Louisiana Territory Petition to Land Commissioners 1810
In 1810, a group of men in the eastern part of the Louisiana/Missouri Territory signed a petition to the federal government voicing their concerns about the way their land claims were being handled. They asked that their concerns be forwarded to the secretary of the treasury and that he in turn should present their remarks to Congress.
The following is their statement with original spelling.
“The Memorial of the undersigned inhabitants of the Territory of Louisiana respectfully sheweth . . . the many defects xisting in those laws and regulations in regard to their land claims . . . Hard is the fate of the claimant (and the orphan children of those) who traversed a wilderness country to reach Louisiana for the express purpose of acquiring the means to benefit their families. Who from fear of the savage tomahawk, a want of prompt protection from the government, sickness and deaths in their families and many other causes; were prevented (though actually settled in the territory) from placing themselves in safety on the particular tracts alotted to them.” [from Clarence Edwin Carter, Territorial Papers XIV—Louisiana-Missouri Territory, 1806–1814 (Washington D.C: Government Printing Office: 1948): 382–397.]
The petition goes on to say that many people were being rejected from their claims because they were city dwellers with important occupations but unable to clear land or build houses as the law required. They asked Congress to please allow such claims “as in justice, good faith, and good policy ought to be confirmed.”
The signers of this petition were divided into twenty-six sections that cover the entire territory as it was in 1810, but there is no description of the locations of the sections.
The list below is organized alphabetically, but if you want to search for a particular name, click on the “Refine Search” button.
Last Modified: 11-Nov-2023 16:44