Petitioner of Dexter and Sarah L. Gigger to the Massachusetts General Court

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General Court Assembled

The petition of Dexter Gigger of Cambridge in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth aforesaid, humbly shews that he is one of the Hassanamisco or Grafton Tribe of Indians, so called, as will appear on reference to the report to the Governor and Council concerning the Indians of this Commonwealth under the act of April 6, 18591 by Honorable John Milton Earle, Commissioner, that your petitioner with his wife Sarah L. Gigger are now more than forty-three years old, that they are in destitute circumstances and have for some time past been unable to earn a support, although willing to work, they have not been fortunate the past season in obtaining employment for the necessaries of life.  Your petitioner has always borne a good character for honesty and sobriety wherever he has been known, which he is ready to verify.  Your petitioner therefore humbly asks that Your Honorable Body will look with favour on his case, and render him such assistance to you may seem fit from any funds at your disposal to be appropriated for the benefit of the aforementioned tribe.               

And as in duty bound will ever pray  

• 1. An Act Concerning The Indians of the Commonwealth, Chapter 266. Approved, April 6, 1859. Earle's response, Senate Document No. 61, Report to the Governor and Council, concerning the Indians of the Commonwealth, under the act of April 6, 1859, informally known as the Earle Report, was published in 1861.