Golf Bag Strap

LEFT HEEL PULL / PEN HOLSTER - Colquhoun Farmhouse, Collecting Rent for the Chiefs

“Only ten years after arriving in North America, Robert had the Power of the Pen.”

Look at all the ways that Robert had the power of the Pen:

Image 1: The St Regis Chiefs commissioned Jeramiah McCarthy to do a new survey of the Nutfield Tract because the original Surveyor , Patrick McNiff, incorrectly drew the lines to the detriment of the chiefs. Robert witnessed the chief’s signatures, you can see his signature across the bottom of the Nutfield Plan & Survey.

Image 2: Robert Colquhoun crossed out the names of lease holders on Lots 13 and 14 and added his own name. Should we assume this is official protocol for Indian Agents? Did he need to ask permission from the Chiefs to do this?

Image 3: Excerpt from the Land Rent Book concerning “Lands belonging to the Indian Chiefs of St Regis. Open and Commenced January 1813”. This page shows Robert Colquhoun paid rent for two Islands in 1822. Snyder Island and Lewis Island (later referred to as the Colquhoun Islands) were leased by the family from the St Regis Chiefs for 99 years.

Image 4: In his role as Indian Agent, Robert would have walked the lots of the Nutfield Tract Indian Reservation collecting rent from the tenants for the Chiefs. Here are his notes from 1813. Rent was paid in cash and bushels of wheat.

The Indians of the Village of St Regis having separated at the commencement of the late War one party removing over to the Reserve made for their use or Residence, the other party remaining in the Village under a promise of Neutrality but partially observed, assuming to themselves the right of appropriating to their own use not only annual Rent paid by the American Government as an acknowledgement for their hunting ground surrendered to them, but the rent and profits of the vacant Lands and Meadows left for their and the public use within the limits of Lower Canada. I do therefore recommend to the Inhabitants Settled on the Reserve to pay no rent to any others but those Indians who Joined his Majesty’s forces and continued faithfully in his Service to the end of the War and who only are entitled to the rents and benefits of the Reserves on each side of the River St Lawrence within His Majesty’s Government.

Given under my hand at Cornwall the 4^th of August 1818 John Johnson (J.G & J.G J A)

A true copy

Robert Colquhoun

The above letter written by Sir John Johnson and witnessed by Robert Colquhoun shows how the British Crown, though government officials, meddled with community politics by deciding which Chiefs deserved to receive the rent from the Nutfield Tract Reservation. The Akwesasne Nation included members who had fought as allies to the British Crown, “Neutrals” and those connected to the French through the founding of the St Regis Village Mission. This letter is an example of colonial attempts to control and contain the Nation.