Beschreibung:

INDIAN TREATY, EASTON CONFERENCE, 1758]. CROGHAN, George (d.1782), Deputy Superintendent of Indian Affairs . Document signed ("Geo. Croghan," recto and verso), also signed by CONRAD WEISER (1696-1760), "Provincial Interpreter for Pennsylvania," Henry Montour "commonly called Andrew Montour, the King's Interpreter," AND BY TWENTY-ONE CHIEFTAINS OR SACHEMS of various Eastern tribes, including Thomas King "an Oneida Chief who spoke at this treaty in behalf of the five Younger Nations," Segosadon or Tagatshata, "a Seneca Chief or Sachem," and Tokahoya "a Cayuga Chief or Sachem" (several additional Sachems have signed additional endorsements on the verso); most of the Indian signatories have used personal marks or totems alongside small red wax seals, the Oneida Tokahoya has added a large drawing of a peace pipe surrounding his name; by this treaty, the Minisinks and Pomptons formally relinquish all claims to the lands constituting the northern portion of the province of New Jersey, in exchange for 1000 Spanish pieces of eight (£375). Signed at Easton, Pennsylvania, 23 October 1758 (additional signatures and endorsements on verso dated 28 October 1758). Large folio (29½ x 27½ in.) , ON FINE PARCHMENT, top edge neatly cut in a scalloped pattern, very minor discoloration at center fold, otherwise in excellent condition. Incorporating a carefully drawn map of New Jersey (5½ in. in height), in ink and red-brown watercolor, on which are labelled "The Tract released by the Minisinks" (comprising most of the northern third of the state), and "The Tract released by the Delawares" (comprising the southern two-thirds of the state), with major landmarks including Cape May, Sandy Hook, Paoqualin Mountain and Alamalunk Falls identified. AN IMPORTANT INDIAN TREATY FROM THE FAMOUS EASTON CONFERENCE, 1758, BY WHICH THE NATIVE TRIBES RELINQUISH ALL CLAIM TO THEIR ANCESTRAL LANDS IN THE ROYAL COLONY OF NEW JERSEY An exceptionally attractive document, recording a highly important treaty signed at the great Easton, Pennsylvania Conference of October 1758. This very significant convocation, organized by Croghan, Deputy Superintendant of Indian Affairs, was attended by some 507 Indian Chiefs and elders representing some 15 different woodland tribes. Several treaties were signed at this legendary Conference, including an agreement under which the colony of Pennsylvania returned to the Native American tribes certain lands ceded to them at a previous Conference. At this conference, French influence over the western tribes was significantly weakened, and "at Easton Indian attention was finally gripped by England's promise, approved and confirmed by the English ministry, that the territory west of the [Allegheny] mountains would be thereafter...reserved for Indian use and occupancy and that any former land claims held by any American province were by the same token annulled" (D. Van Every, Forth to the Wilderness: The First American Frontier, 1754-1774, , p. 95) Easton, at the forks of the Delaware River, had become a preferred site for treaty conferences between agents and officials of the British crown, officials of the middle colonies and Chieftains representing the Eastern woodland tribes (similarly, conferences with the more northerly tribes were usually held at Albany or Johnson Hall on the Mohawk River). In August, in response to increasing depredations against New Jersey settlers, particularly in the sparsely settled northwestern portion of the colony, Lt. Governor Francis Bernard addressed a formal message to the Minisink Tribe, and to Teedyuscung, a Delaware Sachem who had assumed a prominent role in recent negotiations with the colonists. In his letter, Bernard deplored "invasions lately made, on the inhabitants of this colony, and much bloodshed by Indians, suppos'd to be those of the Minisink or Pompton, who have resided within this colony" and authorized Teedyuscung to ask the Minisink and Pompton "to desist from hostilities" and to atte