . . ."¹¹ This

map shows the road leading from the "Lower Shawanoe

Town" on the upper Scioto, north to the Sandusky. The

"Old Lower Shawanoe Town" is placed at the mouth of

the Scioto River.     Evans' map, referred to, locates

"Shawane Town"¹² on the Ohio at the mouth of the

Great Kanawha River. It is thus apparent that the term

"Lower Shawanese Town," as used by St. Clair in his

proclamation, is apt to be misleading. The explanation

is, of course, that during this period the Shawnees

moved their town up the Scioto River.

When we sift the evidence to find out which Shaw-

nee Town St. Clair had in mind, we find a direct conflict.

F. W. Hodge, in The Handbook of American Indians

North of Mexico, says that the town indicated in this

10 A contemporary map showing the points in the Indian Treaty Line

is Rufus Putnam's Map of Ohio in January, 1804, in T. M. Harris, The

Journal of a Tour Northwest of the Alleghany Mountains . . . Illustrated

with Original Maps and Views, Boston, 1805.

Ft. Pickawillany is also referred to as Pique Town in Lewis Evans'

map extended by Pownall in Justin Winsor, The Mississippi Basin, The

Struggle in America Between England and France, 1697-1763, Boston and

New York, 1895, and in Charles Moore, The Northwest Under Three

Flags, 1635-1796, New York and London, 1900, p. 80.

11 Louise P. Kellogg, "Frontier Advance on the Upper Ohio, 1778-1779"

in Collections of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, XXIII, opposite

p. 321.

12 Winsor, The Mississippi Basin, p. 244.

346      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

proclamation, was located at what is now Chillicothe in

Ross County. He says that the town of the Shawnees,

"was originally on the Ohio, just below the mouth of the

Scioto, until it was carried off by a flood, when it was

rebuilt on the opposite side of the Scioto, about the site

of Portsmouth, Scioto County. It was from here in

1750-1754, but before 1766, that the inhabitants re-

moved up stream to Chillicothe, Ross County, which

was frequently known as Lower Town or Lower Shaw-

nee Town to distinguish it from Lick Town, 25 miles

above."¹³ Lick Town was near the present site of Cir-

cleville in Pickaway County and is thus distinguished

from the Lower Shawnee Town in Hutchins' map of

1778, referred to.

This assumption of Hodge's is a mistake, as a con-

sideration of the following authorities will show. West-

fall in Pickaway County, not Chillicothe in Ross, is the

site of the Shawnee Town in question.

Dr. Louise P. Kellogg, of the Wisconsin Historical

Society, cites Lyman C. Draper, in the Draper Collec-

tions in the Wisconsin Historical Society Library, as

follows: "Chillicothe, the flourishing seat of justice of

Ross County, Ohio . . . does not occupy the site of any

old Indian town. Old Chillicothe was located on the

western bank of the Scioto, just above the mouth of Lick

Run, where Westfall, in Pickaway County, is now situ-

ated."

Henry Howe in his Historical Collections of Ohio

(rev. ed., Columbus, 1891), II, p. 61, shows on a map the

13 Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology, Bulletin 30,

Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico, edited by Frederick Webb

Hodge in Washington, 1907, House Doc. 926, 59th Cong., 1st Sess., Part I,

p. 777.

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  347

site of Old Chillicothe four miles below Circleville, or

approximately at Westfall. Howe also says in Vol. II, p.

167, that the only Indian Town in Ross County was at

Frankfort, thus excluding Chillicothe.

That Old Chillicothe and the Lower Shawnee Town

were one and the same place, is established by Hanna as

follows, "On Hutchins' map of 1778, the town at the

mouth of the Scioto is marked 'Old Lower Shawnee

Town' and the place to which the Shawnees removed is

called 'Lower Shawnee Town' situated on both sides of

the Scioto, on the 'Plains.' There it became known as

'Upper Chillicothe' or 'Old Chillicothe,' four miles below

Circleville on and opposite the site of Westfall."¹⁴

Hanna previously quotes from the entry of November

28, 1758, of the Journal of George Croghan, "The Dela-

wares informed me the Lower Shanoes had removed off

the [Ohio] River up Sihotta, to a great plain called Mo-

guck [now known as the Pickaway Plains, in Pickaway

County]."15

Hamilton -- January 2, 1790.

Beginning on the bank of the Ohio at the confluence

of the Little Miami; down the Ohio to mouth of the Big

Miami; up the latter to the Standing Stone Forks or

branch of said river; thence with a line to be drawn east

to the Little Miami; down the Little Miami to place of

beginning. Chase, Statutes of Ohio, III, p. 2096.

Standing Stone Forks or branch of Great Miami

River. There has been great difficulty in determining

which of the many forks of the Great Miami is referred

14 Hanna II, p. 161.

15 Ibid, p. 160. See also the location of Moguck in the large Map of

Trails at the end of Volume I.

348      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

to. None of the early Ohio Gazetteers refer to the

Standing Stone Forks of the Miami, although its more

important forks are listed.

The History of Montgomery County, published by

W. H. Beers & Co., Chicago, 1880, p. 252, states, "In the

point formed by that branch (of the Great Miami on

which the fort stood which was taken by the French in

1752) and Loramie's Creek, a stone was planted to mark

the point at which the direction of the boundary line

running west from a point on the Tuscarawas . . .

changed from west by southwest to north by northwest.

That stone stood about two miles south of Old Fort

Loramie and the trading station, and for a time Lora-

mie's Creek was known as the Standing Stone Fork of

the Miami."

Who wrote this and on what authority is unknown.

It is directly opposed to the location of the Standing

Stone Forks by J. F. Laning, whose map places the point

so that a line east actually would intersect the Little

Miami River which it obviously could not do if it were

to be drawn east from the mouth of Loramie's Creek.¹⁶

There is some doubt about this identification of the

Standing Stone Fork as to whether its mouth is near the

stone itself or at the mouth of Loramie's Creek near

Piqua. Until further evidence is found to show that, in

the mind of St. Clair, the Great Miami of 1790 turned

from the northwest instead of from the northeast, I

have assumed the mouth of the stream to be at the pres-

ent junction of the Great Miami and Loramie's Creek.

Other published evidence helps, but is not conclusive.

The History of Shelby County, Sutton & Co., 1882, p.

16 J. F. Laning, "The Evolution of Ohio Counties," in Ohio State

Archaeological and Historical Society Publications, V., p. 329.

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  349

84, speaks of Hamilton County, as formed in 1790, as

including all the territory between the Big and Little

Miami Rivers and extending north to the Standing

Stone Forks of the Big Miami.17  The History of Cin-

cinnati and Hamilton County, S. B. Nelson & Co., Pub-

lishers, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1894, p. 18, states that in a

short time after 1790 there were created several counties

out of the original Hamilton, one of which was Miami.

All of Miami County is north of the Little Miami River.

It included, of course, the County of Shelby, in which

Loramie's Creek is located.

Not satisfied with the above evidence, I have can-

vassed the present living authorities in the state with

some degree of thoroughness. Mr. E. A. Gast, Sur-

veyor of Hamilton County, has interviewed several land

attorneys, county historians, and surveyors on the sub-

ject, but has been unable to find anything on the matter.

The official records of the boundaries of Hamilton

County, which would contain helpful information, were

destroyed in the court-house fire of 1884.

Miss Kellogg writes, "There seems to be no doubt

that 'Standing Stone Fork' and Loramie's were one and

the same." Mr. J. A. Rayner, author of The First Cen-

tury of Piqua, Piqua, 1916, says, "I am afraid I can

give you very little data as to the location of the 'Stand-

ing Stone Forks of the Great Miami.' I know of no

outstanding rock or pinnacle at any forks of this river

north of Dayton, and I do not think there is any at that

point either." He dismisses the suggestion of some that

it received its name from a high pinnacle and bank of

gravel conglomerate at the mouth of Swift Run, less

17 This is the same as in History of Van Wert and Mercer Counties,

Ohio, Wapakoneta, Ohio, R. Sutton & Co., 1882, p. 84.

