http://oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/c83x8dxv Online items available Walking Purchase Collection mssWalking Gayle Richardson The Huntington Library February 2021 1151 Oxford Road San Marino, California 91108 [email protected] URL: http://www.huntington.org Walking Purchase Collection mssWalking 1 mssWalking Contributing Institution: The Huntington Library Title: Walking Purchase collection Identifier/Call Number: mssWalking Physical Description: 4.92 Linear Feet(2 boxes and 1 oversize box) Date (inclusive): 1700-1962 Date (bulk): 1727-1762 Abstract: A collection of correspondence and documents related to the Walking Purchase and the 1756-1758 Councils of Easton retained by the office of Pennsylvania's governor William Denny. Language of Material: Materials are in English. Conditions Governing Access Open for use by qualified researchers and by appointment. Please contact Reader Services at the Huntington Library for more information. Conditions Governing Use The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material, nor does it charge fees for such activities. The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the researcher. Preferred Citation [Identification of item]. Walking Purchase collection, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California. Immediate Source of Acquisition Purchased from Donald A. Heald Rare Books and Fine Art by the Library Collectors' Council, January 18, 2020. Biographical / Historical The Walking Purchase was an alleged agreement between the Penn family, the original proprietors of the Province of Pennsylvania in the colonial era, and the Lenape Native Americans (also known as the Delaware Indians). In 1737, Thomas and John Penn, Proprietors, presented the Delaware Indians with what they said was the 1686 treaty that entitled them to a tract extending "as far as a man can goe a day and a half." They then hired several men who ran, not walked, for a day and a half along a set course in the Lehigh Valley; this yielded a territory the size of Rhode Island (nearly 1,100 square miles or 1.2 million acres). The Delaware Indians tried to challenge the deal, only to be forced off their ancestral land in 1742. Their land was quickly sold off to settlers who poured into Pennsylvania, netting the Penn family a considerable fortune. Despite several inquiries at the Councils of Easton (1756-1758) as to the legality of the original Walking Purchase treaty it was declared authentic and on June 23, 1762, Chief Teedyuscung signed a statement acknowledging the legality of the Walking Purchase. Scope and Contents A collection of correspondence, documents, and maps related to the Walking Purchase and the Councils of Easton retained by the office of Pennsylvania's governor William Denny (in office from August 1756 to October 1759). The bulk of the collection consists of the records of the Council of Easton (August 1757) and the inquiry into the legality of the Walking Purchase authorized by Denny. It contains affidavits, sworn testimony, exhibits, memorandum, correspondence, and notes; this material includes original documents dating back to the time of the fraudulent land deal as well as some military correspondence. The collection also includes several documents and letters concerning Native American troubles on the frontier in the 1740s, along with their protests to the Proprietors over rum being sold to their people. Important persons in the collection include, among others, William Allen, Benjamin Chew, George Croghan, William Denny, Benjamin Franklin, James Hamilton, William Markham, Israel Pemberton, Thomas Penn, Richard Peters, Nicholas Scull, Teedyuscung (Delaware Chief), George Thomas, and Conrad Weiser. Almost all of the material in the collection is docketed and bears the initials or signatures of W. H. Rolph, followed by hyphenated numbers. The collection also contains oversize material and a small group of 20th century newspaper clippings about the Walking Purchase and the material in this collection. Processing Information The collection was processed by Gayle Richardson in 2021. The decision was made to retain the original spelling of place names, as written on the documents, in the titles on the folders and in the finding aid. Also, the documents and letters most often use the term "Indian" to refer to Native Americans. The original terms have been preserved in the titles of the material listed within the collection. The Native American tribes mentioned in the documents include Delaware, Shawnee, Lenape, Mingo, and Six Nations. The tribe names are preserved in item titles below as they appear in the documents; as of 2021, the peoples described refer to themselves as Delaware Tribe of Indians; Shawnee Tribe; Delaware