Information of Josiah Edson and John Turner, Guardian of the Indians in Plymouth County, to the Massachusetts General Court
To His Excellency Francis Bernard, Esq., Captain General and Governour in Chief in and over His Majesty’s Province of the Massachusetts in New England and Vice Admiral of the Same, The Honorable, His Majesty’s Council and House of Representatives in General Court Assembled at Boston the 30th of December 1767
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The information1 of Josiah Edson and John Turner, two of the guardians of the Indians in the County of Plymouth humbly sheweth that on the eighth day of March 1757, Patience Thomas, Abigail Osgood, and Caleb Brand of the Indian Tribe at Mattakeeset within the Township of Pembroke in said county by liberty obtained of the General Court and with the assistance and consent of the then guardians sold at that place, one hundred and seventy acres and an half of land to Nehemiah Cushing and Israel Turner2 of said Pembroke at eight pounds two shillings old tenor per acre. The quantity of the said tract of land was ascertained by a surveyor whole skill and faithfulness was not suspected in the least, but the said lands have been lately resurveyed in a careful manner, and 3 turn out but one hundred and forty-four acres, one quarter and ten rods, 4 and as the said land was purchased by the acre, it appears to the said guardians just and reasonable that the said purchasers, heirs, or assigns be reimbursed such a sum of money with the interest, as what the land falls short would amount to at the price it was sold for. The said guardians would observe that there remains in their hands of the said purchase, the sum of one hundred twenty-one pounds, five shillings and 10.2 pence (£121.5:10.2), and beg Your Excellencies’ and Honours’ direction and order in the premises.
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Postscript: |
P.S. The said Nehemiah sold his interest to the said Israel soon after the purchase and the said Israel is deceased. John Turner, Josiah Edson |
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Legislative Action: |
In the House of Representatives, February 19, 1768. Upon the information of Josiah Edson and John Turner, two of the guardians of the Indians in the County of Plymouth. It appearing that the facts set forth in said information and the plan accompanying the same are true. Resolved that the Guardians of the Indians in said County of Plymouth be, and hereby are, directed to repay (out of the money in their hands belonging to Patience Thomas) unto those heirs of Israel Turner, deceased,5 to whom the right of those lands belong, in and by the last will and testament of the said Israel, the sum of forty-six pounds, eighteen shillings, and eleven pence, being the exact sum, with the interest that the land falling short amounts to at the price it was sold for. Sent up for concurrence, Thomas Cushing, Speaker |
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In Council, February 20, 1768. Read and concurred. Jonathan Cotton, Deputy Secretary. Consented to Francis Bernard |
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Cataloguing: |
447, 448 |
- 1. Deleted Text: remonstrance
- 2. Israel Turner was a cousin of John Turner. Their fathers were brothers. 7. Jacob Turner, Genealogy of the Descendants of Humphrey Turner (Boston, MA: David Turner, Jr., 1852), 8, 23.
- 3. Deleted Text: the said land
- 4. Deleted Text: and the said
- 5. Israel Turner died on September 24, 1760. Henry W. Litchfield, Ancient Landmarks of Pembroke (Pembroke, MA: George Edward Lewis, 1909), 36.