Ephraim Kimberly Grant facts for kids
The Ephraim Kimberly Grant was a special piece of land in eastern Ohio. It was given to a brave soldier named Ephraim Kimberly who fought in the American Revolutionary War. This happened in the late 1700s. The land was located in an area called the Seven Ranges, right next to the Ohio River.
Why Was This Land Given?
After the American Revolutionary War, the new government, called the Congress, didn't have much money. They needed a way to thank and pay the soldiers who fought for America's freedom. So, they promised land to people who joined the army. This was a great way to encourage soldiers to enlist and keep fighting.
The government made several promises about land between 1776 and 1780. They said that officers and private soldiers who served until the end of the war, or until they were honorably discharged, would receive land. If a soldier died fighting, their family would get the land instead. The size of the land depended on the soldier's rank.
Who Was Ephraim Kimberly?
Captain Ephraim Kimberly was born in 1738 and passed away in 1795. He was a captain in the 2nd Connecticut company during the war. Groups like the Daughters of the American Revolution Society recognize him as a true American patriot.
After the war, Captain Kimberly settled near the mouth of a stream called Indian Short Creek, which is now just known as Short Creek. This creek flows into the Ohio River. On April 8, 1794, the Congress officially gave him 300 acres (about 1.2 square kilometers) of land. This was done through a special law just for him.
Where Was the Grant Located?
The land given to Ephraim Kimberly was surveyed by a person named Absalom Martin. A survey is like mapping out the exact boundaries of a piece of land. This grant was the very first land deed recorded in Jefferson County, Ohio. A deed is a legal paper that shows who owns a property.
The land was part of Township 4 in Range 2 of the original Seven Ranges. Today, a town called Rayland, Ohio is located right where Short Creek meets the Ohio River, near where Captain Kimberly's land once was.
