19 Lnd. C1. Conrm. 107
BEFORE THE INDIAN CLAIMS COMMISSION
TKE PEORLA TRIBE OF INDIANS OF
OKLAHOMA AND MABEL STATON PARKER
on behalf of t h e Piankeshaw Nation
and
THE ABSENTEE DELAWARE TRIBE OF
OKLAHOMA AND THE DELAWARE NATION,
e t al.
Pet it ioners ,
1
i
)
1
)
)
1
1
1
)
Docket No. 289
1
THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
1
1
Defendant.
Decided:
March 27, 1968
FINDINGS OF FACT
The Commission makes t h e following findings of f a c t :
1. The Peoria Tribe of Indians, a t r i b a l p e t i t i o n e r herein, has
t h e r i g h t and capacity under Section 2 of t h e Indian Claims Commission
Act (60 S t a t . 1049, 1050) t o bring and maintain on behalf of t h e Piankeshaw
Nation t h i s claim f o r a d d i t i o n a l compensation f o r t h e lands ceded by t h e
"Piankeshaw Tribe of Indians" t o t h e United S t a t e s under t h e provisions of
t h e Treaty of August 27, 1804 (7 s t a t . 83).
2.
. .
In l i k e manner t h e p e t i t i o n e r , t h e Absentee Delaware Tribe of
. .
Oklahoma, has t h e r i g h t - a n d capacity under Section 2 of t h e Indian Claims
Commission Act (60 S t a t . 1049, 1050) t o bring and maintain on behalf of
t h e Delaware Nation i t s claim f o r additional compensation f o r lands ceded
by t h e "Delaware Tribe of Indians" t o the United S t a t e s under t h e provisions
.of t h e Treaty of August 18, 1804 (7 Stat. 81).
3.
The land subject t o t h e j o i n t claims of t h e Piankeshaw and
19 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 107
f i c i a l l y designated a s Royce Area 49.
This a r e a i s described i n t h e
1804 Delaware t r e a t y of c e s s i o n a s ,
..
. t h e t r a c t of country which l i e s between the Ohio
and Wabash r i v e r s , and below t h e t r a c t ceded by t h e
t r e a t y of Fort Wayne, and the road leading from Vincennes
t o t h e f a l l s of t h e Ohio."
(Art. 2 , 7 S t a t . 81)
1:
I n t h e 1804 Piankeshaw t r e a t y of c e s s i o n t h i s same g e n e r a l a r e a i s
i d e n t i f i e d i n t h e following manner:
11
...
a l l t h a t t r a c t of country which l i e s between t h e Ohio
and Wabash r i v e r s , and below lark's g r a n t ; and t h e t r a c t
c a l l e d t h e Vincennes t r a c t , which was ceded a t t h e T r e a t y
of F o r t Wayne, and a l i n e connecting t h e s a i d t r a c t and
g r a n t , t o be drawn p a r a l l e l t o t h e general c o u r s e of t h e
road l e a d i n g from Vincennes t o t h e f a l l s of t h e Ohio, SO
a s n o t t o pass more than h a l f a m i l e t o t h e northward of
t h e most n o r t h e r l y bend of s a i d road." (Art. 1, 7 S t a t . 83)
-
Royce Area 49 i s bounded on t h e north by Royce Area 2 6 , a t r a c t r e s e r v e d
- t o t h e United S t a t e s under t h e Treaty of June 7, 1803 (7 S t a t . 74), and
3
-d-14
Royce Area 56, a t r a c t ceded t o t h e United . S t a t e s under t h e Groxseland
T r e a t y of August 2 1 , 1805 (7 S t a t . 91).
The southern and e a s t e r n l i m i t s
of Royce Area 49 a r e t h e Ohio River, and on t h e west i t i s bounded by
Royce Area 63, which was ceded by t h e Piankeshaw t r i b e under t h e T r e a t y
o f December 30, 1805 (7 S t a t . 100).
4.
Following t h e s u c c e s s f u l termination of t h e American Revolutionary
War, Congress became g r e a t l y concerned with the s t a t u s of t h e numerous
I n d i a n t r i b e s t h a t l i v e d e a s t of t h e M i s s i s s i p p i River.
