Transcription for Indian Affairs
Document #31
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             Agreement between the Government of the Pro -
              vince of New Brunswick, by John Bedell. Esqr. one of
              his Majestys Justices of the Peace for this purpose
              duly authorised on one part; and the Indians of
              the River St. John commonly called and known by
              the name of the Milasete Tribe represented by those
              who have subscribed and sealed this Instrument and
              who alledge that they are duly authorised to agree
              for the whole on the other part, as follows viz..
              Whereas the said Indians have stated to Government
              that their Ancestors upward of two hundred years ago
              cleared and cultivated a point of Land called Maductic
              Point on the River St. John about fifty miles above
              Fredericton that they then erected thereon a Fort to
              defend themselves against their enemies, that they have
              without much interuption | been in possession of the
              whole or a part thereof to the present day: that they
              have a place of sepu[lc]ture thereon; That the present
              Indians have a strong Attachment to the said place
              and are very desirous to establish a Village thereon, and
              to obtain a living by cultivating the ground and to
              have their children taught the Art of Agriculture:
              That they consider themselves loyal subjects of his
              Majesty King George and bound to aid in defend –
              ing the Country against the enemies thereof – And  –
              whereas upon inquiry the Government has reason to
              believe the that the said statement is true, and being
              desirous to encourage the disposition in the said Indians
              to make permanent Establishments, and to pursue the
              business of Agriculture for a livelihood; and considering
              their pretensions to the said Point of Land to be founded
              in equity, have agreed to purchase from the present
                                                                         proprietors
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             proprietors or claimants thereof under Grants from the
             Crown, two tracts of Land on the said Point, adjoining
             to each other and measuring together in front, about two
             hundred Rods (part of which is now in the possession of
             one Samuel Couillard, and part thereof is generally known
             by the name of Attwood Farm) and to appropriate the whole
             of the same from the River to the distance of half a mile
             back for the sole use of the said Indians and their Pos –
             terity forever upon the following conditions _______________

First                 That they the said Indians do consider the same
             as full satisfaction for all claims or pretensions which
             they may have heretofore had or which they may now
             conceive themselves to have to the said Maductic Point
             or to any other Land upon the said River ____
Second             That neither they nor their Posterity ever sell or dis
             pose of the some or any part thereof without licence from
             the Governor or commander in Chief of the Province —
Third                 That the same shall be forfeited to the Crown for
             Rebellion or Treason in the same manner as other
             Lands granted to any of his Majesty’s Subjects----
             And the said Indians do hereby accept of the same
             upon the said conditions; and pledge themselves to make
             permanent establishments thereon, and to use the same
             Land in all respects for the purposes herein before ex --
             pressed; and that they will conduct themselves peacably
             paying due respect at all times to the Laws of the Coun
             try, and the decisions of the Magistrates: And that they
             will immediately withdraw from any Lands which they
             now possess above or below the same Tract: confining
             themselves to the bounds established by the said John
             Bedell.
                       In Testimony whereof the said parties have
             Signed and Sealed two parts of this Instrument at a
             general meeting of the said Indians at Maductic
             Point on the Twenty Ninth ... day of July in
                                                                          the

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             the Year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
             and Seven and in the forty seventh Year of his
             Majestys Reign one of which when ratified by
             the President or Commander in Chief of the
             Province to be delivered to the Chief of the said
             Indians for the time being, and the other to be
             lodged in the Secretarys Office there to remain

Signed and Sealed                                                           John Bedell
having been first
read and explained
and well understood
in presence of us.

Bejn  Peck Griffith                                                   his
          Jacob Smith                                      Joseph  X    Toma
          George Bull                                                  mark
          Samuel McKeen
          John D.  Beardsley                                        his
          Richard Smith                                    Pier      X     Toma
          James Upham                                              mark

                     his
     [Guoa]       X       [Newellis]                                 his
                    mark                                      Polchis   X
                                                                             mark
                     his
[Gockalesus]   X                                                      his
                    mark                                    [Pieroch]   X
                                                                             mark
                     his
        Newel     X    Toma                                           his
                   mark                                      [Mitchel]   X
                                                                              mark
                      his
       [Pieroch]   X    [Junr]                                         his
                     mark                             Joseph Toma   X    Junr
                                                                             mark
                       his
            Francis X Galeia                                           his
                     mark                                      [Gervar]  X   Toma
                                                                              mark

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   Agreement
between John Bedell
  and the Indians
BACK TO INDIAN AFFAIRS DESCRIPTIONS
Document Maintained by:
UNB Archives
email address  archives@unb.ca
Last Update:  2005/09/09