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counties of Gallia, Jackson, the greater part of Lawrence, about three-fourths of Meigs and a part of Vinton county, which tract was covered partly by the "Congress lands" and the balance by the "Ohio Company" purchase, the western limit of the latter being a line running north and south through Gallia county, a short distance west of Gallipolis.  All the titles of real estate in the city and the eastern part of the county came from this company, and it will be a matter of interest to introduce here an account of its original, etc., copied from its original records.

OHIO COMPANY.

     "On the 1st day of March, 1786, convened at the Bunch of Grapes Tavern, in Boston, as delegates from several of the commonwealths of Massachusetts, to consider of the expediency of forming an association or company to purchase lands and make a settlement in the western country, the gentlemen whose names are underwritten.
     Then follows the list of signatures of the members of the company, eleven in all, who elected General Rufus Putnam, chairman and Major Winthrop Sargent, clerk.  The articles of agreement of the company decided that the "design of this association is to raise a fund in continental certificates for the sole purpose, and to be appropriated to the entire use of purchasing lands in the western territory (belonging to the United States), for the benefit of the company, and to promote a settlement in that country."
     They soon after purchased the lands of Congress, as indicated, and opened their office at Marietta.
     The price paid to the United States for the land was one dollar per acre, from which one-third of a dollar was to be deducted for bad lands, expense of surveying, etc.
     After giving the boundaries of the land purchased by the company, it is recorded that "This tract to be extended so far northerly as to comprehend in its limits one section, of 640 acres, exclusive of above purchase in each township for the purposes of religion; one section for schools and two townships of 23,040 acres each, for a University, to be in the centre of the whole tract."  The above lots were thus given by Congress, and appropriated for the above uses forever.
     The agent of the Company, Reverend Menasseh Cutler, was the one who has the credit of securing this desirable arrangement from Congress.  Whether he labored for this object from an unselfish desire to benefit the cause of religion and education, or solely to facilitate the sale of lands made by the company, is rather a doubtful question; but as he was a good man as well as shrewd, he was probably influenced by both motives.  In any event, the result has been beneficial to all parties.  Section 29 in each township in the tract was set aside for religious, and section 16 for school purposes.
     "December 9th, 1795, upon the petition of the French people at Gallipolis, unanimously resolved that the fractional miles square number twenty-eight and thirty-four of the third township of the fourteenth range be offered to them at one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre.
     December 17th, 1795. - Whereas the agents and proprietors of the Ohio Company, on the 9th day of December last, did resolve that they would sell two fractional miles square lots, being numbered twenty-eight (28) and thirty-four (34), lying in township number three (3) and in the fourteenth range, to the inhabitants of Gallipolis; and whereas inhabitants of Gallipolis; and whereas the inhabitants of Gallipolis aforesaid, have agreed upon certain principles for the division of said lands, and for raising the money necessary to pay for the same,
     Be it therefore unanimously resolved, that the two lots aforesaid, lying within a certain tract of land which has heretofore been considered as forfeited to the Ohio Company, be sold and released to certain persons in trust for the inhabitants of Gallipolis, according to the principles which have been adopted by them.
     Resolved, that Paul Fearing and Return J. Meigs, Esquires, he a committee to whom the conveyance shall be made in trust, and who shall execute conveyances of the like tenor to the several inhabitants of Gallipolis, they paying the trustees for the execution of their trust.
     The following paper, found in the Recorder's office, written in French, and translated by D. W. Jones, Esq., exhibits what was meant by the "principles" referred to in the above, and

THE PRICE AND DISTRIBUTION OF LOTS IN GALLIPOLIS.

     Gallipolis, this, the 14th day of December, 1795.  P. Burean and J. M. Berthelot have published and given notice that Monday next they will render account to the French inhabitants of their mission as agents to treat with the Ohio Company.
     Today, Monday, the assembled inhabitants, after having agreed to purchase the land of the Ohio Company, have proceeded to choose, by secret ballot, commissioners to examine the rights of pre-emption of the inhabitants to the city lots, and of four acres of cultivated land, and also to fix the price of city lots and of the four acres according to what they were worth before they were occupied.  Whereupon the inhabitants have unanimously named for Commissioners: Marn Duport, Mathieu Berthelot, Jean Parmentier, Christopher Etienne, Francis DeVacht, Jean Baptiste, Le Tailleur, Jean Pierre Roman Bureau.
     Today, Monday, 6 o'clock P.M.  The Commissioners have unanimously appointed Marin DuPort, moderator, and Christopher Etienne, secretary of the Committee.  It has also been resoled that Mr. Auzelm Tupper, surveyor, be chosen for any operations of surveying that may be found necessary.
     Resolved, That Mr. Tupper, accompanied by Mr. Bureau, shall go to examine the line which separates the lands, proposed to be bought from the reserved lands and from those belonging to the Ohio Company, in order to proceed immediately to such operations as they shall judge to be proper.
     [NOTE.- By the reserved lands are meant those lands reserved for schools and ministerial purposes, being sections 16 and 29.  Section 29 joins the lands proposed to be bought, on the north side.]
     It has been resolved that the public be warned by notices to repair to the house of Messrs Saigraom and Bureau, in order to make known their rights and claims to the property of Gallipolis.
     Le Tailleur, Parmentier, M. Berthelot, J. G. DeVacht, M. DuPort, P. Bureau.
     December 16th.  The committee, after having been occupied during the entire day in receiving the claims of proprietors, have resolved to give new notice to those who have not yet presented their claims, to come to-morrow in order to finish the work.
     December 16th.  Resolved, That this plan shall hereafter be placed before the eyes of the people as the only one which appears proper in order to conciliate the different interests of the proprietors considering the position of the different pieces of land, in order that those persons who have few lots, and of which the situation is not advantageous, be not overcharged.

PLAN.

     The banks of the river and the Commons not having been surveyed, and never having been regarded as property, we have thought it right that they be placed at a price proportioned to their importance by reason of their position.  Lots on the bank of the river and of the Square [Public Square] being a source of wealth by reason of their position, we have thought that they should be placed at a price higher than the others.  The lots on the banks of the river, more remote, have been placed at a price lower than the preceding, but higher than those which are remote from the river.  The lands which remain to be divided, being for the greater part mountainous or hilly, have been in consequence placed at a low price.

BANKS OF THE RIVER.

LOTS OF THE SQUARE RESERVED.

LOTS ON RIVER AND AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SQUARE

LOTS OF FOUR ACRES, CULTIVATED.

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