(on back) Copy of Deed from the Mississagas, Dated 22d May, 1784. referred to in Sr. John Johnston's letter to Mr. Collins, dated 25th March, 1791. (in pencil) Papers 179 Indian Lands Upper Canada. To His Excy. Alured Clarke, Esqr., Lieut. Governor & Commander in Chief of the Province of Quebec, &c., &c., &c. May it please Your Excy. The Committee consisting of John Collins, Adam Mabane, Geo. Pownall, Wm. Grant & Fras. Baby, Esqrs., appointed by His Excy. The Right Honble. Lord Dorchester on the 4th Jany., 1791, to report the claims of certain Indians to lands assigned them on the Grand River and Bay of Quinty, pray Your Excy. to receive as their Report thereon the Annexed Journal of their proceedings. Humbly submitting the same to Your Excellency's greater Wisdom. Signed by order of the Committee. Cl. Chamber, Quebec, 24th Decr., 1791. J. C., CHAIRMAN. SUBSTANCE of Captain Brant's wishes respecting forming a Settlement of the Mohock and others of the Six Nation Indians upon the Grand River, &ca. Sir John Johnson will be instructed to purchase the Tract of Country between the three Lakes, Ontario, Erie, and Huron, out of which, the Tract required by the Mohawks, for the Six Nations will be Granted to them by a Deed. The rest will be reserved for Loyalists, or any future Purpose.— That His Excellency the Commander in Chief should give the Superintendant and Inspector General of Indian Affairs Instructions, and impower Lieut. Colonel Butler to purchase from the Missisagau or Proprietors, a tract of Land consisting of about Six Miles on each side of the Grand River called Oswego Running from the River La Tranche into Lake Erie, for the use of the Mohocks and such of the Six Nations as are inclined to join them in that Settlement.-Colo. Butler is fully acquainted with the Views, and Inclinations of Captn. Brant and the Mohocks Respecting this Settlement, and only waits the General's approbation to make the Purchase. The sooner this can be done. the better as they would Remove this Spring time enough to Plant Corn, &ca., and Captn. Brant would propose that some of his Party be sent off upon this Business, to Colo. Butler as soon as he Returns to Montreal. The above Mentioned Limits are only meant for the Indians of the Six Nations who may settle there, but A more considerable Tract of Land may at the same time, be purchased on very Reasonable Terms whereon to Settle Loyalists, or for any future purpose.-Montreal 3d Feby., 1791. The above is a True Copy. JOSEPH CHEW, To His Excellency Alured Clarke, Esq., Lieutenant Governor, & Commander in Chief, of the Province of Quebec, &ca., &ca., &ca. May please your Excellency. The Committee, Consisting of John Collins, Adam Mabane, Geo. Pownall, William Grant, and Frans. Baby, Esqrs., appointed by His Excellency the Right Honorable Lord Dorchester, on the 4th January, 1791, to report on the claims of Certain Indians to lands assigned them on the Grand River, and Bay of Quinte;-Pray Your Excellency to receive as their report thereon, the Annexed Journal, of their proceedings.-Humbly Submitting the same to Your Excellency's Greater Wisdom. Signed by order of the Committee. Council Chamber, Quebec, 24th Decemr., 1791. JOHN COLLINS, Chairman. (Journal.) Council Chamber, 31st January, 1791. The Committee appointed by His Lordship in Council, on the 4th Inst. to acquire information and report upon Claims of Land at the Grand River, North Side of Lake Erie: Met at the call of the Chair. Mr. Mabane Abst., on the Circuit. His Lordship's order of reference, read in the following Words 4th January, 1791. "His Lordship informed the Board that certain Indians of the Six Nations "claimed a tract of Land at the Grand River, on the North shore of Lake "Erie, stated to have been promised to them by Sir Frederick Haldimand, "in the Year 1784. That some of the Claimants actually resided there, and "that there was another Settlement of Indians of the Six Nations in the "Bay of Quinte. His Lordship pointed out the Expediency of ascertaining "the nature and extent, of these claims, to give full effect to any Promises, “and to gratify any reasonable expectations, in which the faith of Govern"ment, might be concerned, in such a way as would best answer the end of "making a permanent provision for the persons interested and their descend"ants and securing their comfort and tranquility.