350     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

than a mile south of Loramie's Creek, by saying that

that pinnacle was formed in 1870, when the Piqua

hydraulic basin was formed.

Mr. W. O. Pease, Surveyor of Miami County, has

taken great pains to exhaust the facilities within his

reach, but has been unable to settle the matter. Mr. L.

H. Harman, Deputy Auditor of Shelby County, writes:

"I believe Loramie's Creek is the only stream corre-

sponding. Howe's Historical Collections of Ohio gives

a brief account about this proposition, and while the

information at hand is not absolutely reliable, yet by

personal conversation with some friends regarding the

matter, I have come to the conclusion that Loramie's

Creek is the only stream corresponding."

It is possible that Laning's error is only in drawing

the Little Miami too far north. However, until some-

one comes forward with definite proof to the contrary,

I believe I am justified in deciding in favor of Loramie's

Creek on the basis of the evidence in the History of

Montgomery County, by Miss Kellogg, and by Mr.

Harman.

Knox -- June 20, 1790.

Beginning at the Standing Stone Forks of the Great

Miami; down the river to the confluence with the Ohio;

with Ohio to the small stream or rivulet above Fort

Massac; with eastern boundary line of St. Clair County

to mouth of Little Michilmacinack; up the Illinois to

the Forks or confluence of the Theokiki and Chicago;

thence by a line to be drawn north to the boundary line

of the Territory of the United States; and so far east-

erly upon said boundary line that a due south line may

352     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

CHANGE IN BOUNDARY LINES

Hamilton -- Enlarged February 11, 1792.

Beginning at confluence of Scioto and Ohio; up Sci-

oto to the upper part of the Old Lower Shawanee Town

upon said river, with line north to territorial boundary

line; westerly along said line to eastern boundary of

Knox County; down along eastern boundary of Knox

by due south line to the Standing Stone Forks of the

Great Miami; with said Miami to its confluence with

the Ohio; up the Ohio to place of beginning. Smith, St.

Clair Papers, II, p. 310.

This law is not found in the Ohio laws but is taken

from the official records of Sargent for 1792 in the

State Department in Washington, D. C. It is apparent

that the Lower Shawanese Town of St. Clair's proc-

lamation, establishing Washington County, July 26,

1788, has become the Old Lower Shawnee Town in

Sargent's proclamation of 1792. This is probably due

to the fact that the towns of the Shawnee on the Great

Miami River had become more widely known and hence

the town on the upper Scioto became known as the Old

Lower Shawnee Town. However, the Shawnee Town

at the mouth of the Scioto is called Old Lower Shawnee

Town by Hutchins, in his map of 1778. The white man

was not very successful in adapting his labels to Indian

institutions.

The following excerpt of a letter from Miss Sites

gives the official information on this: "The [State]

Department [Division of Publications] has no doubt

about this document being in Executive Proceedings,

January 1 -- June 30, 1792 [of Governor of Northwest

Territory], Parker, 6209, p. 308. But so far they have

354     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

said branch to the forks, at the carrying place above

Fort Lawrence*; by a west line to the eastern boundary

of Hamilton County (which is a due north line from

the Lower Shawnese Town upon the Scioto River); by

a line west-northerly to the southern part of the portage,

between the Miamis of the Ohio and the St. Mary's

River; by a line also west-northerly to the south-western

part of the portage, between the Wabash and the Mi-

amis of Lake Erie, where Fort Wayne now stands; by

a line west-northerly to the most southern part of Lake

Michigan; along the western shores of the same, to the

northwest part thereof (including the lands upon the

streams emptying into the said Lake); by a north line

to the territorial boundary in Lake Superior; with the

said boundary through Lakes Huron, Sinclair, and

Erie, to the mouth of the Cuyahoga, the place of begin-

ning. Chase, Statutes of Ohio, III, p. 2096.

This county ultimately became Wayne County,

Michigan, and should not be confused with Wayne

County, Ohio.

It will be noted that the requirement in the law to

draw a line "west northerly" from a point due west

from the crossing place above Fort Laurens to the

southern part of the portage between the Miamis of the

Ohio and the St. Mary's River (Loramie's Store) is an

impossibility because Loramie's Store is a few minutes

of latitude south of Fort Laurens. Why the southern

boundary of Wayne in 1796 was not made to coincide

with the Greenville Treaty Line of 1795 is not clear.

The north boundary of Washington County leaves a

triangular strip of land unorganized. Hence it would

* Fort Laurens.

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  355

not take a very great stretch of the imagination to in-

terpret the southern line of Wayne as coinciding with

the Greenville Treaty Line. Laning has attempted to

draw this line, as if it were possible to do so, and has

thus made Loramie's Store northwest of Fort Laurens.

See Ohio Archeological and Historical Society Publica-

tions, V, p. 334.

Adams -- July 10, 1797.

Beginning upon the Ohio at the upper boundary of

that tract of twenty-four thousand acres of land,

granted unto the French inhabitants of Gallipolis, by Act

of Congress, March 3, 1795; down the Ohio to mouth

of Elk River, (generally known by the name of Eagle

Creek); up with the principal water of Elk River or

Eagle Creek to its source; by a north line to the southern

boundary of Wayne County, and easterly along said

boundary so far that a south line shall meet the interior

point of the upper boundary of the aforesaid tract of

land of twenty-four thousand acres; with said boundary

to the beginning. Chase, Statutes of Ohio, III, p. 2096.

Jefferson -- July 29, 1797.

Beginning on the bank of the Ohio, where the west-

ern boundary of Pennsylvania crosses it; and down said

river to the southern boundary of the fourth township

in third range; with said southern boundary west to the

southwest corner of T* 6, R* 5; north along the western

boundary of said R 5 to the termination thereof; west

to the Muskingum; up the same to and with the portage,

between it and the Cuyahoga; down the Cuyahoga to

Lake Erie; easterly along the shores of the lake to the

* T = township; R = range.

. Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  357

north from the mouth of Elk River (commonly called

Eagle Creek); and from the point of intersection run-

ning north to the southern boundary of the County of

Wayne; easterly with said boundary of Wayne until a

north line to be drawn from the place of beginning,

shall intersect the same; and if it should be found that

a north line drawn from the place of beginning will not

intersect the said southern boundary of Wayne, then an

east line is to be drawn from the eastern termination of

the said boundary, until it shall intersect the aforesaid

north line to be drawn from the place of beginning.

Chase, Statutes of Ohio, III, p. 2097.

It is quite necessary to determine the exact location

of this Forty-second Mile Tree at the outset, because so

many subsequent county formations depend upon it.

The county surveyors of the counties concerned have

not been able to shed any light on it.  I have, how-

ever, been able by a process of deduction, to determine

exactly where the point in question is.

On the west, "the line of the original grant of land

by the United States to the Ohio Company" is the line

between R 17 and 18. On the north, it is a line west

from the Seven Ranges beginning on the line between

T 4 and 5, R 8, according to the contract of October 27,

1787, between the Ohio Company and the Board of

Treasury of the United States.18 According to Peters,19

only the north boundary line was actually run by Lud-

low, but obviously the southeast corner of Ross could

not be on it because it is north of the present north

boundary of Ross. Therefore we must assume that the

^{18 P}eters, Ohio Lands, pp. 244, 249.

19 Peters, Ohio Lands, pp. 244, 247.

358     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

west boundary is the one referred to and the reference

to Ludlow is not entirely accurate.

