Dutch Corner History Group

I want to build a map of Dutch Corner that starts from 1761 and can be updated every 10 years (or even 5) as overlays or something like that.

For my part, I'm going to start at the Bowser's Homestead.

Christopher Dibert was the son of John Dibert who was born in Bar de lac, France in the early 1700's. His father was Charles Frederick Debart/Deibert. He came over in 1699 along the James River. They formed a small town called Mannikin Town. There he met up with Martin Chartier. John's wife (Mary Seaworth) was a daughter of Martin Chartier and his Shawnee wife, Sewatha.

John and Mary came to Dutch Corner around 1710, and were massacared along with 12 of their children, about 1732. Five of their children survived, and went down to their family near Richmond. Charles, John and Mary's son, returned with his wife, and his wife was Eve Margaret Nei.

Thanks to Lora's helpful tip on finding land warrants and patents I have spent a bunch of time looking up the area around the original Bowser homestead. My reconstructed map is still not going to be easy, but access to the warrants gave me a boost.

Bbowser, let's keep in touch with what I am trying to do. I ran into a lot of Bowsers, but they were mostly in St Clair Township.

This is for the general membership of this forum to read...
Bill Bowser has done some amazing work on reconstructing a map of the original land warrants of Dutch Corner. I believe that Lora may post it on this site.

The map is getting easier to draw now that I figured out everything I was doing wrong. I almost have it redrawn to the point where it was when I sent it to Lora and Frank.
I just noticed something interesting on John Heltzel's Land warrant survey (C-94-80). It looks like his house was marked on the survey. Look just north of the southern stream on the western edge of the plot. I saw this last night when I was redrawing his plot.

Frank, I am sending you the map in Smart Draw format. Hopefully you can open it if your copy allows you to then you can edit it or change the zoom. I still have about 20 plots to plot then I will send you an updated copy then. If you know of any of the sourrounding survey numbers let me know and I'll add them.

I am still having some trouble in the area of the turn in the mountain in the area of Pleasant Valley Run. I did finally get the small plots fitted. It still looks like there are a few small plots that I have not run across yet in that area. There is a couple acres between C-52-110 and C-52-111. There are about 50 acres between C-52-111 and A-86-188. This 50 acres and the area surrounding C-186-89 could be due to the difficulty measuring the distances since this would be on the side of the mountain in that bend. I don't think there is anything missing around C-186-89 since the shape fits. The size just seems wrong. Also check out C-49-29. It is only 2 acres, but fills a hole.

There is also something wrong with the survey for Henry Beekly (Beckley?) C-9-157. It belongs in the corner between John Bowser and George Bowser, but when drawn to the survey plot dimmensions and headings it will not even come close to "closing" I'm leaving that plot out for now. I have marked the survey number in the spot, but I don't want to force something in there quite yet.

Bill,

My edition of Smart Draw is "Smart Draw 7 Suite edition". It would not open your map.

I can't wait to see what the map looks like with your changes. It was already so useful!

I think I will wait to see the new version before I study it very much more closely. I have already "indexed" about twenty of the warrants.

I think this is better to be putting the information on the forum itself, instead of within emails and private messages. Others are likely to notice and give us their input. I now am especially interested in the idea of animating the map. Someone reading this may know how to do that.

Frank

Bill,

I looked at that warrant to see about the location of a house.

The only house that I can think of nowadays that would be in a similar position is where Jimmy Fisher lives now. His house is not as old as that warrant, but the location could be the same.

Frank

Here is the latest version of the DC Map. I have the new version almost as complete as the first version. I have 14 more warrants to place in the Stiffler Ridge area marked with the red lines. I also have 4 or 5 to place at the south end which will put the southern part of the map at the narrows. After that I will need more warrant surveys to fill in the middle. If anyone knows the warrant numbers let me know which will help me since I will not need to spend time looking them up.

Dear Bill,

I do not see how someone can download the map from this forum. I have looked at it in the email that you sent me, and it is WONDERFUL. Maybe I am just not computer-literate enough to understand.

In the meantime, I wanted to tell you (and anyone else on this forum) that my attention has turned considerably more toward archaeology. There is a site of an old spring house on my property (either the Bowser of the Beckley homestead). It is becoming VERY interesting. The site has been basically underwater (or undersilt) for possibly 100 years. Gradually I am draining the area around it, and its stonework is appearing. There may come a time -- probably now -- that someone skilled in archaeology should have a look. I can, however, tell the difference between a stone that has been laid and a stone that has been tumbled or disturbed. There is ONE stone, in particular, that is absolutely massive -- easily 500 pounds. It not only was laid, but it still lays right was it was put -- undisturbed. It seems to be the stone on which people stood when they drew water from the spring/well.

Also, related to what is actually on the ground, I wanted to tell you that there is what I have decided must be an old log drag on property now belonging to the Palmer/Sweeneys (the old Bowser homestead). It speaks of a tremendous amount of use in extracting timber from the mountain. Sadly, it is now within a thicket of multifloral rose and would be EXTREMELY difficult to walk. I know, however, exactly where it is.

Frank

I think I figured out how to post the map here in the forum for others to see. Let me know if I got it. It seems like I keep timming out uploading and only part of it shows. Maybe if Frank tried then the entire map will show, I attached it to the post by using the "Upload Attachment" at the bottom of the "reply to post page". I attached a lower quality picture to keep the file smaller. I don't know what the max size is that can be posted. I guess I can try a better quality later. The incomplete plot is Henry Stiffler (C-218-28). I don't have something right with it. I just haven't had much time the past few days to work on the map.