The original Deed is written on parchment and was executed in 1684, the Town paying 16 Ibs. current money of New England or about 80 dollars for the entire township. The same land is now assessed for well over $2,000,000,000.

The story is that in 1619 Nanepashemet, the Chief of the Naumkeag Indians was killed in a battle of the Tarintiens, Indians who occupied the State of Maine, province of New Brunswick, and upon his death the government of the tribe devolved upon his widow and she in turn made her three sons, each a sagamore, or deputy chief of the Naumkeags.

At a meeting of the Commoners held in July 1684, James ("No Nose") the younest of Nanepashemet's three sons, delivered a long oration to the effect that the town was passing out land over which they had no jurisdiction and which belonged to him. A committee was chosen to investigate his claim and they found it to be correct and a deed was made which would be good in any court in the land and this document (pictured above) hangs in the Selectmen's room in Abbot Hall. Below is a "translation" of the handwritten, fading document.

B. 7 P. 1

Marblehead Deed for their Township Sept. 16: 1684

TO ALL PEOPLE to whome this pr'sent Deed shall come Joane Quanapohkownat relict widdow of old Jno Quanapohkownat of Naticke wthin ye Collonye of ye Massachusetts Baye in New England decd James Quanapohkownat als James Rumney Marshe and Israell Quanapohkownat oldest sonne of ye sd James, Sarah Quanapohkownat Daughter of ye sd James all of Naticke Joane Ahawayet squaine relict widdow of George Saggamore als Wenepawueekin late of Chelinsford in New England aforesd decd Susannah & Sarah Wenepawweekin Daughters of ye sd George Saggamore David Nonoponowgo Jno Tonotoughoquonug Grandchildren of sd George Saggamore decd send greeting know yee yt ye sd Joane Quanapohkownat James Quanapohkownat Israell Quanapohkownat Joane Ahawayetsquaine Susannah & Sarah Wenepawweekin David Nonoponowgo Jno Tonotougho quonug for & in consideration of ye sume of Sixteen pounds currant money of New England to ym in hand paid att or before ye ensealing & delivery of theise pr'sents by Capt Samll Ward & Jno Devorix of Marblehead within ye aforesd Collonye in New England Merchants as Trustees for ye proprietors in & purchasers of ye Township of Marblehead well & truly paid ye receipt whereof; they doe hereby acknowledg & themselves therewth to be fully sattisfied & contented & thereof, & of every part thereof. Doe hereby acquitt exonorate & discharge ye sd Samuell Ward & Jno Dev orix as Trustees, above sd their heirs executors & administrators as also all ye rest of ye pur chasers & proprietors of ye Township of Marblehead & eache & every of them forever by these pr'sents, have given, graunted, bargained sould aliened enfeofed & confirmed & by these pr'sents, doe fully freely cleerly & absolutely give graunt bargaine, sell, alien, enfeoffe & confirme unto ym ye sd Samuell Ward & Jno Devorix as Trustees above sd & to yr heirs & assignes forever; to & for ye sole use benefitt & behoofe of ye proprietors in & purchasers of ye Township of Marblehead, aforesd All ye sd Township of Marblehead viz. as well ye great neck as ye lands on Marblehead side being butted & bounded partly wth ye river & sea from a certaine place comonly called & known by ye name of forrest river Bridge to a place called beaver brooke & partly by land belonging to ye Towne of Salem, or howsoever, ye sd Township or any part or parcell thereof is butted & bounded, or reputed to be bounded together wth all houses ediffices buildings, lands, yuards, orchards, gardens, meadows, marshes, feedings, grounds, rocks, stone Beache, fflatts, pastures, fences comons, comons of pasture, woods, underwood swamps waters water courses dams ponds, headwaies fishings fowlings wayes easements proffitts priviledges rights comodityes emoluments royaltyes, hereditaments & appurtenances whatsoever to ye sd Township of Marblehead & other ye pr'mises belonging or in any wise appertaining or therewth now used, occupied or enjoyed as part parcell or member, thereof: & also all Rent arrearages of rents, quitt, rents, rights & appurte nances whatsoever (nothing excepted or reserved) And also all deeds wrightings & evidences whatsoever touching & concerning ye pr'mises or any part or pcll thereof. TO HAVE & TO HOULD all ye sd Township of Marblehead viz. as well ye great necke as ye lands on Marblehead side, butted & bounded as abovesd wth all other the above graunted, pr'mises wth their & every of their rights members & appurtenances & every part & parcell thereof, hereby graunted bargained sould, or meant mentioned or intended to be hereby graunted & sould