The lands now embrace within Defiance County were ceded to the United States by the Indians by a treaty made September 29, 1817, at the Rapids of the Miami of the Lake Erie (Maumee River), between Lewis Cass and Duncan Mc Arthur, Commissioners, and the chiefs and warriors of the various Indian tribes. Surveys were made from the Indiana line east to the line of the Western Reserve, and south to the Greenville treaty line. The base line of this survey is the 41st degree of north latitude, and it is also the south line of the Connecticut Western Reserve. The plan of survey of the lands originated with Jared Mansfield, Surveyor General of the United States. From the base line the townships are numbered south and east of the Indiana line, our meridian. Each township is six miles square and is subdivided into thirty-six sections, parallel with the township lines, of one mile square each, containing 640 acres, so that every regular land township contains 23,040 acres of land. Each section can be legally subdivided into quarter section of 160 acres; and each quarter section into quarters of 40 acres; and each 40 acres, for convenience of sale, can be divided into quarters, also, of 10 acres, so that an exact and legally correct description of ten acres of land out of a whole section can be made without a survey, and the line afterward be exactly determined by a competent surveyor.
The townships were surveyed in 1820. In Defiance County, Hicksville, Milford, Farmer, Mark and Washington Township were surveyed by Joseph Wampler; Defiance, Richland, Adam and Tiffin by James Riley, Highland and Delware Townships by James Powell.
The land office was located at Piqua, and was opened in 1821, in which year some of the best land along the rivers was entered. Until 1834, very little was taken, but during the years 1835-36 and 1837 the greater portion was entered, principally by speculators and land companies. The Hicks Land Company, in Hicksville alone, owned 14,000 acres. Mr. A.P. Edgerton, at Hicksville, agent for this and the American Land Company in Northwestern Ohio, sold over 107,000 acres. These extensive purchases, however, proved disastrous. The expected speedy increase in value did not occur, and much land was sold in four or five years for less than the original price paid.
The townships were surveyed in 1820. In Defiance County, Hicksville, Milford, Farmer, Mark and Washington Township were surveyed by Joseph Wampler; Defiance, Richland, Adam and Tiffin by James Riley, Highland and Delware Townships by James Powell.
The land office was located at Piqua, and was opened in 1821, in which year some of the best land along the rivers was entered. Until 1834, very little was taken, but during the years 1835-36 and 1837 the greater portion was entered, principally by speculators and land companies. The Hicks Land Company, in Hicksville alone, owned 14,000 acres. Mr. A.P. Edgerton, at Hicksville, agent for this and the American Land Company in Northwestern Ohio, sold over 107,000 acres. These extensive purchases, however, proved disastrous. The expected speedy increase in value did not occur, and much land was sold in four or five years for less than the original price paid.
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