Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-06-07
The Penobsc0t Tribe Of Indians

The Penobscot Tribe Of Indians
Are nation, so recognized by the State
In treaty. and SO long as they shall so re-
main land reside within the State of
Maine,' the treaty stipulations of the
State with them will be fulfilled. They
number four hundred, live principally on
Old Town Indian Island, maintain tribal
relations, are amenable to our laws, are
not taxed, do not vote, have police regula-
tions, support cornet band, enjoy religion
as Catholics are quiet, peaceable, law
abiding citizens
They furnished more than twenty re-
cruits to the army, in crushing out the
Rebellion, although not liable to military
duty. Made good soldiers, had no deser-
lions, and some are receiving United
States pensions.
The special appropriations for their
benefit, by the Legislature of Maine, are
small. To provide the additional amount
necessary to live through the year, which
they d. proves that these Indians cannot
be 30 indolent and improvident as gener-
ally supposed. Of the two tribes In
Maine, the Passamaquoddies have not in
very many respects, quite kept pace with
the first named.
The Penobscot tribe was originally in
possession of very valuable timber lands
consisting of all of the land watered by
the Penobscot river and It's branches, all of
which have been secured by the states of
Massachusetts and Maine The first
recorded purchase was made by Massachu-
setts in 1896. In 1878, the tribe also sold
to Massachusetts another valuable tract,
reserving from the latter sale four town
ships and all the islands in Penobscot river
above and including Old Town Indian Is
land. Said islands have been retained and
are still owned and occupied by the
tribe.
In payment for the tract sold in 1918
they were to receive, annually five hum
dred bushels of corn, fifteen barrels of
wheat flour. seven barrels of clear pork,
one hogshead of molasses, and one hun
dred yards of double breadth broadcloth,
to be red color one year and blue the next
year, and so on alternately. fifty good
blankets, one hundred pounds of gun
powder, four hundred pounds Of shot, six
boxes of chocolate, one hundred and fifty
pounds of tobacco, and fifty dollars in sill
YER" That treaty obligation was assumed
by Maine In 1920. The requirements, as
stipulated, have been complied with, and
fulfilled yearly to the present time. And
the agent distributes each fall the specified
articles in the month of October
In 1888. Maine purchased the four
townships before mentioned, paying "to
said tribe the sum of fifty thousand dol
lars $3.50, 000,) in the manner following,
to wit said sum of fifty thousand dollars
shall be deposited in the State treasury,
and the interest, reckoning from the date
hereof, shall annually be paid under the
direction Of the Governor and Council of
said State, through the Indian agent for
The benefit of the tribe provided it should,
in their opinion, be required for the COM
Portable support of said tribe. and If at
any time, at the annual settlement any
.part of said interest should remain in the
treasury, unexpended, it shall be added
to the principal of fifty thousand dollars
and become part thereof, and said sum
of fifty thousand dollars, together with
such increase as it may from year to year
receive, shall forever remain in the treas
ury an accommodating fund, for the benefit
of said tribe.
One million dollars Isl, O00 OOO,) would
undoubtedly be low estimate of the pre-
sent value Of the said four townships to-
gether with timber previously removed
from them. If the tribe were now receiv-
ing tho interest annually on that million
dollars, they would not need to ask for
the amount which they feel is sometimes
begrudingly granted to them in form of
gratuities by the State each year, for agri-
cultural purposes, schools etc, amount
ing TO, possibly, $500. The balance of
their annual appropriations being the
outcome of treaty stipulations, and the
payment of interest on their own trust
fund in the hands of the State, and the
distribution Of their own shore rentals
This deposit OF $50, 900 constituted the
germ Of the trust fund held by the State
for the benefit of the Penobscot Indians
January LIST, 1864 it amounted to $50, 43S.
A. The shores Of thu islands, heretofore
mentioned, reserved by the Indians are
valuable, being used for the purpose OF
hitching and booming logs They were
under rent to individuals on long leases
at nominal sum. In 1868, amount re-
ceived from said rentals for that year and
paid into the State treasury was two
hundred and twenty seven dollars and fifty
cents ($227.50) The following year, 1862
the old time leases having expired, the
same shores that had yielded SO small a
sum to the Indians, were leased at public
auction by the agent, under direction OF
the Governor and Council. for the highly
gratifying sum of four thousand four hun
dred and eighty seven dollars and eighty
eight cents. $4,4S7.SS.)
For several years. thereafter, the sums
so received were added to the trust fund,
until 1873, when said fund amounted to
SIS, S2S. AZ and still remains the same.
That year an act was passed for distribu-