“Geographical and Historical”

Date

1-15-1812

Newspaper

Western Intelligencer

Page and Column

Page 3, Column 1

Newspaper Location

Worthington, Ohio

Serial Number

1182

Abstract

Description of Ohio geography, part 2.

Transcript

Geographical and Historical Sketches of the state of Ohio. No. 2. OF THE SCIOTO RIVER. The Scioto river, which takes its course from north to south through the state, rises in two principal branches upon the borders of the Sandusky Plains, one on the southerly, and the other on the easterly side; which two branches after approaching within six miles of each other, at a point about 20 miles north-westerly of the centre of the state, and near the Indian boundary so called, take their course to the south, keeping at a distance of not more than six, nor less than four miles apart, for the space of thirty-seven miles, where the west branch suddenly turning to the east, falls into the other, and thence running a very direct and almost south course, the distance of eighty-three miles discharges itself into the Ohio, between the towns of Portsmouth and Alexandria. Thus dividing the state into nearly two equal parts, east and west. Or to be more particular, the river in its general course is about nine or ten miles west of a line drawn north and south across the state through its centre, and so nearly parallel to that line, as to ovary but seven miles in the distance of one hundred and thirty, taking the main rive from its mouth to the principal fork above mentioned, and the east branch which is the most direct and straight in the same course to the Sandusky Plains. This small variation from due north and south, is to the east as we descend the river, making the mouth of it four miles, the forks ten, and the east branch on the borders of the Plains about thirteen miles west from the above mentioned centre line, leaving something the largest extent of territory on the east of the river; [unreadable] the fate of the country, and quality of soil on the west, is such as to be much more eligible for settlement, and must always support, as it now does the greatest population according to the extent of territory. The west branch of this river, which retains the name of Scioto, has it main source or head in a swampy region, in the southerly part of that quarter of the state of which the Indian tribe is not extinguished, and above fifty miles from the west boundary of the state; thence it runs something to the north of east about thirty miles, then changes its course to the south east for about five or six miles, receives the Little Scioto from the north-east a branch of about twelve miles in length and twenty yards wide at its mouth, which collects in the south part of the Sandusky Plains; thence bearing more south in about four or five miles crosses the Greenville treaty line, commonly called the Indian boundary, having at this point arrived within six miles of the main east branch, as above mentioned. From this point about 16 miles further south it receives Millcreek from the north-west, a stream of about twenty-seven miles in length and about thirty yards wide at its mouth; nine miles farther south it receives a small stream from the west called Indian creek; which is not more than five miles in length, is much branched out into forks, and ten yards wide at its mouth, this creek during the summer season runs very low, (as it receives the principal part of its waters from a tract of flat land which becomes dry in that season,) especially as its comes near the river where its bed is entirely limestone and so open as that the stream, being then very small, sinks into the cracks and entirely disappears, about a half of a mile from the river, & rises again in springs near the rivers edge, and below the main banks which are generally high ledges of limestone. This small creek or brook is mentioned merely on the account that a plat of ground on the south side of it, and immediately on the west bank of the river has been spoken of as an eligible scite for the permanent seat of the state government. The plate is usually called Stelle's farm: About twelve miles in a straight line from this point this branch of the river has its confluence with the other; distant form the Ohio, as above stated, eighty-three miles. The east branch of the Scioto, commonly called Whetstone river, has its main source or head spring, in the westerly part of that gore of land last purchased by government, which lays between the Old Greenville treaty line and the Connecticut Western Reserve, forty-six miles south from Lake Erie, at the mouth of Huron river, and fifteen miles from the south line of the Firelands, in the said Connecticut reserve; thence it runs nearly west about nine or ten miles and nearly parallel to, and about three or four miles distant from the main east fork of Sundusky river, there receiving a creek of about ten yards wide from a little south of east, changes its course to the south-west, at about nine miles receives another branch from a little north of east, and about two-thirds the size of the main river; thence continuing the same course about eight miles farther receives a creek from north-west, which makes in the Sandusky Plains; thence varying its course to the south at about eight miles, crosses the Indian boundary above mentioned, being at this point forty yards wide. Two miles south of the above boundary and one mile north of the town of Norton, which is on its west bank, it receives the Jibeway creek, which rises in the Plains, and running nearly parallel to, and not far from the main river for about twelve miles falls in upon the west side of it; a little below the town of Norton it receives the east fork, so called, a creek of about twenty-four miles in length and thirty yards wide at its mouth, at which point, usually called the forks of Whetstone, the main river becomes fifty yards wide; and, thence almost due south in the general course passes the town of Delaware, which is on its west bank ten miles from Norton, and the town of Worthington, which is seated on its east bank, fifteen miles farther down, where it becomes sixty yards wide, and continues about the same width nine miles farther to its confluence with the west branch near the town of Franklinton. The other principal creeks which contribute to the Scioto, are the following, viz. Walnut creek which comes in from the north-east, thirty miles from the Ohio, is about twenty-seven miles long and forty yards at its mouth. Paint creek from the west, which empties immediately below the town of Chillicothe, 38 miles from the Ohio, is about 48 miles long, is much spread out in large branches receiving the water of a large tract of country, and is about 70 yards wide near its mouth; the principle branches of Paint creek are, the North fork, Rattlesnake [unreadable] and Rocky fork, Deer creek, [unreadable] comes in from north-west, 31 miles from the Ohio, is about 50 miles long and 30 yards wide at its mouth. Derby creek which comes in from north-west, also 63 mi. from the Ohio, is 35 miles long and 20 yards wide at its mouth. Lower Walnut creek, which comes in from north-east, 65 miles from the Ohio, is 33 miles long and 40 yards wide at its mouth; and, Bigbelly creek which empties into the Scioto on the east side also, 73 ms from the Ohio, is 30 ms. longand 60 yds. Wide at its mouth; its principle branches are, Upper-Walnut, Alum, and Bach creeks, the two former, viz. Walnut and Alum rise within two miles of each other, near the Indian boundary, and runs nearly parallel each to the other and both to the two main branches of the Scioto the distance of 40 miles being on an average all within the space of 45 miles. The Scioto river as above described, is [unreadable] miles long, and receives the waters of the country to about 50 miles [unreadable] an average; it falls short of that which instead in some places especially near the Ohio but in other parts it extends to [unreadable], and discharge itself into the Ohio by a mouth of [unreadable] yards [unreadable]. It must be understood when the lengths of the creeks and rivers are mentioned, that the nearest course across the country from their heads to their mouths I meant and not the distances with the meander of the streams. The Scioto, in its course, from its main fork as above described, to the Ohio, posses the town of Bloomfield, which is situated on the east side, and 3-4ths of a mile distant from the river, in the Walnut plains, 69 miles from the Ohio. Circleville, near its east bank and [unreadable] miles from the Ohio. Jefferson, in the Pick away Plains, 1 mile east of the river and 56 miles from the Ohio. Westfall, on the west side of the river and 55 miles from the Ohio. Chillicothe, on its westerly bank, 41 miles from the Ohio; and Pepee on the west bank also, and distant from the Ohio 24 miles...These distances are all given in a direct line across the country from the respective points mentioned.

Link to Full Text

Share

 
COinS