Twelve Mile Square Reservation
Encyclopedia
The Twelve Mile Square Reservation, also called the Twelve Mile Square Reserve, was a tract of land in Ohio
ceded by Indians
to the United States of America in the Treaty of Greenville
in 1795. It was subsequently surveyed in a manner different from surrounding land, and lots sold, or granted, to settlers.
, the French Governor of Canada, established Fort Miami on the west bank of the Maumee River
, becoming the first fortification in Ohio built by White People. It was used as a trading post for a short time, then abandoned. During the Northwest Indian War
the British
rebuilt Fort Miami
to assist the Indians fighting the Americans. The Americans won the Battle of Fallen Timbers
nearby in 1794. As a result of the battle, the Treaty of Greenville was signed, which ceded much of southern and eastern Ohio to America. In addition, Article 3 ceded a number of other tracts, including #8: “One piece twelve miles square, at the British fort on the Miami of the Lake, at the foot of the rapids.” At that time, the Maumee river was called the Miami of the lake, and the foot of the rapids are today between the towns Maumee
and Perrysburg
. In 1795, Jay’s Treaty led to the fort being abandoned in 1796.
surveys that surround the reserve, known as North and East of First Principal Meridian
. Each township was subdivided into 36 square miles (93.2 km²) sections numbered boustrophedon
ically, as established by the Act of May 18, 1796. Under the Act of 1816, Joseph Wampler surveyed the riverfront into long lots of about 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) each, numbered 1 to 93, and officially called “River Tracts.” The private claims of the British and French era settlers were surveyed in 1817 by deputy surveyor S. Carpenter. The partial sections left after the River Tracts were called “Fractional Sections.” The Act of 1816 set aside section 16 of each township as School Lands
for benefit of schools in each township. These sections were eventually sold. Town lots in Perrysburg were also laid out in 1816, providing less than two sections of land in lots less than ¼ acre each. Land sales were through the Wooster
Land Office in the Canton
Land District.
and Lucas
counties, including Perrysburg, Maumee, and south suburban Toledo, Ohio
. The corners of the Reservation are at 41°39′13"N 83°45′44"W, 41°39′10"N 83°31′33"W, 41°28′39"N 83°45′43"W, 41°28′41"N 83°31′45"W.
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...
ceded by Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
to the United States of America in the Treaty of Greenville
Treaty of Greenville
The Treaty of Greenville was signed at Fort Greenville , on August 3, 1795, between a coalition of Native Americans & Frontiers men, known as the Western Confederacy, and the United States following the Native American loss at the Battle of Fallen Timbers. It put an end to the Northwest Indian War...
in 1795. It was subsequently surveyed in a manner different from surrounding land, and lots sold, or granted, to settlers.
History
In 1680, FrontenacLouis de Buade de Frontenac
Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac et de Palluau was a French soldier, courtier, and Governor General of New France from 1672 to 1682 and from 1689 to his death in 1698...
, the French Governor of Canada, established Fort Miami on the west bank of the Maumee River
Maumee River
The Maumee River is a river in northwestern Ohio and northeastern Indiana in the United States. It is formed at Fort Wayne, Indiana by the confluence of the St. Joseph and St. Marys rivers, and meanders northeastwardly for through an agricultural region of glacial moraines before flowing into the...
, becoming the first fortification in Ohio built by White People. It was used as a trading post for a short time, then abandoned. During the Northwest Indian War
Northwest Indian War
The Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a confederation of numerous American Indian tribes for control of the Northwest Territory...
the British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
rebuilt Fort Miami
Fort Miami (Ohio)
Fort Miami was a fort built on the Maumee River at the eastern edge of the present-day city of Maumee, Ohio, and southwest of the present-day city of Toledo, Ohio. It was built by the British on territory disputed between Britain and the USA; according to the U.S. interpretation of the terms of the...
