Petition of Joseph Aaron and Others to the Massachusetts General Court
To the Honorable the Great and General Court of the Commonwealth of the Massachusetts Now Sitting In Boston1
The petition the Indians of Hassanamisco, alias Grafton, humbly sheweth that whereas Our Honorable General Court has appointed trustees over us In order to pay us our interest money that is due to us by the sale of our lands in Hassanamisco, alias Grafton, which interest we, your petitioners, were to receive annually forever, which we did receive up until within this seven years last past and now this six or seven years last past have not received one-quarter part of our interest so due to us.
Wherefore, we, your petitioners, pray the Honorable Court in their2 known wisdom take this our humble petition and in their wisdom point a way whereby we may receive our interest that is kept from us.
And we, your petitioners as in duty bound shall ever pray,
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Endorsement: |
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Legislative Action: |
Resolve on the petition of Joseph Aaron and other Indians of Grafton direction the Trustees to lay their accounts before the General Court for allowance and directing Nathaniel Sherman to serve the Trustees with a copy of the petition and enter thereon. November 5, 1785 / The Petition of Grafton Indians / 4 Mr. Moody / Mr. Jenkins / Mr. Thompson5 6 |
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Copy: |
1 Copy 36 |
- 1. An imperfect copy, presumably transcribed in the nineteenth century, exists in the John Milton Earle Papers, 1652-1863, Collection at the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester, Massachusetts.
- 2. In the American Antiquarian Society copy, the following words are omitted: "known wisdom take this our humble petition and in their"
- 3. Burnee was claiming through his second wife, Abigail Printer, daughter of Ami Printer, an original Indian proprietor of Hassanamisco
- 4. Deleted Text: Mr. Prentiss et al.
- 5. While these men served on the committee, because of multiple legislators with a similar last name, their personal identities are currently unclear.
- 6. Resolves 1785, c. 36, passed November 5, 1785