1825 Miller County PetitionArkansas TerritoryThis petition can also be found transcribed on pages 136-142 of The Territorial Papers of the United States, The Territory of Arkansas 1825-1829, Volume XX, compiled and edited by Clarence Edwin Carter, Government Printing Office, 1954. Copies of the original 1825 Miller County, Arkansas Territory petition were a little harder to locate. A microcopy of the original petition is located on National Archives Microfilm Publications, Microcopy No. 234, Letters Received by the Office of Indian Affairs, 1824-81, Roll 29, Arkansas Superintendency, 1824-1834, The National Archives, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration, Washington, 1957. Special thanks to Mary Frances Ronan, Indian and Land Records, Archives 1 Reference Section, Research Services, National Archives, Washington for her assistance in locating the microfilm roll upon which the 1825 petition was located. A similar petition was submitted to the Governor of the Arkansas Territory in 1828. See a complete transcription of the 1828 Miller County Petiton here. The Reference section of the Clayton Library in Houston, Texas produced an excellent scan of both the 1825 and 1828 petitions as transcribed by Clarence Edwin Carter. Click here to read both petitions. *Montgomery County, Texas historians should notice Andrew Montgomery's signature on both petitions. In the 1820s, Andrew Montgomery was not operating a trading post in what is today Montgomery County, Texas. He was living in Miller County in the Arkansas Territory of the United States of America during the 1820s. PETITION TO THE PRESIDENT BY CITIZENS OF MILLER COUNTY
To the President of the United Sates The Petition of the undersigned Inhabitants of that Part of Miller County, in the Territory of Arkansas, ceded and confirmed to the Choctaw Nation of Indians, by Treaty made with them at Washington City, in the present Year (1825). Respectfully Sheweth.— That the tract of Country upon which Your Petitioners reside, was acquired by the United States from the Quapaw Nation of Indians by Treaty made with them about the Year 1818.—By which said Treaty, the said tract of Country became a part of the public Lands of the United States. And that the Legislature of the Territory of Missouri (within which the said tract of country was then situated) included the said tract of Country upon which Your Petitioners now reside, within the Civil Jurisdiction of Hempstead County of that Territory, by an Act of the legislature thereof (which has since been divided and Miller County erected out of the Western part of said County of Hempstead). That about the Year 1819, a part of the same public Lands upon which Your petitioners now reside, were under the authority of the United States surveyed into Townships, and subdivided into sections, as far as Ranges 38 and 39 West, and within about eight miles of the present western boundary of Arkansas Territory, as established by Act of Congress, and lately surveyed and marked. That on the 5th January 1819. (see accompanying document No 1.) by Authority of an order from the Secretary of War, a few Settlers that were on Red River above Kia Miche, and on the Arkansas above the Poto, were removed below, and East of those Rivers, to where no prohibition to settling then, or since, existed, and within a few Miles of which point (Kia-Miche on Red River) the public Lands were about that time, or soon afterwards surveyed into sections, as if to facilitate Settlers in acquiring titles to the Lands they choose to settle, in the usual way provided for by law. That under these encouragements by the Authorities of Government, there was an immediate and considerable Increase of the settlements at and below Kia Miche, on Red River, upon and near the lands surveyed into sections as aforesaid, most of which settlements were made with a view to being perminant, and improvements large and valuable. That Your Petitioners became greatly alarmed by a Treaty made with said Choctaw Nation of Indians at Dokes stand, about the year 1820, by which the country upon which Your Petitioners reside (together with other large extents of adjoining Territory) was then ceded to said Indians,—But were soon afterwards reconciled by assurances from the President of the United States, received by James Miller, Governor of Arkansas, that it was not the view or intention of the General Government, to remove any of the Settlers from the Lands then ceded to said Indians and