Aaron Olmstead
Encyclopedia
Captain Aaron Olmsted erroneously spelled Olmstead, was a wealthy sea captain in the China trade out of New England, and one of 49 investors who formed the Connecticut Land Company
in 1795 to purchase a major part of the Western Reserve
from the U.S. state
of Connecticut
. He became the owner of thousands of acres from his $30,000 share of the $1,200,000 total land deal. The land encompassed the areas now known as North Olmsted, Ohio
, Olmsted Falls, Ohio
and Olmsted Township
(originally known as Lenox) in what is now Cuyahoga County
as well as Franklin Township
, named after his son Aaron Franklin Olmsted, and most of the city of Kent, Ohio
in what is now Portage County
. Olmsted traveled west on horseback to visit the land in 1795, but never settled there.
A native of East Hartford, Connecticut
, he was born 19 May 1753 as the eighth child of General Jonathan and Hanna (Meakins) Olmsted. He married Mary Langrel Bigelow on 10 December 1778 and had fourteen children, of which only five lived to adulthood. He died 9 September 1806 in East Hartford.
Connecticut Land Company
The Connecticut Land Company was formed in the late eighteenth century to survey and encourage settlement in the Connecticut Western Reserve, part of the Old Northwest Territory. The Western Reserve is located in Northeast Ohio with its hub being Cleveland. In 1795, the Connecticut Land Company...
in 1795 to purchase a major part of the Western Reserve
Connecticut Western Reserve
The Connecticut Western Reserve was land claimed by Connecticut from 1662 to 1800 in the Northwest Territory in what is now northeastern Ohio.-History:...
from the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. He became the owner of thousands of acres from his $30,000 share of the $1,200,000 total land deal. The land encompassed the areas now known as North Olmsted, Ohio
North Olmsted, Ohio
-Business:Moen Incorporated, a fixture and faucet company, is headquartered in North Olmsted. CommutAir, a regional airline, has its operations center in North Olmsted....
, Olmsted Falls, Ohio
Olmsted Falls, Ohio
-External links:***...
and Olmsted Township
Olmsted Township, Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Olmsted Township is a township located in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 Census, the township had a population of 13,513. It is one of only two civil townships remaining in Cuyahoga County and the only Olmsted Township statewide....
(originally known as Lenox) in what is now Cuyahoga County
Cuyahoga County, Ohio
Cuyahoga County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. It is the most populous county in Ohio; as of the 2010 census, the population was 1,280,122. Its county seat is Cleveland. Cuyahoga County is part of Greater Cleveland, a metropolitan area, and Northeast Ohio, a...
as well as Franklin Township
Franklin Township, Portage County, Ohio
Franklin Township is a civil township located in Portage County, Ohio, United States. It is located along the Cuyahoga River in Northeast Ohio on the western edge of the county. The 2000 census found 5,276 people in the township...
, named after his son Aaron Franklin Olmsted, and most of the city of Kent, Ohio
Kent, Ohio
Kent is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the largest city in Portage County. It is located along the Cuyahoga River in Northeastern Ohio on the western edge of the county. The population was 27,906 at the 2000 United States Census and 28,904 in the 2010 Census...
in what is now Portage County
Portage County, Ohio
Portage County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 152,061 at the 2000 Census and 161,419 at the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Ravenna. Portage County is named for the portage between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas Rivers...
. Olmsted traveled west on horseback to visit the land in 1795, but never settled there.
A native of East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford, Connecticut
East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:...
, he was born 19 May 1753 as the eighth child of General Jonathan and Hanna (Meakins) Olmsted. He married Mary Langrel Bigelow on 10 December 1778 and had fourteen children, of which only five lived to adulthood. He died 9 September 1806 in East Hartford.