unto ye sd Samll Ward Jno Devorix as Trustees abovesd & to yr heirs & assignes for ever, to & for ye sole use benefit & behoofe of ye proprietors in & purchasers of ye sd Township of Marblehead: & ye sd Joane Quana pohkownnt James Quanapohkownat alies James Rumney Marsh Israell Quanapohkownat Joane Ahawayetsquaine Susannah & Sarah Wenepawweekin David Nonoponowgo & Jno Tonotoughoquonug for ymselves their heirs executors & Administrators joyntly severally & respectively doe hereby covenant, promise & graunt to & wth ye said Samuell Ward & Jno Devorix as Trustees abovesd their heirs heirs & assignes on behalfe of ye proprietors & purchasers of ye sd Towne of Marblehead in manner & forme following (that is to saye) that att ye tyme of this pr'sent bargaine sale & untill the ensealing & delivery of these pr'sents, they & their Ancestors were ye true, sole & lawfull owners of all ye afore bargained pr'mises, & were lawfully seized of and in ye same & every part thereof in yr owne proper right: & have in ymselves full power good right & lawfull auctoritye to graunt sell conveye & assure ye same unto ye sd Samuell Ward & Jno Devorix as Trustees abovesd their heirs & assignes for ye use abovesd as a good perfect & absolute estate of inheri tance, in ffee symple wthout any manner of condition reversion or limitation whatsoever, so as to alter change defeate or make void ye same. & yt ye sd Samuell Ward & Jno Devorix as Trustees abovesd their heirs & assignes for ye use & benefit of ye proprietors & purchasers of ye aforesd Township of Marblehead shall & maye by force & virtue of these pr'sents, from time to time & att all times for ever hereafter lawfull peaceably & quietly have hould use occupye possesse & enjoye ye above graunted pr'mises wth ye appurtenances and every part & parcell thereof free & cleere & cleerly acquitted & discharged of & from all & all manner of former & other gifts graunts bargaines sales leases mortgages joyntures dowers judgments executions forfeitures & of & from all other titles troubles charges & incumberances whatsoever, had made comitted done or suffered to be done by ye sd Joane Quanapohkownat James Quanapohkownat alies James Rumney Marsh Israell Quanapohkownat Joane Ahawayetsquaine, Susannah & Sarah Wenepawweekin David Nonopovmowgo Jno Tonotoughoquonug or either or any of them their or either or any of their heirs or assignes or by their or either or any of their ancestors att any tyme or tymes before ye ensealing hereof. AND further yt the sd Joane Quanapohkownat James Quanapohkownat alies James Rum ney Marsh. Israell Quanapohkownat Joane Ahawayetsquaine Susannah & Sarah Wenepawweekin David Nonoponowgo Jno Tonotoughoquonug heirs executors & administrators joyntly & severally shall & will from time to time & att all times for ever hereafter warrant & defend ye above graunted promisees wth yr appurtenances & every part & parcell thereof unto ye sd Samuell Ward and Jno Devorix Trustees as abovesd & to yr heirs & assignes for ever. To & for ye sole use & benefit of ye proprietors, & purchasers in & of ye sd Township of Marblehead agst all & every person & persons whtsoever any wayes lawfully claiminge or demaunding ye same or any part or parcell thereof & lastly yt ye sd Joane Quanapohkownat alies James Rumney Marsh Israell Quanapoh kownat Joane Ahawayetsquaine Susanah & Sarah Wenepawweekin David Nonoponowgo Jno Tonotoughoquonug or either or any of ym their or either or any of their heirs executors or ad ministrators shall & will from tyme to tyme & att all tymes hereafter, when thereunto required att ye cost & charges of ye sd Samuell Ward & Jno Devorix their heirs or assigns or ye purchasers & proprietors of ye sd Township of Marblehead doe make acknowledge execute & suffer all & every suche further act, & acts thing & things assurances & conveyances in ye law whatsoever for ye further more better surety & sure makinge of ye abovesd Township of Marblehead wth ye rights hereditaments & appurtenances above by these pr'sents mentioned to bee bargained & sould unto ye sd Samuell Ward & Jno Devorix Trustees as abovesd & to their heirs & assignes for ye use aforesd as by ye sd Samuell Ward & Jno Devorix Trustees as abovesd their heirs or assignes or said proprietors or by their Councill learned in ye Law shall be reasnablye devised advised or re quired IN WITTNESSE WHEREOF ye sd Joane Quanapohkownat alies James Rumny Marsh Israel Quanapohkownat Joan Ahawayetsquaine Susanah & Sarah Wenepawweekin David Nonopo nowgo John Tonotoughoquonug have hereunto sett their hands & seales ye eighteenth daye of July Anno Domi one thousand six hundred eighty & foure Annoqr Regni Regis Caroli Secundi Anglie

