Petition of Chebucto Indians, 4 May 1848, Kent County. Transcription.
Digital facsimile of "Petition of Chebucto Indians, 4 May 1848, Kent County," Provincial Archives of New Brunswick, RS108, reel F4255, 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.
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2268
To His Excellency Sir William Macbean
George Colebrooke K H Lieutenant
Governor and Commander in Chief of the
Province of New Brunswick &c &c &c
To His Excellency Sir William Macbean
George Colebrooke K H Lieutenant
Governor and Commander in Chief of the
Province of New Brunswick &c &c &c
The Petition of Thomas Nicholas, Isidore
Francis, Paul Nicholas, and the other
Chebuctush Indians, -
Francis, Paul Nicholas, and the other
Chebuctush Indians, -
Humbly Sheweth,
That your Petitioners have heard with
Deep Concern that the Government is disposed
to Grant Part of the Indians Lands in Che -
-Buctosh to the Persons who have for several
years occupied them much against the will
and wishes of your Petitioners Who beg humbly
to represent to your excellency that they have
for many years leftof their former occupation
of hunting and had recourse to Agricultural and
other labour for their Support that there are
at present twenty seven Indian families residing
on these Lands at Chebuctosh Six families having been Compelled
by the Scarcity of Provisions to leave Chebuctosh
for the winter and seek imployment at other places
Your Petitioners not having been able to Procure
a Sufficient quantity of seed to Plant their Lands
last Spring has Caused a partial scarcity amongst
Your Petitioners, they having only been able to
obtain Six Pounds ten shillin from Wm Harrington Esq
who said he had no Instructions from your Excellency
to advance, and that Sum when divided amongst
so many families though of Great benefit
Deep Concern that the Government is disposed
to Grant Part of the Indians Lands in Che -
-Buctosh to the Persons who have for several
years occupied them much against the will
and wishes of your Petitioners Who beg humbly
to represent to your excellency that they have
for many years left
of hunting and had recourse to Agricultural and
other labour for their Support that there are
at present twenty seven Indian families residing
on these Lands at Chebuctosh Six families having been Compelled
by the Scarcity of Provisions to leave Chebuctosh
for the winter and seek imployment at other places
Your Petitioners not having been able to Procure
a Sufficient quantity of seed to Plant their Lands
last Spring has Caused a partial scarcity amongst
Your Petitioners, they having only been able to
obtain Six Pounds ten shillin from Wm Harrington Esq
who said he had no Instructions from your Excellency
to advance, and that Sum when divided amongst
so many families though of Great benefit
— 2 —
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was not Sufficient with all they had
and Could [unclear: procure?] them Selves to plant
one half of the Lands they need prepared and
fenced - Your Petitioners Humbly Pray
that Your Excellency will not allow these
any Part of their Lands at Chebuctush to be
taken from them as they believe the
whole tract to Contain only three thousand
five Hundred acres part of which is already
Granted to McMillan your Petitioners are
more than one Hundred in number who have
nothing but their Lands to look to for their
future existence and they beg further to
Present to your Excelency that in this Cold
Climate they Cannot exist without a Large
Quantity of [unclear: fuel?] and that part of their
Lands are swamps and will [unclear: foment?]. Comparatively
a Small quantity of [unclear: fuel?] and of Inferior quality
Your Petitioners are Confident that in Case these
Lands are returned intyre by the Government for an in
heritance for their Children and they can obtain
seed for two or three years we have no doubt
but we will be able to Support our Selves -
without being a further burthen upon the
Government and Your Petitioners further pray that if
they Cannot obtain any assistance in obtaining seed
without their Lands being taken from them they
had rather depend upon their own exertions and
Plant what seed they can procure and have their Lands
returned for their Children and your Petitioners
and Could [unclear: procure?] them Selves to plant
one half of the Lands they need prepared and
fenced - Your Petitioners Humbly Pray
that Your Excellency will not allow these
any Part of their Lands at Chebuctush to be
taken from them as they believe the
whole tract to Contain only three thousand
five Hundred acres part of which is already
Granted to McMillan your Petitioners are
more than one Hundred in number who have
nothing but their Lands to look to for their
future existence and they beg further to
Present to your Excelency that in this Cold
Climate they Cannot exist without a Large
Quantity of [unclear: fuel?] and that part of their
Lands are swamps and will [unclear: foment?]. Comparatively
a Small quantity of [unclear: fuel?] and of Inferior quality
Your Petitioners are Confident that in Case these
Lands are returned intyre by the Government for an in
heritance for their Children and they can obtain
seed for two or three years we have no doubt
but we will be able to Support our Selves -
without being a further burthen upon the
Government and Your Petitioners further pray that if
they Cannot obtain any assistance in obtaining seed
without their Lands being taken from them they
had rather depend upon their own exertions and
Plant what seed they can procure and have their Lands
returned for their Children and your Petitioners
as in duty Bound will Ever Pray
Thomas Nicholas
his X mark
Peter Nicholas X his
mark
Isidore Francis his X mark Stephen Bernard his X mark
Paul Nicholas his X mark Jock Noel his X mark
John Paul his X mark
Isidore Francis his X mark Stephen Bernard his X mark
Paul Nicholas his X mark Jock Noel his X mark
John Paul his X mark
— 3 —
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Charles Paul
his X mark
Murray Nicholas his X mark
Thomas Bernard his X mark
Susan his X mark Bernard
Noel Denny his X mark
Nicholas Paul his X mark
John Francis (Captain)
Murray Nicholas his X mark
Thomas Bernard his X mark
Susan his X mark Bernard
Noel Denny his X mark
Nicholas Paul his X mark
John Francis (Captain)
We the undersigned Inhabitants of Wellington and
Dundas do Certify that we have Resided near and are
well acquainted with the Chebuctosh Indians and
from their Labor and Industrious habits we Have
no doubt but that in Case their lands are kept
for them and they can procure seed for two or three
years they will be able to Support themselves and
be no longer a burden upon the Government
Wm Harrington J Peace
Peter L Smith
J. Rioux P. P. of Wellington
Jas McPhelim
[unclear: Pr?] McPhelim
Dundas do Certify that we have Resided near and are
well acquainted with the Chebuctosh Indians and
from their Labor and Industrious habits we Have
no doubt but that in Case their lands are kept
for them and they can procure seed for two or three
years they will be able to Support themselves and
be no longer a burden upon the Government
Wm Harrington J Peace
Peter L Smith
J. Rioux P. P. of Wellington
Jas McPhelim
[unclear: Pr?] McPhelim
— 4 —
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2268 -
Petition of
Chebuctush Indians
against alienating
their Lands - seeds
&c -
Copy comd to Mr.
Merseroll 4th May 1848
Petition of
Chebuctush Indians
against alienating
their Lands - seeds
&c -
Copy comd to Mr.
Merseroll 4th May 1848