Ohio American History & Genealogy


1816 Ohio Gazetteer
Gallia to Guyandot

Gallia, a river county bounded on the north by Athens, on the southeast and south by the Ohio River, and on the west by Lawrence and Jackson counties. Its greatest extent is 42 miles from north to south, and 35 from east to west: but the shape is such that its area does not exceed, if it equals 600 square miles. The land, especially in the interior, southern and western parts, is generally very hilly, broken, and of a poor soil, and consequently not much settled: but in the upper parts and bordering upon the Ohio River, are numerous tracts of exceedingly fertile and valuable land. The principal waters are Leading and Raccoon creeks, beside several smaller ones, all running southwardly into the Ohio River, which skirts the whole length of the county from the northeastern to its southwestern most extremity. The name is derived from the circumstance of some of its earliest settlements having been made by emigrants from France, anciently called Gaul or Gallia. A considerable part of this county is included within the Ohio company's purchase. Previously to the last session of the state legislature, when a portion of the whole western borders of the county was transferred to the new counties of Jackson and Lawrence, it was divided into these twenty townships; Union, Ohio, Fayette, Centerville, Green, Gallipolis the county seat, Raccoon, Springfield, Madison, Huntington, Wilkesville, Salem, Salisbury, Rutland, Addison, Cheshire, Le Tarts', Lebanon, Harrisburg and Milton. The population is about 6000 and its valuation 533,320 dollars.

Gallipolis, a post town and seat of justice for the above described county. It is pleasantly situated on an elevated western bank of the Ohio River in North latitude 38, 54, and West longitude 5, 8. Among the public buildings arc a court house and gaol, and an academy. Here are also 75 dwelling houses, some of which are of a handsome structure, and 13 of them brick; a printing office and eight mercantile stores. In the town, a short distance from the academy, is a very large semi-globular mound, 18 or 20 rods in circumference around its base. In the township are likewise reared six acres of grape vines, which are expected the present year to produce 1000 gallons of wine. Gallipolis seemed, during some years subsequently to several French families leaving it, to decline, but is now flourishing. The name Gallipolis is descriptive of an historical occurrence, as well as that of the county. The English signification of the term is French city. Distance 42 miles south from Athens, 67 southwesterly from Marietta, 58 southeasterly from Chillicothe, and 102 southeasterly from Columbus.

Gallipolis, a township in which is situated the above described town, and containing about 700 inhabitants.

Geauga, a lake county, bounded on the north by Lake Erie, east by Ashtabula and Trumbull counties, south by Portage, and on the west by Cuyahoga County. It is 35 miles long, by 20 broad; containing about 600 square miles. The name is said to signify an Indian dialect, Grand: which is the name of its principal river. Beside that river, some of the sources of Chagrine and Cuyahoga rivers water this county. Seat of justice, Chardon. Population 3000 and valuation 1,116,503 dollars.

Genet's Creek, a stream running into the Ohio River, 6 miles above Pine creek, in the French Grant.

Geneva, a new, but fast settling township in the northwestern corner of Ashtabula County on the southern shore of Lake Erie.

Genoa, a township in the southern part of Delaware County.

German, a township of Champaign County, containing 525 inhabitants.

German, a township of Montgomery County.

Germantown, a small town in Montgomery County, 13 miles southwesterly from Dayton.

Girtystown, a station so called in the vicinity of fort Mary's, within the Indian limits.

Glaize, Ac. [See Au Glaize.]

Gnadenhutten, a post town, originally established by some Moravian missionaries, on the eastern hank of Muskingum River, in Tuscarawas County; It is 11 miles southerly from New Philadelphia, 50 northeasterly from Zanesville, and 90 east by north from Columbus. The signification of the name is said to be "The tents of grace."

Goshen, an Indian village, in Salem Township, Tuscarawas County, containing seven or eight families of friendly Indians.

Goshen, a township of Tuscarawas County, in which is situated the town of New Philadelphia.

Goshen, a township of Columbiana County.

Goshen, a township of Champaign County, containing 400 inhabitants.

Grand River, called by the natives Geauga, a northern stream rising in the northwestern quarter of Trumbull County, and which, after running in a northwardly direction, into Austinburg, a distance of 30 miles, suddenly turns westwardly and flows in that direction 20 miles farther into Lake Erie, 3 miles below Painesville. Its mouth affords a sufficient depth of water and a tolerably commodious station for such sloops as usually navigate the lake.

Grandon, a town recently laid off at the mouth of Grand River, on the southern shore of Lake Erie, in Geauga County.

Grand View, a township of Washington County.

Granger, a town lately laid out, on the southern shore of Lake Erie, and on the west side of Rocky River, in Cuyahoga County. It is so called from Mr. Granger, late post master general of the United States; who is one of the principal proprietors. Distance 7 miles westerly from Cleveland.

