“Geographical and Historical...”

Date

1-8-1812

Newspaper

Western Intelligencer

Page and Column

Page 3 Column 4

Newspaper Location

Worthington, Ohio

Serial Number

1181

Abstract

Description of Ohio geography and history

Transcript

Geographical and Historical Sketches of the state of Ohio. No. 1. THE STATE OF OHIO. The 17th of the American confederation in the order of time in which it has been organized, lays on the Northwesterly side of the Ohio river, and west of the states of Pennsylvania and Virginia, and includes all that part of the North Western Territory, formerly so called, which lies east of a line drawn due north from the mouth of the Great Missouri river; and south of a line drawn eastwardly from the most southern bend of Lake Michigan to Lake Erie, at or above the mouth of the Maw-Ami river, or Miami of the Lake, and of the line which passes through Lake Erie, dividing the United States from the province of Upper Canada. This state is situated between latitude 38 deg. and 30 min. and 41 deg. 58 minutes. N. exclusive of the water of Lake Erie, but if the Lake is included, the most northerly point is in 42 deg. 28 min. and between longitude 80 deg. 38 in. and 84 d, 89 m. west from London, or between 3d. 30 m. and 7 deg. m. west from Washington. It is bounded east by Pennsylvania, south-easterly and south by the Ohio river, which separates it from Virginia; west by the Indiana territory, and north by the Michigan territory and the British province of Upper Canada, from which it is experienced by a line running through the middle of Lake Erie. Its length from north to south, including the part of Lake Erie which falls within its boundaries, is 279 miles, or exclusive of the lake 245. In width from east to west is 214 miles; and altho' the state is considerably indented on the north by the southerly bend of Lake Erie, and slanted in the south-east quarter by the Ohio river, it still contains ground equal to an aera of 200 miles square or something more exclusive of the space occupied by the water of the lake. The state of Ohio is watered on the south by three large and beautiful rivers which discharge themselves into the Ohio, viz. Scioto, Muskingum and the Great Miami; and by many other smaller rivers and creeks which run separately south and eastwardly into the same great reservoir, of which the following are the principal, viz. Little Miami, Little Scioto, Hockhocking, Little Muskingum and Shade rivers; and Mill, Muddy, Big Indian, Little Indian, Bullskin, Whitrock, Eagle, Brush, Symmes; Guyandott, Racoon, Leading, Little Hocking, Duck, Sunlish, Cappitino, Mt. Mahan's, Indian Wheeling, Short Indian, Great Yellow, Little Yellow, Little Beaver and the west branch of Big Beaver creeks. On the north the state is watered by four considerable rivers, which discharge themselves into Lake Erie, viz. Maw-ami, or Miami of the Lake, Sandusky, Cuyahoga and Grand rivers, with several other rivers and creeks of considerable importance, tho' of minor size, when compared with these four, viz. Portage, Huron, Vormillion, Black, Rocky, Chagrine, Ashtabula and Conniaught rivers, and Beaver, and Swan creeks. The three large rivers of the south, rise very far to the north, and are much larger than any of the rivers of the Lake, having their heads generally about half way from a line drawn east and west across the centre of the state, to the shore of Lake Erie; and in their course, and with their tributary streams, water and fertilize a vast extent of country. The rivers of the lake are generally very short, much spread cut, and extensively winding and crooked in their course, except the Maw-ami only, which is much the largest river of any in the northern part of the state; and is very streight in its course, especially, to where the Great and Little [unreadable] form their confluence with the main river.

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