Description

Description: These two 1825 New York State documents relate to the Stockbridge Indians. The first document is titled: “No. 80. In Assembly, Report From the committee on Indian affairs in relation to the Stockbridge Indians, and those occupying their lands.” In this document the Committee on Indian Affairs states that “it would be expedient, and comport with sound policy, and the dictates of humanity, to allow the Indians a fair and just price for their lands.” It goes on to state that committee has “prepared a bill” to aid the Indians, ostensibly the text of the following document which is titled: “No. 81. In Assembly February 4, 1825. An Act Relating to the purchase of lands from the Stockbridge Indians, and for the relief of the settlers on the same.” This act discusses the payment of land and removal of the Stockbridge Indians to Green Bay in Michigan territory, now in the state of Wisconsin where their community exists today.

The Stockbridge–Munsee Community is a federally recognized Native American tribe formed in the late eighteenth century from communities of so-called “praying Indians”, descended from Christianized members of two distinct groups: Mohican and Wappinger from the praying town of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and Munsee (Lenape), from the area where present-day New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey meet. Their land-base, the Stockbridge–Munsee Indian Reservation, consists of of 24.03 square miles in the towns of Bartelme and Red Springs in Shawano County, Wisconsin.

Both sheets of paper have text on both sides, measure: 13 1/8″ x 8 1/4″ and have deckled edges at the right and lower margins. Item #AM00378

Condition: Both leaves are foxed around the margins and have two small holes at the left blank margin, small inked corrections made on No. 81. Generally good condition.