Samson Occom, journal, 1785 May 1 to October 3
DateMay 1 to October 3, 1785
Call Number785301
abstractOccom's account of his travels as an itinerant preacher over the course of several months in 1785.
handwritingOccom's hand is mostly clear and legible. As is common with Occom's writing, there are uncrossed t's and crossed uprights; these have been corrected by the transcriber.
paperSmall sheets folded into a booklet and bound with thread or twine are in good-to-fair condition, with light-to-moderate staining and wear that results in a minimal loss of text.
inkBrown ink varies in intensity throughout. It appears that the pen nib changes as well.
noteworthyThis journal picks up where manuscript 784308 leaves off. On five recto, the identity of Mr. and Mrs. Carter's daughter is uncertain, and so she has been left untagged. On eight recto, the identity of Brother Moss's daughter is uncertain, and so she has been left untagged. On 11 recto, the name of the Indian Town is uncertain and so it has been left untagged. On 14 recto, the identity of Talitha's daughter is uncertain and so she has been left untagged. An editor, likely 19th-century, has overwritten the journal in spots. These edits have not been transcribed. Mention is made of the death of Occom's daugher Talitha. Individuals who are not named, and whose identities cannot be deduced, are not tagged.
May 1: 1785: Sabbath N [illegible][guess: 11]
there was a large Number of
well behavd People, and the
word of god fell among the People
with Some weight and Some were
much afected eſpecially in the
fore part of the Day, after meet
ing, took Dinner with the Fami
ly and after that went Home
felt Some what Spent, and went
to Be
May 10:
to Seabrook to fiſhing, a Storm
met us the next Day, and we stopt
at New London,
May 13:
got to the Fiſhing, near night
and we Stayed there till 27
and we had prety good Luck
the 28:
our folks well,
Sabbath may 29:
at Harrys, and we had a
a Penitant meetig, I Sayd a
few words from the Braſen
Serpent, and we felt the
Power of god, I think,
June 5:
and I Spoke from Rom 4:7
June 12: Sab
went to Pawquonk and I
preachd in Mr Reuben
Palmers Meeting Houſe and
there was Conſiderable num
ber of People, and they attend
ed with great Solemnity, both
parts of the Day, I Spoke from
1 Sam 22:2: and Rom 4:7
and after meeting went ot Mr
Carters, and took Dinner there
and after eating we Sot away
for
after Sun Set, —
June 18:
Mohegan for Chartes Town
and we got a little before
Night, we put up at James
Niless, and were kindly re
ceivd by them, —
Sab: June 19:
Niles, and found him very
low, and I believe he never
will get up again, went
back to James, and then to
the meeting Houſe, and was
a Number of People, but
not large, they had but
a Short Notice of my Com[illegible][guess: i]g
and I preachd from Rom 4 7
in the after Noon, we went
to Sam Niless, and I preachd
from Daniel 5:25 in the
evening met
and John Cooper was there
he Spoke, and he diſ[illegible][guess: cov]erd a
party Spirit, uafter wards I
reharſd the Hiſtory of Joſeph
and then returnd to James
Niless, and Lodged there
once more,
Monday, June the 20:
about 2 Hours high Deacon
Henry Quaquaquid and I
left Chartes Town and went
on Homeward, and we go
Home Some Time in the even
ing, found our Families
well —
Sab: 26:
New Concord, and preachd in
Mr Troops meeting Houſe —
from Mat 4: 10: in the after
Noon from 1 Corin 18:22 and
was a larger number people
and they attended with great
Solemnity, after meting
went to See Mr Troop and
found him in low State of
Health, Supped with them
and Soon after Supper
took leave of them and
re
at Mr Jabaz Crokers and
found in him in hard Sick
neſs full of Pain & diſtreſs
prayd with him, and after
Prayer went on, and I Stopt
at Mrs Fitches and Taried
there all Night, next
Morning after Breakfaſt
went on and got home
about 9 found my well
three Days ago I heard a
heard heavy News, my
poor Talitha is Dead &
Buried, the Lord the Sove
reign of the Univerſe
Sanctify this Diſpenſa
tion to me and to all my
Family —
Tueſday, June 28:
June 29:
London. and So over to groton &
a meeting at Mr Burringtons