Now t h e s o v e r e i g n
owner of a v a s t a r e a ceded by Great B r i t a i n , i t was of prime importance t o
t h e Government t h a t peaceful r e l a t i o n s with t h e Indian occupants b e t h e
f i r s t o r d e r of b u s i n e s s .
~ h u s ,a s a m a t t e r of p o l i c y , t h e United S t a t e s under-
'ook a program of n e g o t i a t i n g s e p a r a t e peace t r e a t i e s with a s many of
-nese I n d i a n t r i b e s a s p o s s i b l e , while a t t h e same time seeking t o i d e n t i f y
and e s t a b l i s h a general boundary l i n e between the lands occupied by t h e
Indians and those accommodating t h e new white settlements, a s w e l l a s
f i x i n g t h e i n t e r t r i b a l boundaries between t h e competing t r i b e s .
I n p u r s u i t of t h i s agreed p o l i c y , General Anthony Wayne received a
P r e s i d e n t i a l omm mission t o t r e a t with t h e h o s t i l e t r i b e s of t h e Northwest
Territory.
H i s main o b j e c t i v e was t o e s t a b l i s h the needed general boundary
l i n e , and t o f a c i l i t a t e h i s e f f o r t s he was authorized t o guarantee t o t h e
n e g o t i a t i n g Indians t h e r i g h t s t o t h e i r t r i b a l lands a g a i n s t t h e claims
o r i n c u r s i o n s of t h e c i t i z e n s o r i n h a b i t a n t s of t h e United S t a t e s .
5.
(
The end product of General ~ a y n e ' slabors was t h e conclusion
.
*
of t h e G r e e n v i l l e Treaty of August 3 , 1795 (7 S t a t . 49), wherein t h e
-
k-.
9
United S t a t e s and the c h i e f s , sachems, and warriors of t h e assembled
5
--
Q
-3
.
.
t r i b e s agreed, among other t h i n g s , t o put an end t o d e s t r u c t i v e warfare, t o
s e t t l e a l l controversies, and t o r e s t o r e f r i e n d l y i n t e r c o u r s e and harmony
between t h e assembled t r i b e s and t h e United S t a t e s .
Under A r t i c l e 111
of t h e G r e e n v i l l e Treaty t h e r e was e s t a b l i s h e d a general boundary l i n e .
II
...
between t h e lands of t h e United S t a t e s , and t h e
(Art. 111, 7 S t a t . 49)
l a n d s of s a i d Indian t r i b e s
..."
T h i s boundary l i n e , more r e a d i l y i d e n t i f i e d a s the G r e e n v i l l e Line of 1795,
began a t a p o i n t where Cleveland, Ohio i s now located, ran south about 70
m i l e s , then almost due west a c r o s s c e n t r a l Ohio t o a p o i n t midway on t h e
Ohio-Indiana border near Fort Recovery, and then south-southwest in
Indiana t o t h e Ohio River.
B y A r t i c l e I11 of t h e Greenville Treaty the Indian t r i b e s ceded
19 Ind. C 1 . Comrn. 107
-4and r e l i n q u i s h e d a l l claims e a s t and south of the G r e e n v i l l e l i n e , and
i n c o n s i d e r a t i o n of t h e s e t r i b a l c e s s i o n s , t h e United S t a t e s , under
A r t i c l e I V of the t r e a t y r e l i n q u i s h e d , with c e r t a i n exceptions, claims t o
a l l t h e I n d i a n lands s i t u a t e d g e n e r a l l y west and north of t h e G r e e n v i l l e
line.