The statute for the establishing of Pike County, Jan-

uary 4, 1815, Acts of Ohio, XIII, p. 52, reads in part:

"thence with the section lines north to Ross County line;

thence with the same east to the range line between R 19

and 20; thence north with the range line nine miles into

Ross County; thence west to Highland." The southern

line of Ross, previous to 1815, was thus a line nine miles

south of the present north boundary of Pike, which if

extended west, intersects the west boundary of the orig-

inal Ohio Company Grant at the southeast corner of T

7, R 18, which is the Forty-second Mile Tree referred to.

CHANGES

Hamilton from Knox -- June 22, 1798.

The western boundary of Hamilton shall begin at the

spot on the bank of the Ohio, where the general bound-

ary line between the lands of the United States and the

Indian tribes, established at Greenville, August 3, 1795,

intersects the bank of that river, and run with that gen-

eral boundary line to Fort Recovery; by a line to be

drawn north from Ft. Recovery until it intersects the

said line from the Ohio to Fort Recovery; thence to the

southern boundary of the County of Wayne, shall

also be the eastern boundary of the County of Knox.

Chase, Statutes of Ohio, III, p. 2097.

Hamilton from Adams -- September 1, 1798.

To begin on the bank of the Ohio where Elk River or

Eagle Creek empties into the same; north until it in-

tersects the southern boundary of Ross County; and all

360     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

the southwest corner of T 7, R 6; north along western

boundary of said range to termination thereof, con-

tinued a north line until it strikes the southern bound-

ary line of the Connecticut Reserve. Chase, Statutes of

Ohio, III, p. 2098.

NEW COUNTIES

Trumbull -- July 10, 1800.

Beginning at completion of 41st degree of north

latitude, 120 miles west of the western boundary of

Pennsylvania, running by a line to be drawn north

parallel to and 120 miles west of said west line of Penn-

sylvania, to continue north until it comes to 42 degrees 2

minutes north latitude; with a line to be drawn east until

it intersects the said western boundary of Pennsylvania;

thence with said western boundary of Pennsylvania

south to the completion of the 41st degree of north lati-

tude; thence west to the place of beginning.  Chase,

Statutes of Ohio, III, p. 2097.

Clermont -- December 6, 1800.

Beginning at the mouth of Nine-Mile or Muddy

Creek where it discharges itself into the Ohio, running

with a straight line to the mouth of the east branch of

the Little Miami River; with said river to the mouth of

O'Banion's Creek; with a due east line until it shall in-

tersect a line drawn due north from the mouth of Elk

River, or Eagle Creek; with that line south to the mouth

of said Elk River or Eagle Creek; from thence with the

Ohio to the place of beginning. Chase, Statutes of Ohio,

III, p. 2097.

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  361

Fairfield -- December 9, 1800.

Beginning at a point in the east line of the 15th range

of townships and west of the 14th range, as surveyed

in pursuance of the ordinance of Congress of May 20,

1795, where said line intersects the south boundary line

of the Military Land; north until it intersects the Indian

Boundary Line; returning to the before-mentioned and

running south by the said range line between the 14th

and 15th ranges, until it intersects the north boundary

line of the Ohio Company's purchase; with said northern

boundary line west to the northwest corner of the said

Ohio Company's purchase; south six miles; with a line

drawn west until it intersects the western boundary of

the 20th range of townships; with the western boundary

of said 20th range to the before-mentioned Indian

Boundary Line, and with that line of limit to the before-

mentioned intersection of that boundary line. Chase.

Statutes of Ohio, III, p. 2097.

The reference to the "Ordinance of the 20th of May,

1795" is obviously a misprint, for the term ordinance is

used of the acts of Congress previous to 1789. The Or-

dinance of May 20, 1785, is, of course, the law meant.²⁰

It should be noted that the north boundary of Fair-

field is the Greenville Treaty Line, whereas the Wayne

County line is the north boundary of Ross. The re-

sultant clumsy formation of Ross is additional evidence

in favor of the Greenville Line as the southern boundary

of Wayne.

The jog in the south boundary is caused by the cor-

rection line established on the line between Ranges 17

and 18.21

20 Journals of Continental Congress, X., pp. 122-123.

21 Peters, Ohio Lands, p. 126.

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  363

CHANGE

Wayne -- May 7, 1800.

By the act of Congress of May 7, 1800, the western

boundary of the Northwest Territory was made the

Greenville Treaty Line to Fort Recovery and thence

north to the International Line, thus cutting off the

western portion of Wayne.²²

NEW COUNTIES AS ORGANIZED

GENERAL EXPLANATION

This is the beginning of county formation under

statehood, and the boundary references are to the Ses-

sion Laws of the Legislature referred to as Acts of

Ohio until 1821, when the Local Laws are printed sep-

arately and referred to as O. L. L., Ohio Local Laws.

With the formation of the State of Ohio, Wayne

County no longer falls within its boundaries. The west-

ern boundary of the state is, of course, not the Green-

ville Treaty Line, but the line north from the mouth of

the Great Miami, which line is the present western

boundary.

The new counties will be arranged in the order in

which they were organized and went into effect, and not

in the order by which the laws establishing them were

passed. In some counties the organization was effective

on passage of the law. In others, it was stated in the

law that organization should take place on given date

shortly following. In still others, organization was post-

poned until the Legislature saw fit to organize it, while,

in the meantime, it remained attached to the parent

county or counties.

22 U. S. Statutes, II, p. 59.

364     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

Gallia -- April 30, 1803.

Beginning at the mouth of Shade River, up the same

with the meanders thereof, until it intersects the east

and west line between T 3 and 4, R 11; west to the east

boundary of Ross County; south to the northeast corner

of the County of Adams; with the easterly boundary

of the same to the Ohio; up the same to the place of be-

ginning. Acts of Ohio, I, pp. 19-20.  Passed March 25,

1803.

Franklin -- April 30, 1803.

Beginning on the western boundary of R 20 of

townships east of the Scioto, at the corner of Sections

24 and 25, T 9, R 21, surveyed by John Matthews; west

until it intersects the eastern boundary of Greene Coun-

ty; north with said line to state line; eastwardly with the

said line to the northwest corner of Fairfield County;

with the western boundary line of Fairfield to the point

of beginning. Acts of Ohio, I, pp. 26-27. Passed March

30, 1803.

It will be seen by a reference to Plate 25 in Sherman,

Ohio Land Subdivisions, that the townships in R 21 and

22 are not numbered consecutively north from the Ohio

River, but repeat themselves. For instance, there are two

sets of townships numbered 9, 10 and 11, in R 21. This

is due to the failure to cooperate, in 1799, of the survey-

ors of the United States Lands directly east of the Scioto

River. These surveyors were Elias Langham, Thomas

Worthington, John Matthews and Ebenezer Bucking-

ham.1

It will be noticed that the west boundary of Franklin

1 Sherman, Ohio Land Subdivisions, pp. 113, 119-120.

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  365

is made to extend north to the state line, thence east to

the northwest corner of Fairfield. When we recall that

the northwest corner of Fairfield County was on the

Greenville Treaty Line, we find these instructions hard

to follow.

Scioto -- May 1, 1803.

Beginning on the Ohio one mile on a straight line

below the mouth of the Lower Twin-Creek; north to

Ross County line; east with said county line to the line

of Washington County; south to the Ohio; with the

Ohio to the place of beginning. Acts of Ohio, I, pp.

8-9. Passed March 24, 1803.

Warren -- May 1, 1803.

Beginning at the northeast corner of Clermont; west

with the line of said county to the Little Miami; up the

same to the north boundary of the first tier of sections

in the second entire range of townships in the Miami

Purchase; west to the northeast corner of Section 7 in

T 3 of aforesaid range; north to the Great Miami; up

the same to the middle of R 5; east to the Ross County

line; with same south to the place of beginning. Acts of

Ohio, I, pp. 9-10. Passed March 24, 1803.

