Editing Canal Fulton, Ohio (section)

=== Land survey ===
Foresighted surveyors while platting Stark County had included “Fractions” of land west of the Tuscarawas. The surveying went according to the laws of the Land Ordinance of 1785, which provided for six-mile square townships to be created in the newly acquired land, the township would then be divided into one-square mile sections, with each section encompassing 640 acres. Each section received its own number. Section sixteen was set aside for a public school. The federal government reserved sections eight, eleven, twenty-six, and twenty-nine to provide veterans of the [https://www.archives.gov/files/research/military/bounty-land-1775-1855.pdf American Revolution with land bounties] for their service during the war. The government would sell the remaining sections at public auction. The minimum bid was 640 dollars per section or one dollar for every acre of land in each section.

The fraction in the northwest part of [[Stark County, Ohio|Stark County]] was settled before the land on the east bank of the Tuscarawas. The west side of the river was chosen because of the roads that already existed (old Cleveland-Massillon Road also known as the “army road” or “territorial road” because it was cut during the War of 1812, when the Government needed access to Fort Meigs). Also, it was believed the west side had better quality soil. However, the primary reason the west side of river was chosen was because east of the Tusc, the surveys were in two-section areas (with additional surveying the responsibility of the settler) and west of the River the surveys were done on a one-section basis. Most settlers only wanted to farm (and purchase) a one-section area.