OUR TERRITORIAL STATESMEN.

In 1783 "the General Assembly of Virginia passed an act authorizing the Virginia delegates in Congress to convey to the United States all the right of that Commonwealth to the territory northwestward of the River Ohio."

Pursuant to the foregoing action of the General Assembly of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson, Samuel Hardy, Arthur Lee, and James Monroe, Virginia's delegates in Congress, did, as per deed of cession, on the first day of March, 1784, it being the eighth year of American Independence, "convey (in the name and for, and on behalf of the said Commonwealth), transfer, assign, and make over unto the United States in Congress assembled, for the benefit of said States, Virginia inclusive, all right, title, and claim, as well of soil as of jurisdiction, to the territory of said State lying and being to the northwest of the River Ohio." Upon the presentation of said deed of cession to Congress, that body resolved on the same day "that it be accepted, and the same be recorded and enrolled among the acts of the United States in Congress assembled."

The United States having thus secured title to the "Great Northwest," Congress soon deemed it advisable to take the preliminary steps looking to the permanent establishment of civil government in the new and extensive territory over which that body had just acquired jurisdiction. Accordingly after mature deliberation and careful consideration of the subject, as well as prolonged discussion of the important questions involved, they, on the 13th of July, 1787, gave to the world the result of their deliberations in "An Ordinance for the government of the Territory of the United States, Northwest of the River Ohio," now generally called "The Ordinance of '87," and sometimes "The Ordinance of Freedom."

Under the provisions of this celebrated Ordinance the "Territory Northwest of the River Ohio," was organized in July, 1788, the following being a list of the Territorial officers, and the time of service. pertinent facts are also given:

Governor.-General Arthur St. Clair, from 1788 to 1802.

Other

Secretaries.-Major Winthrop Sargent, from 1788 to 1798; Captain William H. Harrison, from 1798 to 1799; Charles Willing Byrd, from 1799 to 1803.

Attorney General.—Arthur St. Clair, Jr., appointed in 1796.

Treasurer. —John Armstrong, from 1792 to 1803.

Auditors of Public Accounts.-Rice Bullock, December 18, 1799; Thomas Gibson, in 1800. Territorial Judges.-James M. Varnum, October 16, 1787, January, 1789; Samuel H. Parsons, October 16, 1787, November 10, 1789; John Armstrong, October 16, 1787, declined to accept; John Cleves Symmes, from February 19, 1788, to March 3, 1803; William Barton, August 20, 1789, refused to serve; George Turner, September 12, 1789, resigned in 1797; Rufus Putnam, March 31, 1790, served until 1796; Joseph Gilman, from December 22, 1796, to March 3, 1803; Return J. Meigs, Jr. from February 12, 1798, to March 3, 1803.

Clerks of Governor and of Territorial Court.-William Collis, appointed in September, 1788; Armistead Churchill, appointed May 29, 1795; Daniel Symmes, time of service unknown.

Delegates in Congress.-William H. Harrison, from 1799 to 1800; William McMillan, from 1800 to 1801; Paul Fearing, from 1801 to 1803.

The following is a list of Territorial Counties, when proclaimed, with their county-seats:

Washington, July 27, 1788, Marietta; Hamilton, January 2, 1790, Cincinnati; St. Clair, February, 1790, Cahokia; Knox, in the year 1790, Vincennes; Randolph, in the year 1795, Kaskaskia; Wayne, August 15, 1795, Detroit; Adams, July 10, 1797, Manchester; Jefferson, July 29. 1797, Steubenville; Ross, August 20, 1797, Chillicothe; Trumbull, July 10, 1800, Warren; Clermont, December 6, 1800, Williamsburg; Fairfield, December 9, 1800, New Lancaster; Belmont, September 7, 1801, St. Clairs

ville.

Upon the organization of the State of Ohio in 1803, four of the above named counties were found to be outside of the limits of said State. St. Clair and Randolph now form a part of Illinois; Knox is in Indiana and Wayne in Michigan.

The early time territorial towns, with names of proprietors, are as follows: Marietta. 1788, Rufus Putnam, for the Ohio Land Company.

Columbia, 1788, Benjamin Sites, Major Gano, and others.

Cincinnati, 1789, Robert Patterson, Matthias Derman and Israel Ludlow.

Manchester, 1791, Nathaniel Massie.

