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Colonial and State Records of North Carolina
Letter from William Tryon to William Johnson
Tryon, William, 1729-1788
June 15, 1766
Volume 07, Pages 218-220

[From Tryon's Letter Book.]
Letter from Governor Tryon to Sir William Johnson, Bart

Brunswick the 15th June 1766

The Sachem of the Tuskarora Indians waited on me the 17th of last month; he shewed me the credentials you gave him and a pass

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obtained from Governor Fauquier of Virginia, both which together with his talk informed me of the intention of his journey from Susquehanna river. He arriv'd at this town very ill; I ordered a Doctor to attend on him, the best care to be taken of him to be supplied from my house with every thing he wanted. This complaint was the mumps, from which he recovered in about a week, he dined twice at my table which was as often as his health would permit. I found him not only humanized, but civilized. As the tract of land the Tuskaroras hold in this province upon the Roanoke was granted to them by the Legislature of this colony I acquainted the Sachem it would be necessary for his waiting till the meeting of the General Assembly to be held at Newbern the 30th of October next, when I would give him all the assistance in my power for the sake of so much of the land as would be necessary to bear the travelling expences of as many of the Tuskaroras, as were willing to quit this province, and march to join the Six Nations. The Sachem at first was very unwilling to stay himself till the above time, as he had promised his nation, and you Sir, to return to them in seven months from the time of his departure; and that term was already expired; however upon taking further time to consider on it, and upon my assurance to acquaint his nation, thro' you, of the necessity of his waiting till the meeting of our General Assembly; he consented to go to his people settled in this province, till the above period. The eight indians he brought from the Six Nations he told me he had left at the indian town on Roanoke river. He gave me strings of wampum during his talk. At my request that he would give the Governor of this province an indian name upon a day's consideration he honoured me with his own name, Diagawekee, in testimony of his regard for the care I had taken of him in his sickness. This name is to remain to all future Governors of North Carolina.

In a letter I have lately received from Mr Stuart, Superintendant of Indian affairs for the Southern District, he mentioned your application for his assistance to get the Tusks residing in this country to remove, and join the Six Nations; to accomplish which end you may be assured my assistance shall not be wanting as also my protection to as many of the nation as choose to continue in the province. I am told their number including men, womon and children amounts to nearly two hundred and twenty or thirty.

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I gave the Sachem a pass under the seal of the province for himself and attendants. The interpreter I understand is the same that came from the Six Nations with him, he seemed to be attentive to the Sachem, and behaved himself very well while at Brunswick.

I am Sir &c