Firelands

Last updated

The Firelands, or Sufferers' Lands, tract was located at the western end of the Connecticut Western Reserve in what is now the U.S. state of Ohio. It was legislatively established in 1792, as the "Sufferers' Lands", and later became named "Fire Lands" because the resale of the land was intended as financial restitution for residents of the Connecticut towns of Danbury, Fairfield, Greenwich, Groton, New Haven, New London, Norwalk, and Ridgefield. Their homes had been burned in 1779 and 1781 by British forces during the American Revolutionary War. However, most of the settlement of the area did not occur until after the War of 1812. [1] "Fire Lands" was later spelled as one word: "Firelands."

Contents

Map of the Western Reserve in 1826: the Firelands are on the west end (left). Western Reserve Including the Fire Lands 1826.jpg
Map of the Western Reserve in 1826: the Firelands are on the west end (left).

History

In 1792 the Connecticut legislature set aside 500,000 acres (2,000 km2), at the western end of the "Western Reserve" for the Connecticut "Sufferers". The area consisted of nearly all of the present-day Huron and Erie counties, as well as Danbury Township (Marblehead Peninsula) and much of Catawba Island Township now in Ottawa County; and Ruggles Township now in Ashland County. [The 1792 legislative decree should not be confused with the actual pioneer settlement of these lands, which began to occur about 1807.]

It is not known if any of the actual "Sufferers" eventually settled in the Firelands. Prior to any settlement here, land speculators had purchased all of the original claims for re-sale. On April 15, 1803, the investor proprietors formed a corporation to manage the lands to which they were entitled in the newly formed state of Ohio. [2] The land was later divided into 30 five-mile (8 km) square survey townships, which were further subdivided into 120 quarters, each containing 4,000 acres (16 km2). (Note: Although the standard for U.S. survey townships in the Northwest Territory was six miles (approx. 10 km) square at that time, the older standard for survey townships in the Western Reserve was employed.) A drawing was held to determine which land each individual investor share-holder would receive.

Some of the original townships in the Firelands took their names from locations in Connecticut, or from the land-speculators who had purchased them. (In some cases the pioneer settlers took a dislike to these speculators, and so changed their township names.) Later, after the War of 1812, when villages began to be established here, many of these villages were also named for Connecticut villages.

In 1811, Huron County encompassed the entire Firelands (and also included a portion of later Lorain County). Until 1837, all of the Firelands would lie within — and therefore co-exist with — Huron County.

Modern sign-posts erected within this area have the "established 1792" designation date, as mentioned above. The lands were physically surveyed from 1806 to 1808, and very slowly settled after 1808. No villages had developed within the Firelands until about the end of the War of 1812. [3] (The 1806–1808 surveys were not entirely accurate, and exceeded the legislative parameters for the entire "Western Reserve" boundaries; resulting in 'Surplus lands' directly east of the boundary-line of the Firelands.)

Firelands sign along Ohio State Route 4 in Sherman Township, Huron County, Ohio Frldsign.jpg
Firelands sign along Ohio State Route 4 in Sherman Township, Huron County, Ohio

Municipalities

Townships

Unincorporated places

Further reading

For further information see:

(Publications with CSL call numbers are in the collection of the Connecticut State Library)

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lorain County, Ohio</span> County in Ohio, United States

Lorain County is a county in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 312,964. Its county seat is Elyria, and its largest city is Lorain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huron County, Ohio</span> County in Ohio, United States

Huron County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 58,565. Its county seat is Norwalk. The county was created in 1809 and later organized in 1815.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Erie County, Ohio</span> County in Ohio, United States

Erie County is a county located in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 75,622. Its county seat and largest city is Sandusky. The county is named for the Erie tribe, whose name was their word for "wildcat". It was formed in 1838 from the northern third of Huron County and a portion of Sandusky County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Huron, Ohio</span> City in Ohio, United States

Huron is a city in Erie County, Ohio, United States, located at the mouth of the Huron River on Lake Erie. The population was 6,922 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Sandusky micropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norwalk, Ohio</span> City in Ohio, United States

Norwalk is a city in and the county seat of Huron County, Ohio, United States. The population was 17,068 at the 2020 census. The city is the center of the Norwalk micropolitan area and part of the Cleveland–Akron–Canton combined statistical area. Norwalk is located approximately 10 miles (16 km) south of Lake Erie, 51 miles (82 km) west/southwest of Cleveland, 59 miles (95 km) southeast of Toledo, and 58 miles (93 km) west/northwest of Akron.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Survey township</span> Area of land used in US land surveys

