Samson Occom's Journal, 1761 September 15-October 22
Author
Occom, Samson
Date15 September to 22 October, 1761
ms number761515.1
abstractOccom details his travels over the course of September and October of
1761.
handwritingThe legibility of Occom’s usually clear handwriting is
heavily mitigated by the poor condition of the paper.
paperSmall sheets folded into a booklet and sewn together with
thread/twine are in poor condition, with heavy staining, yellowing, fading
and
wear. There is a hole in the bottom of one recto/verso.
inkBrown ink is heavily faded.
noteworthyThere are several uncrossed t's and crossed l's that have
been corrected by the transcriber. An editor, likely 19th-century, has overwritten
Occom’s hand in black ink; these edits have not been transcribed. On one
recto, in
the second line, the word beginning "Conn…" likely refers to an Oneida or
Onondaga
town. The town could possibly be: 1) Gannentaha, the site of a Jesuit mission
among the Onondagas; 2) Kaunehsuntahkeh, a Tuscarora village east of Oneida
creek;
3) Canasaraga, in the Onondaga territory near present-day Syracuse; or 4)
Kauhanauka, a Tuscarora town. In several instances, it is uncertain as to
whether
a name refers to a person or place; these names have been left untagged.
It is
possible, however, that these uncertain names refer to inns or taverns and
the
names of their owners. Starting on the bottom of five verso and finishing
on one
verso, the phrase "Samson Occom of Mohegan" is written upside-down in large
letters, indicating that Occom was reusing paper for the pages of this
journal.
EventsOccom’s First Mission to the Oneidas
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September
the 15
I set out from
Conn
[illegible]oo
[illegible]ah
by way
of
Tuscarora and took
my Leave of them about
10 o'clock Several of the Indians
went with me to
Oneida got there about 1 in the
afternoon — was kindly
received by the
Oneidas
Sabbath September
the 20
Preached
at
Oneida a great Num
ber of the Indians Came to
gether from all of
the Castle to hear the word of god. I
baptized 3 persons —
at Night Several made
a public
confes
[illegible][guess: te]on
three of the
[gap: tear]Heads of the
3 Castles
[gap: tear][guess: ma]de a public confession
and returned thanks by a
Belt of Wampum etc. —
Monday September
the 21
I Left
Oneida and
Several accompanied
me to
fort Herkimer.
my mare got away
from me at Night,
and did not
find
her 'til
Friday
just
Night,
Saturday September
the 26
Sabbath
September
the 27
set
out very Early, and
got to
Schenectady a
bout 10. went Meeting
with the
People
heard
Mr. Vroman Preach,
but I could not underst
[illegible][guess: d] went to
See the priest
in the Evening and the
Next morning, he treated
very Kindly gave me
a Moha
[illegible: [guess: q]]ue Book —
Set
out about 9 got
to
Albany at
12
and Several insisted upon my
staying at
Albany the week
out, and to
Preach on the
Sabbath, and I at Length
I complied with their desire
Sabbath
October
the 4
I preached
in the morning in the
City
Hall, to Presbyterian Con‐
gregation, and in the af
ternoon I preached in
the English Church—
Monday. Married a
couple in
Albany, had
3 dollars Marrying. —
set out in the after
Noon towards Home, got
So far as
Coeymans. —
Tuesday. October
the 6
Set
out very Early in the
Morning, and reached
to
Kings Bridge at
Night
october the 7
we set out
from the
Kings Bridge
very
Early in the Morning, and
about the middle of the after
Noon my mare was about
Sli
[illegible][guess: nk]ing her fold and we
were obliged to Put up
at
[gap: omitted]
set out very early in the
Morning forward and
[illegible] Stop at
Poughkeepsie to
[illegible] Preach in the Evening.
and about Candle Light
we began our exercise in
the State House and there
was a great Number of
People to attend, and
at
tended very seriously —
and they gathered
£1: 7: 0. for me —; and they
were very solicitous to
have me Stay the Sabbath
over but I could not to be
my Duty to Comply —
Friday
October
the 9
and so far as Roger's at Night, and there turned in.
Saturday October
the 10
we set out very Early in
the Morning on our Jour‐
ney, and
got So far as
Browns by
Dobbs ferry, and
there turned in, but met
with very disagreeable
Company,—
Monday October
the 12
about
9 we got over upon
Long
Island, and from there set
away for
New York and
got into the City about
set
went to M wells and were very Kindly
received, found them all well and — Next Day went to visiting my Friends was kindly received by all —
Saturday October
the 17
set
Early in the Morning, and
got to
Huntington at Nig
[gap: stain] and kept Sabbath there
Monday October
the 18
we set away homeward Got So far as Mulfords at Night T
Tuesday
October 19
set out very Early in the Morning.
and got
Shinnecock at
Night found the Indians
well. they were very
glad
to See me once more, —
Wednesday
October 20
we went
off very Early in the morning
got to
Bridgehampton
be‐
fore Night lodged at
Mr. Browns, my Friends were
Exceeding glad to See me
Thursday
October 21
Kindly received by all my Friends,
Friday
October 22
went on towards home, visited my Friends and Neighbours all the way,
were
extremely well received by them all, got home at Night found my Poor Family well except our
youngest Child. it had been very Sick but it was getting well, — Thanks be to Almighty god for goodness to us.
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