Nation, Delaware Walking Purchase Collection mssWalking 2 mssWalking Tribe of Indians, Stockbridge-Munsee Community; Seneca-Cayuga Tribe of Oklahoma; and The Iroquois Confederacy. Arrangement Arranged chronologically. Existence and Location of Copies This collection has been digitized in its entirety and the digital reproductions are available in the Huntington Digital Library Subjects and Indexing Terms Delaware Indians -- History -- 18th century Delaware Indians -- Land tenure -- Pennsylvania -- History Indian land transfers -- Pennsylvania -- History Indians of North America -- Pennsylvania -- History Indians of North America -- Pennsylvania -- Government relations Quakers -- Pennsylvania -- History -- 18th century Pennsylvania -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 Pennsylvania -- Politics and Government -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 United States -- History -- French and Indian War, 1754-1763 Clippings (information artifacts) -- United States -- 20th century Legal documents -- United States -- 18th century Letters (correspondence) -- United States -- 18th century Manuscript maps -- United States -- 18th century Allen, William, 1704-1780 Chew, Benjamin, 1722-1810 Croghan, George, 1720?-1782 Denny, William, 1718- Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790 Hamilton, James, 1710-1783 Markham, William, 1635-1704 Pemberton, Israel, 1715-1779 Penn, Thomas, 1702-1775 Peters, Richard, 1704-1776 Scull, Nicholas, 1686?-1761? Tatamy, Moses Tunda, approximately 1690-1760 Teedyuscung, Delaware chief, 1700-1763 Thomas, George, 1695?-1774 Weiser, Conrad, 1696-1760 Pennsylvania. Militia. Pennsylvania Regiment Pennsylvania. Office of Lieutenant Governor Box 3, Folder 1 Deed for Indian lands along the Susquehannah River, signed by the Sachems of the Susquehannah River, granting to William Penn… 1700 September 13 Scope and Contents This copy of the 1735 exemplified copy was most likely made in 1757, during the Walking Purchase investigation. Box 3, Folder 2 Jonathan Harrison map of the land between the Delaware and Susquehanna Rivers, with Indian towns and trails identified 1719 June 7 Scope and Contents A manuscript map related to the boundary dispute between New York and New Jersey. Walking Purchase Collection mssWalking 3 mssWalking Box 1, Folder 1 Extracts from the Minutes of Property, concerning purchases of land from Delaware Indians by Nicholas Depue, Daniel Broadhead and others… 1727-1737 Scope and Contents Includes a true copy of a letter from James Logan to Joseph Wheeler concerning purchases from Native Americans. Box 3, Folder 3 Excerpt from the minutes of the Indian council at Philadelphia…between Governor Patrick Gordon and the Chiefs of the Delaware and Shawnee, regarding Susquehannah River lands 1728 June 5 Scope and Contents Excerpts from the minutes of the 1728 treaty council convened to deal with unauthorized settlements in the Delaware lands. Box 1, Folder 2 A List of the Goods which Sassoman alias Allummapi Sachem of the Skuykill Indians received in consideration of the Lands on Skuyhill… 1732 August 7-September 7 Scope and Contents Signed by Sasonan, Alalapis, Pesqueetan, Mayeemo by "his mark." Box 1, Folder 3 Thomas Penn note to James Steel approximately 1732-1735 Box 1, Folder 4 Tattemey letter to Thomas Penn 1732/1733 March 22 Scope and Contents This is a letter petitioning for the right to the land at the forks of the Delaware River. Box 3, Folder 4 Nicholas Scull map of the fork of the Delaware River approximately 1735 Scope and Contents This manuscript map was probably drawn for a 1732 deed. Box 1, Folder 5 Jacob Knykendal, et al., letter to Governor George Thomas 1740/1741 January 3 Scope and Contents This is a letter attesting to the character of Jacob Seaberring; signed by Jacob Kuykendall, Abraham van Campen, Nicholas Dupui and Jacobus Kuykendall. Box 1, Folder 6 Jacob Seaberring letter, Smithfield, to Governor George Thomas 1740/1741 January 3 Scope and Contents Letter is heavily water stained. Box 1, Folder 7 Chiefs of the Shawnee and Mingo Indians letter, Aleganie, to Governor George Thomas 1741 September 19 Scope and Contents With red wax seal. Letter is protesting that rum is being brought onto their lands by Edward Shippen's traders. Box 1, Folder 8 Governor George Thomas letter, Philadelphia, to the Chiefs of the Indians at Alleghany 1741 October 20 Scope and Contents Also includes a second copy; both copies also include the Chiefs' letter of September 19. Box 1, Folder 9 Summary of a letter from Heads of Proprietors 1756 December 11 Scope and Contents Letter from Thomas Penn to unidentified recipient, perhaps Richard Peters. Mentions William Denny, Thomas Pownall, Benjamin Franklin and his instructions from the General