Materials

Paper and ink.

Techniques or Format

Written with a quill pen, accompanied by old fashioned typewritten transcription.

Motifs and Patterns

Totemic signatures/clan emblens of animal motifs: moose, wolf, and bear paw.

Additional Context

Totemic signatures/clan marks

Description of Writing/Text

Manuscript 1: negative, in 2 pages

By an Order of His Majesty & Council dated at St. James’s May the 4th 1768 Transmitted to the Honourable Thomas Gage Major General and Commander in Chief of all His Majesty’s Forces in North America &a &a Ordering that he shall put Lieut. George McDougall late of the 60th. Regiment in Possession of Hog Island Situated and lying in Detroit River Three Miles above the Fort of Detroit. Provided that can be done without Umbrage to the Indians & upon Consideration that the Improvements projected by the Petitioner be directed to the more easy and Effectual supply of His Majesty’s Fort & Garrison maintained at Detroit. The Commander in Chief having Transmitted the same to George Turnbull Esq.r Capt. In the 60th Regiment Commanding at Detroit that he shall see the same [at this point in the manuscript there is a totemic image of a deer. Long neck, square ears, opposing front and back legs and upright linear tail written over the left side of the manuscript itself, looks like bleed through from the deer on the second page of the manuscript, signed by Oketchewandng] executed by being present when the said George McDougall shall receive a deed from the Indians for the said Island &c.

By virtue of the above [just above this word a mark appears, bleedthrough of totemic signature of that on the second page of the manuscript of Couttanyin] order This Indenture made by and between Lieut. George McDougall late of the 60th Regiment of the one part And Oketchewandng, Couttanyin, Ottowachkin, [at this point there is a break in the manuscript by a full and indented space, and the totemic image described above ends] Chiefs of the Ottawas & Chipawa Nations of Indians in the other part do for our selves and by the Consent [at this point there is a mark that is the bleedthrough of the totemic signature of the moose from the second page] of the whole of the said Nation of Indians, Witnesseth that the said Chiefs for and in Consideration of Five barrls of Rum, three Rolls of Tobaco, three lbs. Of Vermill.n & a Belt of Wampum And Three Barrels of Rum & three lb of paint when possession was taken valued ₤ 194:10s Current money of the Province of New York to them in hand paid the Receipt whereof the said Indian Chiefs doth hereby Acknowledge, Hath Granted Bargained Sold Alienated and Confirmed, And by these presents do hereby Grant Bargain sell Alien and Confirm unto the said George McDougall his Heirs and Assigns forever the Aforesaid Island that he may Settle Cultivate or otherways imploy to His Majesty’s Advantage as he shall think proper the Aforesaid Island in Detroit River about Three Miles above the Fort, Together with all the Houses Out Houses and Appurtenances whatsoever on the said island Messuage or Tenement and premises belonging or in any way Appertaining: And also the Reversion and Reversions, Remainder And Remainders Rents and Services of the said premises And ever part thereof, And all the Estate Right, Title, Claim and Demands whatsoever of them the said Indians, Off in and to the said Messuage Tenement and Premisses and every part thereof to have and to hold the said Messuage or tenement And all and Singular the said Premises abovementioned and every part and parcell thereof with the Appurtenances unto the said George McDougall His Heirs and Assigns for ever, And we the abovementioned Chiefs do hereby engage ourselves, Our Heirs, Our Nations, Executors, Administrators and Assigns for ever to Warrant and Defend the property of the said Island unto the said Georg McDougall, his Heirs, Executors Administrators and Assigns for ever Against us or any person whatever Claiming any Right or Title thereto.

