Order from Governor Peter Chester in West Florida to Elias Durnford, Surveyor General. Detailing survey and lay out of 5,000 acres, not claimed by the Indians, for Edward Mease.

England jockeyed for power with Indigenous nations and Spain, which still controlled the vibrant port of New Orleans. As the political conflict intensified in 1775, Chester promised land grants in West Florida to Loyalists who swore allegiance to the Crown. As this grant shows, Chester recognized Native land rights and deemed these areas off limits for British settlement. Chester also urged British forces to protect the port of Pensacola, noting that it was the only way to import the trade goods needed to maintain Indian alliances, which were crucial to Britain’s ability to fight the revolution.

From the exhibition: Indigenous Independence: America 250 at Gilcrease, June, 2026. Curated by Dr. William Smith, Dr. Kristen Oertel, & Crawford Alexander Mann III, 2026.