Pioneers of the Northwest Territory (Ohio), 1738

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The first group of these early American pioneers to the Northwest Territory is sometimes referred to as “the forty-eight” or the “first forty-eight”, and also as the “founders of Ohio”. These first forty-eight men were carefully chosen and vetted by several of the co-founders of the Ohio Company of Associates, Rufus Putnam and Manasseh Cutler, to ensure not only men of high character and bravery, but also men with proven skills necessary to build a settlement in the wilderness

During 1852 the president of the Ohio Historical Society described these pioneers:

“So various and eventful lives as theirs have scarcely ever fallen to the lot of man. They were born under a monarchy,—fought the battle of Independence,—assisted in the baptism of a great republic,—then moved into a wilderness,—and laid the foundations of a State,—itself almost equaling an empire. These men not only lived in remarkable times, but were themselves remarkable men. Energetic, industrious, persevering, honest, bold, and free — they were limited in their achievements only by the limits of possibility. Successful alike in field and forest,—they have, at length, gone to their rest,—leaving names which are a part of the fame and the history of their country”.

On the centennial anniversary of the Marietta settlement, Senator George F. Hoar of Massachusetts orated,

“It was an illustrious band; they were men of exceptional character, talents and attainments; they were the best of New England culture; they were Revolutionary heroes”.

The first forty-eight pioneers included the following men. (Sources: Hulbert, Proceedings of the Ohio Company, Volume I; Hildreth, Pioneer History.) This group of pioneers arrived on April 7, 1788, except for Col. Meigs, who arrived several days later on April 12, 1788 (Source: Hildreth, Pioneer History) and Anselm Tupper, who arrived on April 25, according to Rufus Putnam's journal.

1. General Rufus Putnam, superintendent of the settlement, co-founder of the Ohio Company of Associates
2. Colonel Return J. Meigs, Sr., surveyor
3. Colonel Ebenezer Sproat, surveyor (married to daughter of Commodore Abraham Whipple)
4. Anselm Tupper, surveyor (son of General Benjamin Tupper)
5. John Mathews, surveyor
6. Major Haffield White, quartermaster
7. Captain Ezekiel Cooper
8. Captain Daniel Davis
9. Captain Jonathan Devoll (Devol)
10. Captain Peregrine Foster
11. William Gray
12. Josiah Munroe (Munro)
13. Captain Jethro Putnam
14. Jabez Barlow
15. Daniel Bushnell
16. Phineas Coburn
17. Ebenezer Corey (Cory)
18. Samuel Cushing
19. (Jervis) Cutler (son of Manasseh Cutler)
20. Israel Danton
21. Jonas Davis
22. Allen Devoll
23. Gilbert Devoll, Jr.
24. Isaac Dodge
25. Oliver Dodge
26. Samuel Felshaw
27. Hezekiah Flint
28. Hezekiah Flint, Jr.
29. John Gardner
30. Benjamin Griswold
31. Elizur (Elisur) Kirtland
32. Theophilus Leonard (Learned)
33. Joseph Lincoln
34. Simeon Martin
35. Henry Maxon
36. William Maxom (Mason)
37. William Miller
38. William Moulton, goldsmith and silversmith
39. Edmond (Edmund) Moulton
40. Amos Porter, Jr.
41. Allen Putnam
42. Benjamin Shaw
43. Earl Sproat
44. David Wallace (Wallis)
45. Joseph Wells
46. Josiah White
47. Peletiah White
48. Josiah Whitridge

Resources

• Original copies of Manuscripts and Documents of the Ohio Company of Associates
• Manuscripts and Documents of the Ohio Company of Associates
• OHIO GENEALOGY EXPRESS
• A TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF THE FOUNDERS OF OHIO
• The Ohio Company
• Ohio annals: Historic events in the Tuscarawas and Muskingum Valleys
• The North American review
• http://genealogytrails.com/ohio/washington/pioneers_48.html Washington County, Ohio Genealogy Trails
• http://www.mariettaohio.info/history/pioneers/ Marietta Ohio info