411 |
the Stockbridge Indians, have an Indian claim, to a tract of country, in Mishegan near Green Bay, which has lately been confirmed, by the Foxes, the Antegamies [Outagamies: Fox], and the Menomomies.51
Sergeant thought this tract would be large enough to contain "all the Northern Indians," and reported that "Capt. Hendrick" had proposed "to the different tribes of Indians about Green Bay" to hold a treaty in June of 1821 with a view to acquiring some land, and to invite to it "the different tribes of Indians in New York, and Pensylvania." Sergeant then asked if the United States would
confirm to these Indians sutch a tract of Country as may be suitable and proper for them, provided sutch tract shall be ceeded to them by the Indians who reside in that Country. if so I think the Stockbridge Indians may be enduced to abandon their claims, on the White river lands, for a trifling consideration, and may be setled at green Bay and the means of inducing the re[st of] the tribes to go with them-52
On February 27 Jacob Konkapot and Solomon U. Hendrick wrote directly to J. C.
Calhoun, the Secretary of War, concerning the Mohican claim. In reviewing
recent Mohican efforts to obtain satisfaction they wrote that
last year [1820] the Committee to whom our petition was referred reported to restore twenty five miles square of land to our nation; but as the House was divided about the Missouri Bills they had no time to consider our case, and the bill in our favor was finally rejected at the third reading 52 to 90 [sic]--53
51. Idem.
52. Idem.
53. Konkapot and Hendrick to the Secretary of War, Washington City, February 27, 1821; Dft. Ex. 158.
412 |
The Mohican "Nation" had hoped that the House of Representatives might consider their claim again in the current session, but
since our arrival here we
have found to our great regret that Congress were again much divided about the
same Missouri
. . .
[and ] as Congress will probably rise in the course of few days, there is no
likelihood of accomplishing any thing before that hon. Body And it would
be useless to attempt any thing in Congress at this time.54
In view of this situation the Mohicans asked the Secretary of War whether he or the Government would not give them some compensation for their claim. They had been led to believe that the Government would give them some remuneration for the relinquishment of their claim, but now
we are assured nothing
can be done. That it was for Congress to settle
with us. And they also say that it was for the President to settle with us.55
They then asked if the Mohicans could not receive "at least one half" of the annuities which the Delawares had received for the lands on White River.56
On the address side of this letter is a notation in a different hand "offer to take $3000 and release."57 Whether or not this was the result of John Sergeant Jr.'s suggestion
54. Idem.
55. Idem.
56. Idem.
57. Idem.
413 |
is not certain. It is certain, however, that this offer was made to the two Mohican attorneys, and on March 16, 1821 they suggested to the President and Secretary of War
That as the government will not allow consent to allow our Nation [Sic] and the Manses have more than three thousand dollars for the extinguishment of their claims of lands in Indiana-. Whether the Honble the Secretary of War, would not still be willing, as an act of kindness to write to the Delawares, or to their Agent, in order that the Delawares may be made to consent to let our Nation receive /// /// at least one third of their yearly annuity stipulated to them at the treaty of St Marys, in the fall of 1818. To be paid to our Tribe at the place of their present residence or at such place where they may remove hereafter.58
They then requested some money to enable them to go to the Munsees at Cataraquas, New York 230 miles from the Mohican town of New Stockbridge, New York, to explain to them the Government's views with respect to their land claims and to obtain their "consent to relinquish all their claims with us" to the United States.59 The two Mohicans also asked
whether the government would not be willing to allow our nation some expense money or provisions (to be drawn at every military post,) or both, in order that our Tribe may be enabled to send at least four of their Chiefs or Warriors to Green Bay. in the approaching summer. to seek a new habitation or plan where they may emigrate hereafter.60
58. Konkapot and Hendrick, Washington, March 16,
1821; Dft.
Ex. 119.
59. Idem.
60. Idem.
414 |
On March 17, 1821 Jacob Konkapot and Solomon U. Hendrick signed an agreement on behalf of the Mohican Indians with J. C. Calhoun, the Secretary of War relinquishing their claim to those lands in Indiana ceded by the Delawares October 3, 1818 (7 Stat. 188), for $3000, and also promised to procure the relinquishment of the Munsees to the land. In this agreement the two Mohican attorneys
having expressed themselves satisfied with the terms on which their offer has been accepted by the President, and assented thereto, which is hereby declared, formally relinquish, on the part of the Mohiccans, all title and claim whatever to the tract of country on White river, ceded by the treaty with the Delawares as herein before mentioned, and bind themselves and their tribe or nation to a due and faithful fulfillment of all the conditions of their offer.61
Solomon Hendrick, after his return from Washington, reported to the Secretary
of War that
Our nation were satisfied with the treaty on the relinquishment we had made of our claims of lands on White River to the United States on the part of our Nation.62
On October 13, 1821 Solomon Hendrick sent the Secretary of War
the relinquishment of the claims of the Munsees to lands on White River in the State of Indiana ceded to the United States by the Delaware tribe of Indians three years ago this month: which said relinquishment of the said Munsee I was directed by my chiefs to transmit to you. . .63
61. Medill to Houston, January 11,
1849; Dft. Ex. 154.
