Drilling down to some of the granular details about the history of The Platz as I mentioned yesterday the original survey notes are to be found online at the Board of Commissioners of Public Lands webpage.
It is particularly useful to be the corner of the quarter section because the Government Land Office surveyors under the direction of Sylvester Sibley surveyed the west property line traveling north between Sections 15 (The Platz) and 16 immediately to the west. The southern property line (now a county road) is between Sections 15 (The Platz) and 22 to the south - this was surveyed west (corrected).
Original field notes are below - the notation about the "sluggish stream" refers to Silver Creek which is coincidentally in almost the same location. Somewhere along the chain of ownership the creek has been "straightened" but it's still there.
click on images to enlarge
Field notes are particularly helpful to note what was growing on the landscape during pre-settlement times. Pine, hemlock, butternut, ash. "Lands poor" - much of it swamp. The size of Witness Trees (emblazoned by the surveyor to mark their progress) is noted.
The Affidavit
And Miscellaneous Comments about the landscape and topography of the Township
I'm not surprised about the swamp reference. The Platz is to be noted for having a high water table. Post-settlement agricultural practices altered much of the landscape with straightening of stream courses, building ditches and laying drain tile. It's wet for sure but not year-round. Nevertheless, we live on a swamp.
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