The ranges in this survey between the Miami Rivers

run from west to east. The first two, called Fractional

Ranges, are numbered one and two. The third to the

seventeenth are numbered consecutively from one to fif-

teen.²

It should be noted that the range and township lines

in the survey between the Miami Rivers are not parallel

to the lines of the Miami River Survey. This accounts

2 Sherman, Ohio Land Subdivisions, p. 71.

366      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

for the noticeable slant in the boundaries east of the

Great Miami River. See Sherman's large map.³

Butler -- May 1, 1803.

Beginning at the northeast corner of Section 7, T 3,

R 2 in the Miami Purchase; west to the state line; north

to a point due west from the middle of the fifth range of

townships of the Miami Purchase; east to the Great

Miami River; and bounded on the east by the Miami

River and a line running north on the section line from

the place of beginning to the Miami River. Acts of

Ohio, I, p. 10. Passed March 24, 1803.

Montgomery -- May 1, 1803.

All that part of the County of Hamilton, beginning

on the state line at the northwest corner of Butler; east

with the lines of Butler and Warren to the east line of

Section 16, T 3, R 5; north 18 miles; east 2 miles; north

to the state line; to the west boundary of the State;

south to the beginning. Acts of Ohio, I, pp. 10-11.

Passed March 24, 1803.

Greene -- May 1, 1803.

All of Hamilton and Ross -- beginning at the south-

east corner of Montgomery County; east to Ross County

line and the same course continued 8 miles into the said

County of Ross; north to the state line; westwardly to

the east line of Montgomery County; south to the begin-

ning. Acts of Ohio, I, p. 11. Passed March 24, 1803.

3 This map is entitled, Hon. A. V. Donahey, Governor of Ohio, Map

of Ohio, showing original land subdivisions to accompany Volume III,

Final Report, Ohio Co-operative Topographic Survey by C. E. Sherman,

C. E., W. D. Turnbull, Chief Draftsman. Scale 6 miles to 1 inch.

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  367

Columbiana -- May 1, 1803.

All of Jefferson and Washington -- beginning at the

mouth of Yellow Creek, on the north side of the same;

up said creek with the meanders thereof to the northern

boundary of T 8, R 2; west to the western boundary of

R 7; north to the northwest corner of T 16, R 7; west

to the Muskingum River; up said river to the southern

boundary of Trumbull; east to the Pennsylvania line;

south to the Ohio River; down the same to the begin-

ning. Acts of Ohio, I, pp. 15-16. Passed March 25,

1803.

That part of the west boundary of Columbiana from

the northwest corner of T 16, R 7, to the Muskingum or

Tuscarawas River, is the extension of the so-called

Geographer's Line. By the ordinance of 1785, this was

required to be drawn due west from the point where the

Ohio crosses the Pennsylvania line. The townships and

ranges were laid off with it as a basis. The exact loca-

tion of the intersection of its extension with the Tus-

carawas River is shown by Sherman in Plate 20.⁴

It should be noted that the lines of the Western Re-

serve Survey are not exactly parallel to the lines of the

United States Survey. See Sherman's map.

CHANGE

Hamilton -- April 30, 1802.

The triangle bounded by the line from the Kentucky

River to Fort Recovery, the line due north from the

mouth of the Great Miami, and the Ohio River, was de-

tached from Hamilton, when the State of Ohio came into

existence. Since the exact date is uncertain, I have used

4 Sherman, pp. 41-42, 95.

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries   369

tary Lands; west to the west boundary line of R 15 of

Public Lands; south to the southwest corner of T 16, R

15; east with the southern boundary of T 16, till it in-

tersects the west boundary of R 12; east to the west-

ern boundary line of R 7;- north to the northeast

corner of the Military Tract; west until intersected by

the Indian Boundary Line; westwardly to place of begin-

ning. Acts of Ohio, III, pp. 359-361. Passed January

7, 1804.

For the boundaries of the United States Military

Tract, see Sherman, Plate 19, and explanation.⁶ The

eastern part of the north line of Muskingum is the ex-

tension of the Geographer's Line already referred to.

By extending it west to the Greenville Treaty Line it is

made to cross the Tuscarawas River, without including

in Muskingum County the region north of it bounded

by the Greenville Treaty Line and the Tuscarawas

River. Thus, this region is neither in Columbiana nor

in Muskingum, and, until the formation of Stark in

1808, was unattached. This situation can be seen

from the large-scale map in Sherman, Plate 20.⁷

It will be noticed with the eastern boundary of Mus-

kingum at the west line of the Seven Ranges, all of R 7,

west of Jefferson, is not attached to any county. It was

added to Jefferson in 1807.

The region between the Reserve and the United

State Military District is likewise unattached. This

region had been ceded by the Indians to the United

States at the Treaty of Fort Industry, July 4, 1805,8 but

was not organized into counties until 1808.

6 Sherman, Ohio Land Subdivisions, pp. 91, 92.

7 Ibid, p 95.

8 U. S. Statutes, VII, p. 87.

Vol. XXXVI--24

370     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

The townships in the United States Military District

were only five miles square.⁹

Highland -- March 1, 1805.

All of Ross, Adams and Clermont -- beginning at

the Twenty Mile Tree in the line between Adams and

Clermont; east 12 miles; northeastwardly until it inter-

sects the line which was run between Ross, Scioto and

Adams at the Eighteen Mile Tree from the Scioto Riv-

er; northwardly to the mouth of the Rocky Fork of

Paint Creek; up main Paint Creek to the south line of

Franklin; west to the east line of Greene; south to the

southeast corner of said county; west to the northeast

corner of Clermont; and from the beginning west to the

north fork of White Oak Creek; north to the south line

of Warren; east to the corner between Clermont and

Warren. Acts of Ohio, III, pp. 256-258. Passed Feb-

ruary 18, 1805.

Highland County is within the Virginia Military Dis-

trict where there has been no application of the rec-

tangular system of surveys.10

Athens -- March 1, 1805.

Part of Washington -- beginning at the southwest

corner of T 10, R 17; east with the line between Gallia

and Washington, to the Ohio, up said river to the mouth

of the Big Hockhocking River; up said river to the east

line of T 6, R 12; north to the northeast corner of T 8,

R 12; west to the east line of Fairfield; south on said

county line and the line of Ross County to the place of

beginning. Acts of Ohio, III, pp. 283-285. Passed

February 20, 1805.

9 Sherman, Chapter VIII.

10 Ibid., Chapter II.

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  371

Champaign -- March 1, 1805.

Parts of Greene and Franklin -- beginning where

the range line, between R 8 and 9, between the Great and

Little Miamis, intersects the east boundary of Greene,

and to continue 6 miles into the County of Franklin;

north to the state line; west with said line until it inter-

sects the said east boundary of Montgomery; to the place

of beginning. Acts of Ohio, III, pp. 285-286. Passed

February 20, 1805.

Geauga -- March 1, 1806.

Part of Trumbull lying north and east of the line

beginning on the east line of said county, on the line

between T 8 and 9, as known by the survey of said

county; west to the west line of R 5; south to the north-

west corner of T 5; west to the middle of the Cuyahoga

River; up the middle of said river to the intersection of

the north line of T 4; west to the west line of R 14;

wherever the same shall run, when the county west of

the Cuyahoga shall be surveyed into townships or tracts

of 5 miles square each; north to Lake Erie. Acts of

Ohio, IV, pp. 65-66. Passed December 31, 1805.

The townships of the Western Reserve were only

five miles square according to the Connecticut system.11

CHANGE

Scioto from Gallia -- December 29, 1804.

All of Gallia, west of R 17, annexed to Scioto. Acts

of Ohio, III, p. 294. Passed December 29, 1804.

11 Sherman, Chapter VII.

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  373

river; west to the state line; north to the Indian Bound-

ary Line; east with the same to Champaign County line;

south to the place of beginning. Acts of Ohio, V, pp.

