The Ohio Company: Its Inner History facts for kids
Title page to The Ohio Company: Its Inner History, 1959
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| Author | Alfred P. James |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Subject | The Ohio Company |
| Publisher | University of Pittsburgh Press |
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Publication date
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1959 |
| Pages | 375 |
| ISBN | 978-0-8229-8354-5 |
| OCLC | 250855838 |
The Ohio Company: Its Inner History is a book from 1959 by Alfred P. James. It tells the story of the Ohio Company of Virginia. This company was formed long ago, even before October 1747. It continued to exist until at least October 1821. The book explores how this important company shaped early American history.
Contents
Learning About the Ohio Company
Many old papers about the Ohio Company of Virginia were lost. Some burned in fires, like one in Williamsburg, Virginia, in 1781. Another fire happened in Richmond, Virginia, in 1865. Luckily, many other documents survived. These were kept by families, in libraries, or as public records.
Historians used these papers to write books. Examples include The Ohio Valley in Colonial Days (1890) and The Ohio Company of Virginia (1939). Alfred P. James, the author of this book, also used these old documents.
Who Was Alfred P. James?
Alfred P. James was a history professor. He studied at Oxford University in England. Later, he earned his PhD from the University of Chicago. He taught history at the University of Pittsburgh for many years.
Before writing The Ohio Company: Its Inner History, James worked on other history projects. He put together documents about a British general named John Forbes. He also wrote about the British capture of Fort Duquesne in 1758.
Why the Ohio Company Formed
People often want things like respect, power, and money. These desires helped create the Ohio Company. In America, powerful families like the Fairfaxes and Calverts may have inspired its members.
During this time, France and England were often at war. This period is sometimes called "The Second Hundred Years." Important questions came up, like who owned land. For example, if someone discovered a river's mouth, did they own all the land the river touched? Also, did Iroquois natives truly own the lands they controlled? These questions greatly affected the company's plans.
Land and Treaties
There were also issues within America. These included trade with Native Americans. British colonies often argued over land. White settlers also wanted to move further west.
A key event was the Treaty of Lancaster. It was signed on July 2, 1744. In this treaty, the Iroquois gave up their claims to lands in the Virginia colony. They agreed that the King of Britain had rights to these lands. This made the land very appealing to politicians and land investors in Virginia.
Starting the Company
The Ohio Company likely formed after many discussions. We know it existed before October 20, 1747. On that date, Thomas Lee and eleven others asked the Virginia government for a large land grant. They wanted 200,000 acres.
The government in London approved this request. John Hanbury, who helped the company in London, secured the approval. The Virginia government officially approved the company's land grant on July 12 or 13, 1749.
