November 7-8, 2018 Edged Weapons, Armor, & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 11/7/2018
OGDEN, Amos (1731-1775), to Sir William Johnson, autograph letter signed, dated Nanticoke, Maryland, 12 August 1767, 2 pages, folio, very fine. "On my return from Johnson Hall I fell in Company with James Nanticoke and his party on their Way to this place--they Showed me your Honours Protection, for Passing through the Cuntarey, and Complaned of beaing much Distresd. as they Could not Read or Wright, and having Business of, A Considerable Consiquence...I have undertaken to Assist--Which I find Will be Atended with Sum Diffillcy, as this Land was Pattend. by the governor and Assembely of this Province for the Use of the Indians as long as they Should Live on, and Occupy the Same--on their Leaving or Deserting the same, it then is Emeadetly fofited." Ogden goes on to discuss his efforts on behalf of a party of Otsaningo Nanticokes who had come to Maryland for the purpose of persuading those Naticokes remaining in Maryland to join them. At a Maryland Council meeting held on July 13, 1767, it is recorded that Amos Ogden had arrived with a group of eleven Indians. The Governor gave Ogden and the Indians a letter to authorities in Dorchester County, asking them to treat the visitors with consideration and to make enquiry as to the complaints of the Indians that white squatters had settled on the Nanticokes' Dorchester lands, and saying that if the Indians on the Nanticoke and Choptank rivers wished to leave Maryland he was inclined to encourage them to do so. Ogden described his efforts to collect rent from the Nanticoke's "tenants" or squatters, "Settling with a great Part...about Twentey in number, but notwith Standing...they will Lose Considerable of their Rents." The Governor gave a pass to Ogden and the eleven Indians with him to travel freely through the Province to Dorchester County and to return. Ogden notes that he petitioned the Assembly on behalf of the Nanticokes, which would meet in late September. Ogden asks Johnson for his guidance in how to proceed, so has sent this letter by express. Ogden, a former Ranger officer from New Jersey, had settled in the Wyoming Valley, where he established a trading post. From the Walter O'Connor collection.