to assist the Indians fighting the Americans. The Americans won the Battle of Fallen Timbers
Battle of Fallen Timbers
The Battle of Fallen Timbers was the final battle of the Northwest Indian War, a struggle between American Indian tribes affiliated with the Western Confederacy and the United States for control of the Northwest Territory...
nearby in 1794. As a result of the battle, the Treaty of Greenville was signed, which ceded much of southern and eastern Ohio to America. In addition, Article 3 ceded a number of other tracts, including #8: “One piece twelve miles square, at the British fort on the Miami of the Lake, at the foot of the rapids.” At that time, the Maumee river was called the Miami of the lake, and the foot of the rapids are today between the towns Maumee
Maumee, Ohio
Maumee is a city in Lucas County, Ohio, United States. It is a suburb of Toledo along the Maumee River. The population was 14,286 at the 2010 census. Maumee was also declared an All-America City by the National Civic League in June 2006.-Geography:...
and Perrysburg
Perrysburg, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,945 people, 6,592 households, and 4,561 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,899.2 people per square mile . There were 6,964 housing units at an average density of 780.5 per square mile...
. In 1795, Jay’s Treaty led to the fort being abandoned in 1796.
Survey and Settlement
While the French and British occupied the region, many white people settled near the fort. The United States wished to give legal title to these people, and sell the rest of the tract. To accomplish these, on March 3, 1805, Congress arranged for a special indiscriminate location survey for the reserve. Deputy surveyor Elias Glover subdivided the tract into four townships of six mile (10 km) square each in 1805, with the southwest township being number one, the northwest number two, the northeast number three, and the southeast number four. The tract has no ranges, and is an original survey, unrelated to later 1821 Congress LandsCongress Lands
The Congress Lands was a group of land tracts in Ohio that made land available for sale to members of the general public through land offices in various cities, and through the General Land Office...
surveys that surround the reserve, known as North and East of First Principal Meridian
North and East of First Principal Meridian
North and East of the First Principal Meridian is a survey and land description in the northwest part of the American state called Ohio.-Survey:...
. Each township was subdivided into 36 square miles (93.2 km²) sections numbered boustrophedon
Boustrophedon
Boustrophedon , is a type of bi-directional text, mostly seen in ancient manuscripts and other inscriptions. Every other line of writing is flipped or reversed, with reversed letters. Rather than going left-to-right as in modern English, or right-to-left as in Arabic and Hebrew, alternate lines in...
ically, as established by the Act of May 18, 1796. Under the Act of 1816, Joseph Wampler surveyed the riverfront into long lots of about 160 acre (0.6474976 km²) each, numbered 1 to 93, and officially called “River Tracts.” The private claims of the British and French era settlers were surveyed in 1817 by deputy surveyor S. Carpenter. The partial sections left after the River Tracts were called “Fractional Sections.” The Act of 1816 set aside section 16 of each township as School Lands
School Lands
The School Lands are part of the Ohio Lands, comprising land grants in Ohio from the United States federal government for public schools. Support for public education in the United States predates the constitution; two years before the adoption of the United States Constitution of 1787, the...
for benefit of schools in each township. These sections were eventually sold. Town lots in Perrysburg were also laid out in 1816, providing less than two sections of land in lots less than ¼ acre each. Land sales were through the Wooster
Wooster, Ohio
Wooster is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Wayne County. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio approximately SSW of Cleveland and SW of Akron. Wooster is noted as the location of The College of Wooster...
Land Office in the Canton
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
Land District.
Modern Times
The tract encompasses portions of WoodWood County, Ohio
Wood County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 125,488. Its county seat is Bowling Green. The county was named for Captain Eleazer D. Wood, the engineer for General William Henry Harrison's army, who built Fort Meigs in the War of 1812...
and Lucas
Lucas County, Ohio
----...
counties, including Perrysburg, Maumee, and south suburban Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
. The corners of the Reservation are at 41°39′13"N 83°45′44"W, 41°39′10"N 83°31′33"W, 41°28′39"N 83°45′43"W, 41°28′41"N 83°31′45"W.