tricessimo sexto the marke of Joane Quanophkonat & a seale

Signed sealed and deliv- ) ye marke of Susanah & Wenepawweekin & a seale

ered by Jone Quanopkonatt ) Israell Quanapahomatt his marke & a seale

James Quanophkonatt als ) the mark of James Quanophkonatt

James Rumney Marsh ) the marke of Jone Ahawayetsquaine & a seale

Jone Ahawayetsquaine ) Sarah Wanapawequin x her marke & a seale

Susannah Wenepawweekin ) James Quanapohkonat

Joseph Quanophkonatt ) alies James Rumney Marshe & a seale

in ye pr'sence of us after ) KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PR'SENTS that I

ye same was first read ) Joseph Quanophkonatt als Joseph English Gran-

Henery Bartholmew Junr ) sonne of the within mentioned old John: doe give

George Monck ) graunt and confirm unto ye within mentioned

Eliezer Moody servant to ) Trustees & their heirs for ever for ye use within

Jno Hayward Noty Public ) mentioned all my right title interest claime prop

erty and demaund of in & to ye Township of Marblehead within named: as wittnesse my hand & seale the daye & yeare within written

This Instrument was ) the marke of Joseph Quanophkonatt & a seale

acknowledged by ) als Joseph English

Jone Quanophkonatt James Quanophkonatt als James Rumney Marsh Jone Ahawayetsquaine Susannah Wenepawweekin & Joseph Quanophkonatt to bee their acts & deeds this eighteenth daye of July 1684

before S: Bradstreet Governr

Looke page 9 for an addition to this deed.

An addition to yt in page 2nd

Marblehead

Old Ahaton of Punkapog aged about seaventy years affirmeth apon his oath yt he knows yt George Saggamore wth no nose was Saggamore of yt place, where Marblehead is seated, & according to ye old Indians Custome he ye sd George Saggamore was cheife proprietor of those lands att Marblehead, yet moreover he knows yt James Quanapohkowat is neer Kinsman to ye sd Saggamore & is also interested in those lands sworn in ye Court att Natick ye 16: 6th mo: 1672 attested by Danll Gookin Assistt: Wayband aged seaventy seaven years & Piam Bowhow aged about seaventy seaven years doe apon yr oathes affirme to ye truth of ye above written testimonie ye 10th of June 1681 before Danll Gookin Sn Assistant Georg Sagamore wth no nose appeared in ye Court held at Natick among the Indians ye 16nth of 6 month 1672 & also there appeared

Jone Quanopokowat Kinsman to ye sd George they both agreed & declared in open Court yt all ye right of George Saggamore in the Lands of Marblehead of Antient tyme, George he consents yt James shall have it, dispose of it & he will joyne wth him, to make ye deed for it apon condition yt George Saggamore is to reserve one moiety of ye paye & ye other contraty to reserve ye other half Don in Court att Natick ye 15th of August 1672

as Attest Danll Gookin

These are copies taken out of ye Courts records att Natick this 19: of June 1684

as Attest: Daniell Gookin Sn Assistant

Essex Reg. Deeds, So. Dist., Salem, Mass. April 5, 1928.

The foregoing is a true copy of record in this office.

Attest: Robert W. Osgood Asst. Register.