USA > Indiana > Knox County > History of Knox and Daviess Counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present; with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc. ; together with an extended history of the colonial days of Vincennes, and its progress down to the formation of the state government > Part 9
USA > Indiana > Daviess County > History of Knox and Daviess Counties, Indiana : from the earliest time to the present; with biographical sketches, reminiscences, notes, etc. ; together with an extended history of the colonial days of Vincennes, and its progress down to the formation of the state government > Part 9
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During the British government of the Northwestern Terri- tory, numbers of persons organized themselves into companies for colonization and trading, holding lands, etc. They were or- ganized under different names, such as the Ohio, the Wabash, the Illinois, the Mississippi and Vandalia Companies. The Illi-
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
nois and Wabash Companies claimed 1,000,000 acres on these rivers on titles derived solely from Indian purchases made in 1778 to 1775. Such purchases were especially forbidden by the King of England in his proclamation of 1763, and very few of the claims were ever confirmed. All these concessions or grants were made upon loose pieces of paper and deposited with the public notary (who then filled a position similar to recorder of the present day). The papers were not actually recorded, but simply filed in the office of the notary, and soon became lost or destroyed. In one instance, about 1775, the notary ran off and carried all the papers with him. In 1779 John Todd took charge of the government of the Northwest Territory, under au- thority of the State of Virginia. After making numerous grants of land as commandant at Post St. Vincent, he appointed Mr. Legras his deputy and successor, who also made grants, and he in turn conferred his authority upon a court of civil and criminal jurisdiction at Vincennes. The grants made by this court before 1783 amounted to 26,000 acres, and by 1787 to 48,000 acres, in parcels of 400 acres to heads of families, besides many town lots. This court, on the 3d of July, 1790, in reply to an inquiry by Winthrop Sargent, secretary of the Territory, as to their author- ity for making these grants, said: "Mr. Legras, who was the commandant assumed that he had. in quality of commandant, au- thority to give lands according to the ancient usages of other commanders, and he verbally informed the court of Post Vin- cennes that, when they should judge it proper to give lands or lots to those who should come into the country to settle, or other- wise, they might do it, and that he gave the permission so to do." The Virginia deed of cession expressly provided: "That the French and Canadian inhabitants, and other settlers of the Kas- kaskias, St. Vincent and the neighboring villages, who have pro- fessed themselves citizens of Virginia, shall have their possess- ions and titles confirmed to them, and be protected in the enjoy- ment of their rights and liberties." For the purpose of adjust- ing all these claims, as well as making additional grants to those who had done military duty and rendered other services to the United States, "An act for granting lands to the inhabitants and settlers at Vincennes and the Illinois country, in the territory
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
northwest of the Ohio, and for confirming them in their possess- ions," was passed by Congress, March 3, 1791.
By this act it was provided, first, that 400 acres of land should be given to the head of each family residing at Vin- cennes or in the Illinois country in the year 1783; second, that a tract of land containing 5,400 acres near Vincennes, which had been under fence and used as a pasture for thirty years, should be given to the inhabitants of Vincennes to be used by them as a common until otherwise disposed of by laws; third, that the gov- ernor of the Territory be authorized to donate a tract of land of 100 acres to each man who on the 1st of August, 1790, was en- rolled in the militia at Vincennes, had done militia duty and not received a donation; fourth, that the governor, upon application, should confirm to heads of families the lands which they may have possessed, and which may have been alloted to them accord- ing to the usages of the Government under which they had respect- ively settled; fifth, that where lands had been actually improved and cultivated at Vincennes or in the Illinois country, under a supposed grant of the same by any commandant or court claim- ing authority to make such grant, the governor might confirm such claim not exceeding 400 acres to each person. By an act of Congress, passed March 26, 1804, land offices were established at Vincennes, Kaskaskia, Detroit and other places. By this act it was also provided that the register and receivers of each land office were appointed commissioners to examine and. confirm claims to real estate. By act of Congress, passed March 3, 1807, all the decisions made by the governors and commissioners under the above acts were confirmed. Other acts of similar character and for the same purpose were passed from time to time until as late as 1856.