Ottowachkin (totemic signature of a moose, with name inscribed along back of moose: drooping snout, wide rack, ungulate feet)

Couttanyin (totemic signature of bear paw? Name inscribed underneath)

Oketchewandng (totemic signature of a wolf with name inscribed within body of wolf: long tail, slightly opened mouth, genitalia shown)

Geo. Turnbull Cap.t

2d Batt.n 60th Reg.t

Commandant

Detroit 5th May 1769

Witness’s { Dan.l McAlpin Lieut.t 60th Reg.t

{Jn.o Amiel Ens.n 60th Reg.t

Typewritten transcription of Manuscript 1:

INDIAN DEED FOR BELLE ISLE

By an Order of His Majesty & Council dated at St. James’s May the 4th 1768 Transmitted to the Honourable Thomas Gage Major General and Commander in Chief of all His Majesty’s Forces in North America &a &a Ordering that he shall put Lieut. George McDougall late of the 60th. Regiment in possession of Hog Island Situated and lying in Detroit River Three Miles above the Fort of Detroit. Provided that can be done without Umbrage to the Indians & upon Consideration that the Improvements projected by the petitioner be directed to the more easy and Effectual supply of His Majesty’s Fort & Garrison maintained at Detroit. The Commander in Chief having Transmitted the same to George Turnbull Esq.r Capt. In the 60th Regiment Commanding at Detroit that he shall see the same executed by being present when the said George McDougall shall receive a deed from the Indians for the said Island &c.

By virtue of the above order This Indenture made by and between Lieut. George McDougall late of the 60th Regiment of the one part And Oketchewandng, Couttanyin, Ottowachkin, Chiefs of the Ottawas & Chipawa Nations of Indians in the other part do for our selves and by the Consent of the whole of the said Nation of Indians, Witnesseth that the said Chiefs for and in Consideration of Five barrls of Rum, three Rolls of Tobaco, three lbs. Of Vermill.n & a Belt of Wampum And Three Barrels of Rum & three lb of paint when possession was taken valued ₤194:10s Current money of the Province of New York to them in hand paid the Receipt whereof the said Indian Chiefs doth hereby Acknowledge, Hath Granted Bargained Sold Alienated and Confirmed, And by these presents do hereby Grant Bargain sell Alien and Confirm unto the said George McDougall his Heirs and Assigns forever the Aforesaid Island that he may Settle Cultivate or otherways imploy to His Majesty’s Advantage as he shall think proper the Aforesaid Island in Detroit River about Three Miles above the Fort, Together with all the Houses Out Houses and Appurtenances whatsoever on the said island Messuage or Tenement and premises belonging or in any way Appertaining: And also the Reversion and Reversions, Remainder And Remainders Rents and Services of the said premises And ever part thereof, And all the Estate Right, Title, Claim and Demands whatsoever of them the said Indians Off in and to the said Messuage Tenement and Premisses and every part thereof to have and to hold the said Messuage or tenement And all and Singular the said premises abovementioned and every part and parcell thereof with the Appurtenances unto the said George McDougall His Heirs and Assigns for ever, And we the abovementioned Chiefs do hereby engage ourselves, Our Heirs, Our Nations, Executors, Administrators and Assigns for ever to Warrant and Defend the property of the said Island unto the said George McDougall, his Heirs, Executors Administrators and Assigns for ever Against us or any person whatever Claiming any Right or Title thereto.

(Signed) Oketchewandng (Totem)

(Signed) Couttanyin (Totem)

(Signed) Ottowachkin (Totem)

Geo: Turnbull Cap.t

Detroit 5th May 1769 2d Batt.n 60th Reg.t

Commandant

Witness’s { Dan.l McAlpin Lieut.t 60.th Reg.t

{Jn.o Amiel Ens.n 60th Reg.t

Endorsed:

Indian Deed to L.t McDougal, of Hog Island

5th May 1769

N.o 3

Received and Recorded in the Registers Office in Quebec on Thursday the Twenty Third day of January 1777, at one o’clock in the afternoon in the English Register Letter E page 616.

Geo: O Allsop

Filed by pltf 23 July’39

T S Clk

Recorded in the Land Office at Detroit in Book A, folio 309.

teste

G.o Hoffman Reg.

Manuscript 2:

Detroit, May 5th, 1769.

Children I am very Glad to see you here and in good health, And that the Master of life who directs all things Permitts us to see one another, and speak together.

