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501 Thomas Commuck (1805–1855) Thomas Commuck left his home in Charlestown in 1825, joining the second wave of Native people who moved to Brothertown, Wisconsin. According to Deloss Love, he married Hannah Abner and had ten children, and he became a prominent member of the Brothertown community, serving as its postmaster and a justice of the peace. Commuck’s “Sketch of the Brothertown Indians,” published by the Wisconsin State Historical Society in 1859, details his experiences. He is also known as the author of an 1845 hymnal, Indian Melodies. The two letters below, from the Rhode Island Historical Society, detail his efforts to sell a parcel of land in Charlestown to finance his emigration. Letter to Wilkins Updike Calumetvill July 14, 1837 Hon Wilkins Updike Esq Sir the undersigned in compliance with the wishes of Moses Stanton of Charlestown R.I. takes this method to inform you that I am one of the very few full blooded Remnants of that Once numerous and Powerful Tribe known by the name of the Narragansett Tribe of Indians. My object in writing to you is to get your candid opinion Respecting a claim that I have to lands lying in the town of Charlestown R.I. I am the only legal heir to my grand father Joseph Commuck’s farm. He has no son nor daughter, brother nor sister living and no other grand child except myself. He owned at his death a farm containing about 1.50 acres as I always understood. But I believe that Moses Stanton estimates it at only about 1.2 acres[.] Said land be it more or less descends in a direct line to me. For the last two or three years I have become anxious to sell the same so that I may be benefitted thereby. I think that it was in 1823 that I traveled into State of N. York and liv’d amongst the Brothertown Indians and was adopted into the nation as you know that all Eastern Indians have been by them the said Brothertown Indians being 502 narragansett composed of various Eastern tribes or rather the descendents of such. At the time of my leaving the state of R.I. my grand father’s farm was leased to Daniel Sekater a resident in Charlestown. Since the expiration of said lease I do not know many of the particulars respecting whose hands said lands have been in but I have understood that [Jerasha Hull]—a woman who claimed to be half sister to my grandfather has had possession of said land. She is now dead. I have written several letters to Moses Stanton who is well aquainted with the justice of my claim[.] [T]o him I would respectfully refer you for any particulars respecting my claim. Being but a mere lad when I left Charlestown I was but very imperfectly acquainted with the laws rules and regulations of said tribe—but as near as I can learn I think that I could not sell said land without getting a special act passed by the legislature of R.I. to that effect. I have written to the governor of the state of R.I. Day before yesterday I received his answer. He says he thinks that by petitioning the legislature of the state of R.I. I shall have a special act passed for my relief. There is one point which I wish to be particularly instructed in—because I think that it may have a very important bearing upon the question. That is Congress passed a law last winter [authorizing] that the Brothertown Indians be admitted as citizens of the U.S. to all intents + purposes + that they have the title to their lands in Wisconsin Territory secured to them in fee simple. You are no doubt acquainted with the Bill of which I speak and of all of its provisions. You will perceive then that I am soon to be a citizen of the U.S. and I believe that the Constitution of the U.S. provides that no man shall be deprived of his just rights. I wish you to give me your opinion on that point in particular—If you can assist me in selling said lands I will reward you amply for your trouble. I wish that you would consult with Moses Stanton on the subject and act in [concert] he being one of the principal council men in Charlestown—I think of coming down to Charlestown...

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