that the then settled parts of said country so ceded to said Indians would be repurchased from them, which assurances have been by the Delegates of Congress from said Territory, frequently since that time renewed. And under which assurances, Your Petitioners became satisfied, and have continued enlarging their farms and improvements. Your petitioners further respectfully represent, that from the time of their first settlement where they now reside, Civil Government, and Civil Jurisdiction has been extended to them, and Courts of Law established and held, within the tract of Country lately ceded and confirmed to said Choctaw Indians by the aforesaid Treaty of the present year (1825) and that under the authority of an Act of Congress (passed 1824) granting rights of pre-emption for lands on which to establish permanent seats of Justice of New Counties, a quarter section of land had been selected by the proper commissioners of said County of Miller, and part of the public buildings contracted for. Under which assurances of protection and Civil Government a large number of Settlers (see accompanying Document No. 2) have continued to enlarge their improvements, plant Orchards, and increase their Stocks &c, up to the present time, and that now to abandon their plantations, and remove their families and property, is to them ruinous and impossible. Your Petitioners are aware, that the General Government have heretofore remove[d] from Indian lands, Citizens of the United States, who settled upon lands owned at the time of such settlments by Indians, Where the settlement at the beginning were upon Indian lands, but Your present Petitioners respectfully deny having settled upon Indian lands: They settled upon the public lands of the United States, where settlments were not prohibited by any order of the Government, where part of the public lands were surveyed into sections (a thing Never done for Indian purposes) and where, after the same country was first ceded to the Choctaws, the people have had assurances from the highest Authority, that the settled parts of said Country should be repurchased, and Your Petitioners afforded an opportunity of acquiring titles to their possessions, in the way that the Settlers upon the public lands have usually done , in Ohio, Indiana, Illinoise, Missouri, Alabama &c. Yet notwithstanding all the foregoing circumstances and assurances, Your Petitioners are now informed, that the lands they now occupy, are ceded and confirmed to said Choctaw indians, and that Your Petitioners are shortly to be removed from their farms, without payment or recompence for their improvements, to give Place to Indians!! An Act that would have no example in any civilized Government, under the same circumstances which these settlements were made. An improved Country of Citizens where they have had the protection of Civil laws and Civil Government for more than six succesive Years, to be ceded by their Government to a Nation of Indians, has, it is believed , No examples. These settlements, not having been commenced upon the lands of the Choctaw Indians, but upon the public Lands of the United States, then surveying for market, still claim the same protection of the same laws and Government, under the faith of which they commenced their settlements. To be forced and driven by our own Government from the farms and improvements we have laboured for years to make, for the support of our families, in order to give place to Indians, would under all the circumstances and assurances before mentioned, appear so unjust and unprecedented, and to the Settlers so ruinous, that its enforcement would produce the greatest possible excitement. Your Petitioners therefore respectfully ask of Your Excellency to suspend the survey of the eastern boundary of Territory, lately ceded to said Choctaw Indians, and to suspend the time of giving said Indians possession of said Territory, and cause to be re-purchased from them, the parts of said Territory settled and improved by Citizens of the United States, as aforesaid East of the Kia-Miche on red River, and of the Poto on Arkansas, where settlements by Citizens has never been prohibited, but approbated and encouraged as before mentioned. As Your Petitioners in duty bound will ever pray Petitioners Names Aaron Coe.