- Ohio achieved statehood in the year of 1803.- Search began for a permanent capital.
- Four landowners from east of Scioto River constructed a proposal to the legislature of the state of Ohio.
The proposal
- The authors of the proposal were central Ohio landowners Lyne Starling, John Kerr, Alexander McLaughlin, and James Johnston
- They offered land of over 1,200 acres, to the state of Ohio for governmental use
- Including a request for $50,000 in funds to erect a state house, offices, and “such other buildings as shall be directed by the legislature”
- The proposal included funds for a penitentiary to be built on this land
- Starling, Kerr, McLaughlin and Johnston called for the penitentiary and dependencies to be completed on or before January 1815.
Reference
"Item Description." DMC- OhioLINK Digital Media Center. Web. 25 May 2010. http://worlddmc.ohiolink.edu/OMP/NewDetails?oid=1137845
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ReplyDeletecould you explain WHY the proposal contained a clause about the building of a penitentiary? I know the original pen in 1813 only had room for 13 prisoners...but I'm real interested in knowing why it was included...was it because the other part of the proposal covering the building of the statehouse and other state buildings would be performed by these prisoners as a method of cheap labor? Was crime so rampant that a penitentiary was needed? As for the latter, I don't think that's the reason because Columbus was created before a town even existed there. So, if you could help me out with that question I would really, really appreciate it. Thank You
ReplyDeletejeltcb at yahoo.com