Memorial of the Mohegan Indians

Memorial for the Mohegan Indians Humbly Offered to the Governor and Assembly of Connecticut, May 26, 1758

For several years past we have suffered much by some of our tenants on account of their bad fences.  Our tribe now begins to taste the sweets of agriculture and our stocks increase but, as there is division subsisting amongst us, numbers has no regard to the sachem and his council but does what is right in their own eyes in order therefore to promote industry peace and order amongst us.  We find it absolutely necessary to have a guardian that has leisure time to visit us frequently and by his advice, direction, and interposition promote the valuable ends above mentioned.  We, therefore, pray the Assembly to appoint Pygan Adams, Esq., or Colonel Lee to be one of our overseers in room of Mr. Richards, whom we don’t love1, overseers.  We pray that our two good overseers, Colonel Huntington[5] and Captain Griswold[6], may be continued to us, as they are faithful and serviceable, though they are buried with public business that they can’t give us that attendance our affairs require, which is the reason for our applying for one that has more leisure time.  This tribe early took up arms against their own nation in defense of the English and has ever since continued firm and unshaken, and constantly gone with the English to war, and many of us this year has gone and more a’ going.  Therefore, we pray we may be indulged in having one of these gentlemen added to the number of our overseers or put in the room of Mr. Richards, in hopes that this reasonable request will be granted, as your memorialists shall ever pray, etc.

Benjamin Uncas[7]

Zachary Johnson[8], his mark

Simon Choychoy[9], his mark

John Tantaquidgeon[10]

Moses Meazon[11]

Jacob Horsecoat[12], his mark

Jacob Horsecoat, Jr.[13], his mark

            Post Script:                  This tribe also has allowed King’s highway through their fields.  They

are ignorant what is allowed as damages for the same to private persons, but as the General Court passed an act for said highways through our fields, we pray they would consider what they judge needful to allow this tribe for damage and order either the town or country to pay what they shall think just, for we think it reasonable we should be allowed the same as private persons are in like circumstances.  This signed by our order and in our name by our sachem, Benjamin Uncas

It is reported that the Town of Norwich would given us a hundred pounds for the highway if we had not petitioned for it gratis.

            Notation:                      Indians

Legislative Action:        In the Upper House, Mr. Pygan Adams of New London is appointed  

one of, and added to, those gentlemen who now sustain the trust of overseers of the Mohegan Indians by the direction of the Assembly of this colony, and a proper bill in form is ordered to be brought in accordingly.  Test, George Wyllys[14], Secretary.  Concurred in the Lower House.  Test, Jabez Huntington[15], Clerk

                                                Petition the Mohegan Tribe to the Assembly / May 1758 / Memorial of

the Mohegan Indians / May 1758 / Passed Upper House / Passed Lower House / Bill / Passed Upper House / June 8 a.m. / Passed Lower House / Entered

Cataloguing:                99, 100

• 1. Deleted text:  or at least add one of the gentlemen to the number of our