Some of their heirs owned land in western New York into the 1920s, with the last parcel of The Pulteney Association property, 10 acres (40,000 m2), being sold in December 1926.
The United States forced the previous occupants, nations of the Iroquois Confederacy, to cede the lands as they had been allies of Great Britain.
After Massachusetts' claim was settled, New York state intended to sell the land for development and settlement.
Phelps and Gorham were to pay $1,000,000 in three equal annual installments for this land, payable in certain Massachusetts securities that were then valued at 20 cents on the dollar.
Later in 1788, they were able to extinguish Indian title to all lands east of the Genesee River between Lake Ontario and the Pennsylvania border, as well as a tract 12 miles (19 km) by 24 miles (39 km) paralleling the west bank of the Genesee River ("The Mill Yard Tract"), totalling some 2,250,000 acres (9,100 km2; 3,520 sq mi).