Scope and Content: Under the 1786 agreement between New York and Massachusetts settling land claims west of the Hudson River (see: Massachusetts. Office of the Secretary of State. Agreement between Massachusetts and New York relating to western lands, 1784-1793 ((M-Ar)31X)), the Commonwealth retained the right of preemption to purchase lands from the several Indian nations, and the obligation to supervise the sale of any of these lands should the right of preemption be transferred to third parties.  After a final sale of such right of preemption in 1792, Massachusetts governors appointed a series of superintendents to observe transactions between the Indians and owners of the preemptive right.  The superintendents resided in New York, and tended to their duties in pro forma fashion.  Controversy in 1838 following a U.S. decision to relocate all eastern Indians and a subsequent treaty and sale of remaining Indian reservations, caused the Massachusetts governor and council to reevaluate their role in this process, and to demand equitable treatment for the New York Indians.
Arrangement: In 5 subseries: (1) Land conveyances by treaty (2) Legal instruments (3) Correspondence (4) Reports of the Indian Superintendent (5) Printed material; Arranged within each subseries chronologically
Notes: Originally maintained by the Council; by 1885 held by the state secretary
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