- Ordered, that Messrs. Colins, Mabane, Pownall, Grant, and Baby, be a committee to acquire the necessary information by Corrispondence with the Superintendent General of Indian Affairs, and otherwise, and to report the result of their Enquiries with their opinion of the proper course to be taken, and the Draft of a Bill, if they shall conceive the Legislative interposition necessary.. RESOLVED that the Chairman inclose a copy thereof by this days post, to Sir John Johnson, Barrt., Superintendant General of Indian affairs, and request his information on the business refered with all convenient Speed. Adjourned to the next call of the Chair. March 10th, 1791. The Committee met on the call of the Chair at the Council Chamber.— Present Messrs. Collins Mabane Mr. Grant being Abst. on other Public Business... The Chairman laid before the Committee a Letter from Sir John Johnson, dated Montreal, the 3d february last with two Inclosures as follows.— (See Page 408 for letter.) Extract of a Letter from General Haldimand, Quebec, 23d March, 1784. (See Page 454 for extract.) Substance of Captain Brandt's wishes respecting forming a Settlement of the Mohawk, and others of the Six Nation Indians upon the Grand River, &ca. (See Page 487.) The Chairman then read to the Committee an Entry in the Council. Book of the 9th March, 1785, in the following words, it appearing to concern the object in reference. EXTRACT from the Minutes of Council on Monday, the 7th March, 1785. At the Council Chamber in the Chateau St. Lewis...... Present The Honorable Henry Hamilton, Esqr., Lt. Governor and Commander in Chief. His Honor the Lieutenant Governor laid before the Council a Copy of His Excellency General Haldimand's Speech to Captain John, the Chief of the Mohawk Nation and his Friends, with Captain John's Answer thereto Addressed to Major Potts, Commanding at Cataraqui, dated Cataraqui 12th January, 1785. Also a Letter from Joseph Brandt, of the 21st february last concerning a writing given to him by His Excellency General Haldimand, as a deed of grant of Lands for him and the five Nations, on the Grand River, and requesting a grant of lands near his House at Cataraqui. These being read in English and French His Honor informed the Council, that he had written for a Copy of said Grant, which he expected to be able soon to lay before them for their Consideration and Advice. The Council were of Opinion that a lot of land for a Garden should be granted to said Joseph Brandt, near his house, and a portion of two hundred Acres, at some convenient place for firewood and Pasturage. RESOLVED, that the Chairman request the Clerk of the Council to procure the Speech of His Excellency Governor Haldimand to Captain John and his friends, and Captain John's Answer thereto mentioned in the above Entry. Mr. Grant came in Mr. Williams called in Observes to the Committee that the Minute in the Council Book, (mentioning a Copy of a Speech of His Excellency General Haldimand to Captain John, the Chief of the Mohawk Nation and his friends with Captain John's Answer thereto Addressed to Major Potts at Cataraqui 12th January, 1785, and a letter from Joseph Brandt of the 21st february, 1785) is of the 7th March, 1785, when Mr. Williams was absent in England, with leave, the duties of the Council Office being performed during his absence, by Alexander Gray, Esqr., that he, Mr. Williams, has never seen either of the three papers abovementioned, and therefore apprehends they were not lodged as Official papers with Mr. Gray, and for the ground of this Idea he acquaints the Committee, that on his return to this province and resuming his Office, Mr. Gray delivered up various papers relating to Detroit affairs, among which is a deed of Concession, by the Indians of a tract of land between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario to the King, and a deed of Sale of the Island of Michilimackinac from Indians to His Majesty. That he found with those papers a list of them, and in which List, no such papers as are Specified in the above minute are mentioned.