94-96. Passed January 16, 1807.

The land north of the Greenville Treaty Line, which

is the north boundary of Miami, was included in Mont-

gomery at the formation of the latter in 1803. It was

not added to Miami until 1812.

Licking -- March 1, 1808.

Part of Fairfield beginning at the northeast corner

of T 17, R 16; west with the township line to the west

boundary of R 17; south to the northeast corner of Sec-

tion 24, T 17, R 18; west to the west boundary of R 20;

north to the south boundary of the Military Tract; east

to the line between R 15 and 16 of the Military Tract,

which line shall be the east line of Franklin; north to the

northwest corner of T 4, R 15, of said lands; east to the

northeast corner of T 4, R 10; to the place of beginning.

Acts of Ohio, VI, pp. 21-22. Passed January 30, 1808.

Knox -- March 1, 1808.

Beginning at the southeast corner of T 5, R 10, of

United States Military District, west along the north

boundary line of said County of Licking to the line be-

tween R 15 and 16; north to the north boundary of the

Military Land; westwardly along said north boundary

line to the west boundary of R 20, of the lands of the

United States, lying north of said Military Lands; north

to the northwest corner of T 17, R 20; east until it in-

tersects the north boundary of Military Land; eastward-

ly along said north boundary line to the east boundary

374     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

of R 10, in the Military Lands; to the place of beginning.

Acts of Ohio, VI, p. 22. Passed January 30, 1808.

The two jogs in the Licking-Knox line are caused by

imperfections of the survey in the United States Mili-

tary District.12

Preble -- March 1, 1808.

All that part of Butler and Montgomery, beginning

at the southwest corner of T 6, R 1, east of the meridian

drawn from the mouth of the Great Miami; east be-

tween R 3 and 4; north to the northeast corner of T 7,

R 3; west to the state line; south to the place of begin-

ning. Acts of Ohio, VI, pp. 164-166. Passed February

15, 1808.

Tuscarawas -- March 15, 1808.

All that part of Muskingum, beginning at the north-

east corner of the United States Military Lands; west

with the north boundary of said tract to its intersection

with the late Indian Boundary Line; westwardly with

said line to the west boundary of R 4 in said Military

Tract; south to the southwest corner of T 5; east be-

tween T 4 and 5, R 1, 2, and 3, to the east boundary of

the United States Military Tract; north to the begin-

ning. Acts of Ohio, VI, pp. 163-164. Passed February

13, 1808.

Delaware -- April 1, 1808.

All of Franklin, beginning at the southeast corner

of T 3, R 16, of the United States Military District; west

to the Scioto River and continued west to the east

boundary of Champaign; north to the Indian Boundary

¹² See Plate 19, Sherman, Ohio Land Subdivisions, p. 91.

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  375

Line; eastwardly with said line to the point where the

north and south line between R 15 and 16, of said Mili-

tary District, intersects the same; south to the place of

beginning. Acts of Ohio, VI, pp. 29-30. Passed Feb-

ruary 10, 1808.

The land north of the Greenville Treaty Line, which

is the northern boundary of Delaware, was included in

Franklin at its formation in 1803. It was not added to

Delaware until 1809.

Portage -- June 7, 1808.

That part of the County of Trumbull which lies west

of the fifth range of townships. Acts of Ohio, VI, pp.

3-4. Passed February 10, 1808.

Volume VI of the Acts, dates the above law Febru-

ary 10, 1807, to go into effect June 7. This is obviously

a misprint when it is seen that Volume VI is the record

of the laws passed by the Sixth General Assembly which

met December 7, 1807. The Journal of the House of

Representatives records that on February 10, 1808, an

act for the division of Geagua and Trumbull was signed

by the speaker.13

NEW COUNTIES UNORGANIZED

N. B. The dotted line of the boundary as described

is drawn within the counties from which it is to be taken

when organized.

Stark -- February 13, 1808.

Beginning on the south boundary of the Connecticut

Reserve, at the northeast corner of T 19, R 6; south to

13 Journal of the House of Representatives, Sixth General Assembly

Meeting, December 7, 1807. p. 149.

376     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

the southeast corner of T 15, R 6; west until it inter-

sects the east boundary line of the United States Mili-

tary District; north to the northeast corner of T 10, R 1,

of said Military District; west until it intersects the In-

dian Boundary Line; with said Indian Boundary Line

to the northwest corner of fractional T 10, R 10, of the

new purchase, south of the Connecticut Reserve; north

with the line, between R 10 and 11, to the northwest cor-

ner of T 2, R 10; east to the place of beginning. To be

organized January 1, 1809. Acts of Ohio, VI, pp. 154-

155. Passed February 13, 1808.

This county, with Wayne and Richland, was organ-

ized out of the lands ceded by the Indians at the Treaty

of Fort Industry, July 4, 1805.14 It will be noticed that

the unorganized tract of 1806, between Muskingum and

Columbiana, is now included in Stark.

Wayne -- February 13, 1808.

All that tract of country lying west of R 10 and

east of R 16 in the said new purchase, and south

of the Connecticut Reserve, and north of the United

States Military District, but with the County of Stark,

shall be attached to and made a part of Columbiana

County until Stark shall be organized, and shall there-

after be, and remain a part of Stark until otherwise di-

rected by law. Acts of Ohio, VI, pp. 154-155. Passed

February 13, 1808.

Richland -- March 1, 1808.

All that tract of country lying north of Knox, and

south of the Connecticut Western Reserve, and so far

east as the line between R 15 and 16 of Congress Lands,

14 U. S. Statutes, VII.  87.

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  377

erected into a separate county -- Richland -- and shall

be attached to Knox till organized. Acts of Ohio, VI,

pp. 23-24. Passed January 30, 1808.

It is hard to know where to draw the west boundary

of Richland. A glance at the map will show that "north

of Knox and south of the Reserve" does not define a

western line. The Surveyor of Richland County in-

forms me that, on the basis of his records, the original

western line was a north and south line four miles west

from the western line of Richland, and that it did not

extend down to the Greenville Treaty Line. This, there-

fore, is the northern extension of the west boundary of

Knox, i. e., the west line of R 20. It should be the same

as the west boundary of Fairfield extended north, as in

the map of 1806.

Ashtabula -- June 7, 1808.

All that part of Trumbull and Geauga, north of T 7

and east of R 6, shall be Ashtabula; to be organized

whenever its population shall be sufficient to require the

same. Acts of Ohio, VI, p. 4. Passed February 10,

1808.

See note on Portage County.

Cuyahoga -- June 7, 1808.

All of Geauga, west of R 9, shall be Cuyahoga; to be

organized whenever its population shall be sufficient to

require the same. Acts of Ohio, VI, pp. 4-5. Passed

February 10, 1808.

See note on Portage County.

378     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

CHANGES

Athens from Gallia -- January 30, 1807.

Beginning at the northwest corner of Section 24,

T 3, R 12; south to the southwest corner of said section;

east to the Ohio River. Acts of Ohio, V, pp. 106-107.

Passed January 30, 1807.

Jefferson Extended -- January 31, 1807.

All that part of R 7, west of the west boundary of

Jefferson, shall be attached to Jefferson. Acts of Ohio,

V, p. 104. Passed January 31, 1807.

This adds the unattached strip in the seventh range

to Jefferson.

Athens from Washington -- February 18, 1807.

All that part of Washington in the following bound-

aries is annexed to Athens -- beginning at the mouth of

the Great Hockhocking River, up the Ohio until it inter-

sects the line of T 5, R 11; north on said line to the cor-

ner of said T 5; west to the Hockhocking; up said river

until it intersects the line dividing the said counties of

Washington and Athens. Acts of Ohio, VI, pp. 149-

150. Passed February 18, 1807.

Washington from Athens -- February 18, 1807.

