Beschreibung:

Vellum, 9 x 10.5 in. (sight), for 321 acres (+) in the "Land appropriated for the Refugees from the British Provinces of Canada and Nova Scotia, to Jacob Van Der Heyden " Washington, 13 March 1802, signed by Thomas Jefferson (President) and James Madison (Secretary of State). With wafer seal. A rare piece since there were only 67 claimants to refugee lands in the initial claim process (a few who missed the claim deadline were compensated later). These lands in south central Ohio (Licking, Franklin, Fairfield and Perry Counties) were promised to Canadians who sympathized with the American rebels and rendered aid (most joining the Continental Army). For their aid to American colonists, of course, Great Britain stripped them of all possessions and lands. So the United States promised to give them land as soon as the nation could do so. Part of the issue was locating said land. Initially Congress set aside land along Lake Erie, but the land turned out to belong to Connecticut, and was not Congress's to give, so other lands were located in the military district of central Ohio, much of which was set aside for other Revolutionary War soldiers. What lands were not claimed were sold through the Chillicothe Land Office. Today the Ohio State House and many office buildings in Columbus are within the Refugee Grant. Condition: Currently framed and glazed. Not removed from frame for examination. Folds as expected, with some toning and minor water spots along the folds. Ink is a bit faded, but still very readable. (It appears to have been on a wall for many years.)