Letter

Valley of Nacoochee, Georgia, April, 1848

I now write from the most charming valley of this southern wilderness. The river Nacoochee is a tributary of the Chattahoochee, and, for this country, is a remarkably clear, cold, and picturesque stream. From the moment that it doffs the title of brook and receives the more dignified one of river, it begins to wind itself in a most wayward manner through a valley which is some eight or ten miles long, when it wanders from the vision of the ordinary traveler and loses itself among unexplored hills. The valley is perhaps a mile wide, and, as the surrounding hills … Read more

Letter from Rev. William Hall to Henry R. Schoolcraft

Letter from Rev. William Hall to Henry R. Schoolcraft Allegany Mission, Sept. 8th, 1845 DEAR SIR: Your inquiries in relation to the state of religion, education, &c., among the Indians of this reservation, if I rightly understand them, are briefly answered as follows: Christianity very much prospered here during the four years next preceding the past. The number of church members during that period, was nearly tripled, and very encouraging additions were made to their know ledge and zeal. But the past year has been one of stupidity and drought. There has, however, been four additions from the Indians, made … Read more

Letter from Rev. William McMurray to H. R. Schoolcraft

Letter from Rev. Wm. McMurray to H. R. Schoolcraft Dundas, November 11th, 1845. MY DEAR SIR I have just received the vocabularies, with the Indian words, from the Rev. Adam Elliot, of Tuscarora, to whom I sent them for the translation. The cause of the delay was his severe illness, and the difficulty of getting suitable persons to give him the Indian. He says, before you publish, if you will send him, through me, the proof sheets, he will have them corrected for you, and forwarded without delay. He is an amiable and most excellent man. Yours, most faithfully, WILLIAM … Read more

Letter from Rev. Asher Bliss to Henry R. Schoolcraft

Letter from Rev. Asher Bliss to Henry R. Schoolcraft. Cattaraugus Mission Sept. 4th, 1845. DEAR SIR Agreeably to your request I forward you some facts in regard to the establishment and progress of the gospel among the natives of this reservation. The Cattaraugus Mission Church was organized July 8th, 1827, (which is a little more than 18 years.) It consisted of Mr. William A. Thayer, the teacher, his wife, and 12 native members. There have been additions to it from time to time, until the whole number who have held a connection with this church is one hundred and eighteen. … Read more

Letter from Mr. Richard U. Shearman to Henry R. Schoolcraft

Letter from Mr. Richard U. Shearman to Henry R. Schoolcraft. Vernon, October 4th, 1845. SIR: I completed the enumeration of the Oneida Indians some days ago, but delayed sending a return to you to ascertain the Indian names. It doubtless contains all the information you require at this particular time. Several families are included in the marshal’s enumeration of the inhabitants of the town of Vernon. The remainder reside in Madison county. The houses of these Indians are generally much better than the log houses of the whites, being constructed of hewn, even jointed logs, with shingle roofs and good … Read more

Letter from L. T. Morgan, Esq., to H, R. Schoolcraft

Letter from L. T. Morgan, Esq., to H, R. Schoolcraft. Rochester October 7, 1845. Sir: You have doubtless seen a notice of the great council of the Six Nations, recently held at Tonawanda. We call it great, because we never saw any thing of the kind before, and perhaps never will again. Three of us started in season, and spent the whole of last week in attendance, and were also joined by Mr. Hurd, a delegate from Cayuga. We were there before the council opened, and left after the fire was raked up. Our budget of information is large, and … Read more

Letter from J. V. H. Clark to Henry R. Schoolcraft

Manlius, Oct. 6th, 1845. H. R. SCHOOLCRAFT, ESQ., DEAR SIR Agreeable to your request I have been upon the grounds in our vicinity once occupied as forts and places of defense. So devastating has been the hand of time and the works of civilized men, that little can now be possibly gleaned by observation. Our main reliance in these matters must depend almost entirely upon the recollections of early settlers and traditions. Many of these accounts, as you are aware, are differently related by different individuals, and not infrequently in material points contradictory. From careful investigation and inquiry I have … Read more

Letter from Frederick Follet to Henry R. Schoolcraft

Letter from Frederick Follet to Henry R. Schoolcraft Batavia, Oct. 25, 1845. Dear Sir My private and public duties together prevented my making a visit to “Fort Hill,” until the 22d inst. and I proceed to give you my ideas of that formation. The ground known as “Fort Hill” is situated about three miles north of the village of Le Roy, and ten or twelve miles northeast from Batavia, the capitol of Genesee county. The better view of “Fort Hill” is had to the north of it, about a quarter of a mile, on the road leading from Bergen to … Read more

Letter from C. Dewey to Henry R. Schoolcraft

Letter from C. Dewey to Henry R. Schoolcraft, Fort Hill. This is celebrated as being the remains of some ancient work, and was supposed to have been a fort. Though the name is pronounced as if hill was the name of some individual, yet the place is a fort on a hill, in the loose use of the word. The name designates the place as Fort Hill, to distinguish it from the hills which have no fort on them. Neither is it a hill, except as you rise from the swale on the north, for it is lower than the … Read more

Letter from Greenwood Leflore – February 18, 1834

WASHINGTON CITY, February 18, 1834. SIR: The undersigned respectfully represents, that in many instances complaints have been made of the course pursued by the present locating agent of the Choctaws, granted to them by the treaty of Dancing Rabbit creek, and particularly with regard to the 14th article, the 19th article, and the supplement treaty. He therefore prays that William Armstrong, whom he hereby recommends as a suitable person, may be appointed an agent to examine an adjust those -claims, consisting of the claims of Capt. Red Dog, or Offehoma, and Capt. James Shields, these claims having been sold by … Read more

