Colonial Period

Walking Purchase Annexes Lenape Lands

1737
Delaware
Date
1737
Location
Delaware
Type
other

What happened

Thomas and John Penn used hired runners on a pre-cleared trail to fraudulently expand the Walking Purchase, annexing 750,000 acres of Lenape lands in 1737. The Lenape fought 19 years to have the treaty annulled, all to no avail.

People involved

When this happened

Walking Purchase Annexes Lenape Lands occurred in 1737, during the colonial period period of American history.

Where this happened

Walking Purchase Annexes Lenape Lands took place in Delaware. Explore the full history of Delaware and primary source records from this era.

Historical context — Colonial Period

European colonization of North America accelerated after 1600, with England, France, Spain, and the Netherlands establishing competing settlements along the Atlantic coast, the St. Lawrence River, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Mississippi Valley. The first permanent English settlement at Jamestown, Virginia (1607) struggled with starvation and conflict; the Plymouth colony (1620) and the Massachusetts Bay Colony (1630) followed. By the mid-1700s, thirteen English colonies stretched along the Atlantic seaboard, governed through a mix of royal charters, proprietary grants, and elected assemblies. The colonial economy depended on tobacco in Virginia and Maryland, rice and indigo in the Carolinas, and maritime trade in New England — all increasingly reliant on enslaved African labor after 1619. Conflict with Indigenous peoples over land was continuous, punctuated by major wars including King Philip's War (1675–1676) in New England and the Yamasee War (1715–1717) in the South. The French and Indian War (1754–1763), part of the global Seven Years' War, ended French power in North America and left Britain deeply in debt — triggering the taxation disputes that would lead to revolution.

Source

Content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia: Walking Purchase.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Delaware

This page covers Walking Purchase Annexes Lenape Lands. A full Aubrey report on Delaware pulls together this event alongside land records, conflicts, and everything else the historical record holds about the area:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Delaware report
Or see a real report first

Explore Delaware

Delawarehistory ›More events in Delaware›Historic sites in Delaware›Indigenous heritage ›

Related events

1682
Chester Incorporated as First Pennsylvania Town
1613
Dutch Mapping Expeditions of Delaware Shore
1626
Swedish South Company Unveiled
1718
George I's Privy Council Repudiates Colonial Laws

About Walking Purchase Annexes Lenape Lands

What was Walking Purchase Annexes Lenape Lands?
Thomas and John Penn used hired runners on a pre-cleared trail to fraudulently expand the Walking Purchase, annexing 750,000 acres of Lenape lands in 1737. The Lenape fought 19 years to have the treaty annulled, all to no avail.
When did Walking Purchase Annexes Lenape Lands happen?
Walking Purchase Annexes Lenape Lands occurred in 1737.
Where did Walking Purchase Annexes Lenape Lands take place?
Walking Purchase Annexes Lenape Lands took place in Delaware.

Research the location of Walking Purchase Annexes Lenape Lands

Research your locationView a free sample report