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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Mohican Indians Land sale.

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC05305 Author/Creator: Mohican Indians Place Written: [s.l.] Type: Manuscript document signed Date: 12 November 1661 Pagination: 1 p. + docket. 19.4 x 19.9 cm. Order a Copy

Sale of land on Long Island Sound to English Quaker John Budd by Indian tribe. Signed by five chiefs with their marks.

Notes: Shanorock or Shanorock, along with the other Indians named above, was a sachem or chief of the Siwanoy, a group of the Mohican Indian tribe who spoke the Algonkian language. The group lived along Long Island Sound near present Mamaroneck and Rye, in Westchester County, NY (then considered by the English to be part of eastern Connecticut). John Budd, an English Quaker, purchased this area now known as West Neck, between Stony Brook and the Mamaroneck River. Budd is thought to have been seeking refuge from persecution in Southold, Long Island. Less than three years after signing this land grant, the English took over the Dutch colony of New Netherlands. This transcript has standardized punctuation and supplied as passage (damaged in the original) within angled brackets from a previous transcriber (unknown source). The marks of the Indians has been approximated with typographic symbols.

11th month 12 Day 1661
Know all men whome this may Concern that I Shanorock, Rawmaquae, Rackeatte, Pawwaytaliau, Mawmatoe, Howinse have bargained, sold and Delivered unto John Budd a neck of Land bounded by a neck of Land he bought of me and other Indians on [th]e South with Merrmack River on the West and with marked Trees to the north with Twenty miles for feeding Ground for Cattle with all the wood, Trees, Manrodes, Meadows and rivers, and have received full satisfaction in Coates and three score <faddom [fathom] of wompom of Thomas Close for the said John's use and to engage> myself to warrant [th]e sale thereof Against all men English, Dutch and Indians and for the faithfull performance hereof I have sett my hand in the presence of Thomas Close and William Jones this day and year above written.
Witness Thomas Close
William Jones his mark 4 The mark of Shanorock S
Mawmatoe > his mark
Rawmaque 7 his mark
Howinse his O mark Praw [sic] his g mark
razi -ð his mark
[docket on verso:]
Estrn Connecticut
12 9ber. 1661. Indians Deeds

Budd, John, fl. 1661

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