and there was a goodly num
ber of People and they attend
ed the word with great Solemn
attention, and the Young man
that Came to Mohegan for me
was greatly afected, broke
out in bitterneſs of Soul, and
Cryed for mercy, Severa
him a word of Exhortation —
I Lodged in the Same Houſe
Thirdsday June 30:
Capt Lathem Came to the H—
where I was, and I went Home
with his directly, Dined
him, and his wi
have no Children; near a
bout 3 went to Mr Giddion
Saunders's and there was a Num
ber of People got to
we began the worſhip of god
Directly, and I preachd to
there [below]˄ was an Effectionate
attention, and after I had done
Speaking, Mr Avery gave
a word of Exhortation, and
then he prayd and when he
had done the People Sot Still
and wou'd not go away, it
Seem'd they wanted to hear
more, they were hungry af
ter the word, and So we gave
out more
after a while they went a
way with heavy hearts, and
Some of 'em wanted I Should
preach to them again on
the next Day, but I told them
I wanted to get home, to attend
upon other People, where
I had engagd, — Lodgd at
Mr Saunderss, and was very
kindly entertaind, —
Fryday July 1: 1785
break
the Family in Peace and
good Friendſhip; Calld at
Capt Robert Lathems but
was not at Home, only his
wife, Sot there a while, and
then went to the Ferry and
went over to the City of New
London, and So on home
ward, got home about 3
o:c: and found no one at
Home —
July 3: 1785:
Early in the morning for Pau
quonk, Mr Eliphalet Liſter
went with me, we got to the
Place Some Time before meet
meeting Call on Elder Palmer
and there took Breakfaſt, &
then we went to meeting and
was Conſiderable Number of
People, Mr Leſter preachd,
preach, and towards night
we went about 3 miles fur
ther towards Colcheſter Town
and there I preach again
to a large number of People
and both Elder Palmers were
there the Father and the Son
and there was Solemn attenti
on — after meeting went back
with Mr Abel Palmer and I
Stopt at Mr Carters and Lodged
there, and had very agree
able Converſat
Carter and one of their
Daughters, in Religious
Concerns, went to bed late,
Monday July 4:
early and took my Horſe
and went Home, — got Home
about 10: and found my
geting ready to go to Pauqua
nunk a fiſhing, and I went with
Directly, got to the Place
night —
July 9:
Concord, got to Deacon Huntingtons
about Sut Set, and was kindly
recevd and entertaian'd Lodged there
Sab: July 10,
and I went to meeting, and there
was a great Number People Col
lected together, and I preachd
from Luke 12: 21: in the after
Noon from John 12: 21: and the
made me a Collection, — towards
Evening preachd at Deacon
Huntington's, — and Soon after
meeting I went to bed, but did
feel well, and was reſtleſs all
Night, —
July 11:
July 16
Sab: July 17:
with the Deacon, and Mr Park
preachd in the Morning, —
in the after noon I preachd
from [gap: omitted] after I had
Mr Park ad[illegible][guess: m]iſd: the Sacra‐
ment of the Lord Su
I partook
was a Comfortable Seaſon
to the Children of God. Some
old Chriſtians broke forth in
Praiſes and adorations
and they encouragd one a
nother to on in their C
an Courſe. after meeting
I went directly Home, went
with Mr Story of Norwich
Stopt at his Houſe, and took
Supper with him, and was
kindly treated, Soon after
Supper I went on my way
god Home Some Time in the
Evening, and went to bed qui
etly Thanks be to god for his
goodneſs to me and Family
hetherto —
July 24:
Morning got up, and got ready
and went
and went over to Groton, to
Mr Sanders's and got there
about 9: and was tenderly
receivd by the whole Family
about 10 the People began
to 'gather, and there was a
Number of People Collected
together, and I preachd to
from Luke
the after noon from John 21:22
and I think had Some aſsiſtance
eſpecially in the after noon —
and the People attended with
great Solemnity and affection
I believe many felt the Power
of the word, — I Stayd at Mr
Sa[illegible][guess: u]derss and had Some Exer
ciſe with Several, in the even[illegible]
ing with my Chriſtian Cards
and after that went to bed
quietly — Monday after break
faſt went off after taking affec
tionate Leave of them, and Stopt
