LETTER CONCERNING THE ILL TREATMENT OF

THE CITIZENS OF NOBLE TOWN (1766)

Susan Mulvey    14 June 2000

Webpage by Cliff Lamere    Jan 2001

Susan Mulvey

Source:  Massachusetts State Archives, The Felt Collection, Volume 6, Page 328-330

[pg 328]  

                                                                                    Noble Town 25^th of July 1766

 May it please your Excellency,

                                                When I waited on your Excellency at Boston To acquaint you and the Honr^ble his Majesty’s Council with the ill Treatment the inhabitants of Noble Town met with from the people of New York Government Your Excellency and the council was pleafed to put me under Oath to the declaration I then made of the engagement that happened a little before between some people belonging to the Province of New York and the inhabitants of Noble Town and I know that what I said on the affair is the truth.  But as I expect that some will be found wicked enough To Testify otherways who were the authors of the murders then committed I Judged it my duty as I was but a single evidence and as some persons were present only as spectators of what would happen To take their testimonies and send them to your Excellency so that if the otherside should endevour by contrary evidence To induce your Excellency to imagine I had not spoken truth these evidences may remove such difficulties and enable your Excellency to judge how the case truly stands with respect to those murders:  We are a ruined people unless some kind patron who is able to help us will interpose for our relief.  It was by the doings of the Government of the 

[page 329] 

Massachusetts Bay that the Inhabitants of Noble Town settled those Lands we actually settled by order and under the patronage of said Government and purchafed those Lands of the General courts committee and received privileges and did duty in the county of Hampshire for some Time and should to this day have so done had not the Government have neglected us and left us a  pray To our enemies from whom no people ever Suffered more effectual destruction from Savages.  We do wish if it were pofsible we might be again within the Government To which we do most properly belong, and if the Great and general court would accept of us and put us To the county of Berkshire we doubt not but it would still our enemies and we should be able To maintain the ground.  We leave it with your Excellencys wisdom and goodnefs what can or will be done for our Salvation from utter ruin.

            I am Your Excellencys Most Dutifull

                      and Obedient Humble Servant.

                                                                        [signed]            William Kellogg

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  

            To his Excellency Francis Bernard Esq.¹

   [Page 330]

    If your Excellency may Judge that the conduct of the people of Noble Town in some Things is not justifiable.  It is true That opprefsion will make a wise man mad, and certain it is no people ever had more reason To complain of wrong Then Those people have and it is most likely in such a scene of Trouble and violence have done some things which we ought To be sorry for but Then we hope your Excellency and every body will Judge the more favourably of any mifs conduct has been found among us when we have been Used in so terrible a manner as having our houses pulled down over our heads our wives and children drove into the open wildernefs our Substance destroyed our food for our familes support scattered in a wanton and Savage manner on the earth and Land which we have dearly paid for and Taken in its Native State built upon and subdued Taken from us by violence. It is pretended that now we are violent and a mob but all is from the Lands This is the bone of contention and it is well known That the people of Noble Town would have been intirely peaceable had they not have been ufed with more than savage cruelty.  I write this and give your Excellency the Trouble of perusing it to prevent a mifs representation of the affair.

                                                                        [signed] William Kellogg¹

 ¹ Massachusetts State Archives, The Felt Collection, Volume 6, Pages 328-330, read on 14 June 2000

Visitors since 25 Jan 2001