Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/23



CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY -TOPOGRAPHY -GEOLOGY -PRIMITIVE-RACES -ANTIQUITIES -INDIAN TRIBES. THE present State of Ohio, comprising an extent of country 210 miles north and south, 220 miles east and west, in length and breadth — 25,576,969 acres — is a part of the Old Northwest Territory. This Territory embraced all of the present States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and so much of Minnesota as lies east of the Mississippi River. It became a corporate existence soon after the formation of the Virginia Colony, and when that colony took on the dignity of State government it became a county thereof, whose exact outline was unknown. The county embraced in its limits more territory than is comprised in all the New England and Middle States, and was the largest county ever known in the United States. It is watered by the finest system of rivers on the globe; while its inland seas are without a parallel. Its entire southern boundary is traversed by the beautiful Ohio, its western by the majestic Mississippi, and its northern and a part of its eastern are bounded by the fresh-water lakes, whose clear waters preserve an even temperature over its entire surface. Into these reservoirs of commerce flow innumerable streams of limpid water, which came from glen and dale, from mountain and valley, from forest and prairie — all avenues of health, commerce and prosperity. Ohio is in the best part of this territory — south of its river are tropical heats; north of Lake Erie are polar snows and a polar climate.

The territory comprised in Ohio has always remained the same. Ohio's history differs somewhat from other States, in that it was never under Territorial government. When it was created, it was made a State, and did not pass through the stage incident to the most of other States, i. e., exist as a Territory before being advanced to the powers of a State. Such was not the case with the other States of the West; all were Territories, with Territorial forms of government, ere they became States. Ohio's boundaries are, on the north, Lakes Erie and Michigan; on the west, Indiana; on the south, the Ohio River, separating it from Kentucky; and, on the east, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. It is situated between 38° 25' and 42° north latitude; and 80° 30' and 84° 50' west longitude from Greenwich, or 3° 30' and 7° 50' west from Washington. Its greatest length, from north to south, is 210 miles; the extreme width, from east to west, 220 miles. Were this an exact out- line, the area of the State would be 46,200 square miles, or 29,568,000 acres; as the outhlines of the State are, however, rather irregular, the area is estimated at 39,964 square miles, or 25,576,960 acres. In the last census— 1870— the total number of acres in Ohio is given as 21,712,420, of which 14,469,132 acres are improved, and 6,883,- 575 acres are woodland. By the last statistical report of the State Auditor, 20,965,3711 acres are reported as taxable lands. This omits many acres untaxable for various reasons, which would make the estimate, 25,576,960, nearly correct.

The face of the country, in Ohio, taken as a whole, presents the appearance of an extensive monotonous plain. It is moderately undulating but not mountainous, and is excavated in places by the streams coursing over its surface, whose waters have forced a way for themselves through cliffs of sandstone rock, leaving abutments of this material in bold outline. There are no mountain ranges, geological uplifts or peaks. A low ridge enters the State, near the northeast corner, and crosses it in a southwesterly direction, emerging near the inter- section of the 40th degree of north latitude with