Autographed 1798 Manuscript Establishing Canfield Township, Originally Campfield, in Mahoning County, Ohio

Two sheets with three fold lines, along with a signatory sheet. Approximatly 8 x 13 in per sheet, with the signatory page measuring 8 x 6.5 in. See image for condition. A unique piece of Ohio history miraculously preserved.

Where as we the subscribers Properties and Tenants in common of the first township in the third range of the Connecticut Reserve so called in the future to be known by the name of Campfield for the purpose of exporting a settlement and division of the same amongst the paid proprietors agreeable to each ones interest; prosperity therein, do covenant and agree each one for himself & to & with the …. manner following. That as early in the present spring and season of the year as the majority of said proprietor should think best they will send on the said township under the direction of Mr Nathaniel Church one of the proprietors in number of workmen not to exceed 14 together with a team & c. which workmen are to be employed until sometime in the fall of the year in surveying the township into lots roads & cutting roads, cleaning same land & improving it, & building 4 log houses & making improvements, & preparing time for mill or mills if said agent thinks best. In said improvements to be made in such manner as the agent thinks best for the proprietors & such houses with the lots & improvements of which they are made shall be and remain the proprietor in common in proportion to their interest in said township until a partition is made by the agreement of said proprietors, as majority of them. And do further agree that said township shall be surveyed out of the following… as soon as it is found convenient by said agent, into lots & highways, running through ' the same as nearly according to the plan which the proprietor has delivered said agent as the location & make of the said ground and township will admit; and as soon as said road & town is thus run out and the other business permit, or as soon as a part said work is made said agent will proceed said roads cut & c. of so much as he shall judge in the interest of said proprietors. And the said proprietors will further agree & secure authorize said agent to procure by these presents such … provisions, team & cows & c. to carry on and effect said foresaid settlements partitions surveys & c. and the opening of said roads as the major part of said proprietors shall judge necessary & the agent is to procure such necessaries going there and whilst there as he shall find necessary for the purpose of foresaid and expenses of making the aforesaid settlement, surveys, partition & roads & mills shall be paid and defrayed in the proportion to their respective interest in said town, and all thee property thus purchased and turned in by the properties for the purpose of foresaid, shall be considered by thee Company property, and the said proposition shall be accountable to such individuals for it's real values. And all horses & oxen when turned & the price of the other property shall be which it costs, and an account of the dame shall be made & kept by the Clerk of said proprietors as soon as he can obtain the knowledge of the same. And all receivers of any property of the company shall deliver a copy of his acct. , accounting for said property to the clerk, whenever demanded by the clerk in performance to a resolve of said proprietors. (Page 3) And properties shall herby agree that all and every meeting of said properties, property … there shall be a moderator appointment and a clerk whose duty it shall be to make entries of all the votes of said meetings & doings therein, & keep an account of all the expenditures which come to his knowledge & record the survey of said town & highways, and to keep a complete record of all the doings of said proprietor and legal meeting assemblies agreeable to this Constitution or agreement of said proprietors and that the minority of the proprietors present as such meeting shall be judged by the votes of the majority, and whatever is voted by the majority and so entered by the clerk as a vote, shall be binding on all. And all the meetings shall be warned by giving reasonable notice to each proprietor by a letter or otherwise, and he shall appoint time & place, and shall warn a meeting whenever one forth of said proprietors request it. And it is further agreed that the mode of partition shall be as followed viz. As soon as said town is surveyed in manner of foresaid, the said township & the properties interest within, shall be divided into 16 shares, into each share shall be drawn five entire lots. Ley one lot which contains about 864 acres, including half the adjoining (page 4) highway & said lots of this description shall be called the second division, and two lots containing each about 130 acres including the adjoining highway & said lots are to be called & known by the third division. And two lots containing about two hundred & sixty two acres in each, including the reserve for highways, & and said two lots of that … description are to be known & called the fourth division. And to every four shares shall be drawn one of the four center lots containing … sixty nine acres each including to the conjoining highways. And said four lots are to be known & called the first division. And land for a highway IIII rods wide through all & every lot of the fourth division is reserved for the benefit of the properties & the public for a highway is a foresaid, and in such place & direction as a committee appointed by the properties in a legal meeting shall think proper & surveyed out. And as many entire shares to a proprietor shall be made by the agent in the interest of the proprietor will… and the fractional part of the proprietor's interest shall then be united with the fractional part of the other proprietor's by the agent as such matters as to make 16 shares, & the proprietors thus united for a draught shall hold in common said lots drawn. Ti such shares in proportion o their interest therein. And said lots shall be drawn to the person named who has the greatest interest in said share. All cole minds, salt spring, & iron ore beds, discovered before the drought, and entered on the plan are reserved to be holden in common in proportion to their interest in said town, & a good mill.. also. And as soon after the aforaid partition is made in said foresaid, the said proprietors will enter into such writings as will affect & complete said partition or take deads from the trustees Connecticut land company of their shares in…, according to the aforesaid partition. In witness thereof we have hereunto put our hands and seals this 18th day of April 1798.
Judson Canfield
Nathaniel Church
Samuel Canfield
James Johnston
xJames Johnson
xElijah xxxx
David Waterman
Elijah Wadsworth
Witness to Elijah Wadsworth signing …. Ladd

Canfield Township is one of the fourteen townships of Mahoning County, Ohio, having been established in 1798 as Campfield. In 1800, it took the name of Judson Canfield, who was the majority owner of the six men who purchased it from the Connecticut Land Company. By 1805, Canfield had approximately 17 homes, a general store, and a school.