

HISTORY OF THE NEW YORK IROQUOIS 385 



The United States census of 1890 was naturally more accurate, 

 returning fully 7387 Iroquois in the United States and 8483 in 

 Canada, with a total of 15,870. The estimate of the greatest 

 earlier population was 13,000 in 1682. This census also gave 

 5239 as the Iroquois population of New York, to which may be 

 added 98 on the adjoining Cornplanter reservation in Pennsyl- 

 vania. Including this in the New York census, there were in 

 the State 481 Onondagas, 212 Oneidas, 18 Mohawks, 183 Cay- 

 ugas, 2767 Senecas and 408 Tuscaroras. On the New York side 

 of St Regis were 1129. Indians. This left over 2000 Iroquois in 

 other parts of the United States. The reported increase on the 

 New York reservations in 45 years was 1753. Reckoning by 

 these alone, there were in 1890, 494 Onondaga, 561 Tonawanda, 

 880 Allegany, 1582 Cattaraugus, 459 Tuscarora and 1157 St 

 Regis Indians. As many more of the latter were on the Canada 

 side. 



In 1819 the Ogden Land Company held a treaty at Buffalo, 

 desiring to secure all the Seneca reservations or have them con- 

 centrate on one. Agents of the United States and Massachu- 

 setts also attended, but the treaty was not successful, and there 

 was now a marked religious division in the Seneca nation. Suc- 

 cessive councils were held till 1826, when the Ogden Company 

 had more success, securing several small reservations in the 

 Genesee valley and parts of others. 



In 1838 all the Seneca lands in New York were conveyed to 

 the company, and this treaty was approved by the United States 

 Senate, March 1840, and afterward proclaimed by the president. 

 All this involved the arrangements about western lands and a 

 long litigation, recently decided in favor of the Indians. The 

 Senecas opposed the ratification on the ground of fraud, and it 

 was agreed that improper means had been used, the case creating 

 great interest and sympathy for the Indians. The Quakers took 

 up their plea and a compromise treaty was made in 1842, legal 

 resort proving useless. A full account of all is contained in the 

 report on The Indian Problem, made to the Legislature of New 

 York in 1889, the compromise being this: 



