Remarkable primary source material between the American Revolution and War of 1812 establishing the borders of Western Reserve in Ohio amongst the speculators in the Connecticut Land Company. 


Communications seem to concern the second survey of the Ohio Country after the 1805 Treaty of Fort Industry moved the eastern border of Indian lands from the Treaty of Greenville. The treaty referenced by the documents is not identified, but likely. 

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Dec 14, 1805 hand written letter to Henry Champion, 


Yours & Cleavelands (Moses Cleaveland - original surveyor of the Ohio Country) of the 4th are before me. This is the first time I have attempted to write since August. ‘The treaty is before the Senate only waiting for Mr. Phelps security. The Government will not accept of the bonds of any person. They will prefer 6 percent stock except for the perpetual annuity, which is a stumbling block. The mode of securing this is not agreed on. I must pray you to come here without any delay; as I despair of transacting business for quite some time. 


Signed Gideon Granger and franked, remarkably as Granger was Postmaster General under Jefferson. 


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March 4, 1806 letter to Henry Champion in Colchester CT again from Granger (writing from his Washington City in Ohio) 


Yours of the 18th (?) is received. The treaty is not yet ratified, but you need not have a single fear on the subject. 

I have been able to acknowledge the Receipt of a Letter from the Director of the Connecticut Land Company in Relation to the Survey and including a Letter to the Mr Gallatin. The next day after its Receipt I met with Mr Gallatin and informed him of the same. He replied that he had already written to Mansfield to have a ready a surveyor and that he could take no additional measures until the ratification. I have this day transmitted to him your letter in a note requesting his early attention the business if he deems the same advisable. I have who this day written to the secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to ascertain whether  their west line is run due north and south or which way it varies and how much. I have not written to Stafford (sp?) as I could communicate no intelligence. For my own part I do not believe that the surveying on the part of the United States will be on the ground very early, nor do I think this need delay our surveyor. Let the workmen go forward and run the north and south lines, taking care to run far enough to the south and when the public surveyor arrives then run the south line and let the other follow with their parallels. It may make us a little more (xxx), but when all is considered it will tend both to economy and dispatch. I must be plain enough today I am more apprehensive of delays from the dullness of the agent you have selected, than from any other source, and I know him well enough to declare, too much cannot be done to spur him up. I pray you to communicate the substance of this to Mr. Miller (sp?) and lay it before the Directors, as an answer to their letters. 

With great affection and respect, Gideon Granger. 

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Exceptionally early territorial communications between men on the board of the Connecticut Land Company. 


Champion had fought at Bunker Hill and was hand selected by George Washington to join the Light Brigade. Granger was a trusted aide to Jefferson in determining road planning in the Northwest Territory. 


The letters also refer to (Albert) Gallatin’s involvement, presumably as Jefferson’s Secretary of Treasury who established land offices in Western Reserve and St. Louis during this time. 

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Cuts to paper / loss as shown in last photograph.