A survey township, sometimes called a Congressional township or just township, as used by the United States Public Land Survey System and by Canada's Dominion Land Survey is a nominally-square area of land that is nominally six survey miles on a side. Each 36-square-mile township is divided into 36 sections of one square mile each. The sections can be further subdivided for sale.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Connecticut Western Reserve</span> Land area claimed by Connecticut until 1800

The Connecticut Western Reserve was a portion of land claimed by the Colony of Connecticut and later by the state of Connecticut in what is now mostly the northeastern region of Ohio. The Reserve had been granted to the Colony under the terms of its charter by King Charles II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ohio Lands</span> Divisions of land made during the European settlement of Ohio, United States

The Ohio Lands were the several grants, tracts, districts and cessions which make up what is now the U.S. state of Ohio. The Ohio Country was one of the first settled parts of the Midwest, and indeed one of the first settled parts of the United States beyond the original Thirteen Colonies. The land that became first the anchor of the Northwest Territory and later Ohio was cobbled together from a variety of sources and owners.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxford Township, Erie County, Ohio</span> Township in Ohio, United States

Oxford Township is one of the nine townships of Erie County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Sandusky, Ohio micropolitan statistical area and the Cleveland-Akron-Canton Combined Statistical Area. The 2020 census recorded 1,140 residents.

John Stark Edwards was an attorney, public official, soldier and landowner in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danbury Township, Ohio</span> Township in Ohio, United States

Danbury Township is one of the twelve townships of Ottawa County, Ohio, United States. The 2020 census found 4,924 people in the township.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Milan Township, Erie County, Ohio</span> Township in Ohio, United States

Milan Township is one of the nine townships of Erie County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Sandusky, Ohio metropolitan statistical area, which is also the county seat of Erie County. As of the 2020 census 3,580 people lived in the township.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vermilion Township, Erie County, Ohio</span> Township in Ohio, United States

Vermilion Township is one of the nine townships of Erie County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Sandusky, Ohio metropolitan statistical area. As of the 2020 census the population was 4,857.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ruggles Township, Ashland County, Ohio</span> Township in Ohio, United States

Ruggles Township is one of the fifteen townships of Ashland County, Ohio, United States. The population was 955 at the 2020 census.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avery, Ohio</span> Unincorporated community in Ohio, U.S.

Avery is an unincorporated community in western Milan Township, Erie County, Ohio, United States. It is part of the Sandusky Metropolitan Statistical Area. Avery is located along US Route 250 near that road's interchange with Interstate 80 and Interstate 90, the Ohio Turnpike. The area is characterized by hotels and some industry. It once had a post office, but is now included in the Milan, Ohio postal zone (44846).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hunts Corners, Ohio</span> Historic district in Ohio, United States

Hunts Corners is an unincorporated community in southeastern Lyme Township, Huron County, Ohio, United States. It lies at the intersection of State Route 547 and Sand Hill Road, southeast of Bellevue and southwest of the city of Norwalk, the county seat of Huron County. Its elevation is 768 feet (234 m), and it is located at 41°13′39″N82°45′27″W.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United States Military District</span>

The United States Military District was a land tract in central Ohio that was established by the Congress to compensate veterans of the American Revolutionary War for their service. The tract contains 2,539,110 acres (10,275.4 km2) in Noble, Guernsey, Tuscarawas, Muskingum, Coshocton, Holmes, Licking, Knox, Franklin, Delaware, Morrow, and Marion counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Congress Lands North of Old Seven Ranges</span>

The Congress Lands North of the Old Seven Ranges was a land tract in northeast Ohio that was established by the Congress early in the 19th century. It is located south of the Connecticut Western Reserve and Firelands, east of the Congress Lands South and East of the First Principal Meridian, north of the United States Military District and Seven Ranges, and west of Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maumee Road Lands</span>

Maumee Road Lands were a group of land tracts granted by the United States Congress to the state of Ohio in 1823 along the path of a proposed road in the northwest corner of the state.

Turnpike Lands were a group of land tracts granted by the United States Congress to the state of Ohio in 1827 along the path of a proposed road in the northwest corner of the state.

References

  1. ↑ "Firelands" . Retrieved 8 December 2019.
  2. ↑ Chase, Salmon P, ed. (1833). "Chap. XX-An act to incorporate the owners and proprietors of 500,000 acres (2,000 km2) of land lying south of lake Erie, in the county of Trumbull". The statutes of Ohio and of the Northwestern territory, adopted or enacted from 1788 to 1833 inclusive…. Vol. 1. Cincinnati, Ohio: Corey & Fairbank. pp. 372–374.
  3. ↑ "Firelands History – Firelands Museum.org". Archived from the original on 2016-10-09. Retrieved 2014-10-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)

41°15′N82°30′W / 41.250°N 82.500°W / 41.250; -82.500

Fire lands

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.