Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 October 1881 — The Western Reserve. [ARTICLE]

The Western Reserve.

Several of the seaboard States at an early day, when, in fact, they were colonies, acquired claims to lands extending westward practically to the utmost limit. Among this number were Connecticut, Virginia, New York, and Massachusetts. These laid claim to portions of the territory embracing Ohio, their claims being based on their chartered grants, but all finally ceded the right of eminent domain to the United States, Virginia and Connecticut reserving, however, the ownership of about 3.700,000 acres each. The Connecticut lands fwm what was callSfl the Western Reserve, and the Virginia the region about the Falls of the Ohio, which eventually became a part of the State of Indiana. The Western Reserve began to be settled about the year 1800. The pioneers of Ohio were New Englanders, who, however, found their way to that State, settling at Marietta, Cincinnati, and at other points. The Reserve was in the northeastern part of Ohio.