Near Powell in Delaware County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
The Union Land Company and the Case Family / The Olentangy River Road
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 21, 2008
1. The Union Land Company and the Case Family (side A)
Inscription.
The Union Land Company and the Case Family, also, The Olentangy River Road. .
The Union Land Company and the Case Family. Congress established the United States Military District in 1796 by an act to provide bounty land for Revolutionary War officers and soldiers. District lands consisted of 2.6 million acres in twelve Ohio counties, including Delaware County. The Union Land Company, organized by James Kilbourne of Connecticut in 1806, was formed to purchase Military District land. Kilbourne purchased 4,000 acres in southeast Liberty Township, Delaware County for $7,000, and, in turn, sold the land to 26 Union Land Company members for $2.00 per acre. Five members were from the Case family, and they purchased 950 acres--Ambrose, George, Jonathan, Seth, and Silas. George and Seth were Revolutionary War veterans who did not claim their bounty lands. George purchased lot 11, a part of which is in northwest Highbanks Park today, and Seth purchased 300 acres north of this site. By 1849 the Case family owned over 1,000 acres.,
The Olentangy River Road. Delaware County was organized in February 1808. Four months later county commissioners authorized an act to build a county road from Columbus to Delaware and ordered it to be on the west side of the Whetstone River (later renamed the Olentangy River) "as near the Whetstone River as the ground and angles of the river" would allow. Azariah Root surveyed this route in August. In 1824 James Kilbourne was authorized to survey a state road from Columbus to Sandusky. In Liberty Township this state road followed the route along the Whetstone River that was laid out in 1808. The road was not improved with gravel until 1882 when lot owners were assessed $17,000 to pay for the improvement. In 1998, a 10.5 mile stretch of Olentangy River valley, including Olentangy River Road or State Route 315, across the river from this site, was designated the Olentangy Heritage State Scenic Byway.
The Union Land Company and the Case Family
Congress established the United States Military District in 1796 by an act to provide bounty land for Revolutionary War officers and soldiers. District lands consisted of 2.6 million acres in twelve Ohio counties, including Delaware County. The Union Land Company, organized by James Kilbourne of Connecticut in 1806, was formed to purchase Military District land. Kilbourne purchased 4,000 acres in southeast Liberty Township, Delaware County for $7,000, and, in turn, sold the land to 26 Union Land Company members for $2.00 per acre. Five members were from the Case family, and they purchased 950 acres--Ambrose, George, Jonathan, Seth, and Silas. George and Seth were Revolutionary War veterans who did not claim their bounty lands. George purchased lot 11, a part of which is in northwest Highbanks Park today, and Seth purchased 300 acres north of this site. By 1849 the Case family owned over 1,000 acres.
The Olentangy River Road
Delaware County was organized in February 1808. Four months later county commissioners authorized an act to build a county road from Columbus to Delaware and ordered it to be on the west side of the Whetstone River (later renamed the Olentangy River) "as near the Whetstone River as the ground & angles of the river"
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would allow. Azariah Root surveyed this route in August. In 1824 James Kilbourne was authorized to survey a state road from Columbus to Sandusky. In Liberty Township this state road followed the route along the Whetstone River that was laid out in 1808. The road was not improved with gravel until 1882 when lot owners were assessed $17,000 to pay for the improvement. In 1998, a 10.5 mile stretch of Olentangy River valley, including Olentangy River Road or State Route 315, across the river from this site, was designated the Olentangy Heritage State Scenic Byway.
Erected 2004 by Case Family Descendants and The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 14-21.)
Location. 40° 9.296′ N, 83° 2.63′ W. Marker is near Powell, Ohio, in Delaware County. Marker can be reached from Columbus Pike (U.S. 23). Marker is in Highbanks Metro Park, at the northwest edge of the Big Meadows picnic area. It is physically near the intersection of Powell Road (Ohio Route 750) and Olentangy River Road (Ohio
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 21, 2008
2. The Olentangy River Road Marker (side B)
Route 315) where there is a pedestrian gate, but there is no parking anywhere near this heavily travelled two-lane road with no shoulders. There is plenty of parking in the park at the marker and there is no charge to enter. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 9466 Columbus Pike, Lewis Center OH 43035, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Additional commentary. 1. I have been the facilitator and organizer for three Ohio Historical Society Markers in southern Delaware County. This one is the the second marker I worked on. It is located in Highbanks Metro Park and honors the Union Land Company, the Case Family and The Olentangy River Road. The Case family had five Case men as members of the 26 man
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 21, 2008
3. The Union Land Company and the Case Family / The Olentangy River Road Marker
Union Land Company. They purchased 4,000 acres in south east Liberty Township and divided it into forty 100 acre lots. The Case men, including my great, great, great grandfather Seth Case, originally owned 900 acres.
The first one I did was for Williamsville, Anson Williams and the Columbus and Sandusky Turnpike. Anson Williams purchased 1,000 acres in the north west section of Orange Township just south of where Orange Road is now located. He had surveyed an 80 lot village that bordered the Columbus and Sandusky Road. The marker is located at at the entrance to Kingwood Memorial Park. Kingwood is located just about one-half mile south of Orange Road on US 23. The Williamsville Cemetery where Anson Williams, his wife and several of his family and neighbors are buried is located on the east side of US 23 across the road from where the marker is located.
The third marker was dedicated this past May at Liberty Presbyterian Church. It honors Nathan Carpenter the First Colonial Settler in Delaware County. He is buried on the Mary Crest Farm. The obverse side of the marker honors Liberty Presbyterian Church, the First Church founded in Liberty Township in 1810. The Chapel, which is still standing, was built in 1820. There were Goodings who attended the Liberty Church. Note To Editor only visible by Contributor and editor
Photographed By William Fischer, Jr., October 21, 2008
4. Highbanks Metro Park Entrance
— Submitted December 11, 2008, by Richard Converse of Fort Mill, South Carolina.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 25, 2021. It was originally submitted on October 22, 2008, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 2,552 times since then and 108 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 22, 2008, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. • Kevin W. was the editor who published this page.
