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Morgan, George (1743–1810) Minutes and Agreements of the Indiana Company

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02441 Author/Creator: Morgan, George (1743–1810) Place Written: Pittsburgh and Carlisle, Pennsylvania Type: Document signed Date: 21 September 1775 to November 15 1775 Pagination: 20 p. ; 33 x 20 cm. Order a Copy

A "true copy of the minutes" made by George Morgan re: various minutes and agreements pertaining to the Indiana company, which speculated in land along the Ohio river. In an 1768 treaty Indians had ceded a large tract of land to the "unfortunate traders" for damages they had caused them in 1763. The Indiana company sought to acquire and sell this land. Includes minutes from a September 21-23 meeting in Pittsburg assuring the legality of the purchases and establishing rules for their oversight and sale. Drafts of a pair of letters written during the meeting, one the "The Public," are included. The minutes from a meeting in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, from November 13-15, and drafts of the letters written during this meeting, the main purpose of which was to publish an advertisement, are also included. One of these letters is a petition to the state of Virginia, asking that the claims based on the 1768 treaty be recognized by the state. After years of litigation, Virginia would succeed in opposing these claims. Also includes copies of a number of outside opinions, one written by Benjamin Franklin, on why the land grants belong to the company and "should be deemed valid." Lastly includes a list of the damages suffered by the traders due to the Indians.

George Morgan was an Indian agent, helped form the Indiana company, and was involved in other land schemes as well.

Morgan, George, 1743-1810
Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790

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