Dohrman Tract
Encyclopedia
Dohrman Tract or Dohrman’s Grant was a land tract in eastern Ohio
granted by Congress to Arnold Henry Dohrman (1749–1813), who helped the American
cause in the Revolutionary War
.
At the beginning of the war, Dohrman, of the Netherlands
, was a wealthy merchant in Lisbon, Portugal. He supplied the United States
with clothing and war material, and fed and looked after American seamen who the British had captured and released to his custody. In June, 1780, the Committee on Foreign Affairs in Congress reported to that body on his humane acts. A resolution was passed appointing him agent for the United States in the Kingdom of Portugal, an unpaid position. They authorized him to extend relief to US citizens, and to bill them for his expenditures. They assured they would refund him at their earliest opportunity.
Dohrman presented a bill on July 19, 1786 for $26,084.24. He only had vouchers proving $5,806.80 in expenses. Congress paid the smaller amount on October 1, 1787. The $20,277.44 shortfall was not paid, but Congress paid him a salary of $1600 per year from the time he started his assistance, and allowed him to make a choice of any township
of land out of the fifth through seventh ranges of the first seven ranges surveyed in Ohio
.
Dohrman had not seen Ohio, and acted on the advice of others when he chose the thirteenth township of the seventh range, now half in Harrison County and half in Tuscarawas County
. President John Adams
issued a patent for the land to Dohrman, or his legal representatives, on February 27, 1801.
Dohrman lived in New York City for many years, engaging in business. Various misfortunes lead to him having to mortgage his land to his creditors, preventing him from subdividing and selling at a profit. After his business failure, he moved to Steubenville, Ohio
to be nearer his land. He died there in 1813. In 1817, Congress granted his widow, Rachel Dohrman, an annuity of $400 per year and $100 per year for each of his children until age 21.
parcel in the southwest corner of Monroe Township, Harrison County, Ohio
, a three mile (5 km) wide by 4 ½ mile high western half of Franklin Township, Harrison County, Ohio
, a three mile (5 km) wide by four mile high strip on the east side of Mill Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio
, and a three mile (5 km) wide by two mile high strip on the east side of Rush Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio
for a total of approximately 36 square miles (93.2 km²). The corners of the grant are at 40°23′24"N 81°19′49"W,
40°18′16"N 81°20′05"W,40°23′17"N 81°12′51"W, 40°18′07"N 81°13′05"W. The community of Stillwater
and the dam and part of the reservoir of Tappan Lake
are in the tract and Ohio State Route 800
and United States Highway 250 pass through.
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...
granted by Congress to Arnold Henry Dohrman (1749–1813), who helped the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
cause in the 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...
.
At the beginning of the war, Dohrman, of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, was a wealthy merchant in Lisbon, Portugal. He supplied the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with clothing and war material, and fed and looked after American seamen who the British had captured and released to his custody. In June, 1780, the Committee on Foreign Affairs in Congress reported to that body on his humane acts. A resolution was passed appointing him agent for the United States in the Kingdom of Portugal, an unpaid position. They authorized him to extend relief to US citizens, and to bill them for his expenditures. They assured they would refund him at their earliest opportunity.
Dohrman presented a bill on July 19, 1786 for $26,084.24. He only had vouchers proving $5,806.80 in expenses. Congress paid the smaller amount on October 1, 1787. The $20,277.44 shortfall was not paid, but Congress paid him a salary of $1600 per year from the time he started his assistance, and allowed him to make a choice of any township
Survey township
Survey township, sometimes called Congressional township, as used by the United States Public Land Survey System, refers to a square unit of land, that is nominally six miles on a side...
of land out of the fifth through seventh ranges of the first seven ranges surveyed in Ohio
Seven Ranges
The Seven Ranges was a land tract in eastern Ohio that was the first tract to be surveyed in what became the Public Land Survey System. The tract is across the northern edge, on the western edge, with the south and east sides along the Ohio River...
.
Dohrman had not seen Ohio, and acted on the advice of others when he chose the thirteenth township of the seventh range, now half in Harrison County and half in Tuscarawas County
Tuscarawas County, Ohio
Tuscarawas County is a county located in the eastern part of the state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 92,582. Its county seat is New Philadelphia...
. President John Adams
John Adams
John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
issued a patent for the land to Dohrman, or his legal representatives, on February 27, 1801.
Dohrman lived in New York City for many years, engaging in business. Various misfortunes lead to him having to mortgage his land to his creditors, preventing him from subdividing and selling at a profit. After his business failure, he moved to Steubenville, Ohio
Steubenville, Ohio
Steubenville is a city located along the Ohio River in Jefferson County, Ohio on the Ohio-West Virginia border in the United States. It is the political county seat of Jefferson County. It is also a principal city of the Weirton–Steubenville, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area...
to be nearer his land. He died there in 1813. In 1817, Congress granted his widow, Rachel Dohrman, an annuity of $400 per year and $100 per year for each of his children until age 21.
The Grant in Modern Times
The grant consists of the a three mile (5 km) wide by 1 ½ mile highparcel in the southwest corner of Monroe Township, Harrison County, Ohio
Monroe Township, Harrison County, Ohio
Monroe Township is one of the fifteen townships of Harrison County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,241 people in the township, 827 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
, a three mile (5 km) wide by 4 ½ mile high western half of Franklin Township, Harrison County, Ohio
Franklin Township, Harrison County, Ohio
Franklin Township is one of the fifteen townships of Harrison County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 641 people in the township, 559 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
, a three mile (5 km) wide by four mile high strip on the east side of Mill Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio
Mill Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio
Mill Township is one of the twenty-two townships of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 10,290 people in the township, 1,835 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:...
, and a three mile (5 km) wide by two mile high strip on the east side of Rush Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio
Rush Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio
Rush Township is one of the twenty-two townships of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 887 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the southeastern part of the county, it borders the following townships:...
for a total of approximately 36 square miles (93.2 km²). The corners of the grant are at 40°23′24"N 81°19′49"W,
40°18′16"N 81°20′05"W,40°23′17"N 81°12′51"W, 40°18′07"N 81°13′05"W. The community of Stillwater
Stillwater, Ohio
Stillwater is an unincorporated community in eastern Rush Township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 44679. It lies at the intersection of State Routes 258 and 800....
and the dam and part of the reservoir of Tappan Lake
Tappan Lake
Tappan Lake is a reservoir in Harrison County, Ohio, United States.Also known as: Tappan ReservoirThe lake covers of water and of surrounding land, as part of the Muskingum Watershed Conservancy District. Normal pool elevation is above sea level. The lake has a limit for boats. There are two...
are in the tract and Ohio State Route 800
Ohio State Route 800
State Route 800 is a north–south state highway in the eastern portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. Its southern terminus is at State Route 7 near New Matamoras, and its northern terminus is at its interchange with Interstate 77 in Canton....
and United States Highway 250 pass through.
External links
- Ohio History Central- Dohrman’s Grant
- Arnold Henry Dohrman. Papers, 1749-1813, housed in the University of Illinois Library at Urbana-Champaign's Illinois History and Lincoln Collections