Research: Topics: Education: Guide to Records Relating to Native Americans
Guide to Records Relating to Native Americans
COLONIAL AND EARLY STATEHOOD RECORDS
Early State Legislative Records
In the 1830s, the State Assembly directed the Secretary of State to select from among all the older records of the Assembly those of special importance and to have them bound into volumes for preservation and future use. Among the selected records were forty-five volumes which became known as the "Assembly Papers." The "Assembly Papers" were stored in the State Library and many were damaged or destroyed in the 1911 State Capitol fire. The surviving records were disbound after the fire and are now preserved in the State Archives. Among the extant "Assembly Papers" are three record series containing information relating to Native Americans.
A1818. Correspondence and Legislative Action Files, 1794- 1827. 1.3 cubic feet.
Arrangement: chronological.
This series contains copies of proposed legislation and legislative resolutions; reports, petitions, and other documents forwarded to the Legislature from the Governor; and incoming and outgoing correspondence of legislators with state officials, officials of other states, federal officials, and prominent individuals. Among the many subjects of these files are Native American relations, especially treaties between the State and the Indian nations, appointments of Indian agents, and reports of negotiations.
Indexing: alphabetical name and subject indexes.
Available on microfilm.
A1827. Correspondence, Petitions, and Reports on Defense of the Frontier, the Onondaga Salt Springs, and Other Subjects, 1791-1830. .6 cubic feet.
Arrangement: by subject, then roughly chronological.
This series consists of correspondence, petitions, and reports relating to five major subjects, one of which is defense of the state's northern and western frontiers in 1794. Among the frontier defense records are correspondence from frontier settlers requesting arms for protection against the British and the Six Nation Indians, correspondence from British military officers protesting American settlement on Native American lands, and related documents concerning the distribution of arms and the construction of fortifications.
Indexing: alphabetical name and subject index.
Available on microfilm.
A1823. Petitions, Correspondence, and Reports Relating to Indians, 1783-1831. .6 cubic feet.
Arrangement: chronological
This series consists of petitions, reports and correspondence relating to land transactions and other agreements with Native Americans. The petitions were addressed to the Legislature and referred to the Assembly, which in turn referred them to various committees, to the Surveyor General or to the Comptroller. Included in the series are the following:
- petitions from Native Americans requesting permission to convey land or requesting confirmation of title to land
- petitions or correspondence from claimants to land purchased from Native Americans
- petitions to ban the sale of liquor to Native Americans or to repeal bans
- reports on legal issues involved in claims to Native American lands
- reports on discussions and negotiations between Native Americans and state or federal officials
- reports by the Surveyor General and Comptroller concerning land petitions
Indexing: alphabetical by name of Indian nation or name of petitioner.
Available on microfilm.