All of Athens beginning at the southeast corner of

Section 4, T 6, R 12; west to the southwest corner of

said section; north to the north boundary of Athens;

east to the line of Washington County. Acts of Ohio,

VI, pp. 149-150. Passed February 18, 1807.

Butler from Hamilton -- January 20, 1808.

Beginning at southwest corner of Warren at the

northeast corner of Section 7, T 3, of the second entire

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  379

range of townships in the Miami Purchase; westwardly

along the line of said tier of sections to the Great Mi-

ami; down the Miami to point where line of next orig-

inal surveyed township strikes same; along said line to

western boundary of state. Acts of Ohio, VI, p. 10.

Passed January 20, 1808.

Geauga from Trumbull -- June 7, 1808.

That part of the Connecticut Western Reserve, west

of the Cuyahoga and north of T 4, shall belong to

Geauga, until the County of Cuyahoga shall be organ-

ized. Acts of Ohio, VI, p. 4. Passed February 10, 1808.

See note on Portage County.

Franklin from Fairfield -- March 1, 1808.

By referring to the act organizing Licking, of the

above date, it will be seen that that part of the eastern

boundary of Franklin, in the United States Military

District, is changed from the extension of the line be-

tween Ranges 20 and 21 of the Congress Lands as in

April 30, 1803, to the line between Ranges 15 and 16 of

the United States Military District.

NEW COUNTIES

Stark -- January 1, 1809.

In the act erecting Stark and Wayne, February 13,

1808, it was provided that they should be attached to

Columbiana until January 1, 1809, when Stark was to

be organized, and that Wayne should be part of Stark.

Pickaway -- March 1, 1810.

All of Ross, Franklin and Fairfield, beginning on

the east side of the Scioto, at the intersection of a line

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  381

For an explanation of Worthington's Survey, see

Sherman, Ohio Land Subdivisions, pp. 113, 119-120.

Fayette -- March 1, 1810.

All of Ross and Highland, beginning at the south-

west corner of Pickaway, north to the corner of Madi-

son; west to the line of Greene; south with Greene to

the southeast corner thereof; east five miles; south to

the line of Highland; east to Paint Creek; in a straight

line to the place of beginning. Acts of Ohio, VIII, pp.

138-140. Passed February 19, 1810.

Guernsey -- March 1, 1810.

All of Muskingum and Belmont, beginning at the

center of R 4, on line between 4th and 5th tier of town-

ships, in R1, of United States Military Lands; east with

said line to western boundary of R 7; south to southwest

corner of Tuscarawas; east through center of T 11, R 7,

(of Congress Lands), to the line between R 6 and 7;

south to the north boundary of Washington; west

through center of T 5, R 7, to western line of said R 7;

north to center of T 6, R 8; west with northern bound-

ary of Washington to line between R 10 and 11; north

with said line to southern boundary of United States

Military Lands; west with said line to southwest corner

of T 1, R 4; north to northwest corner of T 3, R 4; east

to center of R 4; north to place of beginning. Acts of

Ohio, VIII, pp. 65-67. Passed January 31, 1810.

Madison -- March 1, 1810.

All that part of Franklin lying west of Franklinton,

thus: beginning at the southwest corner of Delaware;

east to a point that a line running due south will be the

382      Ohio. Arch and Hist. Society Publications

the distance of 12 1/2 miles west of the county seat of

Franklin; on a straight line to the northwest corner of

Pickaway; south until it intersects the line of Ross; west

to the line of Greene; north to Champaign line; with

said line to place of beginning. Acts of Ohio, VIII, pp.

248-250. Passed February 16, 1810.

Clinton -- March 1, 1810.

All of Warren and Highland, beginning at the

southeast corner of Greene, running east 5 miles; south

to Highland; west with said line within 4 miles of the

eastern line of Warren; southwardly so far as to inter-

sect a line 1 mile east from the southeast corner of War-

ren; west, and from the beginning, west so far that a

line south will leave Warren County a constitutional

boundary. Acts of Ohio, VIII, pp. 236-237. Passed

February 19, 1810.

By the State Constitution of 1802, the counties of

Ohio are restricted to a minimum of 400 square miles.

Cuyahoga -- May 1, 1810.

This county was organized and extended by act of

January 16, 1810. Acts of Ohio, VIII, p. 34. This act

took effect May 1, 1810.

NEW COUNTIES UNORGANIZED

Darke -- January 3, 1809.

So much of Miami as lies west of the middle of R 4,

east of the meridian drawn from the mouth of the Great

Miami, shall be made into a separate county, but remain

a part of Miami until the Legislature shall organize it.

Acts of Ohio, VII, pp. 69-70. Passed January 3, 1809.

Darke, as well as Miami, does not include the Indian

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  383

Country to the north until it is added from Montgomery

in 1812.

Huron -- February 7, 1809.

That part of the Connecticut Western Reserve called

the Firelands, beginning at the southwest corner of said

Reserve; north to the north boundary line of the United

States; easterly along said line to where the east line of

R 20 would intersect said boundary line; south along the

east line of R 20 to the south line of said Reserve, which

east line of R 20 is the east line of the Firelands, so

called; west to the place of beginning -- erected into

County of Huron to be organized whenever the Legisla-

ture shall think proper -- to be attached to Portage and

Geauga until then. Acts of Ohio, VII, pp. 194-195.

Passed February 7, 1809.

Coshocton -- April 1, 1810.

All those parts of Muskingum and Tuscarawas, be-

ginning at the southwest corner of T 4, R 9, United

States Military Lands; east to center of R 4; north to

line between 4th and 5th tier of townships; east to line

between 3rd and 4th ranges; north to line between 6th

and 7th tier of townships; west to line between 4th and

5th ranges; north to Indian Boundary; westerly with

said boundary to line between 9th and 10th ranges;

south to place of beginning. Acts of Ohio, VIII, pp.

81-83. Passed January 31, 1810.

For the jog in the west line of Coshocton see imper-

fections in survey of United States Military District.¹⁵

15 Sherman, Ohio Land Subdivisions, Plate 19, p. 91.

384     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

CHANGES

Wayne Attached to Stark -- January 1, 1809.

The law for the erection of Wayne and Stark, Feb-

ruary 13, 1808, provided that Wayne and Stark should

be attached to Columbiana until January 1, 1809, when

Stark was to be organized and Wayne to be attached to

Stark.

Tuscarawas from Jefferson -- February 11, 1809.

All of Jefferson, west of R 5, annexed to Tusca-

rawas. Acts of Ohio, VII, p. 142. Passed February

11, 1809.

Delaware from Franklin -- February 17, 1809.

All of Franklin, north of Delaware, "annexed to

Delaware." Acts of Ohio, VII, p. 156. Passed Febru-

ary 17, 1809.

Delaware is thus made to include all the Indian

Country that was originally incorporated in Franklin

County in 1803.

Trumbull from Ashtabula -- February 20, 1809.

All of Ashtabula, south of T 9, annexed to Trum-

bull. Acts of Ohio, VII, p. 143. Passed February 20,

1809.

Huron Attached to Cuyahoga -- May 1, 1810.

This is part of the act by which Cuyahoga was or-

ganized.

Cuyahoga from Geauga -- May 1, 1810.

Lands lying north of T 4, and west of 14th range of

townships, and east of said Huron County, shall be at-

tached to Cuyahoga until same shall be organized into

386      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

NEW COUNTIES

Coshocton -- April 1, 1811.

Coshocton was organized by act of January 22,

1811, to take effect April 1, 1811. Acts of Ohio, IX,

p. 32.

Ashtabula -- May 1, 1811.

Ashtabula was organized by act of January 22, 1811

-- not same act as above--to take effect May 1, 1811.

