Page:History of Richland County, Ohio.djvu/233

 HISTORY OF RICHLAND COUNTY.

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��from Eastern Virginia. He came to Ohio about 1800, and settled in Belmont Count}', but in a short time returned to Virginia and studied surveying, then an excellent employ- ment for young men. He received an appoint- ment as Deputy Surveyor, and, returning to Ohio, entered on active field work. The lalwr was very arduous, not to say dangerous, and required not only bodily strength, but nerve and discretion. Gen. Hedges assisted in the survey' of this county, as will be obsei'ved from the description of the survey, and while here entered three quarters of land now covered partly by the city of Mansfield. He was the prime mover in locating the city. After the location of the village destined to be the counts- seat, he returned to Belmont County, where he was elected Sherift'. When the war of 1812 broke out, he received the appointment of Cap- tain of cavalr}- in the regular army, and served with distinction during the war, under the immediate command of Gen. Harrison. Soon after the close of the war, he resigned his com- mission and returned to Mansfield to look after his interests here, and those of the town iden- tical with his own, and remained here in the active pursuits of life until his death, October 4. 1854. For manj- ^-ears he was Register of the Virginia Military- Lands, then a ver}' im- portant oflftce. He also served a term in the Ohio Legislature. He was always a prominent man in the State militar}' operations, and became a Major General of militia.

" Gen. Hedges was, in all respects," says one who knew him well, " a man of mark. In per- son, he was over six feet high, and well propor- tioned ; a man of iron frame and nerve. He was also a man of extreme modesty, and strong attachment to his friends. He was an open-handed, generous-hearted man, and was iniiversally popular among the people. He was continued in oflBce under all administrations, and was one of the foremost men among the pioneers of Ohio."

��The survey began at the southeast corner of the county — Range 16 and Township 19. The plat of the survey is now in the Surveyor's office, and from it the annexed facts are gleaned :

The first township (19) in this range was sur- veyed by James Hedges, in March, 1807. In his field-notes he gives the quality and quan- tity of timber he found, the character of the soil,the surface of the country, the water-courses, the springs and whatever else interested him as he passed over the land. This township, afterward named Hanover, is noted as having on the east boundary much burnt woods. On the fifth mile, going south, the surveyors came to the old Indian boundary line, 'perhaps," says Dr. Hill, '-the north line of the Gellowaj' Reservation, in Knox County. The line runs southwest across the township, passing out nearl}' in the middle of Section 31." Between Sections 1 and 2, Armstrong's Creek, running southwest, was crossed. It was so named from Capt. Thomas Armstrong, an old Indian chief, who resided at Greentown, eight miles above. The Indian trail running north, and to the Gelloway settlement on the Waldhoning, is mentioned. The land of Hanover is noted as rough and poor, covered with stunted timber, much burnt on the northeast part of the town- ship. Green Township was also surveyed by Gen. Hedges, in April, 1807. "In running the south and east boundar}', Gen. Hedges seems to haA'e been much embarrassed," says Dr. Hill, '-over the variations in his compass. In order to test the accuracy' of the survey, the lines were resurvejed. He could not determine the cause of the variation." Magnetic ores may have existed in the earth on the line and influenced the needle. On the south line ol this township, the timber was much burnt ; un- derbrush was plent}'. On the west boundary. Mohican John's Creek was crossed, and on the fourth mile to Muddy Fork of Mohican John's Creek, the}- crossed the stream and came to the Indian village of Greentown, which

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