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The Indian Stream Republic

© Christina Coruth

Three hundred and sixty settlers found themselves caught in the middle of a boundary dispute between the British Government and the government of the United States. The area, known as Indian Stream, involved 200,000 acres on the Canadian/ New Hampshire border. Both governments made demands on the settlers, who were born in either Canada or the US. The British Government attempted to press some of the them into military service, while the United States government attempted to collect taxes.

The Treaty of Paris, which ended the American War for Independence, set the boundary as "the northwesternmost head of the Connecticut River”. However, three tributaries fed into that part of the head of the Connecticut River, leaving each government setting the boundary with the tributary that gave it the most land.

After 60 years of being caught between the two countries, the settlers took matters into their own hands. On July 9, 1832, they declared the disputed area to be a sovereign nation -- the Indian Stream Republic. Settlers drafted a constitution, which spelled out the rights and obligations of the citizens. They instituted their own court system, issued their own stamps, established a militia, and did all they needed to be a self sufficient entity.

Neither government was happy with the situation and continued to attempt enforcing its laws on the citizenry of the Indian Stream Republic. It wasn’t long before a schism developed between the settlers along nationalists lines and insurmountable problems arose.

The flashpoint in the dispute was considered by many to be a childish game of one upmanship carried on between the pro Canadian factions, including the Quebec Justice of the Peace, and the pro New Hampshire factions, including the Sheriff of Coos County. While there are many versions of this story, the most common version of the events of 1835 occurred thusly. Luther Parker, a one time leader of the Indian Stream Republic with pro New Hampshire sympathies, was arrested by Quebec authorities for threatening a Canadian citizen. He was held for a short period of time and released. John Tyler, a pro Canadian resident of the Indian Stream Republic was arrested by a New Hampshire deputy sheriff. It was thought that this arrest was a retaliation for Parker’s arrest. Before the sheriff could get Tyler out of the territory, some of his friends rescued him. One final arrest would seal the fate of the Indian Stream Republic. Quebec Justice of the Peace Alexander Rea, issued an arrest warrant for Richard Blanchard, a New Hampshire sympathizer. Before Blanchard crossed the Canadian border with his captors, he was rescued. His rescuers decided to enter Canada to kidnap Rea, which they did. They held him for several hours, then let him go. When word of this reached New Hampshire Governor William Badger, he ordered the New Hampshire Militia to occupy the Indian Stream Republic.

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