Petition of Daniel Fellows, Jr. , Guardian of the Chappaquiddick and Christiantown Indians, to the Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives

To His Excellency Levi Lincoln, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and to the Honourable Council          

The undersigned, Guardian of the Indians and people of colour resident at Chappaquiddick and Christiantown in Duke’s County, in behalf of said Indians, humbly begs leave to represent that the lands belonging to said Indians and people of colour have been divided under the provisions of the Act of 10^th of March 1828,1 except about eighty acres at Chappaquiddick and twenty acres at Christiantown, which land at the latter place was laid out in three different parcels.  These tracts were reserved by the Commissioners who made the division for the support of the poor among said Indians but will be unavailable for this purpose until enclosed by a fence, which is at present wholly wanting at said Christiantown, and the Indians are without the means of effecting this object.   In June last, the Guardian received from the Commonwealth an appropriation of one hundred and fifty dollars for the purpose of fencing the aforesaid reservations, he has already expended about one hundred and thirty dollars of this sum for materials for the fence at Chappaquiddick, which will be erected early in the Spring.  That the three reservations at Christiantown, amounting to three hundred and sixty-eight rods in circumference, are yet unenclosed and must ever remain so, unless Government will again extend her liberal hand and administer to the necessities of these poor and much injured Indians.               

The Guardian, therefore, humbly and earnestly, in behalf of said Indians, prays, that Your Excellency would grant a warrant on the Treasury for the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars, for the encouragement and assistance of these Indians and people of colour at Christiantown.  The former appropriation being but barely sufficient to complete the fence at Chappaquiddick, the Guardian is under the necessity of asking for an additional appropriation to be expended in fencing the aforesaid reservation at Christiantown, which is considered by said Guardian as within the spirit and meaning of the Resolve of 10^th of March 1827.               

And as in duty bound will every pray,

Guardian of said Indians

• 1. An Act for the better regulation, instruction and government of the Indians and People of Colour in the County of Dukes County, Chapt. 114, Acts and Resolves (Massachusetts, 1827), 682-637