Barclay collection

Thomas Barclay, 1753-1830, served as commissioner on behalf of the British government for the St. Croix commissions following the Treaty of Ghent, which were appointed to agree on a Canadian-American border between Passamaquoddy Bay and the Great Lakes. Thomas Barclay was assigned as Commissioner under the 4th and 5th articles of the Treaty of Ghent, the 4th Article having to do with the borders around Grand Manan Island and Passamaquoddy Bay and, in the 5th article, the line from the St. Croix River across the northern border of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and New York. Maps, diaries, surveyors' reports and letters between commissioners and other government officials are included with this collection.

Anthony Barclay, 1792-1877, Thomas Barclay's son, took over as British Commissioner under the 6th and 7th articles of the Treaty of Ghent, after the original Commissioner, John Ogilvy, died around 1819. (John Ogilvy's letter books are included in this collection). Article 6 dealt with the boundary running across the Great Lakes to Sault St. Marie, and the 7th article dealt with the lands from Lake Superior to Lake of the Woods, Ontario. His initials (AB) and notes appear on many of the maps of the Great Lakes area, dated ca. 1820.

Ward Chipman, 1754-1824, was appointed British Agent under an article under the Treaty of Washington, 1793. His task was to assist in determining the true 'St. Croix' River, which would serve as the boundary between Maine and New Brunswick. Robert Pagan was sent on a detectival mission to determine which large river had an island at its mouth, which was presumably the St. Croix meant in the original charters. Robert Pagan and others brought to the commission maps from Native American Francis Joseph Neptune of the area. In 1823 Ward Chipman was elected President of New Brunswick.

The son of Ward Chipman, also named Ward Chipman, 1787-1851, assisted in working on the commissions.

Robert Pagan served as a 'detective' on behalf of Ward Chipman, [Sr.] scouting around the area of Passamaquoddy Bay, interviewing the Native Americans. It was this work of Robert Pagan's that produced the Francis Joseph Neptune maps of the area.