The e f f e c t of t h e "relinquishment" by t h e United S t a t e s i s more p r e c i s e l y d e f i n e d under A r t i c l e V
of t h e G r e e n v i l l e Treaty wherein i t reads:
II
To prevent any misunderstanding about t h e I n d i a n l a n d s
r e l i n q u i s h e d by t h e United S t a t e s i n t h e f o u r t h a r t i c l e , i t i s
now e x p l i c i t l y d e c l a r e d , t h a t t h e meaning of t h a t r e l i n q u i s h ment i s t h i s : The I n d i a n t r i b e s who have a r i g h t t o t h o s e
l a n d s , a r e q u i e t l y t o enjoy them, hunting, p l a n t i n g , and
dwelling thereon s o long a s they p l e a s e , without any m o l e s t a t i o n
from t h e United S t a t e s ; b u t when those t r i b e s , o r any of them,
s h a l l be disposed t o s e l l t h e i r l a n d s , o r any p a r t of them, they
are t o be s o l d only t o t h e United S t a t e s ; and u n t i l such s a l e ,
t h e United S t a t e s w i l l p r o t e c t a l l t h e s a i d I n d i a n t r i b e s i n t h e
q u i e t enjoyment of t h e i r l a n d s a g a i n s t a l l c i t i z e n s of t h e
United S t a t e s , and a g a i n s t a l l o t h e r white persons who i n t r u d e
upon t h e same. And t h e s a i d Indian t r i b e s again acknowledge
themselves t o be under t h e p r o t e c t i o n of t h e s a i d United S t a t e s
and no o t h e r power whatever."
-
6.. R e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of both t h e Delaware and Piankeshaw t r i b e s of
I n d i a n s were s i g n a t o r i e s t o t h e 1795 G r e e n v i l l e Treaty, and t h e s u b j e c t
land w i t h i n Royce Area 49 was s i t u a t e d w e s t of t h e 1795 G r e e n v i l l e L i n e
i n t h a t a r e a over which t h e United S t a t e s had relinquished a l l claims
under A r t i c l e I V of s a i d t r e a t y .
7.
While t h e 1795 G r e e n v i l l e Treaty d i d not f i x t h e i n t e r t r i b a l
b o u n d a r i e s , n e v e r t h e l e s s , t h e t r i b a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s were l e d t o b e l i e v e
t h a t t h e United S t a t e s was i n f a c t dealing with each t r i b e independently,
and t h a t through f u t u r e n e g o t i a t i o n s t h e i r i n d i v i d u a l t r i b a l boundaries
would b e e s t a b l i s h e d .
General Wayne had t o l d t h e Indians i n
111
19 Ind. C 1 . Comm. 107
- 5response t o a r e q u e s t t h a t h e demarcate t h e boundaries between them,
"YOU I n d i a n s , b e s t know your r e s p e c t i v e boundaries."
President Jefferson,
speaking of t h e p o s i t i o n of t h e United S t a t e s a t G r e e n v i l l e , s t a t e d t h a t :
It
...
t h e f i r s t thing necessary was t o f i x a f i r m boundary
between [ o u r Indian neighbors] and u s t h a t t h e r e might be
no t r e s p a s s e s a c r o s s t h a t by e i t h e r p a r t y . Not knowing
what p a r t s of our border belong t o each I n d i a n n a t i o n
p a r t i c u l a r l y we thought i t s a f e s t t o g e t a l l t h o s e i n t h e
North t o j o i n i n one t r e a t y and t o s e t t l e a g e n e r a l boundary
between them and us. We d i d not intermeddle a s t o t h e l i n e s
d i v i d i n g them one from another because t h i s was t h e i r concern
n o t ours "
.
8.
Following t h e conclusion of t h e 1795 T r e a t y of G r e e n v i l l e , t h e
United S t a t e s embarked upon a program of d e f i n i n g t h e i n t e r t r i b a l boundaries
between t h e t r i b e s a s w e l l a s t h e boundaries of t r a c t s t o be ceded t o t h e
United S t a t e s .
-
This t a s k was e n t r u s t e d t o William Henry Harrison, Governor
of t h e I n d i a n T e r r i t o r y .
I n t h e c a s e of the Peoria Tribe of I n d i a n s of Oklahoma, e t a l . , v .
United S t a t e s , 16 Ind. C 1 . corn. 574, t h e Commission had occasion t o
d e s c r i b e Governor Harrison's i n i t i a l s t e p s i n t h i s d i r e c t i o n :
"On January 2 3 , 1802, t h e S e c r e t a r y of War wrote William
Henry Harrison, Governor of t h e Indiana T e r r i t o r y , r e q u e s t i n g
i n t h e name of President J e f f e r s o n , t h a t Governor Harrison
a s c e r t a i n boundaries of c e r t a i n t r a c t s ceded by t h e Indians
( o r r e s e r v e d by the United S t a t e s ) , which were n e c e s s a r i l y
vague i n t h e laqguage of t h e ~ r e e n v i l l eT r e a t y , p a r t i c u l a r l y
t h e boundaries of the Vincennes t r a c t .
