David Eldridge dating history

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David Eldridge (died 3 June 1797) is the earliest known person of European descent to die in the Western Reserve, and the first person to be buried in the newly created city of Cleveland. One of the employees of the Connecticut Land Company, he drowned at about 11:00am on June 3, 1797, while attempting to swim his horse across the Grand River, despite being strongly advised to the contrary. He was nearly an hour in the water, before his body could be pulled out. Boats were put into the river, and Rev. Seth Hart, superintendent of the surveying party, used every precaution to save him, without effect. His corpse was brought to the Cuyahoga River.