Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-04-24
An Indian Tichborne.
HE CLAIMS THE TOWN OF ut. NORRIS =
EXCITEMENT AND ooNsTERyATIoE.
From the Livingston Republican

From the Livingston Republican,
The town of Mt Morris is in a heap
of trouble The property owners of
that beautiful town and village, resting
quietly in the enjoyment of the wealth
they have accumulated, are suddenly
startled from their fancied security, and
are rudely awakened to the fact that the
very ground on which they stand is not
their own, but. as is claimed, belongs TO
another, and he is a representative of
Lo, the poor Indian. Naturally enough,
the people are greatly excited, and go
about with anxious faces and beating
hearts, while the claimant strides about
the village with proud mein and com
placent smile on his swartby face, as he
views the magnificent property of which
he hopes soon to have possession. The
particulars of this singular case, as we
hear them. are as follows:
Soon after the close of the revolu-
tionary war, a man came from Phila-
delphia 10 the Genesse country, named
EbeneeZer Allen, or, as he was generally
called, Indian Allen. lie was of des-
perate, lawless nature, and, it was said,
was forced to leave his own state owing
to troubles in which he was involved.
After living with Mary Jemison, the
white woman of the Genessee, in her
house on the Garden Flats, abont
year, he built himself cabin near Squa-
kie Till, and took TO himself wife In
the person of a squaw named Sally.
He subsequently added to his stock of
wives and at one time, L is said, had no
less than three with whom he was liv-
ing. He gained living as a trader.
procuring his goods 10 Philadelphia and
| selling them to the Indians. He built,
| in 1890, the first grist and saw mill in
Western New York on the present site
of Rochester, and was engaged in seve-
raj enterprises of similar nature. Be
| coming involved in fresh difficulties du-
ring the troubles which led to the war
of 1912, he fled to Canada, where he sub
! sequently died.
About the year 1890 Gas near as we
can ascertain with the imperfect data
we have at hand,) Robert Morris OF
Philadelphia purchased the remaining
! interest of Phelps & Gorham inthe lands
! of Western New York, and in a treaty
which followed the Seneca Indians ce-
ded to Indian Allen, in trust for Chloe
and Sally Ann, his daughters, four square
miles of land at Mt. Morris, one cOndi-
/ lion OF trust DelHB lldl ue suOuIu Hdft
them taught "reading and writing, sew
ing and other useful arts, according to
the customs of the white people" Sub
sequently Allen sold his possessions TO
Morris, and included in the sale these
four square miles of land which he
held only m trust for his daughters.
Now, as we are informed, descendent
of these half-breed daughters, man
who had been for some years a resident
of Chicago, has put in an appearance
and claims that the entire site of the
town of Mt Morris is his, that Ebene-
ger Allen had no right to deed it away.
and that such deed is not valid. To en-
force bis claims he brings able lawyers
original surveyors, and mass of docu
mentary evidence sufficient to, and
which does, disturb the peace and Sc
curity of the whole commonwealth
above named. OF course the people OF
Mt. Morris will fight this "Tichborne.
element with all their power. During
the progress of what promises to be {
long and vexatious lawsuit we may lOol
for some rich developments.