at one Mr John Shoolers to See
a Sick woman, found her
very much Diſtreſt both Body and
Mind, I gave her Some Coun
ill and preſt to believe on
the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and
with her and then
went on my way, got
near noon, and reſted a
few Minutes and
a gain and down to New
London, to bu
got home again Some Time
in the Evening —
Sabbath [illegible] July
31:
and preachd there twice from
1 Corin: 7: 29: 30 and 1 Corin 4: 7
and there was not great many
People and they attended well
towards night I went to Mr Chapels
and preachd there to a few People
and as Soon as the meeting was
done, I went Home, and got H–
Sabbath Augt 7:
Home and went to upper part
of Long Society, got to Mr Moſss
near 10 and from there we
went to Mr Woodworths, and there
was a great Multitude of People
and preach'd to them from
Daniel, 5: 25 and John 8: 47
Toward Night I preachd at
Mr Moſss: from 1 Cor 7: 29 and there was great
attention, and many were
Deeply affected, and Some
broke forth in Praiſes, eſpe
cially in the Evening, —
I Lodged at Mr Moſss and
Brother London a Negroe
preacher was with us all
this Day and this evening
and he and Severy of the
Young Christian Lodged at
Mr Moſss — Monday Morning
we got up early in the
morning, and London and
I were Seting off, but Brother
woud have us Stay to Break
faſt and we Conſented, and
after Breakfaſt we Sung
and Prayed and the Power
of god Came done amongſt
us and the Young Chriſtians
were filld with Love to god
and to one another, and one
of Brother Moſss Daughters
who met with Conſolation
laſt Night was greatly
filld with Divine Love
and we had a Bleſsed meet
ing — and we parted in Love
Peace and Fellowſhip —
and I got Home about 12: and
found my Family well the
Lord be Praiſed —
Sab: Augt 14:
Home early in the morning for
Long Society, got there before
10 [illegible] Call on Mr Jonathan Smith
and took Breakfaſt with them
and then went to meeting
and there was a great numbr
of People and I preachd to
them from Heb: 4: 2: & 2:Cor 17 V
Some Time after meeting
I went Home, Stopt a while
at Mr Ephraim Storys in the
Lan
Brother London a
preacher and they was to
a meeting in the evening
and they woud have me
Stay to meeting, but I did
not, I got Home Some Time
in the evening —
Thirdsday Augt 18:
to Mr Poſts at We[illegible][guess: ec]us Hill
& Siſter Beth with me and preach to a Number of
People and they attended well
with great Sobriety. — after
meeting Drank Tea with
them and then we Sot off for
Home, got Home Some Time
in the Evening, Thanks be
to god —
Sab Augt 21:
Home very Early in the morning
for Pauquonk, got there Some
Time before meeting, Calld up on
Mr Carter, and was kindly re‐
ceivd, by the Family, and took
Breakfaſt, and after that
went to meeting, and there
was a goodly number of People
and I preachd to them, from [below]Acts 2:37
and the People attended with
gravity and Sobriety, Especially
the Young People — Soon after
meeting I went Home, and got
H in the
Sab Augt 28
Houſe before Sun riſe and
went on towards north part
of Preſton, got to Mr Daniel
Moſses before meeting, and we
went on to Mr Woodworths and
found a great Number of People
Collected togegether, and I preachd
to them, from Luke 16:5 and
Matt 11:28: and there was great
Solemnity and affection Soon
after meeting, I went to Brother
Moſss: and preachd there, before
Night and there was a Croud
of People, from Luke 7:23:
Mr Heart was there, — I Lodgd
at the Same Houſe, Monday
Augt 29:
Moſs and I went to ſee Mr Heart
found him very kind and friend
ly, went from there to Mr John
Putnams and there I preachd
to a Small Number of People
but there was great Solmen
ity among the People, took Dr
there and after Dinner went
to one Mr Fitchs 3: or 4. miles
and there I preachd to a great
Number of People and
of god fell with weight upon
the People, and I believe they
will not forget it Soon —
after meeting I went Home
with old Mr Fitch, about a
mile and an Half Eaſt of
Long Society Meeting Houſe
and there I Lodged, and was
Tuſeday morning after
Breakfaſt took leave of the
Family and went on home
ward, got Home Juſt before
