Nathaniel Massie
Encyclopedia
Nathaniel Massie was a frontier surveyor in the Ohio Country
who became a prominent land owner, politician, and soldier. He founded fifteen early towns in what became the State of Ohio
, including its first capital, Chillicothe
. In 1807, the Ohio General Assembly
declared him the winner of the election for governor, but he refused the office.
A native of the colony of Virginia, Massie served briefly in the Virginia militia
during the American Revolutionary War
. After becoming a surveyor, he established the first town in the Virginia Military District
at what is now Manchester
. He platted the town of Chillicothe on his own land. Massie was one of the largest landowners in early Ohio, and served as a major general
in the Ohio militia.
He served as a Ross county
delegate to the 1802 Ohio Constitutional Convention
and was a leader of the Jeffersonian faction that supported statehood. He was a leader of the Chillicothe Junto
, a group of Chillicothe Democratic-Republican
politicians who brought about the admission of Ohio as a state in 1803 and largely controlled its politics for some years thereafter. Among his colleagues in the faction were Thomas Worthington and Edward Tiffin
. He was a Presidential elector for Thomas Jefferson
in 1804 and James Madison
in 1808. He was a Trustee of Ohio University
from 1804 to 1808. Massie served in the General Assembly and was the first president of the Ohio Senate
.
Massie led troops in the War of 1812
, but died of pneumonia
in the late autumn of 1813 at the age of 50.
A monument to Massie stands along U.S. Route 50
just east of Bainbridge
, another town he founded. It commemorates his life, as well as marking the approximate location of his home in the Paint Valley. The memorial was dedicated in September 1938. The Nathaniel Massie Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution
(DAR) in Chillicothe is named in the general's honor, as is Massie Township in Warren County, Ohio
and the Clinton-Massie Local School District that serves the area.
Ohio Country
The Ohio Country was the name used in the 18th century for the regions of North America west of the Appalachian Mountains and in the region of the upper Ohio River south of Lake Erie...
who became a prominent land owner, politician, and soldier. He founded fifteen early towns in what became the State of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, including its first capital, Chillicothe
Chillicothe, Ohio
Chillicothe is a city in and the county seat of Ross County, Ohio, United States.Chillicothe was the first and third capital of Ohio and is located in southern Ohio along the Scioto River. The name comes from the Shawnee name Chalahgawtha, meaning "principal town", as it was a major settlement of...
. In 1807, the Ohio General Assembly
Ohio General Assembly
The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate...
declared him the winner of the election for governor, but he refused the office.
A native of the colony of Virginia, Massie served briefly in the Virginia militia
Virginia Militia
The Virginia militia is an armed force composed of all citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia capable of bearing arms. The Virginia militia was established in 1607 as part of the British militia system. Militia service in Virginia was compulsory for all free males...
during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. After becoming a surveyor, he established the first town in the Virginia Military District
Virginia Military District
The Virginia Military District was an approximately 4.2 million acre area of land in what is now the state of Ohio that was reserved by Virginia to use as payment for veterans of the American Revolutionary War....
at what is now Manchester
Manchester, Ohio
Manchester is a village in Adams County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. As of the 2000 census, the village had a total population of 2,043....
. He platted the town of Chillicothe on his own land. Massie was one of the largest landowners in early Ohio, and served as a major general
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
in the Ohio militia.
He served as a Ross county
Ross County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 73,345 people, 27,136 households, and 19,185 families residing in the county. The population density was 106 people per square mile . There were 29,461 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile...
delegate to the 1802 Ohio Constitutional Convention
Ohio Constitutional Convention (1802)
The Enabling Act of 1802 was passed on April 30, 1802 by the Seventh Congress of the United States. This act authorized the residents of the eastern portion of the Northwest Territory to form the state of Ohio and join the U.S. on an equal footing with the other states...
and was a leader of the Jeffersonian faction that supported statehood. He was a leader of the Chillicothe Junto
Chillicothe Junto
The Chillicothe Junto was a term applied to a group of Chillicothe, Ohio Democratic-Republican politicians who brought about the admission of Ohio as a state and largely controlled its politics for some years thereafter...
, a group of Chillicothe Democratic-Republican
Democratic-Republican Party (United States)
The Democratic-Republican Party or Republican Party was an American political party founded in the early 1790s by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Political scientists use the former name, while historians prefer the latter one; contemporaries generally called the party the "Republicans", along...
politicians who brought about the admission of Ohio as a state in 1803 and largely controlled its politics for some years thereafter. Among his colleagues in the faction were Thomas Worthington and Edward Tiffin
Edward Tiffin
Edward Tiffin was a Democratic-Republican politician from Ohio, and first Governor of the state.-Biography:Sources indicate that he was born in Carlisle; however he may have been born in or near Workington — also in the then county of Cumberland, England...
. He was a Presidential elector for Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
in 1804 and James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
in 1808. He was a Trustee of Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
from 1804 to 1808. Massie served in the General Assembly and was the first president of the Ohio Senate
Ohio Senate
The Ohio State Senate is the upper house of the Ohio General Assembly, the legislative body for the U.S. state of Ohio. There are 33 State Senators. The state legislature meets in the state capital, Columbus. The President of the Senate presides over the body when in session, and is currently Tom...
.
Massie led troops in the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, but died of pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
in the late autumn of 1813 at the age of 50.
A monument to Massie stands along U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50
U.S. Route 50 is a major east–west route of the U.S. Highway system, stretching just over from Ocean City, Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean to West Sacramento, California. Until 1972, when it was replaced by Interstate Highways west of the Sacramento area, it extended to San Francisco, near...
just east of Bainbridge
Bainbridge, Ross County, Ohio
Bainbridge is a village in Ross County, Ohio, United States, along Paint Creek. The population was 1,012 at the 2000 census.Bainbridge is the location of Pike Lake State Park...
, another town he founded. It commemorates his life, as well as marking the approximate location of his home in the Paint Valley. The memorial was dedicated in September 1938. The Nathaniel Massie Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution
Daughters of the American Revolution
The Daughters of the American Revolution is a lineage-based membership organization for women who are descended from a person involved in United States' independence....
(DAR) in Chillicothe is named in the general's honor, as is Massie Township in Warren County, Ohio
Massie Township, Warren County, Ohio
Massie Township, one of the eleven townships of Warren County, Ohio, Ohio, United States, is located in the northeast part of the county and the least populous of Warren County's townships. In 2000, the population was 1,061 up from 885 in 1990; of this total, 498 lived in the unincorporated...
and the Clinton-Massie Local School District that serves the area.
External sources
- Ohio History Central Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography