Nahum Ward, a representative of the Ohio Company, went to Scotland in 1823 in sell Washington County Lands.
In response to Ward's mission, a group of Glasgow merchants formed an Association called the Glasgow Ohio Company in order to buy
Ohio land. A series of legal documents were issue to form the Scottish Association, and to negotiate the deeds.
One of the principle players in the Scottish Association was George RICHARDSON, my great great great great grandfather.
Between 1823 and 1824 George, and most of the men listed in the legal documents, moved their families to Stirling, Meigs County, Ohio.
See Ship Manifest
The following deed transcriptions spell out the terms between the Glasgow merchants and their representatives, and well as
the actual land purchased in Ohio.
Read What George Wrote |
Know all members there present that Harvey STRONG Esquire American Consul for Scotland, Alexander
JOHNSON merchant, James MILLER stationer, John FISHER bookbinder, and George
BALBIRNIE dyer all in the City of Glasgow in the part of Great Britain called Scotland,
considering that by minute of agreement dated at Glasgow the thirtieth day of June eighteen hundred
and twenty three entered into between us and George RICHARDSON late merchant, William McKAY
teacher, Daniel NICOL shoemaker, and George DUNCAN farmer we agreed to enter into an association
to be stylese the Glasgow Ohio Company for the purposes of purchasing from Nahum WARD
Esquire a certain tract of land in the County of Meigs in the State of Ohio and of cultivating
the ame and establishing a town thereon. That the parties last named proceeded last summer to said
State and purchased said tract of Land consisting of two thousand seven hundred and sixty one acres
at the price of fourteen hundred pounds payable to two instalments of seven hundred pounds each.
And seeing that we reside on or near the lands with full powers to carry the objects of the association
into effect, Therefore we the parties first above named for ourselves and the other members of the
said association resident in Scotland do hereby satisfy and approve the purchase of said tract of
land on the terms above mentioned. And we have named as we do hereby name constitute and appoint the
said George RICHARDSON, William McKAY, George DUNCAN and also Archibald FISHER
son of the said John FISHER all of the said County of Meigs State of Ohio and resident on
or near the said lands our true and lawful Attorneys for us and in our names and to and for the
use and behoof of the said Association and whole members thereof to make and complete the purchase
of the said tract of land in the terms above mentioned to preserve legal titles there to and obtain
the Association seized therein and either to grant bills for the price on or to execute a deed of
Mortgage over the said lands in favor of Mr. WARD for the balance of the price and all
other writings necessary for that purpose.
And we authorize and appoint our said attornies to take possession of said lands and proceed to the
clearing and cultivating the same agreeably to the said minute of agreement and instructions
therein referred to and such further instructions as theymay receive from time to time. And
as the members of the Association have agreed by their contract to furnish a sum of one thousand
pounds for the purposes of the Association over and above paying the price of the lands, so our
said attornies are hereby authorized to draw bills in separate sums and as need may require
on the Company to the extent of said sum. But they are hereby expressly discharged from drawing
or granting bills and contracting debts to any greater extent,
And also from burdening or affecting the said lands in any manner of way except to the said
Nahum WARD for the balance of the price as before provided for and excepting also in
the case of emergency to the extent of three hundred pounds but which sum of three hundred
pounds shall be held to less part of the said sum of one thousand pounds for which sum ony the members
of the Association are liable or shall be responsible.
Declaring that all bills drawn or granted debts contracted or burdens imposed upon the said lands
by our said attornies to any great extent that the sums above specified or for any other than the
just uses of the Association shall no be obligatory on the said Association or members thereof but
null and void to all intents and purposes.
And it is understood that other members of the Association intend to go out to the lands we hereby
declare that such member shall on their arrival there become joint Attorneys in this power as fully
and actually as if herein specially named. And we hereby revoke and recall all former powers which are
or may have been granted or implied that exceed or are inconsistent with these now given preserving
to ourselves the liberty to recall or vary these letter of Attorney at pleasure. And in general
we do hereby authorize our said attorneys to do perform and execute all and every such farther and
other lawful act and deed matter and thing whatsoever for completing the said purchase executing
the said mortgage affecting the said Burden clearing and cultivating the said land establishing the
said Town and for all the just true and necessary purposes of the Association contract of agreement
and of these presents as fully as to all intent and purposes as we could do ourselves.
Ratifying and hereby promising to ratify all our said attornies shall lawfully do in the presence in virtue
of these presents. In witness whereof the said parties first above named have set their hands and
seals to these presents which are written by Peter MILLER writer in the city of Glasgow
aforesaid the thirteenth day of February eighteen hundred twenty four years.
Signed
Alex JOHNSON
George BALBIRNIE
John FISHER
James MILLAR
Harvey STRONG
Consulate of the United States of America, Glasgow
Harvey STRONG, Counsel of the United States of America for Scotland, do hereby make known
and certify to all whom shall come that Alexander JOHNSON, George BALBIRNIE,
John FISHER, James MILLAR, [illegible word] entered their names to the annexed
document.
Seal
Given under my hand and Official seal in Glasgow aforesaid this 13th day of February in the
year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and twenty four and of the Independence of
the United States the forty eight.
Know all men by these presents that I Nahum WARD of Marietta in the
State of Ohio in the United States of America of the first part and Harvey STRONG (Council
of the United States of America in Scotland) James MILLAR, George
RICHARDSON, William McKay, John FISHER, George BALBURNIE, Daniel
NICHOL, Alexander JOHNSON, George DUNCAN and their
Associates all of Scotland of the second part witnesseth that the party
ofthe first part for and in consideration of the sum of eighteen hundred
pounds Sterling to him in hand paid at the ensealing and delivery
of these presents by the party of the second part the receipt whereof
is hereby acknowledged and the said party of the second part their heirs and assigns
are forever released and discharged from the same by these presents.
And the part of the first part has bargained, sold,[illegible word], bargained, released, conveyed
and confirmed and by these presents does grant, bargain, sell,[illegible word]
release, convey and confirm unto the said party of the second
part and to their heirs and assigns forever-All those several tracts
or parcels of land known and numbered as follows, that is to say
Section No. thirty six (36) drawn to the name of Enos HITCHCOCK and by his heirs
conveyed to the party of the first part as will appear of record in
Gallia County in vol. 5 pages 273-276
Also Section No. thirty (30) drawn to Nicholas POWERS and by his
heirs conveyed to James TURNER and by said TURNER
conveyed to the party of the first part as will appear of record in Gallia County in Vol. 6 page 167.
Also Section No. twenty four (24) drawn to the Marquis de CHAPPEDELAIN and by
his sole heir conveyed to the party of the first part as will appear of
record in Gallia County in Vol. 6 page 53
Also seventy acres being part of the one hundred acre Lot drawn to Alexsander
HAMILTON of Rhode Island no. one hundred sixty three (163) located
on the east side of the last named section and is in section no.
eighteen and was conveyed by the proprietor to the party of the first part
as will appear of record in Gallia County
All the several tracts aforesaid are in Town no. two of the eleventh range
Also one hundred acre lots no. one hundred forty seven (147) one hundred forty
eight (148), one hundred forty nine (149) and one hundred fifty (150) all drawn
to the name of Robert WILLIAMS Jr. and conveyed by deed from him
to the party of the first part as will appear of record in Gallia County in Vol. 6
page 523 and is located on the bank of the Ohio River.
Also, two hundred and fifty four (254) acres known and distinquished
as the Commons Lot in the west part of section no. thirteen (13) and the
same was conveyed to the party of the first part as will appear in Meigs
County by Charles WILKES and Janet his wife said WILKES has a deed
from the Directors of the Ohio Company as will appear of record in
the Recorders Office in the Town of Marietta in Washington County,
the said four one hundred acre lots and the tracts of two hundred and fifty four
acres are all located in no. three of the eleventh range and the whole
of the above described lands are in the Ohio company purchase in the
State of Ohio containing in all the several tracts two thousand and seven hundred
and sixty one acres be the same more or less
And for a more particular description of said lots or parcels of land
reference is hereby had to the books, plans and records of the Ohio
company at the Recorders Office for Meigs County aforesaid.
[page 514 is mostly illegible, pick up the transcription at the bottom of 514]
...And Sarah Katharine WARD wife of the said Nahum WARD
in token of her relinquishment of all dower in the previous aforesaid
has hereunto set her hand and seal. In witness whereof the party of the first
part and Sarah Catherine WARD his wife have hereunto set their hands
and seals this twenty third day of October in the year of our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and twenty three.
signed
Nahum WARD
Sarah C. WARD
in the presence of
Danl Buell
State of Ohio Washington County, at Marietta in the 19th day of April 1824 before me one
of the justices of the peace for the town of Marietta personally came Nahum WARD
and Sarah Catherine his wife the signers and sealers of the foregoing instruments being
examined seperate and [illegible word] acknowleged the same to be their free voluntary
act and deed for the wife and purpose therein expressed and none other. In witness
hereof Ihave hereunto set my hand and seal this day and year last above writtten.
signed
Danl H. BUELL