Memorial of the Niantic Indians

We, the subscribers, being mutually chosen by the tribe of Indians at Niantic in Lyme on the one part and Edward Champlin, Joseph Smith, etc., of said Lyme on the other part, to settle and determine a controversy subsisting between said parties respecting a piece of land lying in said Niantic, commonly known by the name of the Upper Hundred Acres, and is part of a large tract of land formerly granted to Joseph1 and Jonathan Bull of Hartford and by them conveyed to Nehemiah Smith, Esq., of Groton wherein said parties agree to be concluded as to the ancient bounds of said tract by our judgment on the bounds mentioned in said deed from said Joseph2 and Jonathan Bull to said Nehemiah Smith, and that the said land be then equally divided by us for quantity and quality, which settlement, when so made by us, the parties agree to stand by and acquiesce in, and shall put a final end to any further controversy respecting said lands and, having met at said Niantic on the 8th day of April 1762, the parties, being all present, we viewed said lands and heard all their talks and debates respecting said lands and agreed to bound and divide the said land as follows, viz., beginning on the west side at the head of the creek at a spring about one rod northwestward of Indian Jo’s house, from thence east 31^o south one hundred and twenty rods a straight line across the neck to a point of rocks on Niantic Bay, said hundred acres lying on the north side of said line and bounded east on said Niantic Bay, north on said Champlin’s land and west on the brook which runs into the creek.

Which piece of land we divide between the parties by a straight line beginning at a cherry tree with stones about it, standing under the hill about thirty rods west from said Champlin’s dwelling house and about one rod east of a gate and bars going into Black Point, thence running south 3^o west one hundred forty-eight rods to a heap of stones in the line above described, which divides the upper from the middle hundred acres and is about eleven rods westward from the point of rocks abovementioned,  The said Indians to have all the lands on the west side this line and the said Champlin, etc., to have all the land on the east side of said line, excepting and reserving to the Indians the perpetual use of their burying place, which is on that part of said tract to bury their dead.  And whereas the highway down to Black Point is on the Indians’ part of land in this division, we would signify that a proper allowance hath been made to them in this division therefor.  All which we have done according to our best judgment and skill, the rules of equity and justice, and to the general satisfaction of the parties,

Referees

• 1. Deleted Text: David
• 2. Deleted Text: David
• 3. Deleted Text: Hartford
• 4. Deleted Text: May
• 5. Deleted Text: Leathercoat
• 6. Deleted Text: May
• 7. Deleted Text: May