- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- [Letter] 1767 Oct. 20, London [to] Fenwick Bull / [Letter] 1768 Apr. 21, London [to] Fenwick Bull; [Letter] 1768 May 9 [to Fenwick] Bull / [Isaac Levy ?]
- Date of Original:
- 1767-10-20/1768-05-09
- Subject:
- Indian land transfers
Creek Indians--Legal status, laws, etc.
Bosomworth, Thomas
Levy, Isaac
Musgrove, Mary, 1700-1765 - Location:
- United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
- Medium:
- letters (correspondence)
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- This document consists of three separate copied letters to Fenwick Bull which may have been written by Isaac Levy. The first letter, dated from London on October 20, 1767, mentions an earlier letter in which the author discusses a legal dispute over property, including St. Catherine's Island (off the coast of the Georgia colony), which he purportedly purchased from Thomas Bosomworth (husband of Mary Bosomworth, a.k.a. Mary Musgrove or Coosaponakeesa). The second letter, dated from London on April 21, 1768, requests a response to the letter of October 20 and outlines further legal transactions on the part of the author. The third letter (incomplete), dated May 9, 1768, acknowledges Bull's response to the author's earlier requests for help and thanks Bull for taking legal steps against Thomas Bosomworth. The author attempts to validate Bosomworth's title to the islands, allegedly granted by the Creeks, as well as his sale of said islands to Levy. It further states that the Crown did not prohibit Indians from selling their own land until 1758, nine years after the Creeks supposedly gave the land to the Bosomworths.
Digital image and encoded transcription of an original manuscript, scanned, transcribed and encoded by the Digital Library of Georgia in 2001, as part of GALILEO, funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. - Local Identifier:
- krc055
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_krc055
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_krc055#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_krc055/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], Keith Read, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia
- Extent:
- 2 pages/leaves
- Original Collection:
- Manuscript held by the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, Keith Read, box 02, folder 92, document 01.
- Holding Institution:
- Hargrett Library
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
London
Octobr. [October] 20th 1767 --
Mr. Fenwicke Bull
I wrote you at Large [illegible text] Capt. [Captain] Pickle I then was of Opinion that no inconveniency would attend a Suspension of an [unclear text: Ejectment ] for the Island of St. Catherines and said that if you thought proper it might be postponed till I arrived at So. [South] Carolina, Since it has occured [occurred] to me that Delaying of an Ejectment may be very determental [detrimental] to me for I understand that Thomas Bosomworth has sold the Island to a person in possession for the Consideration of £500 Paid Down £1000 to be pd [paid] at his Thomas Bosomworth's Death to his heirs and -- [illegible text] £300 a year During his Life so that in case of Bosomworths Death the annuity Ceases and the £1000 if pd [paid] may be Squanderd [Squandered] soon after, in order to prevent these Consiquences [Consequences] I must desire an Ejectment be Brought -- immediately you have inclosed [added text: a Copy ] of Bargain and Sale from Thomas and Mary Bosomworth
Im [I am] your Humble Servt [Servant]
London
April 21 1768
Mr Fenwick Bull
Sir
I Flatterd [Flattered] My self of haveing [having] the Favour [Favor] of a line from you haveing [having] wrote you at large
[unclear text: 20th ] October last when inclosed a reccommendatory [recommendatory] a Letter of My friends Messrs. [Messieurs] Nisbett and Compy [Company] which I forwarded by Capt [Captain] Pickle who I find was arrivd. [arrived] with you in
Decembr. [December] last. I also wrote you by the prince of Wales Capt Boyd -- who I find is also arrivd. [arrived] --
I have lately had a report made by the lord of Trade and plantations to My Petition presented to the king in
August last praying to be Restored to a Moiety of the Two Islands [document damaged: Ossabaw ] and Sapalo in which [unclear text: the ] lordships say that the ma [document damaged] is a consideration of property and does not come under th [document damaged] [illegible text] an inquiry but must be tryed [tried] and adjudged [document damaged] Ordinary courts of Law for which an appeal will be to [document damaged] his Majesty in Council this I Mention to shew you it is [document damaged] unfavorable to the Opinion of My Council and to Remov [document damaged] pretended Objection and Obstacle that has been made [document damaged] of the affair being already settled by Govern [document damaged] once More beg of you to Comply with the Several [document damaged] the actions if not done Already
Page: [2]
I have the Greatest reasons to hope I May leave England some Time next Month and to be soon at So. [South] Carolina
Im [I am] your Most Obdt. [Obedient]
May 9th 1768
[deleted text: Mr. ]
Mr Bull
Sir
I am favoured [favored] by my friend Mr. Grace with Mr. Parsons opinion Transmitted by you to him for which and for your attention and Determination to take proper Steps in the Law Agt. [Against] Bosomworth I am very thankful,
I find Mr. Parsons Supposes that the Necessary Steps according to Law respecting Mrs. Bosomworth being privately examined by a Judge haveing [having] Authority so to Do whether they Joined in the Deeds Voluntarily &c [et cetera] was not Complyed [Complied] with, but he is Mistaken for every thing of that kind has been Complyed [Complied] with as you will find by the Copy of the papers I send Herewith.
as to the Instruction of the Crown not supposing Bosomworth or his wife to have any title can argue nothing for the instruction says [added text: the ] Cession from the Indians was made to the Crown in
1758 Nine years after the first Deed from the Indians to Bosomworth and you will find by the report of the Lords of Trade in
1758 that they dont pretend the Crown to have any prior Right you have herewith also copy of all the Indian Deeds -- and as they are all recorded with you whenever it shall be necessary you may have them from the office, as also General Oglethorpes treaty of
1739 you will find in sd. [said] office recorded Book II Folio 424 by Wm. [William] Pinkney Province Deputy -- [document damaged] as to Law in Georgia prohibiting purchases from [document damaged: Ind ] ians it passed the
15th February 1758 -- and confirmed [document damaged] the King in Council
10th. August 1759
[document damaged] are no resolutions or orders in Council in consequence [document damaged] late Kings instructing relative to the Land, but [document damaged: pro ] clamation of the King in
1763 Relating to all Ame [document damaged] the Clearest evidence that there was no Law of eng [document damaged] ing purchase from Indians --
[document damaged] for Granting the lands to Mrs. Bosomworth [page(s) missing]