Petition of Samuel Abraham, Sr. to the Massachusetts General Court

To the Honourable William Dummer, Esq., Lieutenant Governour and Commander in Chief in and over His Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, to the Honourable His Majesty's Council and House of Representatives in General Court Now Met and Assembled

The petition of Samuel Abraham, Indian of Natick in the County of Middlesex within His Majesty's said Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England humbly sheweth that whereas I have a great desire to live more like my Christian English neighbors than I have hitherto been able to do, being weary of living in a wigwam, it being also now very difficult getting materials anywhere near us whenwith to build wigwams so often as we are obliged to do it, one lasting but a few years, which puts me to very great difficulty as to living here at Natick, which is surrounded with English towns, and whereas I have a great desire to continue here under the Gospel, which I hope I should be able to do with more comfort and satisfaction, if by any means I could be able to build such an house, as the English live in (as well as some of my Indian neighbors) and not being able to build an house unless I may have leave to pay for it in land, and having a considerable quantity of vacant land, which I have not, nor am like to have any occasion to improve.  Your petitioner, therefore, humbly prays that Your Honour and this Honourable Court will please to give liberty and power to your humble petitioner to sell and confirm unto some Englishman who may undertake to build me an house, a parcel of land, meadow, or swamp to the quantity of twenty-two acres, lying in this said town of Natick for as much as it shall be judged to be worth to enable your humble petitioner to build an house in the English fashion and the rest of the money (if any remains) to be laid out, either in household stuff or a stock or other things as This Honourable Court shall please to order, which if Your Honour and [1] this Honourable Court shall see cause in your great wisdom and goodness to grant your humble petitioner.

As in duty bound shall ever pray, etc.

Samuel  Abraham, Sr.