Page images
PDF
EPUB

therein set apart for military or trading posts; or to give to the United States without the consent of the said State, any right to the soil or to the exclusive legislation over the same; or any other right than that of establishing, maintaining, and exclusively governing military and trading posts within the Indian territory mentioned in the said articles, as long as the frontier of Georgia may require these establishments."

Now know ye, that I, having seen and considered the said treaty, do hereby accept, ratify, and confirm the same, and every article and clause thereof; under and subject to the proviso and condition mentioned and contained in the aforesaid resolution of the Senate of the United States.

In testimony whereof, I have caused the seal of the United States to be hereunto affixed, and signed the same with my hand.

Given at the city of Philadelphia, the eighteenth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven, and in the twenty-first year of the sovereignty and independence of the United States of America.

By the President of the United States:

JOHN ADAMS.

TIMOTHY PICKERING, Secretary of State.

MOHAWKS.

[CONCLUDED MARCH 29, 1797.]

Relinquishment to New York, by the Mohawk nation of Indians, under the sanction of the United States of America, of all claim to lands in that State.

At a treaty held under the authority of the United States, with the Mohawk nation of Indians, residing in the province of Upper Canada, within the dominions of the King of Great Britain, present the honorable Isaac Smith, commissioner appointed by the United States to hold this treaty; Abraham Ten Broeck, Egbert Benson, and Ezra L'Hommedieu, agents for the State of New York; captain Joseph Brandt, and captain John Deserontyon, two of the said Indians, and deputies to represent the said nation at this treaty.

The said agents having, in the presence, and with the approbation of the said commissioner, proposed to and adjusted with the said deputies, the compensation as hereinafter mentioned to be made to the said nation, for their claim, to be extinguished by this treaty, to all lands within the said State: it is thereupon finally agreed and done, between the said agents, and the said deputies, as fol

lows, that is to say: the said agents do agree to pay to the said deputies, the sum of one thousand dollars, for the use of the said nation, to be by the said deputies paid over to, and distributed among, the persons and families of the said nation, according to their usages. The sum of five hundred dollars, for the expenses of the said deputies, during the time they have attended this treaty and the sum of one hundred dollars, for their expenses in returning, and for conveying the said sum of one thousand dollars, to where the said nation resides. And the said agents do accordingly, for and in the name of the people of the State of New York, pay the said three several sums to the said deputies, in the presence of the said commissioner. And the said deputies do agree to cede and release, and these presents witness, that they accordingly do, for and in the name of the said nation, in consideration of the said compensation, cede and release to the people of the State of New York, forever, all the right or title of the said nation to lands within the said state: and the claim of the said nation to lands within the said state, is hereby wholly and finally extinguished. In testimony whereof, the said commissioner, the said agents, and the said deputies, have hereunto, and to two other acts of the same tenor and date, one to remain with the United States, one to remain with the said State, and one delivered to the said deputies, to remain with the said nation, set their hands and seals, at the city of Albany, in the said State, the twenty-ninth day of March, in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven.

[blocks in formation]

Isaac Smith,
Abm. Ten Broeck,

L. S.

L. S.

[blocks in formation]

The mark of x John Abeel, alias the Cornplanter, a chief of the Senekas.

SENEKAS.

[CONCLUDED SEPTEMBER 15, 1797. ]

Contract entered into under the sanction of the United States of America, between Robert Morris and the Seneka nation of Indians.

This indenture, made the fifteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-seven, between the sachems, chiefs, and warriors of the Seneka nation

of Indians, of the first part, and Robert Morris, of the city of Philadelphia, esquire, of the second part.

Whereas, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have granted, bargained, and sold unto the said Robert Morris, his heirs and assigns, forever, the pre-emptive right, and all other the right, title, and interest, which the said commonwealth had to all that tract of land hereinafter particularly mentioned, being part of a tract of land lying within the State of New York, the right of pre-emption of the soil whereof, from the native Indians, was ceded and granted by the said State of New York, to the said commonwealth: and whereas, at a treaty held under the authority of the United States, with the said Seneka nation of Indians, at Genesee, in the county of Ontario, and State of New York, on the day of the date of these presents, and on sundry days immediately prior thereto, by the honorable Jeremiah Wadsworth, esquire, a commissioner appointed by the President of the United States to hold the same, in pursuance of the constitution, and of the act of the congress of the United States, in such case made and provided, it was agreed, in the presence and with the approbation of the said commissioner, by the sachems, chiefs, and warriors of the said nation of Indians, for themselves and in behalf of their nation, to sell to the said Robert Morris, and to his heirs and assigns, forever, all their right to a that tract of land above recited, and hereinafter particularly specified, for the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, to be by the said Robert Morris vested in the stock of the Bank of the United States, and held in the name of the President of the United States, for the use and behoof of the said nation of Indians, the said agreement and sale being also made in the presence, and with the approbation of the honorable William Shepard, esquire, the superintendent appointed for such purpose, in pursuance of a resolve of the general court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, passed the eleventh day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-one now this indenture witnesseth, that the said parties, of the first part, for and in consideration of the premises above recited, and for divers other good and valuable considerations them thereunto moving, have granted, bargained, sold, aliened, released, enfeoffed, and confirmed; and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell, alien, release, enfeoff, and confirm, unto the said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns, forever, all that certain tract of land, except as is hereinafter excepted, lying within the county of Ontario, and State of New York, being part of a tract of land, the right of pre-emption whereof was ceded by the State of New York to the commonwealth of Massachusetts, by deed of cession executed at Hartford, on the sixteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-six, being all such part thereof as is not included in the Indian purchase made by Oliver Phelps and Nathaniel Gorham,