Children I am now to Acquaint you that I have Received a Letter from the Great King our Father, on the other side of the great Lake by Lieut. McDougal

Children Our Father sayeth to Lieut. McDougal you have served well my son, and always done your Duty, and as you are married at Detroit and settled there, being likewise Adopted into the Ottawa Nation, and become as One of them.

Children Our father sayeth to Lieut. McDougal go to Detroit. Sit down upon Hog Island, and there Raise Corn and Cattle, for the use of my Children in the Garrison, And your Brothers the Ottawas will Protect you. –

Children Our Father likewise desires that you will not give away your Land, to the white people, Excepting that He Recommends it; therefore don’t listen to People who may Talk to you on that Subject –

Answer - -

Father It is good that you have called us here, it is good my Father; it is good that the Great King our Father Who Possesses all around here. And it must be the great Spirit who has Inspired our Father the Great King to do what he has done, As it appears to us by the serenity of the Weather.

Father We are Charmed Father, We are happy that you have the Goodness to tell us the will of our Father the King, who is he that Can Contradict it, is not our Father the Master to do as he pleases, And we thank you for Acquainting his Children of His Intention. –

Father We are happy that the King our Father has given this Island, to our Friend And Relation Mr. McDougal, because we shall be Neighbours for his fields will be on the One side of the River, and ours on the Other, and when Mr. McDougal Rises he will see our fields and little houses, and we shall likewise look at his fields and houses, saying that is our father, and we are happy at his being there, -

Father You make us happy to Communicate to us a thing so agreeable to us, is not the King our Father that is Master, to Act in Respect as he Pleases –

Father This all I have to say on that subject, but I am now going to say what perhaps will not please you

Father When you are relieved our Ancient Father, we had leave to take broken trees for fire wood, you took us for your Children, when you came and took possession of this place then you granted us the same liberty. –

Father This all that we have to say, Perhaps you dont like the words that we have said. Besides my father another thing we dont understand making Fences, We were allow’d to put our horses on the Island, to keep them from hurting our Grain, and we hope the same Liberty will be Continued to us –

Mr. McDougal

I am happy my Children that you have listened to the words of the King our Father as repeated by the Commanding Officer That where there are falling Trees upon the Island they shall be welcome to Cut them as they did formerly, and shall have no Objection that their Horses graze upon the Island as usual, but it will be very inconvenient fro them to graze there when the Island is Cultivated and when they put their Horses on the Island to put them on the place that is not Cultivated.

I do hereby Certifii that the above is a True and Exact Copy of the Speech and Answer of the Ottawa Chief in Presence of Lieutenants McAlpin and Abbot, Ensigns Amiel and Duncan.

Geo: Turnbull Capt. 2.d Battn. 60th Reg.t

Other Notes

The typewritten transcription of Manuscript 2 was identical in content – some capitalization and punctuation differed, but did not change content. There were corrections written by hand and notations “begin here” and “end here” marked.

Dimensions: 0 × 0 × 0 mm

Condition: Belle Island Deed: fair, one only photographed in negative, fold marks deep and possibly in pieces over lower part of totemic marks. Hind legs of moose do not match completely with body. Difficult to see in negative photograph. Blotches on first page of manuscript, appears to be bleedthrough from second page. Legible.

LMS= Detroit May 5 1769: Appears in better condition, very legible and written by a different hand that the Belle Island deed as the script is more uniform in size, the letter flourishes are all the same and “McDougall” is consistently spelled “McDougal” in this manuscript, inferring another author.

Reasons for connecting this relative with particular times, materials, styles and uses

Manuscript signed and dated (DLM)

Current Location: Detroit Public Library, MI, USA

Catalogue, Accession or Reference Number: grasac_3157

Link to Institution's Collections Database: www.detroit.lib.mi.us

GKS Reference Number: 1173

How to Cite this Item

LMS Campau May 5, 1769. Burton Historical Collections, Detroit Public Library.

Record Creation Context

This record was created as part of a Great Lakes Research Alliance for the Study of Aboriginal Arts and Cultures (GRASAC) research trip to the Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library, funded by a grant from the International Opportunities fund of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).