HISTORY OF CEDARVILLE

(CEDARVILLE TOWNSHIP)

Article I. recited that the style of this confederacy shall be The United. States of America, and Article II., that Each state retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, and every power, jurisdiction arid right, which is not by this confederation expressly delegated to the United States in congress assembled. "These articles of confederation, thirteen in number, which defined the powers and privileges of congress, and the rights of the several states, after their adoption by each state, constituted the supreme law until the adoption of the constitution in 1788. It was under this confederacy that the great discussions arose concerning the disposition of the public lands
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VIRGINIA.

   The territory of Virginia, granted by the charters of King James L, was very extensive. The first charter authorized, a company to plant a colony in America, anywhere between 34° and 41° north latitude, embracing about 100 miles of coast line, and extending back from the coast 100 miles, embracing also the islands opposite to the coast, and within 100 miles of it. The second charter granted to the Virginia Company a much larger territory, extending from Old Point Comfort (a point of land extending into Chesapeake Bay, a little to the north of the mouth of James River,) 200 miles north and 200 miles south, along the coast, and thence with a breadth of 400 miles, to the west and northwest, through the continent to the Pacific Ocean. The third charter added to this immense territory all the islands in both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, within 300 leagues of either coast. By the treaty of peace between France and Great Britain, in 1763, the Mississippi River was made the western boundary of the British provinces. Thus restricted, the territory of Virginia included all that territory now occupied by Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina, Kentucky, and all the land northwest of the River Ohio.

   On the 29th day of June, 1776, just five days before the Declaration of Independence by the United States in congress assembled, Virginia adopted her constitution or form of government, in Article XXI of which she ceded the territories contained within the charters creating the colonies of Maryland, Pennsylvania, North and South Carolina, to those respective colonies, relinquishing all her rights to the same, except the right to the navigation of certain rivers,who, long years before the first white man settled here, had driven the Indians, under the famous chief Tecumseh, across the cliffs a short distance below Cedarville village. The stream rises by two forks. The north fork enters the township at its northeastern part, and flows a generally southwestern course till it reaches the center of the township, where it is joined by its fellow, the south fork, which enters the eastern part of the township and flows slightly to the northwest till it reaches the corporation of Cedarville village, where the forks unite their waters to make the stream, proper. From here the stream assumes a somewhat tortuous course through the remainder of the township, and finally enters into the Little Miami River, from the northwestern part of Xenia Township. From the point at which the forks meet till it reaches a point about two miles from Cedarville, the course of this stream presents a scene of picturesque beauty equalled by few, and perhaps excelled by none in our country east of the Rocky Mountains. During the countless ages in which it has followed its present bed, it has cut its way into the solid limestone in some places a depth of forty feet. At one place, called the Falls, the passage of the stream is choked by huge boulders, which appears to have been the terminal morain of a glacier; and a short distance below this an ever-living stream of pure water rushes from a solid rock, and presents a picture of aquatic beauty worthy an artist's study.

   A quarter of a mile further down the stream, in an open field stands the old mound, which is now about forty feet high and one hundred and fifty in circumference. It is perfectly oval in form, and has on its surface trees of a century's growth, denoting that the mound is very old. From its summit can be seen a distance of several miles in every direction. Undoubtedly this was thrown up by the ancient mound builders, to enable them to command a view of approaching enemies. To unravel the mystery of this earthen mound belongs to him who has made the study of pre-historic ages his life work. Discoveries already made, prove to us that a race of people lived and died in Cedarville Township before the advent of the white man and Indian, but what their manners or customs were are yet mysteries, and probably will never be made known to us.

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