— Adjourned to the call of the Chair. Council Chamber, 30th April, 1791. The Committee met on the call of the Chair, Present, Mr. Collins, Chairman. Messrs. Pownall Grant Baby The Chairman laid before the Board the following Letter from Sir, John Johnson and its inclosure,-(See page 453 for letter.) This Indenture made at Niagara the twenty second day. (See page 484.) The Chairman then laid before the Committee a letter to Mr. Secretary Motz, from the land Board of Nassau, dated Niagara, 26th february, with its inclosure as follows:-(See page 453 for Letter.) Extract from the Minutes of the land Board for the District of Nassau, Niagara, 20th December, 1790. Representations having been made to the Board that the Extention of the Settlement to the Westward approached the Lands assigned to the Indians Settlement on the Grand River, and might soon without due Care encroach on these. They thought it a matter of much Consiquence to Ascertain the limits of this Settlement, and accordingly directed Mr. Jones, Acting as Deputy Surveyor, to take the course of the Grand River from its mouth to the Extent of the Indian Claims, and to lay this before the Board, that they might arrange the Division on the Justest Principles, and they requested Colonel Gordon as Commanding Officer to Assist him and his party as usual with Provisions to enable him to Compleat this. Niagara, 1st February, 1791. Mr. Jones having finished his Survey laid a Plan of the Grand River before the Board, who having called in Captn. Brandt, Tcharchokea, Shascowanie, Odewanookta, Oghnasongeghton, Oghquarioghtsita, Ojageghte, Gonghsancyonte, Kayendadirhon, Chickhdess, and several of the Principal Chiefs to aid the Land Board with their advice and Council: It was Unanimously agreed upon and Determined that the Bend of the River Easterly nearly two Miles from its mouth or issue into Lake Erie, and the Mohawk Village shall be the two fixed points, and that a Streight line drawn from one of these points, to the Other, shall form the Center line, of the Indian Lands, on the Grand River, and that two Parrallel Lines to this, Six Miles Distant, on each side of the Grand River, shall form the Bounds between them and the Settlement of Nassau. This Arangement is Signed on the Map of the Grand River by the Members of the land Board, and the aforementioned Chiefs. The Chairman observed that until the Survey taken by Mr. Jones mentioned in the foregoing minute comes down, It will not be in his power to form a Sketch of the Tract on the Grand River, on Lake Erie assigned by the Land Board, of Nassau to Captain Joseph Brandt and other Mohawks. The tract however appears to be apart of the Purchase made of the Missisaga Nation by the Deed of the 22d May, 1784... -Then the Chairman as D. S. General, laid before the Committee a Sketch of the land claimed by Capt. John and other Mohawks, and informed that in the year 1787, he Surveyed the Townships of Thurlow and Richmond, on the North side the Bay of Quinte, leaving between them a tract or Space of about twelve Miles front on the said Bay, for Capt. John and about Twenty families, of the Mohawk Nation, who had then settled themselves. on it, the Tract is bounded Easterly, by the line of the Township of Richmond, and Westerly by that of Thurlow to run Northerly as far as it may please Government to Assign. This tract is a part of a purchase made in 1784 by Capt. Crawford, of the Indian Department, by order of Sir John Johnson, from the Missisaga Nation, by deed bearing date which deed it seems by Sir John Johnson's letter, of 25th March, 1791, is still in the hands of Captain Crawford. ORDERED, that the Chairman obtain a copy of Mr. Jones's Survey of the lands on the grand River, assigned to Captn. Brandt, and other Mohawk Indians, with all Convenient Speed, and lay the same before the Committee. The Chairman presented Mr. Jones's Survey of the lands on the Grand River, promised to Indians of the Mohawk Nation, also a Sketch of the tract assigned to Captain John and others at the Bay of Quinte. The Committee having considered the whole are humbly of opinion, that as the faith of Government is pledged to the Mohawk Chiefs for the two |