Real estate, unless it lies within the limits of a city or town, is usually described by what is commonly called the congressional section system, adopted by Congress May 20, 1785, upon the recommendation of a committee of which Thomas Jefferson was chairman. By the congressional system a piece of land one mile square, containing 640 acres, called a section, is laid off, and then divided equally into sixteen smaller squares, containing forty acres each. The section itself is then numbered according to the
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
"town" and "range" it is in. A congressional " town" is six miles square, and contains six sections. The number of the town depends upon the distance from the " base line," and the number of the "range" depends upon the distance from the "meridian line." In other words, "Section 15, Town 5 north, Range 8 west," would be the 640 acres lying five towns north of the " base line," and eight ranges west of the second meridian line. Again, as a town and range are each six miles in length, this land would lie thirty miles north of the "base line" and forty-eight miles west of the meridian line. A "base line" is a definitely located line from which all distances north and south are counted. A meridian line is a definitely located line from which all distances east or west are counted. The second prin- cipal meridian line coincides with 86 degrees, 28 minutes of lon- gitude west from Greenwich, starts from the confluence of the Little Blue River with the Ohio, runs north to the northern boundary of Indiana, and governs the surveys in Indiana and a portion of those in Illinois. Base lines are not numbered. The one in this State and Illinois runs due east from the Missis- sippi River, and crosses the Ohio River near Jeffersonville. It passes through the southern part of Knox County, and governs the number of the " town" of each section in Indiana.
The lands held in possession by claimants, under the acts of Congress referred to above, were of so many different sizes and shapes that as to them no one system of description could be used. To provide for the first class of claims, under the act of March 3, 1791, a large, square tract of land, consisting of 64,000 acres, divided into 160 lots containing 400 each, and called dona- tion lots, was first laid out, and these proving insufficient, eighty- six more, or 34,400 acres, were laid off. They are called "dona- tions" because they were donated. The tract of land consisting of 5,400 acres, given by the same act to the inhabitants of Vin- cennes for a " common," has since been divided into square lots of three different sizes, containing respectively five, ten and twenty acres each, and called Divisions "A," "B" and "C." They are called "commons lots," because they were originally used for a " common." The 100-acre tracts, authorized by this act to be donated to persons for militia service, were laid off south of
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
White River, in that portion of Knox County now embraced within the limits of Gibson County, and, like the others, took their name from their character, and are called militia donations, and are laid off in the shape of a parallelogram. In laying off the donations and militia donations other private claims were in- terfered with and disregarded. But the claimants were allowed the privilege of "locating" their claims in other places, and these were therefore called "locations." They are irregular in shape, and contain from a small quantity to 400 acres each. The last two classes of claims mentioned in the act of March 3, 1791, were ordered to be surveyed for the claimants, and are therefore called "surveys." These are of irregular shape, and their boundary lines run at almost all angles of the compass. There are several different classes, called Upper Prairie surveys, Lower Prairie surveys, Cathlinette Prairie surveys and surveys in dif- ferent towns and ranges. The " prairie surveys" take their name from the prairie they are situated in. The Upper and Lower Prairie surveys are narrow strips of land fronting on the Wabash River, usually two arpents in width and forty in depth. An arpent is 15 per cent less than an acre. The donations, locations and surveys are always described by metes and bounds where a quan- tity less than the whole is conveyed. The commons lots are described as Lot No. - , in Division " A," "B" or " C," of the Vincennes commons lands. The first survey of Knox County was made in 1807, by Daniel Sullivan and Robert Buntin. Less than one-third of the lands in the county are section lands. When the congressional survey was made, wherever the section lines conflicted with the above classes of descriptions the old de- scriptions prevailed. But the small pieces of land between the old tracts, that were not included within the limits of the old tracts, became and were described as fractional sections of such a town and range as they were in. The section lands have all been disposed of by more recent acts of Congress, which are so gener- ally understood that they do not possess any historical interest or demand any special notice.
LAND CLAIMS.
