Contemporary or early copy of the “Indian deed,” dated 1684, detailing sale of land along the Androscoggin river that was “signed, sealed, and delivered by the several sagamores within named … Warumbee, Darumkin, Wehikermett, Wedon-Dombegan, NeonongassettThis is the earliest “Indian deed” covering the land on which Bowdoin College now stands. So called “Indian deeds” were contractual arrangements between representatives of the indigenous peoples who had traditionally hunted or fished on the lands and waterways in question and settler colonialists, or more often, large land agencies, most owned by wealthy Bostonians. Such deeds typically covered not only land transactions but outlined terms and agreement, and thus served almost as treaties. In this case, the Wabanaki granted Richard Wharton "'ye Sole propriety Benefitt and advantage of ye salmon & sturgeon fishing within ye Bounds & Limits aforesaid…:”, while preserving their sovereignty and subsistence rights: "Provided Nevertheless [that] nothing in this Deed be Construed to deprive us ye Saggamores Successors or People from Improving our Ancient Planting grounds nor from Hunting in any of s'd Lands being not Inclosed nor from fishing or fowling for our own Provission Soe Long as noe Damage Shall be to ye English fisherys." Wharton would honor the terms of this agreement, but his successors would not. This copy of the Wharton Deed is from the Charles Vaughan Family Papers (M180). Both the Vaughan and Bowdoin families were among the Kennebec proprietors whose claims included land covered by the Wharton deed.