"Pursuant t o t h i s r e q u e s t , Governor H a r r i s o n met w i t h
r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s of Indian t r i b e s having r i g h t s , acknowledged
i n t h e G r e e n v i l l e Treaty, i n lands a d j o i n i n g o r i n t h e
neighborhood of the Vincennes t r a c t . I n due c o u r s e , a
formal t r e a t y was executed a t Fort Wayne, between t h e United
S t a t e s , represented by Governor Harrison, and t h e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s
of n i n e t r i b e s , including the Piankeshaw, a l l of which had been
s i g n a t o r i e s t o the Greenville Treaty. The T r e a t y of F o r t Wayne,
f i x i n g t h e p r e c i s e boundaries of t h e Vincennes t r a c t , was
19 Ind. C 1 . Cow. 107
executed on June 7 , 1803 (7 S t a t . 7 4 ) . The boundaries a r e
s e t f o r t h i n A r t i c l e 1, expressly determining the l i m i t s
of t h e t r a c t ' t o which Indian t i t l e s had been extinguished'
a s what i s known as Royce Area 2 6 i n Indiana and e a s t e r n
Illinois."
The Delaware t r i b e of Indians a l s o ~ a r t i c i p a t e di n t h e 1803 Treaty
a t F o r t Wayne, and a s previously noted, t h e "Vincennes Tract" adjoins
Royce Area 49, t h e subject land, on t h e n o r t h .
9 - The second phase i n Governor ~ a r r i s o n ' sboundary demarcation
process was t h e negotiation of t h e 1804 Delaware and Piankeshaw t r e a t i e s ,
wherein he defined and took cessions of Royce Area 49.
I n A r t i c l e 4 of the August 18, 1804 Delaware Treaty, i t was s t a t e d
t h a t t h e Delaware Tribe had exhibited s u f f i c i e n t proof t o Governor
-.
4
-- ---
3
Harrison of i t s r i g h t t o a l l t h e country between t h e Ohio and t h e White
River.
However, i n A r t i c l e V of t h e same t r e a t y i t was noted t h a t t h e
Piankeshaws refused t o acknowledge t h e t i t l e t o t h i s area t o be in t h e
Delaware Tribe, and t h a t t h e United S t a t e s would have t o n e g o t i a t e with
t h e Piankeshaws a t some f u t u r e d a t e i n order t o s e t t l e t h i s question i n
an amicable way.
T h e r e a f t e r , on August 27, 1804, Governor ~ a r r i s o n ' c o n c l u d e da t r e a t y
of c e s s i o n with t h e Piankeshaw Tribe f o r Royce Area 49.
I n so doing t h e
Piankeshaw confirmed the Delaware cession of the same area under the 1804
Delaware Treaty.
10.
Piankeshaw obstinacy t o acknowledgment of t h e c l e a r Delaware
t i t l e t o t h e s u b j e c t lands, a s evidenced by t h e language i n A r t i c l e V
of t h e 1804 Delaware Treaty, stems from t h e f a c t t h a t , when white men
19 Ind. C 1 . Comrn. 107
f i r s t came i n t o Indian t e r r i t o r y , the presence of t h e Piankeshaw was noted
i n t h e g e n e r a l a r e a between the Wabash and White River a r e a s , and a s f a r
south a s t h e Ohio River.
A s s t a t e d by Governor Harrison:
"When t h e French f i r s t descended t h e Wabash t h e
Piankeshaws were found i n possession of t h e country
on e i t h e r s i d e of t h a t River from i t s mouth a t l e a s t
a s h i g h up a s t h e Vermillion and the p o s s e s s i o n
of i t h a s never been disputed excepting by t h e Delawares who claimed under t h e Piankeshaws and t h e Weas
who have occupied t h e country above P o i n t Coupee
s i n c e t h e i r towns a t Ouiatenon were destroyed by
Generals S c o t t and Wilkinson i n t h e year 1791."