The principal claims to land in the vicinity of Vincennes were
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
grants by the Indians; grants by the French and British Govern- ments; grants from the courts; grants of 400-acre donations, as heads of families on or before 1783, and given by Congress August 29, 1788, and March 5, 1791; and donations of 100 acres for militia service, performed by those enrolled August 1, 1790. The following tracts of 400 acres each were allowed by John Badollet and Nathaniel Ewing, land commissioners in 1806, and confirmed by Congress in 1807. The name at the left of the num- ber indicates the original owners, and the one to the right the present (1806) claimants:
Joseph Andrez, 28, Noah Purcell; Louis Adair, 37, Patrick Simpson; Alexis Astrus, called Guignolet, 118, Zachariah Mills; Michel Bordeleau, 20, George McClure; François Barrois, Jr., 7, Ephraim Jordan; Jean Baptiste Boneau 169, 225 to Jacob, Joseph and Dorothy Pancake, and 175 to Simon Vanorsdal; Jean Bap- tiste Barrois, 166, Anthony Junkin's heirs; Louis Brouillette, 1, Patrick Simpson, 300, and John Small, 100; Amable Bolon, 116, Patrick Simpson; Michel Brouillette, Sr., 14, L. N. Fortin; Pierre Bequet, 194, L. N. Fortin, 1333, Henry Vanderburg, 133, and 1334 not registered; J. B. Binet, 5, James Jensen; André Be- quet, dit St. Dizier, 216, Toussaint Dubois; Jacques Bequet's heirs, 245, George Wallace, Jr .; Gabriel Bolon, 227, William Clark's heirs; François Barry, 171, Thomas Coulter; Buteau (widow), 209, William McIntosh; Louis Bolon, 184, Henry Vanderburg; Pierre Boneau, 182, Henry Vanderburg; Charles Boneau, 89, Richard Pollard; Louis Bergeron, 34, Jonathan Purcell; J. B. Busseron, heir, 215, same; Gabriel Bolon, Sr., 214, Rob Buntin; Dominique Bergand, 174, William Wells; François Barrois, Sr., and Laurent Barzadon, 29 and 213, Nathaniel Ewing; Bazenette (widow), Vital Boucher, Charles Bergand, Boyer (widow), An- toine Bordeleau, Louis Boyer, Jr., Nicholas Baillarjou, Francis Brouillette, 146, 132, 152, 108, 102, 134, 50, 147, 237, 145, 77, 143, 44, 74, 224, 92, 71, 95, 56, 159, 90, 139 and 45, François Vigo, Louis Lemay, Joseph Labelle, J. B. Lacine Racine dit Ste. Marié, and Joseph Reuse, 104, 198, 155, and 117, not registered; J. B. Mayse, 43, Laurent Barzadon; J. B. Miliet, 23, Mathias Rose; Meaux, 161, John Westfall; François Mallet, Pierre Perret, Alexander Valle and François Vigo, 53, 111, 129, 136 and 112,
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
Isaac Westfall; Pierre Mallet, G. Page and François Racine, 141, 57 and 153, Patrick Simpson; Germain Magnant, 207, L. N. For- tin; Nicholas Magot, 84, John Armstrong; René Mette, 241, Lau- rent Barzadon; Antoine Marié, 81, Richard Pollard; J. B. Man- gen, 12, Jonathan Purcell; André Montplaiser, 124, Samuel Baird; Joseph Maisonville, Antoine Moreau, 211, 199, Abraham Bunker; Joseph Mallet, 18, Hugh Knox; Frederick Mehl, 91, Frederick Mehl; Louis Mallet, 172, Moses Decker and Isaac Harness; Michel Neau, 27, his heirs, 300, and William Morrison, 100 acres; J. B. Ouillette, 105, Robert Buntin; Joseph Payette, 229, Thomas Jones; Etienne Philibert's heirs, 224, Jeremiah Clay- pool; Nicholas Perrot's widow, 86, William McIntosh and Perrot's heirs; Pierre Perron, Sr., 45, McIntosh and Vigo; François Pluchon's heirs, Etienne Paneton, 235, 206, Henry Vanderburg; G. Payette, 176, William Wells; Louis Pluchon, 221, J. R. Jones and Samuel Means; Andre Peltier's widow, 144, James O'Hara. Joseph Perodo, 63, Manuel Liza; Louis Renault dit Delaurier, 31, William Welton; J. B. Racine dit Ste. Marie, 189, Noah Spear and Daniel Black; Richard (widow), 177, John and Jacob Anthis; André Roy, Jr., Joseph Tongar, 222, 60, W. H. Harrison; André Roy, Sr., Antoine Reneau, Pierre Rimbault, François Ton- ton and Valcourt's widow, 35, 195, 191, 218 and 234, William McIntosh; Jacques Riendo, 217, Robert Buntin; Louis Ravelet, 25, A. F. Snapp and James Scott; François Ste. Marié, 26, A. F. Snapp; Louis Sequin dit Guignolet, 183, McIntosh, Vanderburg and Gen. W. Johnston; Etinne Ste. Marie, 72, Abraham Stipp; J. B. Ste. Aubin, 52, Peytor Short; Stone (widow), 47, William Wells; Pacine, Pierre and André, 120, Pierre Ste. Marie; Olivier Santier, 197, Noah Spears; Jacob Teverbaugh, 246, Jacob Tever- baugh; Jenau Tonlon, 164, T. Dubois; François Trudel, 122, James Reed, J. B. Tongar, Jonathan Purcell; François Urno, 165, Samuel Means and John Lewis' heirs; J. B. Vaudry, Jr., 49, Daniel McClure; Louis Edeline, 15, Isaac Westfall; Jacques Etienne, 13, Joseph Vanmetre; B. Fouche, 196, T. Dubois; John Garcis, 242, Laurent Barzadon, 200 acres, William Bullit, 200 acres; Louis Gagnier, 167, Henry Barkman, 200, Louis Reel, 100, and John Thickston, 100 acres; Jena Guignolet, 168, Rob- ert Baird; Toussaint Goder, 125, William Morrison's heirs; René
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY ..
