Loyal Company of Virginia facts for kids
The Loyal Company of Virginia, also known as the Loyal Land Company, was a group formed in Virginia in 1749. Their main goal was to find and encourage people to settle in the western parts of Virginia. This company kept working until May 15, 1776, when Virginia officially declared its independence from Great Britain. Even after that, legal cases involving the company continued until 1872.
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Starting the Loyal Company
On July 12, 1748, the Virginia Council approved a large land grant for a group of investors. The Virginia Council was the executive part of the House of Burgesses, which was like Virginia's government at the time. This grant covered 800,000 acres (about 324,000 hectares).
The land was located west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was also north of the border with North Carolina and in the "western waters." This meant it was in the area that drained into the Ohio River. Unlike another group called the Ohio Company, the Loyal Company didn't have to bring settlers right away. They just needed to survey, or map out, the lands they claimed within four years.
Key People Behind the Company
The main person who started the Loyal Company of Virginia was John Lewis. He was a well-known pioneer in the Shenandoah Valley. The company's main decisions and management were handled by Lewis and three other important men: Thomas Walker, Joshua Fry, and Peter Jefferson.
Other people who helped start the company included John Meriwether, Charles Lewis, James Power, and many more.
Early Adventures and Challenges
The Loyal Company officially started at a meeting on December 12, 1749. John Lewis was chosen to lead the company for four years. Thomas Walker was given the job of exploring new lands for the company.
On March 6, 1750, Walker began his first trip into what is now southwest Virginia and Kentucky. His group built a small cabin near what is now Barbourville, Kentucky. This helped show that the Loyal Company claimed this territory.
The company often had arguments with other land groups, like the Ohio Company. This happened because the descriptions of the land grants were not very clear. These disagreements made it harder to attract new settlers. So, on June 14, 1753, the Loyal Company was given four more years to survey its land claims.
The company also planned a big trip to the west in 1753. Thomas Walker was supposed to lead it. This trip was meant to explore new areas, much like the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition would do later. One of the goals was to find the Missouri River and see if it connected to the Pacific Ocean.
French and Indian War Impacts
The start of the French and Indian War slowed down the Loyal Company's activities. Because of the war, the big western exploration trip never happened. Thomas Walker became an agent for Edward Braddock's army and stopped actively exploring for the company.
After Braddock's army was defeated, Native American raids became common in the Shenandoah Valley. Many settlers left their farms and homes. This meant fewer people wanted to buy land from the Loyal Company. It also made surveying new lands very dangerous.
After the Proclamation of 1763
The Loyal Company's original land grant expired in 1757. They didn't try to get an extension until 1763. On May 25, 1763, the company asked for more time. They argued that the French and Indian War had stopped their work.
However, their request was turned down. This was because of a new British rule, which became the Royal Proclamation of 1763. This rule stopped people from settling west of the Appalachian Mountains.
Even though the British government said no, the Loyal Company kept surveying lands. They went against the Royal Proclamation of 1763. People in the colonies kept protesting the Proclamation. This led to the Treaty of Fort Stanwix in 1768. Thomas Walker and Andrew Lewis represented Virginia in this treaty. It set the Ohio River as the western border for colonial expansion. More land was gained by companies like the Loyal Company at the Treaty of Lochaber. Walker again represented Virginia's interests there.
The land sold by the Loyal Company west of the Appalachians caused problems. It overlapped with land given to Virginia officers for their service in the war. These officers were represented by Colonel George Washington. Eventually, the Virginia Governor's Council decided to recognize all the land sold by the Loyal Company.
The American Revolution and the End
After Virginia declared independence, its new government wasn't sure about companies that had operated under British rule. On October 27, 1778, Thomas Walker asked the House of Delegates to confirm the company's land claims. On November 11, 1778, the House of Delegates agreed to recognize all land that the Loyal Company had already sold. However, they refused to let the company do any more surveys or sales.
This decision effectively ended the Loyal Company's activities. Legal battles continued for many years, both for and against the company, as people tried to sort out land ownership.
See also
- Royal Land Company of Virginia