Gallipolis, 1791, a French colony.

Hamilton, 1794, Israel Ludlow.

Dayton, 1795, Israel Ludlow and Generals Dayton and Wilkinson.

Franklin, 1795. W. C. Schenck and Daniel C. Cooper.

Chillicothe, 1796, Nathaniel Massie.

Cleveland, 1796, Job V. Styles.

Franklinton, 1797, Lucas Sullivant.

Steubenville, 1798, Bazaliel Wells and James Ross.

Williamsburg, 1799. General William Lyttle.

Zanesville, 1799, Jonathan Zane and John McIntire.

New Lancaster, 1800, Ebenezer Zane.

Warren, 1801, Ephraim Quinby.

St. Clairsville, 1801, David Newell.

Springfield, 1801, James Demint.

Newark, 1802, W. C. Schenck, G. W. Burnett, and J. N. Cummings.

The first Court of Common Pleas of the territory northwest of the River Ohio was held early in September, 1788, by Judge Rufus Putnam,

Archibald Crary and Benjamin Tupper, Return Jonathan Meigs, Sr., being the clerk, and Ebenezer Sproat, sheriff. The court was held at Marietta, in Campus Martius, and was opened with prayer by Rev. Manasseh Cutler. The grand jury consisted of the following gentlemen, to wit: William Stacey (foreman), Nathan Goodale, Nathaniel Cushing, Charles Knowles, Anselm Tupper, Jonathan Stone, Oliver Rice, Ezra Lunt, John Matthews, George Ingersoll, Jonathan Devol, Jethro Putnam, Samuel Stebbins and Jabez True.

The names and location of the members of the popular branch of the first Territorial Legislature were as follows:

Joseph Darlington, Nathaniel Massie, Adams County.

William Goforth, William McMillan, John Smith, John Ludlow, Robert Benham, Aaron Caldwell, Isaac Martin, Hamilton County.

James Pritchard, Jefferson County.

John Small, Knox County.

John Edgar, Randolph County.

Thomas Worthington, Elias Langham, Samuel Findlay, Edward Tiffin, Ross County.

Shadrack Bond, St. Clair County.

Return Jonathan Meigs, Paul Fearing, Washington County.

Solomon Sibley, Jacob Visgar, Charles F. Chabart de Joncaire, Wayne County.

A fifty acre freehold was the voter's qualification-a two hundred acre freehold was the representative's qualification-and a five hundred acre freehold was requisite in a member of the council.

The foregoing gentlemen that constituted the popular branch of the first Territorial Legislature, were elected at an election held pursuant to the proclamation of Governor St. Clair, on the third Monday of Decem ber, 1798, and convened for the first time at Cincinnati, February 4, 1799. The only business transacted at this session was the nomination of ten gentlemen, resident freeholders of the "Territory Northwest of the River Ohio," whose names they caused to be transmitted, through the Governor, to the President of the United States, conformably to the Ordinance of Congress, five of whom he was to select from said list, who were to compose the Territorial Council.

The following ten gentlemen received the Legislative nomination, and the five whose names appear first on the list were subsequently chosen by the President to serve as our first Territorial Council, viz: Jacob Burnet, James Findlay, of Cincinnati, Hamilton County; Robert Oliver, of Marietta, Washington County; David Vance, of Vanceville, Jefferson County; Henry Vandenburg, of Vincennes, Knox County; Richard Allison, of Hamilton County; Joseph Darlington, of Adams County; William Pat

ton, of Ross County; Arthur St. Clair, Jr., of Cincinnati, Hamilton County; William St. Clair, of Cahokia, St. Clair County.

Upon the organization of Indiana Territory, pursuant to authority granted by Congress, in 1800, Henry Vandenburg ceased to be a member of the Council, Knox County, in which he resided, having become a part of said Territory; and Solomon Sibley, of Detroit, Wayne County, was elected his successor in December, 1800.

The officers of the first Territorial Legislature-1799-1800-were as follows:

Officers of the Council.- President, Henry Vandenburg; Secretary, William C. Schenck; Doorkeeper, George Howard; Sergeant-at-Arms, Abraham Cary.

Members of Council.-Jacob Burnet, James Findlay, of Cincinnati, Hamilton County; Henry Vandenburg, of Vincennes, Knox County; David Vance, of Vanceville, Jefferson County.