Its southern boundary was extended at same time. Acts

of Ohio, IX, pp. 42-43.

Wayne -- March 1, 1812.

Wayne was organized by act of January 4, 1812, to

take effect March 1, 1812. Acts of Ohio, X, pp. 17-18.

NEW COUNTIES UNORGANIZED

Medina -- February 18, 1812.

All of Connecticut Western Reserve lying west of

R 11, south of numbers 5, and east of R 20, until or-

ganized, shall be a part of Portage. Acts of Ohio, X, p.

122. Passed February 18, 1812.

CHANGES

Huron from Cuyahoga -- January 22, 1811.

The west line of Cuyahoga to extend from the

southwest corner of T 5, R 14, of the Connecticut West-

ern Reserve, to the southwest corner of T 5, R 16; north

by the west line of R 16 to the northwest corner of T 5,

R 16; west to the middle of Black River; down the

middle of said river to Lake Erie. Acts of Ohio, IX,

pp. 27-28. Passed January 22, 1811.

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  387

The east line of Huron to extend from the northeast

corner of T 4, R 20, to the southwest corner of T 5,

R 16; north to the northwest corner of T 6, R 16; west

to the middle of Black River; down the middle of said

river to Lake Erie. Acts of Ohio, IX, p. 28. Passed

January 22, 1811.

Portage Diminished -- January 22, 1811.

The west line of R 11, of Connecticut Western Re-

serve, shall be the west line of Portage County. Acts of

Ohio, IX, p. 28. Passed January 22, 1811.

This cutting down of the boundary of Portage was

part of the act for the change of Huron and Cuyahoga.

It thus left, unorganized, the region west of Portage

and east of Huron, until it was made into the County of

Medina, February 18, 1812, and re-attached temporarily

to Portage.

Ashtabula from Trumbull -- May 1, 1812.

This was part of the act organizing Ashtabula. It

restores to Ashtabula the tier of townships, numbered

eight, that were attached to Trumbull, February 20,

1809. Acts of Ohio, IX, p. 43. Passed January 22,

1811.

Miami from Montgomery -- January 7, 1812.

All of Montgomery, north of Miami, attached to Mi-

ami. Acts of Ohio, X, pp. 22-23. Passed January 7,

1812.

The preamble to this act refers to the fact that this

change is made because the limits of Miami County

were confined to the Indian Boundary Line by the act of

March 1, 1807.

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  389

NEW COUNTIES

Harrison -- February 1, 1813.

All of Jefferson and Tuscarawas, beginning at the

point on the range line between R 3 and 4, in the Steu-

benville district, where the north line of Belmont crosses

it; north to the center of T 11, R 4; west to the range

line between R 4 and 5; north to the south boundary of

Columbiana; west to the center of T 14, R 6; south to

the south boundary of T 13, R 6; west to the line be-

tween R 6 and 7; south to the line between T 12 and 13,

R 7; west to the west line of R 7; south to the north

boundary of Guernsey and Belmont; east to the place of

beginning. Acts of Ohio, XI, pp. 11-12. Passed Janu-

ary ², 1813.

By the act passed January 2, 1813, it was arranged

to take effect on January 1, next. By the act of January

12, 1813, it was made effective February 1, next. Acts

of Ohio, XI, p. 26.

Richland -- March 1, 1813.

The organization of this county, according to the

act of January 7, 1813, was to take effect on the first

Monday in March, which was March 1, 1813. Acts of

Ohio, XI, p. 21.

NEW COUNTIES UNORGANIZED

Monroe -- January 29, 1813.

All of Belmont, Washington and Guernsey, begin-

ning at the Ohio, in Belmont County, on the township

line, between T 3 and 4, R 3; west to the line running

between R 7 and 8; south to the line between T 4 and 5,

R 7; east to the Ohio; up the Ohio to the place of be-

390     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

ginning. Organized whenever Legislature thinks proper,

but remaining in Belmont, Washington and Guernsey

until then. Acts of Ohio, XI, pp. 57-58. Passed Janu-

ary 29, 1813.

CHANGES

Clinton from Highland -- February 4, 1813.

All of Highland, beginning at the southeast corner

of Clinton, adjoining Fayette; southwesterly to strike

the line of Clinton at such a point as to include 400

square miles in the said County of Clinton. Acts of

Ohio, XI, p. 67. Passed February 4, 1813.

This change was made to give Clinton its constitu-

tional 400 square miles.

Athens from Washington -- February 10, 1814.

All of Washington, contained in Sections 31 and 32,

T 6, R 11, in the Ohio Company's Purchase, annexed to

Athens. Acts of Ohio, XII, p. 146. Passed February

10, 1814.

Washington from Athens -- February 10, 1814.

All of Athens, in Sections 11 and 12, T 8, R 12, an-

nexed to Washington. Acts of Ohio, XII, p. 146.

Passed February 10, 1814.

NEW COUNTIES

Pike -- February 1, 1815.

All of Scioto, Ross and Adams, beginning at the

township line on the Scioto, between T 3 and 4, R 22;

with same, east to the corner between Sections 34 and

35, T 5, R 20; north to Ross County line; east to the

range line between R 19 and 20; north 9 miles into Ross;

392      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

Monroe -- March 1, 1815.

This county was organized and extended by act of

February 3, 1815, to take effect March 1, 1815. Acts

of Ohio, XIII, p. 128.

Huron -- April 1, 1815.

This county was organized and extended by act of

January 31, 1815, to take effect April 1, 1815. Acts of

Ohio, XIII, p. 113.

Jackson -- March 1, 1816.

All of Scioto, Gallia, Athens and Ross, beginning at

the northwest corner of T 10, R 17; east to the north-

west corner of said township; south to the southeast

corner of T 8, R 17; west to the southwest corner of

Section 35, T 8, R 17; south to the southeast corner of

Section 34, T 7, R 17; west to the southwest corner of T

7, R 17; south to the southeast corner of T 5, R 18; west

to the southwest corner of Section 33, T 5, R 19; north

to the northwest corner of Section 4, T 5, R 19; west to

the southeast corner of Pike; north to the northeast cor-

ner of said county; north to the northwest corner of T

8, R 19; east to the range line between R 17 and 18;

north with same line to place of beginning. Acts of

Ohio, XIV, pp. 112-113. Passed January 12, 1816.

NEW COUNTIES UNORGANIZED

Lawrence -- December 21, 1815.

All of Scioto and Gallia, beginning on the Ohio at

the southeast corner of T 2, R 15; west to the southwest

corner of T 2, R 15; north to the northeast corner of

T 3, R 16; west to the northwest corner of T 3, R 16;

north to the northeast corner of T 5, R 17; west to range

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  393

line between R 17 and 18; north to the northeast corner

T 4, R 18; west to the northeast corner of Section 5,

T 4, R 18; south to the northeast corner of Section 29,

T 4, R 18; west to the northwest corner of Section 27,

T 4, R 19; south to the southwest corner of Section 34,

T 3; west to the northwest corner of Section 3, T 2, R

19; south to the French Grant Line; southeastwardly to

the east corner of said Grant; southwestwardly to the

corner between fractional Sections 3 and 4, T 1; south

to the Ohio; up the river to the place of beginning. To

be organized when Legislature thinks fit. Acts of Ohio,

XIV, pp. 22-23. Passed December 21, 1815.

For the boundaries of the French Grants, see Sher-

man, Ohio Land Subdivisions, Chapter V.

It should be noted in connection with the usage of

section numbers in this law that the numbering of sec-

tions of the land surveyed under the Ordinance of May

20, 1785, is very different from the numbering of the

lands surveyed under the law of May 18, 1796. This

difference is shown well in Peters. The Seven Ranges,

the Ohio Company's Lands, and the Symmes Purchase

were surveyed and numbered under the old law. The

rest of the Congress Lands were numbered according

to the law of 1796.16

CHANGES

Warren from Butler -- March 1, 1815.

