Letter-1865, April 11-B

DIOIA April 11th 1865

Sir:

   By the 2nd article of the treaty with the Shawnee Indians of May 10th 1854 it is provided that three Sections of land shall be “set apart to the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church South,” and by the 6th article of the same treaty it is further provided that this land “shall be confirmed to said Society or to such person or persons as may be designated by it, by patent, from the President of the United States, upon the allowance to the Shawnee, by said Society, of ten thousand dollars, to be applied to the education of their youth, which it” (said Society) “has agreed to make.”

   In order to carry into effect these treaty stipulations a contract was entered into by the Hon. George W Manypenny as commissioner of Indian Affairs acting on behalf of the United States and Rev EW Sehon on behalf of said Society, dated March 5th 1855 for the establishment or rather continuance of an educational institution among said Shawnee Indians, by which it was agreed among other things “to credit the said Missionary Society, per annum, with One Thousand Dollars of the Ten Thousand agreed to be paid by it to the Shawnees for the three sections of land provided to be patented to the Society in the 6th Article of the treaty last made with them,” “commencing from the first day of October One thousand eight hundred and fifty four, which credit by the terms of said contract was a part of the consideration for the establishment of said Manual Labor School and the stipulations connected therewith.

   The school under this contract was continued until the 1st of October 1862, eight years, at which time it was discontinued by order of this department, and shortly thereafter an account was filed in this Department for the sum of $7,500, being an amount claimed to be due on account of said school over and above a credit of eight thousand dollars allowed up to that time in part payment on said three sections of land in accordance with the terms of said contract. It was also proposed to credit the said sum of $7500, with the sum of $2000 and thus complete the payment for said three sections.

   The Revd Thomas Johnson, now deceased was the principal of said School during its continuance and by official action of said Society was entitled to receive the full amount due from the United States under said contract, and was also designated by said society as the person to whom the patent for said three sections of land should issue under the provisions of the 6th Article of said treaty—

   This office with the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, has recently adjusted the claims arising under the contract and clauses of said treaty above mentioned as will more fully be seen by reference to the enclosed papers consisting of copies of a Report to the Secretary of the Interior dated first instant and of his decision thereon dated respectively the 3rd and 7th instants—

   The three sections of land set apart under the provisions of said treaty are described as follows— viz:

   All in Township 12 South of Range 25 East of the 6th Principal Meridian in Kansas which selection was approved by the Secretary of the Interior November 2nd 1857.

   I respectfully request that you cause a patent for the above described lands to be issued to Thomas Johnson, his heirs and assigns in accordance with the decision of the Secretary of the Interior of the 7th instant above mentioned, and that when issued the same may be forwarded to this Office for delivery.

Very respectfully
Your Obt Servt
W P Dole
Comm

Hon. J.S. Wilson
Acting com Genl Land Office

[Photostat in MSS. Dept., K.S.H.S.]