Samson Occom, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1756 November 12

Author Occom, Samson

Date12 November, 1756

Call Number756612.3

abstractOccom writes to Wheelock about the concerns for his safety voiced by the Haudenosaunees he visited the previous Fall. He also notes troubles with the Delaware (Lenape) Indians.

handwritingThis does not appear to be in Occom’s handwriting. The document begins neatly and gets progressively messier and larger.

paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is heavily damaged, with a large tear or cut that results in a significant loss of text.

inkBlack

noteworthyThis document is likely a contemporary copy.

Persistent Identifier
Rev & Hond Sir/
I have only a moments Lieſure to hint
that when I return'd to my Indians last Fall in
October I was recd by ym with unfeigned Teſtimonies
of y.r affectionate Regard and was not only uſeful
but comfortable among them till December after
when to our surprise & great unhappineſs we ware
much discomforted by ye unexpected disaffection of
ye neighbouring Delawares below — My Indians fait
fully laboured to reduce them to a good Temper [gap: tear]
cauſe them to deſiſt their hostilities upon ye Sou[gap: tear][guess: thern]
Provinces, where in Conjunction with the Fren[gap: tear][guess: ch]
affairs of ye Delawares was not like to be com
fortably settled and yt they could not adviſe me
to continue with them in ye present state of [illegible]
Things. For if I ſhould be captivated or killed there
it might be unhappy for them, as it for-
ever deprived them of a Father and a Friend
— If I should be barbarously murdered among
them or fall into ye Hands of my Enimies
in any reſpect, they said that they should
never forget it — was It being only for their Sakes that
I firſt came into their Country and now
[gap: tear][guess: co]uld have no other motive to continue among them
[gap: tear] — Besides they
Providence however croſsing wch appears
against my returning to my People, they
having sent to me just before I left
Lake George deſiring my return & ad­
viſing me that it was their Opinion
that I might do it safely, I [illegible]ed
upon and expected before now to be
in their Country at least had hopes

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