All of Butler within fractional T 1 and 2, R 5, and

adjoining the south line of Montgomery, attached to

Warren. Acts of Ohio, XIII, p. 109. Passed January

30, 1815.

16 Peters, Ohio Lands, pp. 56-61.

394      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

This and the following changes of Clinton, Warren

and Highland all result from the attempt to give Clinton

its constitutional 400 square miles.

Clinton from Warren -- March 1, 1815.

Eleven square miles of Warren lying upon the east-

ern boundary of Warren and extending parallel to the

said eastern boundary of Warren, along the whole

length of such eastern boundary from north to south,

attached to Clinton. Acts of Ohio, XIII, pp. 109-110.

Passed January 30, 1815.

Clinton from Highland -- March 1, 1815.

Three square miles and 18 acres of Highland at-

tached to Clinton, beginning where the line, run by the

surveyor of Ross, crosses the east fork of the Little

Miami, and extending down said east fork until a line

due west to the line of Clermont, between Clermont and

Highland, will include in the County of Clinton, 3 square

miles and 18 acres. Acts of Ohio, XIII, pp. 110-111.

Passed January 30, 1815.

This revision was necessary because the southwest

line required to be drawn by the act of February 4, 1813,

would not allow Clinton its constitutional 400 square

miles. The line referred to as the line run by the sur-

veyor of Ross, is the line of the act of 1813.

This change resulted in a jog in the line between the

two counties popularly known as the "Bootleg." It fol-

lowed down the East Fork as far south as possible and

thence by a due west line extended to the western bound-

ary of Highland County, which in 1815, was farther

east than it is today. (The change was made in 1874,

q. v.)

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  395

Mr. C. Luther Swaim, Prosecuting Attorney of Clin-

ton County, informs me that he can find no record of

the original survey of the Bootleg. But he has found

the record of a re-survey of the Bootleg made in Sep-

tember, of 1843. He has submitted copies and blue

prints to me which give the official information on this

point, as well as on the change of 1874. The records of

this re-survey, (Surveyor's Record No. 2, page 141,

Highland County, Ohio), show that agreeably to the

order of the Commissioners of Highland County, Jesse

Barrett, Surveyor of Highland, met Peyton West, Sur-

veyor of Clinton, and, "not being able to find any record

of the survey authorized under the Legislature attaching

three square miles and eighteen acres of Highland

County to Clinton, we proceeded to make the survey

agreeably to said act." Then follows the data describing

the line which I have indicated above. Although this line

of 1843 was not the original line drawn, it was drawn, as

the record indicates, on the basis of the same instruc-

tions because the original records were lost.

It should be noticed that the west line of the Bootleg,

as originally formed, was the old line of Clermont, and

later, of Brown County. The west line of the Bootleg

today is a mile or so to the east of the Brown line -- the

change having been caused by the re-survey of October,

1874, q. v.

Monroe from Washington -- March 1, 1815.

Fractional T 1, R 4, in Washington, attached to

Monroe. Acts of Ohio, XIII, p. 128. Passed February

3, 1815.

This accompanied the act organizing Monroe.

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  397

NEW COUNTIES

Darke -- March 1, 1817.

This county was organized by act of December 14,

1816, to take effect March 1, 1817. Acts of Ohio, XV,

p. 5.

Lawrence -- March 1, 1817.

This county was organized and extended by act of

December 20, 1816, to take effect March 1, 1817. Acts

of Ohio, XV, p. 6.

Medina -- January 14, 1818.

This county was organized by act of January 14,

1818, to take effect immediately. Acts of Ohio, XVI,

p. 69.

Perry -- March 1, 1818.

All of Washington, Muskingum and Fairfield, be-

ginning on the line between Licking and Fairfield at the

northwest corner of T 18, R 17; south to the southwest

corner of said T 18; east 4 sections to northwest corner

of Section 2, T 17, R 17; south to south line of T 17;

east to the southeast corner of T 17; south to southwest

corner of Section 19, T 14, R 16; east to southeast cor-

ner of Section 24, T 14; south to southeast corner of

T 14; east to southeast corner of T 12, R 14; north to

northeast corner of T 13, R 14; west to southwest cor-

ner of Section 34, T 14, R 14; north to northwest corner

of Section 3, T 14, R 14; west to southwest corner of

Section 35, T 17, R 15; north to northeast corner of

Section 3, T 17; west to beginning. Acts of Ohio, XVI,

pp. 26-27. Passed December 26, 1817.

398     Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

Clark -- March 1, 1818.

All of Champaign, Madison and Greene, beginning

on the line between Miami and Champaign on north

boundary of 5th tier of sections in R 10, between Sec-

tions 35 and 36; east to line between United States Land

and the Virginia Military Land; eastwardly to line of

Madison; southwardly to point on line of Madison 6

miles north of southeast corner of Champaign; diag-

onally so as to intersect the south line of Champaign 2

miles west of southeast corner of said county; west with

line of Champaign 1 mile; south 5 1/2 miles into Madi-

son; west to line of Greene; west 5 miles in Greene;

north one-half mile; west to line between townships 4

and 5, R 8, of the survey between the Miami Rivers;

north to line between Sections 3 and 4; west to line of

T 3; north to sectional line between 4th and 5th tier of

sections in R 8; then westwardly to east line of Mont-

gomery; north to southwest corner of Champaign; north

with line between Champaign and Miami line to place of

beginning. Acts of Ohio, XVI, pp. 33-36. Passed De-

cember 26, 1817.

That part of the south line of Clark, beginning at a

point five miles west of Greene County line, and one-half

mile north, "thence west to line between townships 4

and 5, range 8, in survey between the Miami Rivers"

cannot be drawn, as such a line west would go to the

south of the southern end of said line between the town-

ships 4 and 5. This had to be rectified by the act of

February 25, 1819.

Brown -- March 1, 1818.

All of Adams and Clermont, beginning at a point 8

miles west from courthouse in town of West Union,

Evolution of Ohio County Boundaries  399

Adams County, north to Highland County line; west to

Clermont; north to Clinton line; west so far that a line

running south will strike the Ohio 2 miles above the

mouth of Bullskin Creek; up the Ohio so far that a due

north line will intersect the beginning. Acts of Ohio,

XVI, pp. 29-31. Passed December 27, 1817.

In drawing the line between Brown and Highland,

we must notice that it was originally drawn farther east

than it is now. The change was made in 1874, q. v.

Logan -- March 1, 1818.

All of Champaign, north of line beginning on east

line of Miami County between Sections 33 and 34, in T

3, R 13, and running east 12 miles with sectional line be-

tween 3rd and 4th tier of sections; south 1 mile; with

sectional line between 2nd and 3rd tier of sections, R 13,

to line between United States Land and Virginia Mili-

tary Land; east to line of Champaign; north to Indian

Boundary Line; west to a point so that a line drawn

from said point due south will strike Indian Boundary

Line at point where line between Miami and Champaign

strikes it; south with Miami-Champaign line to place of

beginning. Also including the United States Reserva-

tion at the rapids of the Miami of the Lake; and juris-

diction shall extend over all territory lying north of the

county. Acts of Ohio, XVI, pp. 53-55. Passed Decem-

ber 30, 1817.

This act differs from the others in respect to the in-

clusion of the Indian Lands. A north line is named and

then it is added that jurisdiction is to extend over all

land to the north. Hence, I have drawn the north line

of Logan as a dotted line.

Mr. Peters, in his pamphlet on Ohio's "Lost Lands,"

400      Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications

writes concerning this change: "Likewise Champaign

County, created in 1805, and extending to the north line

of the State, suffered division into dual parts by the cre-

ation, in 1817, of that part of Logan County lying south

of the Greenville Treaty Line."17 This statement seems