"FIRST NATIONS DIPLOMACY OPENS THE PORTSMOUTH DOOR"

"First Nations Diplomacy Opens the Portsmouth Door" exhibit in the John Paul Jones House Museum in Portsmouth

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The 1713 Treaty of Portsmouth exhibit, "First Nations Diplomacy Opens the Portsmouth Door" was created by:
Charles B. Doleac, Sandra Rux & Stephanie Seacord, Co-curators
With thanks to the following for lending artifacts for the exhibit.
Hollis Brodrick
Kenneth Hamilton
Strawbery Banke Museum, Elizabeth Farish, Curator
Old Yorke Historical Society, Cynthia Young-Gomes, Curator
1713 Treaty of Portsmouth Tri-Centennial Committee
Charles B. Doleac, Chair
Emerson Baker
Lisa Brooks
Richard M. Candee
Tom Hardiman
Micah Pawling
Sandra Rux
Stephanie Seacord
David Watters
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Tin Lantern, c. 1700-1730 Loan Hollis Brodrick An extremely rare survivor of the early 18th century. The glass let in with lead came and it originally had 4 ball feet, two of which survive. Belt Buckle, c. 1670-1710 Loan Hollis Brodrick Used by the English to support a belt for cartridge boxes, pistol, knife. This one is forged iron as was the norm. Bottle, c. 1690-1710 Loan Hollis Brodrick English export wine bottle. Bottles usually arrived empty and owners filled with wine from casks as needed. Coins, 1652-1737 Loan Hollis Brodrick Coinage used in colonial America. Because the English colonies were not allowed to manufacture their own coins, specie was always lacking. European coins, especially those minted by Spain in the South American mines, were the most common. Early pieces of eight were primitive looking coins grossly out of round which lent themselves to crooked people clipping off small chunks. Perfectly round coins were finally developed to end the clipping problem. This group of coins includes a piece of eight or $1 and then fractions of a dollar produced by dividing coins into smaller pieces, the smallest ones being 1/8 of a dollar or 1 bit hence the explanation for two bits being a quarter of a dollar. Cartridge box c. 1690-1715 Loan Hollis Brodrick Made of leather and wood. Identical cartridge boxes have been found in the wreck Elizabeth and Mary from Sir William Phipp's fleet attack on Quebec 1690. Another identical box was found in the wreckage of the pirate captain Bellamy's ship the Whydah sunk in 1717 off Cape Cod. These wrecks provide us with a date range of these, the first cartridge boxes made in New England. Microanalysis determined that all three examples are made of American wood. Pistol c. 1670-80 Loan Hollis Brodrick Made in England and restocked using maple in New England 1700-1720. It has been cut down since the restocking. Early settlers used these for self defense; men usually carried these in their belt.

Wampum, Ancient and Modern with Quohog Shells Native Americans made Wampum shell beads from quohog and whelk shells. Originally drilled using pieces of flint, natives adopted European metal awls shortly after contact period began. Wampum was used as money by both natives and European settlers. Wampum Beads, 17th Century Loan Hollis Brodrick Made of shell drilled in the traditional native manner (from both ends). Results in a very small hole in the center. Wampum, 18th century Loan Kenneth Hamilton Made of shell but these are evenly formed cylinders, drilled all the way through. Possibly made by Dutch families in the Albany area. Wampum bracelet, Replica Loan Kenneth Hamilton Made of glass beads that replicate 17th and 18th century ornament and treaty weaving techniques. Wampum with Round, Blue Glass Beads Loan Kenneth Hamilton Replicates blue glass beads found in St Croix from 1604 to c. 1709. Authentic miniature replica of the Iroquois Gus When Tah wampum belt. Loan Charles B. Doleac Traditional quahog shell beads hand strung by Six Nations of the Grand River territory, near Brantford, ON. C. 2013 Collection of the Writings of Mr. Edward Ward, 1717 Loan Hollis Brodrick Includes a chapter “A Trip to New England” that provides an English viewpoint of both English colonists and Indians.

Authentic miniature replica of the Iroquois Gus When Tah wampum belt. Loan Charles B. Doleac Traditional quahog shell beads hand strung by Six Nations of the Grand River territory, near Brantford, ON. C. 2013 Collection of the Writings of Mr. Edward Ward, 1717 Loan Hollis Brodrick Includes a chapter “A Trip to New England” that provides an English viewpoint of both English colonists and Indians.

In 2013, the 1713 Treaty of Portsmouth Tri-centennial Anniversary Committee curated an exhibit hosted by the Portsmouth Historical Society and Strawbery Banke Museum. The panels (links below) were created with assistance from a panel of scholars and First Nations advisors.

Page 1, Seeking Peace in the Dannland
Page 2, Submission Language in the Treaty
Page 3, The Portsmouth Conference, July 1713
Page 4, First Nations Diplomats at Portsmouth
Page 5, The New Hampshire Council
Page 6, Conflict in Portsmouth
Page 7, Portsmouth Opens to Expansion after 1713
Page 8 (A), Map of Portsmouth and Treaty Effects
Page 9 (B), Map of Portsmouth and Treaty Effects
Page 10, Portsmouth Signers of the Treaty