Goder, 78, William Snider; Pierre Gamelin, 138, Peyton Short; Louis Goder, 21, Jesse and Abijah Hunt; Paul Gamelin, 51, W. Harrison; Pierre Guion, 175, H. Vanderburg; Pierre Gilbert, 123, Simon Gonzalis, 100, François Vigo, 300 acres; François Goder, Charles Guielle, Amable Guarguipie, Pierre Gremarre's widow, Antoine Gamelin and Charles Guilbaut, 48, 128, 131, 110, 98 and 97, François Vigo; Toussaint Hunot's heirs, 233, L. N. Fortin; Joseph Hamelin, 88, Richard Pollard; Joseph Hasselin, 187, Arham Brinker; J. B. Harpin, Moses Henry, 137, 160, François Vigo; Joseph Hunot, Sr., 148, Patrick Simpson, 227, Jeremiah Mayes, 173 acres; William Hamilton, 16, not entered; J. B. Jozalle, 33, Jonathan Purcell; Edward Jonston, 87, Jolın Mill's heirs; M. A. Joseph, 121, Isaac Westfall; Charles Lacoste, dit Languedoc, 30, William Welton; François Lognon, 6, Daniel Smith; Jena Legarde's widow, 24, William McClure, 380, Jere- miah Claypool, 20 acres; Pierre Leforest, 93, Henry Hurst; René Legand, 203, John Ochiltree; Antoine Lefevre, 68, Isaac Westfall; François Lafleur, 180, A. F. Snapp; Lacoste, Amable L'Ardoise, Joseph Lamoureux, 75, 114 and 38, Patrick Simpson; Jacques Lamethe, dit Cochen, François Languedoc, 69, 80, T. Dubois; Nicholas Lapointe, Genevive Labuxiere, 204, 17, William McIntosh; Jacques Lacroix, B. D. Languedoc, 22, 223, H. Van- derburg; René Langlois, Louis Laderoute, 76, 135, Samuel Baird; Pierre Lefevre, 236, John Edgar; Louis Lamar, Dennis Lebarge, 2, 239, John Small; Joseph Larsh, 243, George Wallace & Co .; Antoine Lansford, 159, heirs of same; Phillip Legras, Joseph Leverou, dit Metteyé, Joseph Latrimouille, Joseph Legnon, J. B. Lafountain, 94, 158, 99, 113 and 70, François Vigo; Louis Le- may, Joseph Labelle, 104, 98, not entered; Louis Metteyé, Fran- çois Menie, Antoine Mallet, François Peltier, Amable Perron, Etienne Phillibert, dit Oreleans, Pierre Perron, Pierre Querré, Pierre Richard, Pierre Reuger, Joseph Reaux, François Rous- saint, Louis Roussault, Joseph Sabelle, François Turpin, J. B. Vaudry and Antoine Vaudry, 73, 55 and 83, to François Vigo; Frangois Busseron, 131, Dubois and Marchal in trust; Pierre Barron's heirs, 225, Samuel McConnel; J. B. Breton, dit St. Mar- tin, 173, Jeremiah Daudson; Pierre Codor's widow, 42, William Welton; Francois Coder, 211, Jonathan Marney; J. B. Chapoton,
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
230, John D. Hay; Jerome Crely, 212, Antoine Marchal; Ursule Clermont, 238, A. F. Snapp.