Granville, a flourishing post town and township of Licking County. It was first settled by a body of emigrants from Granville in Massachusetts, and its vicinity, in 1804. The whole township is parceled into farms of from 50 to 150 acres each. And the people are generally, perhaps, more upon a footing of equality, in point of intelligence, character and property, than in almost any other section of the state, of equal extent. Here are two stores, a furnace and a bank. Granville is situated on the middle fork of Licking River; 32 miles westerly from Zanesville, 26 north by east from Lancaster, and 27 east by north from Columbus. North latitude 40, 5. West longitude 5, 35.

Gratis, a township of Preble County.

Great Miami. [See Miami River.]

Green, an interior county, bounded on the north by Champaign, east by Madison and Fayette, south by Clinton and Warren and west by Montgomery counties. It is 26 by 20 miles in extent; containing 514 square miles. It is divided into the nine townships of Bath, Beaver creek, Sugar creek, Silver creek, Ross, Miami, Vance, Caesar's creek and Xenia. It also contains the five villages or towns of Xenia the county seat, Fairfield, Bell brook, Jamestown and Winchester. Beside Mad River, the streams in Green County are the Little Miami Caesar's creek, Beaver and Massie's creeks, and Anderson's creek, and are in magnitude in the order they are mentioned; beside other smaller streams namely, Little Beaver, Glady, Shawnee, Old town and Yellow spring runs, all of which have water works of several descriptions on them; such as grist mills, saw mills, fulling mills carding, spinning and nail factories; and most of which machines and mills have a supply of water through the year. The country abounds with springs of excellent water, and is considered generally very healthy." All the before mentioned streams, excepting Mad River, run into the Little Miami. This county contains 8080 inhabitants; and a valuation of 1,388,226 dollars.

Green, a populous and flourishing township in the northeastern corner of Trumbull County.

Green, a township of Adams County.

Green, a township of Columbiana County.

Green, a town and township of Stark County.

Green, a township of Richland County.

Green, a township of Harrison County.

Green, a township of Gallia County, containing 550 inhabitants.

Green, a township of Scioto County.

Green, a township in the southwest corner of Fayette County.

Green, a township of Clinton County.

Greencastle, a small but improving town, recently laid out, in the western borders of Fairfield County; in which is one store. Distance, 10 miles northwest from Lancaster and 18 southeast from Columbus, on the direct road between those two places.

Greenfield, a township of Fairfield County.

Greenfield, a post town, just within the eastern confines of Highland County, 22 miles west from Chillicothe.

Greenville, a post town and seat of justice for Dark County. It is noted as being the place where gen. Wayne made his treaty with the Indians in 1795. Distance 46 miles west from Urbana, 86 westerly from Columbus and 80 northwardly from Cincinnati. N. lat. 40 2, W. Ion. 7 30.

Greenville Creek, a tributary of Stillwater branch of Miami River, running past old fort Greenville. One mile above its mouth and 17 below Greenville, it has a perpendicular fall of 15 feet.

Greenville, fort. [See Fort Greenville.]

Grissels, a place at which is kept a post office, in Columbiana County.

Groton, a township of Huron County.

Guernsey, a county, bounded on the north by Tuscarawas, east by Belmont and Monroe, south by Washington, and west by Muskingum and Coshocton counties. It is 35 miles long from north to south, and 26 broad from east to west; containing 784 square miles. It was named Guernsey, in conformity with the wishes of its earliest settlers; fifteen families of whom were emigrants from the island of Guernsey near the coast of France. It is divided into the nine following townships, namely, Cambridge, Wills, Westland, Oxford, Seneca, Madison, Buffaloe, Wheeling and Richland. The towns are Cambridge the seat of justice, Washington, Frankfort, Fairview, Winchester, Londonderry, Senecaville, New Liberty and Olivetown.
Guernsey County contains about 4,800 inhabitants, and a valuation of 587,690 dollars. The land is generally hilly, and of a moderately good quality; although there are several tracts of exceedingly fertile land along Will's creek; which stream and its branches compose the principal waters. Guernsey County has many advantages over many of our more rich and level counties, owing to the great variety of soil, the more elevated and less productive situations being well adapted to the production of grapes, and the raising of sheep; both of which are now going through a course, of experiment, which if the result should equal the expectations of good judges, the county of Guernsey may yet be as famous for the excellence of its wine, and fineness of its fleeces as any Country in Europe.

Guyandot, Indian, a creek rising in the lower part of Gallia County, which, after running about 20 miles in a southerly direction, falls into the Ohio River, just within the limits of Lawrence County, and nearly opposite Big Guyandot in Virginia.

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Source: The Ohio Gazetteer or Topographical Dictionary, by John Kilbourn, A. M.,
Smith & Griswold Printers, Columbus, Nov. 1816



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