Letter Thomas D. Wooldridge – October 10, 1833

Mississippi, Lowndes County, October 10, 1833. DEAR SIR: I am requested to write you as agent for John McGilry and Taner McGilbry, who have taken citizenship as Choctaws under the provisions of the treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creekk agreeable to the fourteenth article of said treaty. Application was made through me to Mr. Dowsing, who is acting as agent for locating reservations of said treaty: the location was wished by the Indians to adjoin the parent by a connection of one-half mile, and connect one on the other in that way throughout. This was objected by the acting agent set … Read more

Letter from Department of War, September 28, 1833

DEPARTMENT OF WAR, Office Indian Affairs, September 28, 1833 SIR: In the absence of the Secretary of War, I beg leave to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th instant, addressed to him, and to thank you for the information which you have given in relation to Indian contracts for the sale of their reservations they have suffered extremely by imposition and fraud practiced upon them by unprincipled white men, and it is the duty of us all to protect them, if possible, from further injury. If unfavorable impressions exist against you on the part of any of … Read more

Letter from Department of War, 31 March 1834

DEPARTMENT OF WAR, Office Indian Affairs, 31 March 1834. SIR: Colonel Greenwood Leflore represents, in a letter to the Secretary of: War, (a copy of which is herewith enclosed,) that, in several cases therein specified, errors have been committed, and consequent injustice done by the locating agent in his location of the Choctaw reservations under the treaty of Dancing Rabbit creek. The agent has been instructed to report fully to the department the circumstances and proceedings in those respective cases for its decision; and, until that decision be communicated to you, I am instructed to request you to suspend all … Read more

Letter from Department of War, October 11, 1833

DEPARTMENT OF WAR, October 11, 1833. SIR: I have received your letter of the 15th and 22d ultimo, together with a printed notice enclosed in the former. I perceive the embarrassments under which you labor, and am satisfied you will proceed in the execution of your duty in the best manner the means of information in your power will permit. You doubtless, ere this, have received a copy of the register prepared by Major Armstrong. This will furnish you with an authentic list of all the claims to which any of the Choctaws are entitled, and you will be guided … Read more

Letter from Department of War, November 1, 1833

DEPARTMENT OF WAR, November 1, 1833 SIR: I have received your letter of the 10th ultimo, and, in answer, have to inform you that it has already been decided that, in locating the reservations granted by the Choctaw treaty, when a section is granted, an entire surveyed section must be taken. When a hall’ section is granted, the surveyed half of an entire section roust be taken, and so with a quarter section. It is not, conceived that ally well-founded doubt can exist upon this subject, and the locating agent has been directed to execute his duties accordingly. A copy … Read more

Letter from Department of War April 8, 1834

23 Congress No. 1230 1stSession In Relation To The Location Of Reservations Under The Choctaw Treaty Of The 27th Of September, 1830. Communicated To The Senate April 11, 1834. DEPARTMENT OF WAR April 8, 1834. SIR: I have the honor to communicate a report from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, with accompanying documents, containing the information called for by the resolutions of the Senate of the 3d of March, in relation to the location of reservations under the treaty with the Choctaws of September 27th, 1830.      I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,   LEWIS CASS Hon. MARTIN VAN … Read more

New Echota, Georgia, September 27, 1837

SIR: Yours of the 29th and 30th of August have been received. In relation to what is said in that of the 29th, I have to state as follows: In the month of August I received from the Treasurer of the United States $200,000, in drafts on sundry banks and receivers of public moneys in the South, to be disbursed under the act of Congress of July 2, 1836, for carrying into effect the Cherokee treaty. Of these drafts there are on hand to the amount of $25,000; the balance have been disposed of, some to the recipients of money … Read more

Commissioner of Indian Affairs dated July 3, 1837

Extract of a letter from Messrs. W. Lumpkin and John Kennedy, commissioners, &c, to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs dated July 3, 1837. “As to the kind of funds which would be received at this time here, in discharge of claims under the treaty, it is proper to remark that every recipient would prefer specie, because it is worth more that the paper of any bank which has suspended specie payments; yet all recipients who expect or intend to use their funds in Georgia, would take the bills of the Augusta Bank, rather than lie out of the money. “The … Read more

Commissioners’ Office, New Echota, May 29, 1837

SIR: Being apprised that you have been notified that you might consider yourself relieved from duty here, as soon as you have performed the duties in which you are now engaged in the Indian Department, we deem it expedient to state to you, that the duties in which you are now engaged, as disbursing agent under the Cherokee treaty of 1835, will necessarily require the constant services of a disbursing agent to the end of the present year, or longer. We take pleasure in adding, that if consistent with the public interest, it would afford us personal gratification to have … Read more

New Echota, Georgia, May 13, 1837

Cashier of the branch of the Planters’ Bank of Tennessee, at Athens, pay to the order of Captain J. P. Simonton, disbursing agent, two hundred thousand dollars. RICHARD BENNETT. Disbursing Agent, &c, Endorsed Wilson Lumpkin, John Kennedy, United States Commissioner; J. P. Simonton, Captain U.S.A.D.A.C.R. I, Samuel H. Gordon, notary public for the county of McMinn, in the State of Tennessee, do hereby certify that on the day, I was requested by Captain J. P. Simonton to call upon the cashier of the branch at Athens of the Planters’ Bank of the State of Tennessee, and to request of said … Read more