noon and found no Body at Home
Sepr 3:
left Home, and went to lower part
of groton, was detain'd Some Time
at gales Ferry, but got over a
bout Sun Set, and reachd to Mr
Saunders before Day Light in
and was receivd by the whole Fa
with all Kindneſs, Lodged there
Sepr 4:
Number of p
ther and I preachd to them from
John 11:28: in the after noon from
1 Croni 29: 5: and there was very
deep, Solemn, and Silent attention
the People lookd as if they were
araind before the Judgement
Seat of god, I believe they felt
the Power of the Truth of the word
of god, — Soon after meeting I
Din'd with the People of the Houſe —
and then I went to one Mr Jabez
Smiths about 3: miles Southward
I got there about Sun Set, I had
no thoughts of hav
but preſently after I got there
2 or 3 Neighbours were there, and
they whiſperd among themſelves &
preſently they aſk'd me whether I
woud preach
would Come in, and I told them
I woud I woud, and they, Sent out
to
half an Hour a number of People
Came in So as to fill a large Room
or almoſt, and I Spoke to them
from John 4:10: and the People
attended well, — Lodged here this Night
and was kindly entertaind — Monday
Sepr 5
and had my Horſe Catch'd, and I Sot off
and directed my Courſe to Capt Robert
Lathems got there Juſt as they were
geting Breakfaſt ready, Sot down
with them, after eating I went to
Mr William Sheffields, I had a little
Temporal Buſineſs with him, but
I found him not he was juſt gone
from Home, — and So I went back
to Capt R. Lathems took dinner
with them, and after Dinner took
leave of 'em and went to went
to Mr Sheffields again and he was
at Home, I did my Buſineſs
with him; and directly went
to the Ferry, meet my good
Friend Mr Saunders, and he
gave me a piece of money &
I was very lo
he woud make me take it
and So I was obligd to it, and the
good Lord reward him and his
family a Thouſand Fold, —
went over to the City of New London
met Mr Smith, and we did our
Buſineſs, and So we parted in
good Friendſhip — I went on
my way, and Sopt at Capt Wheelers
and Lodged there — Tueſday M
Sot off very early, and got home
once more, well, and and my Famy was
much Scatterd, what was at H
were well, the Lord be Praiſed —
for his goodneſs to us thus far —
Sabbath Sepr 11
in the Morning and Sot of from Home
and went to Long Society, got there
Some Time before the People Collect
Stopt at Mr John Smith, was kindly
receivd, near 11: went to the Houſe
of Worſhip, and there a great Num
ber of People, and attended with great
and Solemn attention, preachd
from Isaa v: 3: 4 & 1 Peter 1: 24
Directly after meeting, I with
Mr Fitch and eat with them, and
after eating went to Mr Downs &
preachd there to Conſiderable num
ber of People and they behaved well
I was much paind in Left Shol
ders Spoke from Lamen 3: 40
Lodgd at the Same Houſe, and was
kindly entertaind Monday very
early got up and got my mare
and went on, Stopt at Mr Fitchs
and took Breakfaſt with them, and
Soon after I went on Homeward, and
I got˄ about 11: found my Family
was as Common, Thus far the Lord
has led me on, and glory be to his
Holy Name — Reſted a while, &
about 3: in the after noon, took
up my Mare again, and went
to Nahantick in Lyme, to See the
Sick, got to Rope Ferry juſt after
Sun Sit, and heard, my Aunt
widow Hannah Juſtice was
Dead and Buried.
Night and Buried on Sabbath
got to the Indian Town in the
Duſk of the Evening, found my
Couſin Isaac his wife and all
his Children Conſiſting four were
all very Sick — Prayed with them
and then home with Couſin
Joſeph, and Lodged there,
Tueſday,
Family little eaſy, Saw Some
other Sick — about 12. I preachd
in Couſin Joſephs Houſe to few
People — about 3: Sot off for
Home, got there juſt after
Daylight in —
Saturday Sepr 17:
in the after noon left Home and
went to Preſton, got to Deacon
Averys in the Duſk of the eveng
and was affectionately receivd
by him and Lodged there,
Sab. 18:
and there was a Conſiderable
number of People — Mr Park
preachd in the morning, and
in the after I preachd from
Luke Concerning the Prodacal
Son — Directly after Sermon
Mr Park adminiſter'd the order
nance of the Lords Supper.