J. B. Cardinal, 157, Peyton Short and heirs of donee; Jacques Cardinal, 9, W. H. Harrison; Pierre Conoyer, 40, Samuel McKee; Moses Carter, 226, Henry Vanderburg; Pierre Cartier, 67, Simon Gonzalis; J. B. Carron and Jonathan Conger, 178 and 162, Will- iam Wells; Joseph Chartier, Joseph Chabot, Antoine Caty, Nicholas Chapard, Francois Campagnotte, Jacob Charbonneau, J. B. Chartier and Jean Charpantier, 154, 96, 103, 106, 59, 58, 127 and 46, François Vigo; Nicholas ·Cardinal's widow, 101, Man- uel Liza; M. C. Chapard, 190, L. N. Fortin, 2663 and 1333, not entered; Gabriel Custo, not drawn, William Bullitt; J. B. D'Amour, 181, Samuel Thompson; Bonaventeur Derozier, 3, John McClure; Honore Danis, 4, John McClure, 100 and Patrick Simpson, 300 acres; Antoine Dugal, 79, Thomas Jones ; Pierre Darguilles, 179, same; R. F. Delaurier, 220, same; J. B. Duchesne, 11, John McCoy; Amable Dumay's widow, 8, Isaac Westfall, 300 acres, and Ephraim Jordan 100 acres; J. B. Delaurier, 19, Isaac West- fall; Toussaint Denoyou's widow, 113, Patrick Simpson; Nicholas Ditard, 10, W. H. Harrison; Charles Dudevoir, dit Lachisne, 41, Toussaint Dubois, Joseph Dubé, 54, George Fidler; Antoine Drouet, dit Richardville, 156, Antoine Drouet, Amable Delisle, 232, Thomas Jones; Ambrose Dumais, 119, James Reed; J. L. Denoyou, 219, Henry Vanderburg; Louis Deregnet, 186, Zachar- iah Mills; Dizier (widow), 193, Samuel Baird; De Hetre (widow), 210, Robert Buntin; T. V. Dalton, 130, J. R. Jones; Joseph Dagne, 192, William McIntosh; J. B. Dutremble, dit Lafleur, 163, T. Dubois; Louis Denoyou's widow, Charles Delisle, Jacques Danis, J. B. Dubois, Joseph Ducharme, François Derousse, Pierre Dagneau, G. Dapron's widow and Antoine Danis, 149, 142, 133, 109, 100, 85, 107, 140 and 126, François Vigo; Charles Dielle, 62, not entered; J. B. Villerage, 66, William McIntosh and Samuel Baird; Francois Vachette, 36, Jonathan. Purcell; Frangois Valiquette, 240, same; Charles Villeneuve, 170, Joseph Vanmetre, J. B. Ullaret, 238, Henry Vanderburg. In 1807 the following persons were each allowed 400 acres by the same law as the above: Charles Boucher, Hypolite Bolon, Becquet (widow), Joseph Brossard, Jacques Couteaux, Louis Crepeau, Francis
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
Cantelmy, Lizette Clermont, Marianne W. Cardinal, Michael Clermont, Ambroise Dagenat, Pierre Grimar, Pierre Goder, Francis Morin alias De Valcour, Pierre Perron, Andrew Pettier, Jean C. Thiriot's widow, Nancy Levins and Joseph Hamelin.
The following, in addition to those found in the military chapter enrolled as militia in August, 1790, were also allowed 100 acres of land by the law granting that amount of land to each militiaman; John Culbert, Hugh Dempsey, Mathew Dobbins, Francois Forzy, René Gorder, Ephraim Jordan, Samuel Moore, Robert Mays, Francis Pacquin, Aham Pea, John Savage, John Small, Alexander Sampson and James Watt. Congress also con- firmed 362 claims through the commissioner. These claims varied in size from 4 acres to 408 and had been previously confirmed by different governors, "in virtue of French and British grants and of the court and commandant deeds." Nearly all the old families held land under these claims. There were also con- firmed 222 claims which had been previously confirmed by the different governors in virtue of the militia rights. There were also 32 claims confirmed by Congress through the com- missioners in virtue of French and British grants and of court and commandant deeds. Many claims were also granted by right of improvement. It is worthy of note that nearly every body of land, whether by grant or what not, lay on some stream of water, as "Bosseron," "Du Chien," Marie Creek, Mill Creek or other body.
