Mohawk at Albany, New York (1797)

What happened

On 29 March 1797, at Albany, New York, deputies of the Mohawk nation met agents of New York State under the authority of the United States. The text describes the Mohawk as a nation residing in the province of Upper Canada, within the dominions of the king of Great Britain. Their deputies were Captain Joseph Brandt and Captain John Deserontyon. Isaac Smith was the commissioner appointed by the United States, and Abraham Ten Broeck, Egbert Benson and Ezra L'Hommedieu were New York's agents.

The agents agreed to pay the deputies one thousand dollars for the use of the nation, to be shared among its persons and families according to their usages. They added five hundred dollars for the deputies' expenses at the treaty and one hundred dollars for their return, and for carrying the thousand dollars home.

In return the deputies ceded and released to the people of the state of New York, forever, all the right and title of the Mohawk nation to lands within New York. The text says the claim was wholly and finally extinguished.

Three copies were signed, one each for the United States, the state and the Mohawk. The treaty was proclaimed on 27 April 1798.

Good to know. This was a cession of claims to New York State, held under United States authority, not a transfer to the United States.

Summarized with AI assistance from 4 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error