Cuyahoga County, Ohio: History
The land that became Cuyahoga County was previously part of the French colony of Canada (New France), which was ceded in 1763 to Great Britain and renamed Province of Quebec. In the early 1790s, the land became part of the Connecticut Western Reserve in the Northwest Territory, and it was purchased by the Connecticut Land Company in 1795. Cleveland was established one year later by General Moses Cleaveland near the mouth of the Cuyahoga River.
Cuyahoga County was created on June 7, 1807, and organized on May 1, 1810. Cleveland (then also known as "Cleaveland") was selected as the county seat in 1809. The county was later reduced in size by the creation of Huron, Lake, and Lorain counties.
In 1831, future U.S. President James A. Garfield was born in what was at the time Cuyahoga County's Orange Township.