Caughnawaga (Kahnawá:ke) Settler accounts to 1900 Curated by Chris Willmore Table of Contents The 18th Century ...........................................................................................................................5 “To renew their Friendship with us” (December, 1734) ...................................................................................... 5 The conference at Deerfield (August, 1735) ........................................................................................................ 5 “To treat about some publick Affairs” (February, 1738) .................................................................................... 10 “The least that ought to be paid for a Prisoner” (August, 1754) ....................................................................... 12 “The strongest assurances of our good will” (September, 1766) ...................................................................... 13 After Confederation ..................................................................................................................... 16 “Constant strife about the sale of lands” (March, 1868) ................................................................................... 16 “Too small for their increased numbers” (December, 1875) ............................................................................. 17 “We are at present the wards of the nation” (January, 1879) ........................................................................... 17 The 1879 harvest at Caughnawaga (September, 1879) ..................................................................................... 19 “Canadian squatters” (January, 1880) ................................................................................................................ 19 “Vacate immediately” (January, 1880) ............................................................................................................... 19 “The agitation at Caughnawaga” (January, 1880) .............................................................................................. 20 “There have long been two parties” (January, 1880) ........................................................................................ 20 “Deadly enemies of Indian emancipation” (January, 1880) ............................................................................... 22 An account of the fatal fire (May, 1878) ............................................................................................................ 24 “It contains every possible fault” (February, 1880) ........................................................................................... 25 “The intention was to educate and civilize” (February, 1880) ........................................................................... 28 “We established odious distinctions” (March, 1880)......................................................................................... 29 “Expulsion from the reserve” (March, 1880) ..................................................................................................... 30 “The habit in Caughnawaga” (July, 1880) .......................................................................................................... 35 “Intelligent well-to-do people” (July, 1880) ....................................................................................................... 35 “That the lands be properly divided” (August, 1880) ........................................................................................ 36 “The condition of the Indians” (September, 1880) ............................................................................................ 37 “Joseph Williams has tendered his resignation” (October, 1880) ..................................................................... 39 “White settlers on the Indian reservation” (October, 1880) ............................................................................. 40 “Without the permission of the Superintendent” (November, 1880) ............................................................... 46 “To dismiss their farmers and servants” (March, 1881) .................................................................................... 47 “The tribe is more prosperous” (October, 1881) ............................................................................................... 49 “Demonstrating their civilization” (July, 1882) .................................................................................................. 51 “There is no use in being troubled” (August, 1882) ........................................................................................... 51 “A ploughing match” (April, 1883) ..................................................................................................................... 52 “To the advantage of the whites” (June, 1883) ................................................................................................. 53 “Eviction at Caughnawaga” (July, 1883) ............................................................................................................. 53 Sir John A. Macdonald’s report (1884) ............................................................................................................... 53 The death of Grand Chief Williams (May, 1885) ................................................................................................ 54 “My first report on the Caughnawaga Indians” (August, 1885) ......................................................................... 55 “An acceptance of expulsion” (July, 1886) ......................................................................................................... 56 “A proper and just division” (July, 1886) ............................................................................................................ 56 “Peace and harmony on the reserve” (August, 1886) ....................................................................................... 57 “Allotment of the new thirty-acre land lots” (September, 1886) ...................................................................... 58 Toward a New Century ................................................................................................................. 58 “At whose request?” (June, 1887)...................................................................................................................... 58 “To the friends of the Government only” (June, 1887)...................................................................................... 59 “A reasonable indemnity” (June, 1887) ............................................................................................................. 59 “Order and quietness” (August, 1887) ............................................................................................................... 60 “Transported back two hundred years” (November, 1887) .............................................................................. 60 “Generally very good” (August, 1888)................................................................................................................ 61 2 “Only completed last season” (March, 1889) .................................................................................................... 61 “Unbreakable but pleasant bonds” (November, 1889) ..................................................................................... 62 “How much does the Government pay”? (January, 1890) ................................................................................ 63 “These parties are not under security” (February, 1890) .................................................................................. 63 “The undertaking would have a beneficial effect” (March, 1890) ..................................................................... 64 “Now reside on their holdings” (August, 1891) ................................................................................................. 64 “The terms of their contracts” (September, 1891) ............................................................................................ 65 The death of Big Baptiste (December, 1891) ..................................................................................................... 65 “A fine house and an expensive barn” (August, 1892) ...................................................................................... 65 “The National Policy has done wonders” (January, 1893) ................................................................................. 66 The death of Chief Thomas Jocks (March, 1893) ............................................................................................... 67 “Please direct this child to New York City” (April, 1893).................................................................................... 67 “The last of the pure blooded Iroquois” (April, 1894)........................................................................................ 67 “No right whatever” (February, 1895) ............................................................................................................... 67 “Repairs were made to roads and bridges” (August, 1895) ............................................................................... 68 “One of the most impressive ceremonies” (September, 1895) ......................................................................... 69 “Encroachment on his property” (April, 1896) .................................................................................................