"Point 'Coupee" i s l o c a t e d about twelve leagues above t h e p o s t a t
Vincennes.
I n r e p o r t i n g on h i s e f f o r t s t o d e f i n e t h e boundaries of t h e
-
(--3
Vincennes T r a c t , Governor Harrison addressed a l e t t e r t o t h e S e c r e t a r y of
L-Y
-2
War d a t e d February 2 6 , 1802, i n which h e s t a t e d i n p a r t :
" A t a council which was h e l d h e r e l a s t summer,
t h e s u b j e c t of t h e boundary l i n e was mentioned by
t h e Piankeshaw c h i e f s , and they expressed g r e a t
uneasiness t h a t t h e boundary l i n e had n o t been
a s c e r t a i n e d , and a t t h e r e p o r t s which had been
c i r c u l a t e d amongst them, t h a t t h e Americans meant
t o take from them a l l t h e i r country
They a l s o s a i d ,
t h z t t h e s e t t l e m e n t s which had been formed on t h e
south s i d e of t h e White r i v e r , were an encroachment
upon them.
*****
"I took t h i s opportunity t o e x p l a i n t o them t h a t p a r t
of Greenville which r e l a t e s t o t h i s p l a c e [ t h e Vincennes t r a c t ] , and assured them t h a t an i n v e s t i g a t i o n
would take place, i n order t o a s c e r t a i n t h e e x t e n t
o f t h e country which had been a c t u a l l y conceded t o
t h e French. That from what I can l e a r n , our c l a i m
[ t o Vincennes, a s successor t o t h e French] on t h e
Wabash was contained between Point Coupee and t h e
White r i v e r , but I could not determine how f a r
i t might extend on each s i d e of t h e r i v e r , - - n o r i n
what d i r e c t i o n the l i n e s would run from t h e s e two
p o i n t s ; but i f i t should appear on i n v e s t i g a t i o n ,
t h a t i t was t h e i n t e n t i o n of t h e i r f o r e f a t h e r s , t h a t
19 Ind. C 1 . Corn. 107
t h e l i n e should run from t h e mouth of White r i v e r
up t h e channel of t h a t r i v e r , i n s t e a d of a t r i g h t
a n g l e s t o t h e Wabash, t h a t they would be paid f o r
a l l t h e land on t h e south s i d e of t h e White r i v e r
which had been included i n our s e t t l e m e n t s and
surveys. This explanation seemed s a t i s f a c t o r y . >?**"
[Bracketed m a t e r i a l supplied]
The White River, beginning on t h e I l l i n o i s b o r d e r , r u n s g e n e r a l l y
eastward a c r o s s south c e n t r a l Indiana, through t h e ~ i n c e n n e sT r a c t (Royce
Area 26) t o t h e Ohio border.
The tenor of Governor ~ a r r i s o n ' s1802 l e t t e r ,
s u p r a , evidences a concern on t h e p a r t of t h e Piankeshaw a s t o t h e i r i n t e r e s t
I
i n t h a t a r e a of land south of t h e Vincennes T r a c t .
Thus, we f i n d i n t h e
l e t t e r Governor H a r r i s o n ' s assurance t o t h e Piankeshaw t h a t h e would a t t e m p t
I
Ii
I
t o determine t h e a c t u a l boundary l i n e between t h e Vincennes T r a c t and t h e
l a n d s t o t h e south.
I
F u r t h e r evidence i n d i c a t i n g o f f i c i a l acknowledgment of t h e Piankeshaw
i n t e r e s t i n t h e l a n d s w i t h i n t h e s u b j e c t t r a c t i s found i n t h e s u g g e s t i o n
made by t h e S e c r e t a r y of War t o Governor Harrison j u s t b e f o r e h e n e g o t i a t e d t h e 1804 Piankeshaw t r e a t y of cession.
The S e c r e t a r y asked Governor
H a r r i s o n t o be s u r e t o i n c l u d e i n t h e Piankeshaw c e s s i o n , " t h e t r a c t between t h e s o u t h e r n l i n e of t h e Vincennes t e r r i t o r y and t h e Ohio."
10.
