1652 Pilgrim Land Agreement With the Indians. A retained copy of a land agreement between Pilgrim leaders, including William Bradford, John Standish, Thomas Southworth, John Winslow, and John Cook, and Native Americans Wasamequin and his son, Wamsutta, 2 pages (recto/verso), New Plymouth, Nov. 29, 1652. John Winslow and John Cook signed the original document and Wamsutta made his mark. Witnesses were Jonathan Shaw and Samuel Eddy and the docket reads, "original Deed of Dartmouth." The laid, watermarked paper has numerous edge chips,and much of the lower horizontal fold is separated; one small area of paper loss affects two words and old residue at top verso affects two words; still boldly written and easily read.
In part: "Know all men by these presents that I Wasamequin and Wamsutta my son have sold unto Mr Wm Bradford, Capt. John Standish, Thomas Southworth, John Winslow, John Cook and their associates…all the tracts or tract of land lying three miles eastward from a river called Cushnett to a certain harbour called Acoaksett … and from the sea upward to go so high that the English may not be annoyed by the hunting of the Indians in any sort of their cattle; and I Wasamequen and Wamsutta do promise to Remove all the Indians within a year from the date hereof that do live in the said tract. And we the said Wasamequin and Wamsutta have fully barganed and sold unto the aforsaid Mr Wm Bradford, Capt. Standish, Thomas Southworth, John Winslow, John Cook, and the rest of their associates, the purchasers or old comes. To have and to hold for them, their heirs and assigns for ever; And in consideration hereof we the abovementioned; are to pay to the said Wasamequin and Wamsutta as followeth: Thirty yeards of cloth, -- eight moose skins-- fifteen axes-- fifteen pair of breeches-- eight blankets two kettles--one cloak. 2£ in wampum, eight pair of stockings-- eight pair of shoes-- one iron pot and ten shilling in other commodities; and In Witness whereof we have interchangably set our hands the day and year above-written."
Dartmouth, Massachusetts was settled around November 1652. The original purchase was made on or about March 7, 1652, the share of each of the 34 proprietors being 3,200 acres, for a total of 108,800 acres.
John Winslow (1597-1674) arrived in Plymouth in 1621 on the Fortune; he became one of the wealthiest merchants in Boston. William Bradford (1590-1657) arrived on the Mayflower and was elected 30 times as governor of Plymouth Colony. Thomas Southworth (1617-69) was his stepson. John Cooke died in 1695; he was the last surviving male passenger of the Mayflower. Captain Myles Standish (1584-1656) was a military officer who arrived on the Mayflower and was the commander of Plymouth Colony's militia. Wassamequin, also known as Massasoit, was the sachem of the Pokanoket and signed a treaty with John Carver, then Governor of Plymouth, in 1622. After Massasoit's death (c. 1660), Wamsutta (his American name was Alexander) became sachem. Wamsutta's suspicious death in 1662 was one of the factors which caused his brother, Metacom (whose American name was Philip), to lead one of the bloodiest and costliest wars in American history: King Philip's War (1675-76).
Estimated Value $10,000 - 15,000.
Colonial and Revolutionary America
