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Baltimore Yearly Meeting Indian Committee Minutes, 1795-1815

BYM_Page_141

The following friends were appointed to examinethe Treasurers account and prepare a report to theyearly Meeting now acting and produce it to thenext meeting of the committee to wit Geo. EllicottJonathan Jessop David Grave Asa Moore Wm Kirk &;PE Thomasthen adjourned to tomorrowevening at the 7th Hour 10 mo 16 1806 The committee again met, whenthe friends appointed produced the following report This report is tipped-in TO THEYEARLY MEETING, NOW SITTING. We, the Committee on Indian Concerns, inform, that since ourlast report we have, agreeably to the liberty given us, published narrative of our proceedings, which has been distributed amongstFriends. We further inform, that a letter has been received fromthe Indian agent at Fort-Wayne, dated the Fifth of the Tenthmonth, 1805, in which he says, Agreeably to the directions of the Committee, I have employ-ed a man to assist the Indians in cultivating the field on the Wa-bash, which was cleared and cultivated by Philip Dennis lastyear. The Indians, with this man’s assistance, have raised, it issupposed, at least six-hundred bushels of good Corn from thisfield, exclusive of what they have raised from the ground of their ownclearing. Many of the Eel River and Weas Indians have removedand settled at that place, where they will be followed by theyounger branches of their tribes in the ensuing spring. He adds, Believing as I do, that the Society of Friends aredesirous of ameliorating the situation of their red brethren in thiscountry, I will take the liberty to observe, that the present is avery favourable time to put in execution, their benevolent views,and that much good may be done on the Wabash by sending oneor two suitable men to reside amongst the Indians, in order toteach them how to raise stock and cultivate the earth: Witnesswhat Philip Dennis effected amongst them the last year. At aStation where he had every thing to begin, there are now atleast four hundred Hogs and twenty Cows, and at no village inthis country, do the Indians live as comfortably as at that place.If this spirit of industry is kept alive for a few years, it will cer-tainly have a powerful influence upon the minds of the Indians, atmany of the neighboring villages. The Committee, after deliberate consideration, were united in senti-ment, that it would be proper to procure one or two young men to re-side among the Indians at Dennis’s Station. William Kirk and his bro-ther Mahlon were accordingly engaged, who arrived at the station onthe 25th of the Fourth Month last. William has just returned, havingleft his brother among the Indians, and has given us the following in-formation: That they had planted twelve acres of Indian corn, on the land already cleared; after which they enclosed eight acresmore; in six of which they cultivated Potatoes, Hemp, Flax,Tobacco and Timothy, together with a variety of Garden Vege-tables; that their crop of Corn, was likely to produce, at least fif-ty bushels per acre; and that they should have one hundred bush-els of Potatoes, and many more Garden Vegetables than would besufficient for their own use, which would be distributed amongstthe Indians; they have also erected a stable, 16 by 18 feet, andassisted the Indians in building three houses. He further informs,