S h o r t l y b e f o r e he undertook t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s t h a t l e d up t o t h e
c o n c l u s i o n of t h e Treaty of Grouseland on August 21, 1805 (7 S t a t . 91)
Governor H a r r i s o n addressed a l e t t e r , dated March 3 , 1805 t o t h e S e c r e t a r y
of War i n which he r e j e c t e d t h e claims of t h e Miami and Pottawatomi I n d i a n s
t o Royce Area 49, and reaffirmed t h a t i t was t h e Delaware and t h e Piankeshaw
from whom h e r i g h t f u l l y took t h e cessions.
i n part:
I n the l e t t e r i t is stated
'c
19 I n d . C 1 . Comrn. 107
" A f t e r a c a r e f u l and d i s p a s s i o n a t e c o n s i d e r a t i o n
of t h e s u b j e c t , I c a n s e e no r e a s o n t o a l t e r t h e o p i n i o n
I had formed t h a t n e i t h e r t h e Miamis n o r t h e P o t a watomies have any j u s t c l a i m e i t h e r i n common o r
o t h e r w i s e t o any p a r t of t h e T r a c t s ceded t o t h e
United S t a t e s by t h e Delawares and Piankeshaws.
The Delaware c l a i m t o t h a t p a r t i c u l a r t r a c t was
d e r i v e d from P r e s e n t occupancy and from a g r a n t
s a i d t o have been made t o them upwards of t h i r t y
y e a r s ago by t h e Piankeshaws. When t h e French
f i r s t descended t h e Wabash t h e Piankeshaws w e r e found
i n t h e p o s s e s s i o n of t h e c o u n t r y on e i t h e r s i d e
o f t h a t R i v e r ( t h e Wabash) from i t s mouth a t l e a s t
a s high a s t h e V e r m i l l i o n and t h e p o s s e s s i o n of i t
h a s never been d i s p u t e d e x c e p t by t h e Delawares
who claimed under t h e Piankeshaws and t h e Weas
who have occupied t h e c o u n t r y above P o i n t Coupee
s i n c e t h e i r Towns a t Ouiatenon w e r e d e s t r o y e d by
General S c o t t and W i l k i n s o n i n t h e y e a r 1791."
11. The Grouseland T r e a t y of August 21, 1805 (7 S t a t . 91) concluded
between t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s and t h e Miamis, Delawares, Pottawatomies, E e l
'?
$
R i v e r , and Wea I n d i a n s , compromised t h e c l a i m s of t h e Miami T r i b e t o s e v e r a l
Y
a r e a s around t h e Wabash R i v e r above t h e Vincennes T r a c t and t o t h e
D e l a w a r e l a n d s s o u t h t o t h e Ohio R i v e r .
A t Grouseland t h e Miami were s t i l l i n s i s t i n g t h a t t h e y r e t a i n e d a n
i n t e r e s t i n t h e s u b j e c t l a n d s and t h a t t h e y should r e c e i v e compensation
for t h i s interest.
I n h i s l e t t e r of August 22, 1805, t r a n s m i t t i n g t h e
p r o c e e d i n g s o f t h e Grouseland T r e a t y , Governor H a r r i s o n , i n r e j e c t i n g t h e
M i a m i c l a i m , s t a t e d i n p a r t t o t h e S e c r e t a r y of War:
"...At
t h e commencement o f t h e c o u n c i l , t h e Miami
and Pottawatomy c h i e f s had h i n t e d a t t h e n e c e s s i t y
of i n c r e a s i n g t h e i r a n n u i t i e s , s o a s t o p u t them on
a f o o t i n g w i t h t h e Delawares. But I soon p u t an end
t o t h e i r hopes, by a s s u r i n g them, i n t h e most p o s i t i v e
terms, t h a t , a s t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s had made a f a i r
19 Ind. C 1 . Comrn. 107
b a r g a i n w i t h t h e Delawares and Piankeshaws, who were
t h e owners of t h e l a n d t h a t had been ceded, n o t a s i x
pence would be given t o any o t h e r t r i b e , i n c o n s i d e r a t i o n
of t h a t purchase, b u t , t h a t they might o b t a i n a f u r t h e r
a n n u i t y , by a f u r t h e r c e s s i o n of l a n d ; and t h i s brought
on t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s f o r t h e t r a c t ceded by t h e e n c l o s e d
treaty. ...It
(American S t a t e Papers, C l a s s A , I n d i a n
A f f a i r s , p. 701)
Under t h e 1805 Grouseland T r e a t y , t h e Miami T r i b e r e l i n q u i s h e d i t s
claims t o the subject lands.