— Bailey English Jesse Cheek Joseph English Micajah Reder Solomon Moffitt John Swagerty Allon Rains Thomas Gatathite Thomas Wafer jun Thomas Wafer Snr Mabry Wafer Josiah Trent John Trent Rucker Tanner joseph Porter John J Mors Lewis Potter Zachariah Thompson Wesley Tollett Elijah Tollett James Watt Walter Hogon Henry Tollett Henry K Brown Asa Hartfield James R, Brown Travis G Wright John Hinds—10 John Adams D Clark Johnston Bowers Jonathan Poole Franklin Greenwood John Greenwood Joel Greenwood Henry B Greenwood Philip Henson Nathaniel More—10 William Hensley Thomas More John Tucker Thomas J Garner Nicholas Porter Samuel Strickland John Green— Butler Roberts Otho, B Cocke Paul Scarbrough—10 John farley Adam Hampton Thomas Owen Wm Slingland Wilobe Sparks Will Woods Joshua Ewing Jessey keliher George Wilson Maurice Pendergast Arther Leebe— Lewis Boatright Alexander Linch Mathew Sparks— Thos Boatright William Modglan David Gutman Philip Tramell Allon Miller Thomas Linch Thomas P French Joseph French
Amos Strickland Wm Brice Jr James Amburn Thomas Cheser David Fraser Taylor Polk Thomas Tramel James Polk Ruland Polk William Bradford James S. Hanks— Richard Stiles John Emmerson Allen Carter John Will Elijah Carter Ad. Chr. Hartung Joseph Reed John Stiles James Harrell. Joel Harrell Isaac Harrell Timothy Harrell Joshua Harrell Hodg P Raburn Jacob Nidever George nidever Mark nidever Mitchel crownover Joseph Adkison David Frame Joseph Jenkins Willam Stiles Jesse Perkins Patrick T Carnall William Forsyth Absolom Sparks Jnr Isaac N Charles William Brice Junior Peter Miller John Morton Samuel Brice James Brice Jas Clark T. B. Ballard John McVay John Kerley John Wood Noah Reeder Samuel Guthry Thomas Guthry William Guthry Gorge Lawrence Jams Lawrence Walter Poole David G Strickland Ezra McElvey Maurice Pendergast Hugh McElvey David lawrence Wyat Hanks Jas Strickland Amos Strickland Jas McElvey John Hudson Adam Lawrence Junr John Chumney Ambrose Hilburn Joseph Clark John Deck— Joseph Deck John Roberts Luke Robberts John Wolsey Wreding Robberts ElsBerry Sparks John Woolsey Jonathan Franklin James Smith Sen A: Hanscom Elijah Reid— Charles Curtiss Abram Tidell G. G McKinny Thos Potter J. C. Ragsdall James Smith Junior Samul. S. Fench M Rulong Absolam Sparks I.G. Pennington Nathl Dixon Wm Porter— B L Kavanaugh William Long Isaack Murphy George Carlton John H. Fowler Benjamin Crownover G. C Wetmore Jas Furguson— Jacob Black George F. Lawton John Ring John Edmondson Joshua Calloway William Montgomery B. Gooch Andrew Montgomery W. P. Ferguson L. M. Rice David Clap Jacob Shurley Nathaniel Mare Junior Evritt Edwars Stephen Wiley Jun. Thomas Wiley Holawar Noll Clark, Robinson Y E Bradshaw John Newman Daniel Conner Thos Coil Ralph Shelton Bengeman Geames Asa Blankinship Roabit Slaven Joseph James Stephen Wingate Thomas Swagerty Isaac Landers Abrm Landers John Lackey Mark Lewis Jane Brown, Margaret Tollett Pharoah Kitchen Preston Kitchen Clayborn Wright William Fagan A Carnall Silas C Blair Hiram Tidwell J H Carnall Partrick Carnall E G blair James Brown— Leonard M Simpson William King J. G. W. Pierson John Noll Thos Barrow William Harse Larken Noll Elizabeth Denton Samuel French John Ball Levi C. French—10 Samuel Moren Abram Ogdon Cornelius Martin John Robins Alexr O. Wetmore Nathaniel Robbins John Dunlop Lewis, B. Dayton William Humphry William Woods—10 James J. Ward Sr— James J. Ward, Jun— Joshua Robbins Hugh B. Shaw Alfred Sain James Burkm J E Hopkins Ed Hopkins Benjamin Polk Richd Harvey Danl Wilson John Oniell Hiram Tidwell David Tramell Dennis Tramell Ritchard Boatright Mongomer Roberson William Brice Snr John Bowman henry nidever James Lawrence Jesse Robinson James gillelad Richard Wilson Edward Taylor John Lawrence Wiat Anderson Samuel Brown Benjamin Rains Richard boatright Daniel gilleland James Rains Daniel Wilson Adam Laurance Jesse Shelton James Andeson William Shelton G. N. Martin Matthew Martin Jessey Moren Jason Pate Eligah Cutbuth Martin g. Noll Thomas Paterson William Noll Samuel Clark James Hall Silus Rogers John McMurry Joseph Green William Collins John Spurlock James Taylor Samuel Wyley Cornelius Wiley Isaack Tyler Willis McConn Charles Moore Samuel Burnam John Dollarhide William Bartlet George Halbrook David umphry Andrew Dollarhide A. H. Ash Young Bradshaw Sherod Bradshaw Absalam Bauren Francis Hopkins Henry Wyatt Seign Henry Watt Junior N. Thomes George T Boren [Endorsed] Petition of sundry inhabitants of Miller County in Arkansas Territory, praying that measures be adopted to relieve them of the difficulties under which they are placed by the late treaties with the Choctaws, giving them lands in Arkansas. |