and bounded as follows, to wit: easterly, by the land confirmed to Oliver Phelps and Nathaniel Gorham by the legislature of the commonwealth of Massachusetts, by an act passed the twenty-first day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-eight; southerly, by the north boundary line of the State of Pennsylvania; westerly, partly by a tract of land, part of the land ceded by the State of Massachusetts to the United States, and by them sold to Pennsylvania, being a right angled triangle, whose hypothenuse is in or along the shore of lake Erie ; partly by lake Erie, from the northern point of that triangle to the southern bounds of a tract of land one mile in width, lying on and along the east side of the strait of Niagara, and partly by the said tract to lake Ontario; and on the north by the boundary line between the United States and the King of Great Britain; excepting nevertheless, and always reserving out of this grant and conveyance, all such pieces or parcels of the aforesaid tract, and such privileges thereunto belonging, as are next hereinafter particularly mentioned, which said pieces or parcels of land so excepted, are, by the parties to these presents, clearly and fully understood to remain the property of the said parties of the first part, in as full and ample manner as if these presents had not been executed; that is to say, excepting and reserving to them, the said parties of the first part, and their nation, one piece or parcel of the aforesaid tract, at Canawagus, of two square miles, to be laid out in such manner as to include the village, extending in breadth one mile along the river; one other piece or parcel at Big Tree, of two square miles, to be laid out in such manner as to include the village, extending in breadth along the river one mile; one other piece or parcel of two square miles at Little Beard's town, extending one mile along the river, to be laid off in such manner as to include the village; one other tract of two square miles, at Squawky Hill, to be laid off as follows, to wit: one square mile to be laid off along the river, in such manner as to include the village, the other directly west thereof and contiguous thereto; one other piece or parcel at Gardeau, beginning at the mouth of Steep Hill creek, thence due east, until it strikes the old path, thence south until a due west line will intersect with certain steep rocks on the west side of Genesee river, then extending due west, due north, and due east, until it strikes the first mentioned bound, enclosing as much land on the west side as on the east side of the river. One other piece or parcel at Kaounadeau, extending in length eight miles along the river and two miles in breadth. One other piece or parcel at Cataraugos, beginning at the mouth of the Eighteen mile or Koghquaugu creek, thence a line or lines to be drawn parallel to lake Erie, at the distance of one mile from the lake, to the mouth of Cataraugos creek, thence a line or lines extending twelve miles up the north side of said creek at the distance of one mile therefrom, thence a direct line to the said creek,

thence down the said creek to lake Erie, thence along the lake to the first mentioned creek, and thence to the place of beginning. Also, one other piece at Cataraugos, beginning at the shore of lake Erie, on the south side of Cataraugos creek, at the distance of one mile from the mouth thereof, thence running one mile from the lake, thence on a line parallel thereto to a point within one mile from the Connondauweyea creek, thence up the said creek one mile, on a line parallel thereto, thence on a direct line to the said creek, thence down the same to lake Erie, thence along the lake to the place of beginning. Also one other piece or parcel of forty-two square miles, at or near the Allegenny river. Also, two hundred square miles, to be laid off partly at the Buffalo and partly at the Tannawanta creeks. Also excepting and reserving to them, the said parties of the first part and their heirs, the privilege of fishing and hunting on the said tract of land hereby intended to be conveyed. And it is hereby understood by and between the parties to these presents, that all such pieces or parcels of land as are hereby reserved, and are not particularly described as to the manner in which the same are to be laid off, shall be laid off in such manner as shall be determined by the sachems and chiefs residing at or near the respective villages where such reservations are made, a particular note whereof to be endorsed on the back of this deed, and recorded therewith, together with all and singular the rights, privileges, hereditaments, and appurtenances thereunto belonging, or in anywise appertaining. And all the estate, right, title, and interest, whatsoever, of them the said parties of the first part and their nation, of, in, and to the said tract of land above described, except as is above excepted, to have and to hold all and singular the said granted premises, with the appurtenances, to the said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns, to his and their proper use, benefit, and behoof forever,

In witness whereof, the parties to these presents have hereunto interchangeably set their hands and seals, the day and year first above written.

Robert Morris, by his attorney, Thomas Morris,

Koyengquahtah, alias Young King, his x mark,

Soonookshewan, his x mark,

Konutaico, alias Handsome Lake, his x mark,

L. S.

L. S.

L. S.

L. S.

Sattakanguyase, alias Two Skies of a length, his x mark,

L. S.

Onayawos, or Farmer's Brother, his x mark,

L. S.

Soogooyawautau, alias Red Jacket, his x mark,

L. S.

Gishkaka, alias Little Billy, his x mark,

L. S.

Kaoundoowana, alias Pollard, his x mark,

L. S.

Ouneashataikau, or Tall Chief, by his agent, Stevenson, his x mark,

L. S.

Teahdowainggua, alias Thos. Jemison, his x mark,

L. S.

« PreviousContinue »