Report and Act concerning Niantic Indians
To the Honorable, the General Assembly, convened at New Haven October second Thursday 1734
Whereas, Your Honors in May last by your act did appoint us, the subscribers, to enquire into some wrongs complained of by the Niantic Indians in the Town of Lyme, that they supposed they had suffered from the English, and likewise to take care that the said Indians be quieted in their just rights in their lands at said place, and the bounds, thereof well established and fixed.
According to Your Honors’ appointment, we have repaired to said Niantic, viewed the Indian lands there, and heard the owners of the lands adjoining to the said lands, in reference to the premises and likewise what the Indians do object, etc., and we find the quantity of the Indians Niantic lands to be three hundred acres, and by the agreement of the said owners, and the said Indians, as well as by the testimony of sufficient witnesses, we find the bounds of said three hundred acres to be as followeth: beginning at John Prentice’s land, being the meerstone between said Prentice’s and the said Indian land, and from thence, running west to a black oak (or red oak) tree marked with stones lying by the roots standing by the fence, and from thence, running northerly to a lot that was formerly called Clark’s lot, and then turning easterly by the line of said lot forty eight rods to the southeast corner of said lot, and then turning northerly twenty four rods, which is the breadth of said lot, and then turning west forty eight rods, and then the line turneth northerly to a walnut tree marked with stones lying at the roots thereof, which tree is the northeast corner of a lot called Marvin’s lot, and then the line turneth westerly about three rods to a heap of stones, which is the southeast corner of land now in the tenor of Thomas Manwaring’s, formerly called Christophers’ lot, and from said corner the line runneth northerly to the head of the swamp, which head of the swamp is near, or about northeast from said Manwaring’s house where the run of water passeth into said swamp, and then by said run of water unto the salt marsh or meadow, and so by the said marsh and upland to the great brook or creek to the Indian well near the side of the brook, and then the line turneth near east to the west end of the ditch fence, and then the line proceedeth easterly or northeasterly by the said ditch, and the fence unto the stone wall and by the stone wall to John Champlin’s garden, and then the line turneth southeast three degrees east nearest, by a ditch to the salt water, and
so by the salt water to the first mentioned corner.
And the Indians did complain they had been wronged by the English people’s cattle, breaking into their fields, and that they were wronged under the pretense of the English having the herbage on their land, and that the English had encroached by fencing on their lands, as to the first, we hope that complaint will not be any more mentioned, for the Indians have now got a pound, as to the second we could not so well look into that matter, for want of the records, which were not to be had at this place, but we fear the Indians have been wronged, and as to the third complaint, in reference to the encroachment, we suppose now the line is settled, that the fences will be set in the proper place, and that grievance come to an end.
All which is submitted by Your Honor’s humble servants,
Lyme June 14, 1734
Legislative Action: Committee report and Assembly act concerning Niantic Indians / October 1734 / Passed both Houses / Entered
Cataloguing: 197, 168