LAND CLAIMANTS IN THE NORTHWESTERN TERRITORY. " UNITED STATES, December 23, 1790. "Gentlemen of the Senate and House of Representatives:
"It appearing by the report of the Secretary of the Govern- ment northwest of the Ohio that there are certain cases respect- ing grants of land, within that territory, which require the interference of the Legislature of the United States, I have directed a copy of said report, and the papers therein referred to, to be laid before you, together with a copy of the report of the Secretary of State upon the same subject ..
"G. WASHINGTON.
*American State Papers ; Public Lands.
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
" VINCENNES, COUNTY OF KNOX, July 31, 1790.
"Sir: The absence of the Governor having made it my duty to carry into effect, as far as possible, the resolution of Congress of the 29th of August, 1788, respecting the inhabitants of Post Vincennes, I beg leave to report not only my proceedings under that resolution, but some circumstances which, in my opinion, ought at this time to be communicated, as very materially con- cerning the interests of the United States as well as individual settlers. The claims and pretensions of the people have very . generally been exhibited; but, notwithstanding they were early advertised upon this business, by proclamation of Gov. St. Clair, given at Kaskaskias in March last, and have since been repeat- edly called upon by me, yet I have no doubt there are a few instances of inattention and neglect. For all the possessions which appear to have been made by French or British conces- sions, I have issued warrants of survey, as by the last page of Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, of the land records for the county of Knox, copies of all which accompany this report. I have also directed that the four hundred acre lots to be given to every head of a family, should be laid off for the persons named, and allot- ted, excepting those that might fall to the absentees mentioned, until the pleasure of Government is known. I beg leave, sir, to observe that there are a few instances where the ancient inhab- itants (by removing from Vincennes to the Illinois country, or from that country to this place) cannot be included under the description of persons entitled to donation lands, and they hum- bly solicit that Congress would be graciously pleased to consider their situation, and permit them to participate in the general bounty. I think it necessary here to remark, sir, that, although the lands and lots which have been ordered to be surveyed, appear, from very good oral testimony, to belong to those persons under whose names they are respectively entered, either by orig- inal grants to them made, purchase or inheritance, yet there is scarcely one case in twenty where the title is complete, owing to the desultory manner in which public business has been trans- acted, and some other unfortunate causes.
"The original concessions by the French and British comman-
.
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
dants were generally made upon a small scrap of paper, which it has been customary to lodge in the notary's office, who has sel- dom kept any book of record, but committed the most important land concerns to loose sheets, which, in process of time, have come into the possession of persons that have fraudulently destroyed them, or, unacquainted with their consequence, inno- cently lost or trifled them away; for, by the French usage, they are considered as family inheritance, and often descend to women and children. In one instance, and during the government of Mr. St. Ange here, a royal notary ran off with all the public papers in his possession, as by a certificate produced to me; and I am very sorry further to observe that, in the office of Mr. Le Grand, which continued from the year 1777 to 1788, and where should have been the vouchers for important land transactions, the records have been so falsified, and there is such gross fraud and forgery, as to invalidate all evidence and information which I might otherwise have acquired from his papers.
"In addition, sir, to the ancient possessions of the people of Vincennes, under French and British concessions here, is about one hundred and fifty acres of land, constituting a part of the village, and extending a mile up the Wabash River, in front of their improved claims, which was granted by Mr. St. Ange to some of the Piankeshaw Indians, allotted into small divisions for their wigwams, and by them occupied and improved until the year 1786, when the last of them moved off, selling, individually, as they took themselves away, their several parts and propor- tions. The inhabitants now hold this land, parceled out amongst them in small lots, some of which are highly improved, and have been built upon before and since 1783. But, imagining, that a confirmation of any Indian purchase whatever might virtually involve some future questions of magnitude in this territory, I have postponed all order upon the subject until the pleasure of Congress can be known; in the meantime giving to the claimants my private opinion that they would be permitted to retain them, either by free gift or for some small consideration.
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