Scioto Company
Encyclopedia
The Scioto Company was a French
institution which granted worthless deeds in the Northwest Territory
, later Ohio
, to French colonists.
The Scioto Land Company was organized by Colonel William Duer
and others in 1787 and officially organized in 1789 as the Compagnie du Scioto in Paris
by Joel Barlow
, the agent of Duer and his associates abroad (William Playfair
, an Englishman, plus six Frenchmen).
This company had arranged with the Ohio Company
, in 1787, for the use of about 4000000 acres (16,187.4 km²), (another source says about 3500000 acres (14,164 km²)), north of the Ohio River
and east of the Scioto River
, on which the Ohio Company had secured an option only. The dishonesty of those who conducted the sales in France, the unbusinesslike methods of Barlow, and the failure of Duer and his associates to meet their contract with the Ohio Company, caused the collapse of the Scioto Company early in 1790, and two subsequent attempts to revive it failed.
Meanwhile about 150000 acres (607 km²) had been sold to prospective settlers, companies and individuals in France. On February 19, 1791, 218 of these purchasers left Havre de Grace, in France, and arrived in Alexandria, District of Columbia
, now Alexandria, Virginia
, on the May 3 following.
On their arrival, they were told that the Scioto Company owned no land. When they arrived at Marietta, Ohio
, about fifty of them landed. In October 1791, rest of the company proceeded to Gallipolis
, which was laid out about that time, and where rude huts had been built for them, were assured by the agent that the place lay within their purchase.
This land, however, fell within the limits of the tract bought outright by the Ohio Company, which sold it to the Scioto Company, and to which it reverted on the failure of the Scioto Company to pay.
In 1794, William Bradford
, the U.S. Attorney General, decided that all rights in the 4000000 acres (16,187.4 km²) on which the Ohio Company had secured an option for the Scioto Company were legally vested in the Ohio Company.
In 1795, the Ohio Company sold to the French settlers for $1.25 an acre ($309/km²) the land they occupied and adjacent improved lots, and the United States government granted to them 24000 acres (97.1 km²) in the southern part of what is now Scioto County, Ohio
in 1795, known as the First French Grant
. Four thousand of those acres were for John Gabriel Gervais, and 20,000 to be divided among the remaining inhabitants of Gallipolis.
Eight inhabitants of Gallipolis somehow missed out on the 1795 distribution, and so Congress, in 1798, made an additional adjacent grant, the Second Grant, of 1200 acres (4.9 km²) for these eight. Most residents of Gallipolis never occupied the First Grant or the Second Grant, instead either selling them, or sending tenants to occupy them.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
institution which granted worthless deeds in the Northwest Territory
Northwest Territory
The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio...
, later Ohio
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...
, to French colonists.
The Scioto Land Company was organized by Colonel William Duer
William Duer (1747-1799)
William Duer was a British-born American lawyer, developer, and speculator from New York City. A Federalist, Duer wrote in support of ratifying the United States Constitution as "Philo-Publius." He had earlier served in the Continental Congress and the convention that framed the New York...
and others in 1787 and officially organized in 1789 as the Compagnie du Scioto in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
by Joel Barlow
Joel Barlow
Joel Barlow was an American poet, diplomat and politician. In his own time, Barlow was well-known for the epic Vision of Columbus. Modern readers may be more familiar with "The Hasty Pudding"...
, the agent of Duer and his associates abroad (William Playfair
William Playfair
William Playfair was a Scottish engineer and political economist, the founder of graphical methods of statistics....
, an Englishman, plus six Frenchmen).
This company had arranged with the Ohio Company
Ohio Company of Associates
The Ohio Company of Associates, also known as the Ohio Company, was a land company which is today credited with becoming the first non-American Indian group to settle in the present-day state of Ohio...
, in 1787, for the use of about 4000000 acres (16,187.4 km²), (another source says about 3500000 acres (14,164 km²)), north of the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
and east of the Scioto River
Scioto River
The Scioto River is a river in central and southern Ohio more than 231 miles in length. It rises in Auglaize County in west central Ohio, flows through Columbus, Ohio, where it collects its largest tributary, the Olentangy River, and meets the Ohio River at Portsmouth...
, on which the Ohio Company had secured an option only. The dishonesty of those who conducted the sales in France, the unbusinesslike methods of Barlow, and the failure of Duer and his associates to meet their contract with the Ohio Company, caused the collapse of the Scioto Company early in 1790, and two subsequent attempts to revive it failed.
Meanwhile about 150000 acres (607 km²) had been sold to prospective settlers, companies and individuals in France. On February 19, 1791, 218 of these purchasers left Havre de Grace, in France, and arrived in Alexandria, District of Columbia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, now Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, on the May 3 following.
On their arrival, they were told that the Scioto Company owned no land. When they arrived at Marietta, Ohio
Marietta, Ohio
Marietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
, about fifty of them landed. In October 1791, rest of the company proceeded to Gallipolis
Gallipolis, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,180 people, 1,847 households, and 1,004 families residing in the village. The population density was 1,156.2 people per square mile . There were 2,056 housing units at an average density of 568.7 per square mile...
, which was laid out about that time, and where rude huts had been built for them, were assured by the agent that the place lay within their purchase.
This land, however, fell within the limits of the tract bought outright by the Ohio Company, which sold it to the Scioto Company, and to which it reverted on the failure of the Scioto Company to pay.
In 1794, William Bradford
William Bradford (1755-1795)
William Bradford was a lawyer and judge from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the second United States Attorney General in 1794-1795.He was the son of the printer William Bradford and was born in Philadelphia...
, the U.S. Attorney General, decided that all rights in the 4000000 acres (16,187.4 km²) on which the Ohio Company had secured an option for the Scioto Company were legally vested in the Ohio Company.
In 1795, the Ohio Company sold to the French settlers for $1.25 an acre ($309/km²) the land they occupied and adjacent improved lots, and the United States government granted to them 24000 acres (97.1 km²) in the southern part of what is now Scioto County, Ohio
Scioto County, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 79,195 people, 30,871 households, and 21,362 families residing in the county. The population density was 129 people per square mile . There were 34,054 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile...
in 1795, known as the First French Grant
French Grant
thumb|The proposed purchase by the Scioto Company is shown in red. The proposed purchase by the [[Ohio Company of Associates|Ohio Company]] is in blue. The final purchase by the Ohio Company is in green...
. Four thousand of those acres were for John Gabriel Gervais, and 20,000 to be divided among the remaining inhabitants of Gallipolis.
Eight inhabitants of Gallipolis somehow missed out on the 1795 distribution, and so Congress, in 1798, made an additional adjacent grant, the Second Grant, of 1200 acres (4.9 km²) for these eight. Most residents of Gallipolis never occupied the First Grant or the Second Grant, instead either selling them, or sending tenants to occupy them.