62. Hendrick to Calhoun, New Stockbridge, June 9, 1821; Dft. Ex. 158.
63. Hendrick to the Secretary of War, New Stockbridge, October 13, 1821; Dft. Ex. 119.
415 |
The Mohicans then, together with some other New York Indian tribes, made several treaties with the Menominees and Winnebagos for lands around Green Bay, Wisconsin in 1821 and 1822.64
They had not yet, however, given up the thought of getting a share of the annuities the Delawares received for their relinquishment of lands in Indiana. In February of 1822 Solomon Hendrick asked the Secretary of War to transmit to the Delawares who had removed from White River, Indiana to lands west of the Mississippi, a speech in which the Mohicans requested the Delawares to allow the Mohicans a share of the annuities they received by the Treaty of October 3, 1818 (7 Stat. 188). The Mohicans asked the Secretary to add his remarks also to help persuade the Delawares to consent to their proposal, and requested that ten strings of white wampum be delivered with the speech
as Indians in general are
more apt to pay attention to any speech from other
tribes, if the same is accompanied by wampum.65
No reply was received to the Mohican request for a share of the Delaware annuities until the spring of 1823. The Delawares were glad to be reminded of their friendship with the Mohicans, but replied to the request for annuities by saying
we never heard our great father [i.e., the President] say that we should give
64. Congressional Documents Series 397, Senate Document 189, pp. 12-22; Dft.
Ex. 133.
65. Hendrick to Calhoun, Washington, February 5, 1822; Dft. Ex. 119.
416 |
any part of it, to our grand children- nor any part of our Land.66
The Delawares offered to share their lands and annuities if the Mohicans would make their homes with the Delawares west of the Mississippi. They reminded the Mohicans that they, the Mohicans, had told the Delawares that they would bring their wives and children to live with them, and that the Delawares were still "looking forward" to seeing them.67
At the same time the Delaware Indians informed Richard Graham, their Agent, that with respect to the Mohican claim to the lands in Indiana
We told them, that, if they wanted to come, and live near us they might make their fire on our lands and raise Corn. They promised they would and a few families came and made corn and after a short time them seemed to throw it away and went back to the country they had come from.
Brother
We never considered them to have any claim on our lands as they state.68
William Clark, Superintendent of Indian Affairs at St. Louis, in transmitting the Delawares' reply to the Mohicans briefly Summarized the Delawares' statements:
it appeared that they do not consent to relinquish any portion of the annuities to the Stock Bridge Tribe, on any other condition than their
66. William Anderson and other Delaware chiefs to the Mohicans, James' Fork, April 27,
1823; Dft.
Ex. 119.
67. Idem.
68. Anderson and other Delaware Chiefs to Graham, James' Fork, April 30, 1823; Dft. Ex. 119.
417 |
residing among them and form a part of the Delaware nation.69
The Mohicans, however, moved to the lands they had acquired around Green Bay, and had to give up their hopes for money from the Delawares.
In later years the Mohicans presented memorials and petitions to Congress representing the inequities of the treatment they had received as compared to that the Delawares and other Indian groups had received, and requested, usually ineffectively, financial assistance for themselves.70
Summary and Conclusions. The early history of the Mohicans' claims to lands on White River in Indiana and the investigations made of such claims shed some additional light on Delaware and Miami claims to the Ohio-White River region, and also to the Miamis' claim to the lands "on the waters of the Wabash."
The Mohican Hendrick Aupaumut's request to Indian agent William Wells of February, 1808, refers to a) an undocumented, orally transmitted tradition that the Miamis had given the Mohicans lands on White River, and b) to a dated, but also undocumented renewal of this covenant by the Mohicans in 1803.
At the end of the year 1808 Aupaumut and Tomaqua Beaver, chief warrior of the Delawares, stated to Jefferson that Miamis and Potawatomis had granted the Delawares, Mohicans and Muncies lands along White River, and that the grant had
69. Clark to the Secretary of War, St. Louis, June 7,
1823; Dft.
Ex. 119.
70. See Medill to Houston, January 11, 1849; Dft. Ex. 154, for a summary of some of their petitions and the answers to them.
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