I n a d d i t i o n , t h e Miami, a l o n g w i t h t h e
E e l R i v e r , and Wea t r i b e s ceded Royce Area 56 i n I n d i a n a , t h e s o u t h e r n
boundary o f which forms a p a r t of t h e n o r t h e r n boundary of Royce Area 49,
.the subject tract.
I n c o n s i d e r a t i o n f o r t h e c e s s i o n of Royce Area 56,
t h e United S t a t e s agreed t o a n i n c r e a s e i n t h e i r t r i b a l '
United S t a t e s f u r t h e r
annuities.
The
agreed t o c o n s i d e r t h e M i a m i , Eel R i v e r and Wea
T r i b e s o f I n d i a n s t o be t h e owners o f t h e l a n d s on t h e Wabash R i v e r above
t
---.
p
t h e Vincennes t r a c t .
12.
Royce Area 49 i n v o l v e s l a n d s t h a t were i n c l u d e d w i t h i n t h a t v a s t
a r e a r e l i n q u i s h e d by t h e United S t a t e s under A r t i c l e I V o f t h e 1795 Green-
v i l l e Treaty t o the Indian t r i b e s signatory t o t h a t treaty.
Both t h e
Piankeshaw and Delaware t r i b e s of I n d i a n s p a r t i c i p a t e d i n t h e 1795 G r e e n v i l l e
*
Treaty.
A s p r e v i o u s l y h e l d by t h i s Commission and t h e Court o f Claims, t h e
e f f e c t of t h e "relinquishment" was t o accord t o t h o s e t r i b e s , s i g n a t o r y
t o t h e 1795 G r e e n v i l l e T r e a t y , more t h a n a temporary o r p e r m i s s i v e r i g h t
of occupancy; t h a t i s , they were g i v e n t h e r i g h t t o occupy s a i d l a n d s
permanently.
The l e g a l r i g h t s t h u s accorded t o t h e s e t r i b e s under t h e
1795 G r e e n v i l l e Treaty were i n t h e n a t u r e of a g r a n t o r r e c o g n i t i o n o f
t h e i r t i t l e t o t h e l a n d s t h u s r e l i n q u i s h e d by t h e Government.
The M i a m i
T r i b e o f Oklahuma e t a l . , v. United S t a t e s , (1959) 146 C t . C l m s . 421.
.,..
i
\
19 I n d . C 1 . Comm. 107
The i n d i v i d u a l boundaries of t h e l a n d s s p e c i f i c a l l y owned by each t r i b e was
l e f t t o further negotiations.
T h e r e f o r e , t h e Commission f i n d s t h a t a s a
r e s u l t of (1) t h e p r o v i s i o n s of t h e 1795 G r e e n v i l l e T r e a t y , (2)
of August 13, 1803 a t F o r t Wayne (7 S t a t . 78), (3)
the Treaty
t h e Delaware and
Piankeshaw t r e a t i e s of c e s s i o n of August 18, 1804 ( 7 S t a t . 81) and August 27,
1804 (7 S t a t . 8 3 ) , (4)
91), and ( 5 )
t h e Grouseland T r e a t y of August 21, 1805 (7 S t a t .
t h e o f f i c i a l s t a t e m e n t s , correspondence, and communications
of r e s p o n s i b l e Governments d i r e c t l y involved, t h e r e i s manifested a c l e a r
i n t e n t on t h e p a r t of t h e United S t a t e s t o r e c o g n i z e t i t l e t o Royce Area
49 t o be i n t h e Delaware and Piankeshaw t r i b e s of I n d i a n s .
T h i s recognized
t i t l e i n t h e two t r i b e s was j o i n t , and accorded each a n e q u a l undivided
i n t e r e s t i n Royce Area 49.
I t , Commissionef
T. B a r o l d S c o t t , commisdidnek
Richard
W
. Y arporough,
Com2.'ssioner