Officers of the House of Representatives. —Speaker of the House, Edward Tiffin; Clerk, John Riley ; Doorkeeper, Joshua Rowland; Sergeant-at-Arms, Abraham Cary.

The officers of the second Territorial Legislature-1801-1803-were as follows:

Members of Council.-Robert Oliver, of Marietta, Washington County; Jacob Burnet, James Findlay, of Cincinnati, Hamilton County; David Vance, of Vanceville, Jefferson County; Solomon Sibley, of Detroit, Wayne County. Robert Oliver was elected President.

Officers of House of Representatives.- Speaker of the House, Edward Tiffin; Clerk, John Riley ; Doorkeeper, Edward Sherlock.

Members of House of Representatives.-Joseph Darlington, Nathaniel Massie, of Adams County; Moses Miller, Francis Dunlavy, Jeremiah Morrow, John Ludlow, John Smith, Jacob White, Daniel Reeder, of Hamilton County; Zenas Kimberly, John Milligan, Thomas McCune, of Jefferson County; Edward Tiffin, Thomas Worthington, Elias Langham, of Ross County; Edward Paine, of Trumbull County; Ephraim Cutler, William Rufus Putnam, of Washington County; Frances J. Chabert, George McDougal, Jonathan Schieffelin, of Wayne County.

The Territorial Legislatures held three sessions, the first at Cincinnati, and the second and third at Chillicothe. The first session continued from September 24, 1799, until December 19, 1799; the second was in session. from the first Monday in November, 1800, until December 9, 1800; and the third and last session was begun November 24, 1801, and adjourned January 23, 1802.

Cincinnati at the close of the Territorial Government had about one thousand inhabitants, and was the largest town in the State. It was incorporated in 1802, just before the organization of the State Government, which occurred March 3, 1803.

The first officers elected in the incorporated town of Cincinnati, 1802, were as follows:

Trustees.-William Ramsay, David E. Wade, Charles Avery, William Stanley, John Relly, Samuel Dicks, William Ruffner.

Assessor.-Joseph Prince.
Collector-Abraham Cary.

Town Marshall.-James Smith.

Not long after the adjournment of the third session of the Territorial Legislature, namely, on the 30th of April, 1802, Congress passed an "act to enable the people of the eastern division of the Territory northwest of the River Ohio to form a constitution and State Government, and for the admission of such State into the Union on an equal footing with the original States, and for other purposes.

Pursuant to the foregoing enactment an election was held throughout the eastern portion of the Territory, and members of a Constitutional Convention elected as follows:

Officers.-President, Edward Tiffin; Secretary, Thomas Scott; Assistant Secretary, William McFar

land.

Members. -Joseph Darlington, Israel Donalson, Thomas Kirker, of Adams County; James Caldwell, Elijah Woods, of Belmont County; Philip Gatch, James Sargent, of Clermont County; Henry Abrams, Emanuel Carpenter, of Fairfield County; John W. Browne, Charles Willing Byrd, Francis Dunlavy, William Goforth, John Kitchel, Jeremiah Morrow, John Paul, John Reily, John Smith, John Wilson, of Hamilton County; Rudolf Bair. George Humphery, John Milligan, Nathan Updegraff, Bazaliel Wells, of Jefferson County; Michael Baldwin, Edward Tiffin, James Grubb, Thomas Worthington, Nathaniel Massie, of Ross County; David Abbot, Samuel Huntington, of Trumbull County; Ephraim Cutler, Benjamin Ives Gilman, Rufus Putnam, John McIntire, of Washington County.

The foregoing members of the Constitutional Convention met at Chillicothe, on the first day of November, 1802, to perform the duty assigned them. The pro tem officers were William Goforth, President, and William McFarland, Secretary. The permament officers were as follows: President, Edward Tiffin; Secretary, Thomas Scott; Assistant Secretary, William McFarland.

After completing their labors they adjourned on the 29th of the same month, having given to the people of Ohio a constitution that served their purposes well for the period of almost fifty years.

The constitution, formed as above stated, provided that the first State election for Governor, members of the General Assembly, sheriffs and coroners, should be held on the second Tuesday of January, 1803. The first Ohio State election was held in accordance with the foregoing provision, and resulted as follows, with regard to Governor and Senators and Representatives: For Governor, Edward Tiffin received 4,564 votes, being all that were cast, there being no opposing candidate.