- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- [Letter] 1840 June 18, Conasauga Plains [to] W[i]l[lia]m H. Thomas, Washington D.C. / Nicholas S. Peck
- Creator:
- Peck, Nicholas S.
- Date of Original:
- 1840-06-18
- Subject:
- Cherokee Indians--Claims
Indian land transfers
Trail of Tears, 1838 - Location:
- United States, North Carolina, 35.50069, -80.00032
- Medium:
- business letters
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- This is a letter, dated June 18, 1840, from Nicholas S. Peck to William H. Thomas, legal representative for the Eastern Cherokees of North Carolina. Peck states that each head of an Indian family received 640 acres of land under the treaty of 1817, but when Andrew Jackson became President, those same families were forced to remove and abandon their land (and any improvements) in June of 1838 and told they would receive payment. Peck laments that no compensation has yet been received by those families. He also discusses several land claims and attempts to receive payment.
Digital image of original manuscript, scanned by the University of Georgia Libraries in 2000, as part of GALILEO, funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. - Local Identifier:
- wtp005
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_wtp005
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_wtp005#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_wtp005/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], William H. Thomas Papers, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia
- Extent:
- 4 pages/leaves
- Original Collection:
- Manuscript held by the Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library, The University of Georgia Libraries, William H. Thomas Papers, box 01, folder 02, document 04.
- Holding Institution:
- Hargrett Library
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
Conasauga Plains
[deleted text: May ] [added text: June ] 18th, 1840
Dear Sir
Your favour [favor] of the
30th of May was yesterday received containing fifty dollars altho [although] the sum was small was gladly receivd [received] -- you say you will send the balance in Phillidilphia Draughts if so send it to Madisonville Churchwell wrote me from Washington Cty. the letter had been broken open -- besides the letter will arive [arrive] at Madisonville in half the time it takes to reach Wolverton -- and the safest passage -- as to Jinny wolfs claim it will not be disputed by any of her connection or her self [herself] -- the claim on Mink is Just as it stands stated. The Article was given to David Mcnair [added text: for safe keeping ] who witnessed the power and Article with his daughter Miss Vann since Mcnairs death the Article was lossed [lost] the reason Mink give a large price was that Mathew W. Mcghee held an unjust claim on Mink against which claim I was to attend and defend it I done so and, prevented its being passed upon and if it stands against him it was secretly put in; the debt was between $. 300 -- 400 -- that Mcghee claimed
Page: [2]
I want Money badly against the superior Court at Knoxville commences the first Monday of
July -- I begin to believe that the whole business is for to delay payment -- how plain it is to see there is something rong [wrong] in the whole transaction; in the Treaty of
1817 Jackson gave to each head of an Indian family 640 acres of Land for their heirs & in
1836 after some had built brick houses cleared large farms planted orchards, President Jackson tells them the [they] must remove from their farms and the Government would pay them for their Reservations they were removed at the point of the bayonet in
1838 in June -- now the month of June has arrived in
1840 and the Money not yet paid -- would you or any reasonable man continue [added text: to ] love the Administration contrary to his interest touch a mans purse and he winces.
I understand you are faithful to my business the delay is not your fault -- my calculation was that the Money would be paid Long since and made my arangements [arrangements] so to now need the money bad -- as to any difficulties ariseing [arising] it is because excuses are sought for; my claims are as well made out as my friend Gillispe
Page: [3]
and Judges Liddle & Wilson said better than Churchwells --
hold out to the end and receive the promise I sent a power for Minks money to the Hlbl. [Honorable] J. L. Williams because I was afraid you would be absent you stated sometimes like Leaving you will remember it takes a letter about a Month to come to wonverton and ten days to Madisonville
with high Respect your friend
[Signed] Nicholas S. Peck Esqer [Esquire], Wlm H Thomas
Page: [4]
Mount Vernon Tenn
19 June 1840 [unclear text: 25. ]
Esq. [Esquire] William H. Thomas
Washington Cty. [City] D. C.
Col Nicholas S. Peck
Mount vernon Ten --
June 19, 1840.
acknowledged the receipt of $50.00 which I enclosed.
[unclear text: Recvd [Received] ]
July 1. [unclear text: 1840 ] .