Petition of Elisha Godfrey, 24 November 1847, Northumberland County. Transcription.
Digital facsimile of "Petition of Elisha Godfrey, 24 November 1847, Northumberland County," Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, RS108, reel F4234, Fredericton, New Brunswick. In "Contested Terrain: Aboriginal Land Petitions in New Brunswick, 1786-1878," Atlantic Canada Virtual Archives, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick.
This version published online 25 March 2010.
Editorial Principles
The diplomatic rendition attempts to present the source document text as it
actually appears. The following symbols are used to indicate details of
authorial and editorial inscription:
- Supralinear additions: addition
- Inline additions: addition
- Sublinear additions: addition
- Deletions:
deletion - Unclear text: [unclear: supplied text?]
- Illegible text: [illegible: 1 word]
- Damaged text: supplied text
- Transcribers' notes: {text of note}
Original spellings are retained, as are abbreviations, lineation, and
end-of-line hyphenation. Alignment of opening and closing elements in letters
is standardized.
[ view ]
To His Excellency Lieutenant Colonel Sir William
MacBean George Colebrooke K.H. Lieutenant Governor of the
Province of New Brunswick &c &c &c
MacBean George Colebrooke K.H. Lieutenant Governor of the
Province of New Brunswick &c &c &c
The Petition of Elisha Godfrey of Northtsk in the
County of Northumberland Farmer
County of Northumberland Farmer
Most Humbly Sheweth
That Your Petitioner is a British Subject and has resided
in this County seventeen years and has a wife and six Children.
in this County seventeen years and has a wife and six Children.
That in the year 1840 or thereabouts Your Petitioner
purchased from one Donald Stewart a piece of the Indian Allotments
then in his possession at the mouth of the Little South West for which
he gave the sum of Fourteen pounds, that the said Donald Stewart held
a Lease of the same from the Chief of the Julien Tribe and at the time
of Your Petitioners purchase the Said Donald Stewart gave up the
Said Indian Lease to Your Petitioner.
purchased from one Donald Stewart a piece of the Indian Allotments
then in his possession at the mouth of the Little South West for which
he gave the sum of Fourteen pounds, that the said Donald Stewart held
a Lease of the same from the Chief of the Julien Tribe and at the time
of Your Petitioners purchase the Said Donald Stewart gave up the
Said Indian Lease to Your Petitioner.
Your Petitioner on obtaining the same applied to Barnaby
Julien the Chief of the said Tribe, and informed him of the said purchase
from Stewart, when the said Barnaby Julien gave your Petitioner a
Confirmatory Lease of the said piece of land at the rent of two pounds a year
which rent Your Petitioner hath regularly paid to the Indians – Your
Petitioner hath made Some Improvements on the said lot besides what
were made by Stewart, And Your Petitioner is thereby enabled to cut
about five tons of Coarse Hay per year, which is a very great
benefit to Your Petitioner's Farm situate on the opposite side of the North
West Stream.
Julien the Chief of the said Tribe, and informed him of the said purchase
from Stewart, when the said Barnaby Julien gave your Petitioner a
Confirmatory Lease of the said piece of land at the rent of two pounds a year
which rent Your Petitioner hath regularly paid to the Indians – Your
Petitioner hath made Some Improvements on the said lot besides what
were made by Stewart, And Your Petitioner is thereby enabled to cut
about five tons of Coarse Hay per year, which is a very great
benefit to Your Petitioner's Farm situate on the opposite side of the North
West Stream.
That the reason why Your Petitioner Consented to pay
so High a rent for the Same was that the Said Barnaby Julien suffered
and permitted Your Petitioner to enjoy the benefits of the Fishery in
Common with the Indians –
so High a rent for the Same was that the Said Barnaby Julien suffered
and permitted Your Petitioner to enjoy the benefits of the Fishery in
Common with the Indians –
— 2 —
[ view ]
That William Salter Esquire Commissioner of
Indian Affairs for this County laid off the said lot in your Petitioner’s
possession to him, and ascertained that there was Eighteen Acres
and valued Your Petitioner's Improvements made thereon –
Indian Affairs for this County laid off the said lot in your Petitioner’s
possession to him, and ascertained that there was Eighteen Acres
and valued Your Petitioner's Improvements made thereon –
That the said land is valuable to Your Petitioner as
affording him Hay and for the after grass for grazing purposes for his
Cattle, and Your Petitioner is very desirous of obtaining the said
lot. Your Petitioner has no wish to have any of the Fishing
privileges attached to the said land, he merely wants the
lands for the purposes aforesaid
affording him Hay and for the after grass for grazing purposes for his
Cattle, and Your Petitioner is very desirous of obtaining the said
lot. Your Petitioner has no wish to have any of the Fishing
privileges attached to the said land, he merely wants the
lands for the purposes aforesaid
Your Petitioner has been a benefactor to the Indians
Since his settling near their lands, and they strongly recommended
Your Petitioner to Mr Perley When in this County, as an Occupier of
Indian Lands entitled to the most favourable consideration of the
Government, and as such Your Petitioner merely wishes the same
advantages extended to him as to other settlers in his immediate
neighbourhood similarly situated, at the same time he is perfectly
willing that the Fishing privilege should be excluded from the
Grant of the said lot and reserved for the benefit of the Indians.
Since his settling near their lands, and they strongly recommended
Your Petitioner to Mr Perley When in this County, as an Occupier of
Indian Lands entitled to the most favourable consideration of the
Government, and as such Your Petitioner merely wishes the same
advantages extended to him as to other settlers in his immediate
neighbourhood similarly situated, at the same time he is perfectly
willing that the Fishing privilege should be excluded from the
Grant of the said lot and reserved for the benefit of the Indians.
Your Petitioner would therefore Humbly pray that
Your Excellency would order the said Commissioner William
Salter Esquire to sell the said lot as surveyd to your
Petitioner, at the rate of other lands similarly situated
reserving the said Fishery to the Indians or on such
other Terms as Your Excellency may deem right as
Protecting the Indians and doing Justice to your
Petitioner
Your Excellency would order the said Commissioner William
Salter Esquire to sell the said lot as surveyd to your
Petitioner, at the rate of other lands similarly situated
reserving the said Fishery to the Indians or on such
other Terms as Your Excellency may deem right as
Protecting the Indians and doing Justice to your
Petitioner
And in duty bound will ever pray &c –
Elisha Godfrey
NorthEsk
24th November 1847
24th November 1847
— 3 —
[ view ]
{Blank Page}
— 4 —
[ view ]
Land
Elisha Godfrey
petition to purchase
Island lot N o 27, on the
Little S West Indian
Reserve
Dec8/47
Elisha Godfrey
petition to purchase
Island lot N o 27, on the
Little S West Indian
Reserve
Dec8/47
InCol Feb10/48
To Hand over
To Hand over
31
{Written Perpendicular on the Left}
It was ordered InCouncil, on the 15th of October
last, that the Island lot N o 27. be not sold, but
continue to be reserved for the Indians. which I
consider to be still advisable See Mr Salter's
Report accompanying.
last, that the Island lot N o 27. be not sold, but
continue to be reserved for the Indians. which I
consider to be still advisable See Mr Salter's
Report accompanying.
Thos Bailley
[unclear]
[unclear]