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Contributing Institution
Maine State Archives
Document Type
Text
Exact Creation Date
1794
Language
English
Recommended Citation
Titcomb, Samuel, "Survey of the Schoodic River" (1794). Wabanaki Relations. 4.
https://digitalmaine.com/arc_200_exhibit_wabanaki_relations/4
Rights Statement
No Copyright - United States. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/
The organization that has made the Item available believes that the Item is in the Public Domain under the laws of the United States, but a determination was not made as to its copyright status under the copyright laws of other countries. The Item may not be in the Public Domain under the laws of other countries. Please refer to the organization that has made the Item available for more information.
Description
The Massachusetts Committee for Sale of Eastern Lands was responsible for the management of land in Maine to benefit the Commonwealth, especially land containing the largest white pines for ship masts. The Committee commissioned surveys of the main branch of the Schoodic River (now known as the St. Croix River) from its northerly source at the St. John River to the mouth of Passamaquoddy Bay. The St. Croix is a one-million-acre watershed lying within the heart of the Passamaquoddy homeland.
According to the terms of the 1794 treaty between the Passamaquoddy Tribe and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the tribe was granted “… the privilege of fishing on both branches of the river Schoodic without hindrance or molestation and the privilege of passing the said river over the different carrying places thereon; all which islands, townships, tracts or parcels of land and privileges being marked with a cross, thus X, on the plan taken by Mr. Samuel Titcomb, with the reservation of all pine trees fit for masts on said tract of land to government; they making said Indians a reasonable compensation therefor…”
This map by Samuel Titcomb is the one referenced in the Treaty. Visible on the map are the notations mentioned in the 1794 Treaty, namely the “Indian carrying places” marked by dashed or straight lines across the river, the “Indian towns” marked by triangles, and the cross near Nemcass Point on the west branch of the river. Scale: 1 inch = 3 miles