North Carolina Historical and Genealogical Register Extracts

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Vol. No. I, published quarterly
January, 1900
THE NORTH CAROLINA
Historical and Genealogical Register
EDENTON, NORTH CAROLINA

Pg 597

Governor Walker and the Bay River Indians

ORDER FROM GOV. HENDERSON WALKER RELATING TO BAY RIVER INDIANS.

N. Carolina, May 14th, 1701.

“Whereas Mr. Thomas Amy hath made Information to me yt he with some other men being in Indian Canoe with five Indians who pretended to carry them to ye English butt gooing a shoare they took up a Gun and a bow and arrow and presented it at ye said Mr. Amy butt he having one of ye Indians in ye Canoe who could not readily leap out he secured him and pretended to kill him with his sword upon wch they run away.

Wherefore in his majies name I doe impower the said Mr. Thos. Amy, Capt. Thos. Luten, Mr. Niche’s Tyler, Capt. Nicho Daw and Mr Wm. Barrow or any three of them to go to ye Matchepungo or Bear River Indians and there to demand the aforesaid Indians to be delivered up to them who made ye assault as alsoe the Arms they conveyed away; and to use such other means in ye management of ye same affair as to you or any three of you shall think fitt and if they shall deliver up ye same Indians to bring them before ye Couneell holden ye first Monday in June next and I doe in his Majies name to well & require you to press men, horses, boats and other conveniences by you thought most for ye doing thereof. And I doe require and Comand all his Maj’tes subjects to be obedient to you in ye fulfilling herein.

And you are to return an account of your proceedings herein And for your fulfilling hereof this shall your warrant. Given under my band ye 14th May, 1701.  HENDERSON WALKER.

698

Gov. Walker and the Bay River Indians.

LETTER FROM JOHN LAWSON TO GOV. WALKER, RELATING TO THE BAY RIVER INDIANS.

(From Records of Albemarle County at Edenton, N. C. )

Pampticough, June ye 23r, 1701.

Hon. Sir:

“Thursday last I was with ye Bay River Indians & acquainted them with ye contents of ye Honbl. Warrt given in by Capt. Dawfl. Their Kings Southwell & During with their great men Mett & Sent for me to Southwell’s Cabin before I mentioned anything of my Message to them: They produced a paper containing five articles concluded from them to ye English & signed by Mr. Akehurst, Mr. Calloway, Capt. Blount & Mr. Slade. I told ym ye Governor demanded 4 Indian men & a boy who had offered Severall Indignities to some English Gentlemen in ye Sand banks as for cocking a gun & setting it to Mr. Amey’s breast ; they utterly denied ; their story to me runs thus : 4 Indian men and one boy mett with some English in a Canoe who belonged to a Vessel yt was castaway & stuck aground as they terme it, ye English asked way to Roanoke ye Indians profered their service to bring ym to ye English there, ye Gentlemen gave them 3 Clay potts full of Rum, (Fisher one of ye Indians said he told ye English if they made ye Indians drunk they would be rude, ye Indians gave ye English Venizen & 20 * * * Drums, one of ye Indians got drunk, hearing ym talk of Ashley River made ym afraid of being taken thither, they fled & let fall 3 guns of ye English into ye water in this escape, one of ym was a great gun, all which since they have left with one Anthony the English took forcibly from them 4 rawe Dear Skins, one Otter, one hairy match coat & 4 bushels of corn; they were extraordinary sivil to me although most of ym Drunk ; they say the have done no harm to ye English & hope they may not suffer ye Englsh displeasure for a thing they have not acted or Intended : They would make me no positive answer as to delivering up ye Indians but always (told me) they might not * * * any breach of their articles from ye articles. I have no more at present but remain Sr yr Hour. Most humble. Most Obedient & Most Devoted Svt., JOHN LAWSON.

ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT WITH THE BAY RIVER INDIANS.

(Original in the Court House at Edenton, N. C.)

Pg 699

Pamptico, the 23rd Yber, 1699.

Articles of agreement made and concluded on by & between Daniel Akehurst, Caleb Calloway, Thomas Blount & Henry Slade of •on parte in behalf of the Goverment of North Carolina & Sothel King of the Bear River Indians with his Great Men on behalf of the sd Nation of the other Parte as foloweth :

lly. The Indians shall at all times if they are accused by any Englishmen or Judiciary of murdering any of the King’s Subjects they shall send the said Indians soe accused into the English Government or to some Officer to answer the Accusation.

21y. If any Shipp or Vessel shall be cast away on any shore & any of the men be found that have effects in the load, they shall relieve them with provisions & conduct them to sum English plantation for which they shall have a match coat reward for each man soe conducted & what goods they find on the Seashore they will deliver to the English goverment & they shall allow them reasonable salvage for ye same.

3rdly. As to the goods they can take any that are ruin, for all they shall bring into the English as alleged *** *** ***, or vessel in which they are * *** **** ****  have a match coat for each.

4thly. The Indians shall at all times assist the English in all trouble with all Indians as shall ofer, are not to fight against the English or any Indians who fight with them.

5thly. The sd King or sum of his great men shall yearly & during year make their appearance at the Genirall Corte to be holden in July & then & their pay to pair of Skins as a tribute to the English Government.

King Sothell Matthews, [RJE Note – based on the two signums below, I believe this is two people, King Sothell and Matthews.]

Signum. Signum.

Edmund Welly, Capt. Gibbs, Lewis Vandermulen, Geo. Fisher,

Signum. Signum. Signum. Signum.