and I partook with them once
more; and Directly after I
went the Indian Town of groton
with Jo: Sunſummon, and had
a meeting there and I believe
the Lord
the Chriſtians were much
movd, Some Time in the
evening, we broke the meetg
and after a while I went
to bed Quietly — the Lord be
praiſed —
Monday Sepr 19
after I took good leave of the Family
got home about noon, found my F
well, — Thirsday about 9 in
the morning Sot of from Home, for
onoyda, and went up to lower part
of Canterbury
about 3. in the after noon, and
the People had got together and
Mr Clarke had begun the meetg
he was at Prayer, — and I preachd
and there was great Solemnity &
affection, and many Tears flow
down freely — Soon after meeting
went with Mr Cleark to his Houſe
and took Dinner with them —
and the People Collected together
again in the Evening, in Mr
Clarkes Houſe, and we had a
Comfortable meeting, many were
melted down with Love, and
they broke out in adoration &
Praiſe, and Some Time in the
evening we parted in Love, Peace
and I believe in Divine Fellowſhi[below]p
and then went to bed peaceably
the Lord be Praiſed —
Fryday Sepr 23
Exerciſe with my Cards with the
Family, and it was Comfortable
Seaſon with us, and after Break
faſt I took Brotherly leave of
them, and went on my way
and got to Mr Poſt's in Cranck about 1. and
took Dinner, and about 3 I Sot of
again, juſt Call on Mrs Pomroy
and So paſt on, and got to one
Mr Poſt's a little of Galiad Meet
ing Houſe, and I was very kind
ly entertaind, — Saturday morn
ing we Sot off very early in the
morning, and went on our way
got to Esqr Wellss about 10
Sot a while, and Esqr was very
urgent to have me Stay over the
Sabbath, but I Coud not, and So we
went on, and it was rainey kind
of the weather, Juſt before Night we
got to Indian Place in Farmington
and put up at Daniel Moſsucks, &
the Indians were well, there were
but eight Families of Indians, —
Sabbath Sepr 25:
many white People were together
and they attended well — here I met
with george Pharaoh and his Fami
from Long Island, they were moving
up to onoyda Country, —
Monday Sepr 26:
9: and got to Brother Phineas
about 2: and here I ha
ful acount of the Death of my
Daughter Talitha, a mornful
and heavy addition to all Troubles
and Sorrows, went to See my poor
Daughters youngeſt Child, and
it was a Sorrowful and very
affecting Sight —
had a meeting with the People
on the next Day twice, and the
People were very Solemn —
This Night Lodged at one Mr
Safford's the woman is extraordi
nary in Chriſtianity of great
underſtanding, and Experiance
Wedneſday Sepr 28
having taken leave of the Fam
and I went on my way, Sot
at Brother Phins took Break
faſt with them, Mr Willſon
was with me a Son in Law
to old uncle Chaucum, Soon
after eating took leave of the
Family and we went on our
way; Stop at Mr Chaucums —
and here Mr Woodbridge the
overtook me, and was extream
ly urge
preach once more but
I d[illegible][guess: e]nyd him, and we paſt
on, he went with us a little
way and then parted in Peace
and we went on, and got
to Canaan Juſt Night and
we went to Mr Joſeph Marſhals
a miniſter of the goſper
and Lodged there found
his wife very poorly will
Lameneſs —
Thirday Sepr 29
early and Sot of and got Stockbridge
about 3 in the after noon, and
Call'd at Capt Yoke's but he was
not at Home, and moſt all the
Indians were Scaterd, what were
left of thoſe that are gone up to
Onoyda, — about two thirds of them
are gone up to Onoyda — Juſt be
fore Sun Sit went to See Mrs
Kirkland, and was a little while
and then returnd,, Call on Mrs Serjant
and Lodged there, Mr Serjant was
not at Home —
Fryd Sepr 30
went back to Capt Yokes, and
was there Some Time, and then
Sot off, — S
Tarvern, and here I met with
one Capt Baldwin of New Canaan
and he urgd to have me Stop at
his place to have a meeting in
the evening, and I Conſented, and
went on to Richmond, and got
there before noon Stopt at Mr
Millers an
of mine, found them all well,
din'd With them, and Soon after
Dinner went on our way, and
got to New Canaan Juſt before
sun Set, Calld on Colo Whiting
he we was Buſy, and So I paſt on
reachd Capt Baldwins, in the
Evening the People began to ga
ther and there was a great Num
ber of People Collected, and I
preachd to them from
the words go forward &c — and I
had but little Senſe of Divine
things Yet the People attended
with gravity — Lodged at the
same Houſe, —
Saturday, Octr 1: 1785
early, and Stopt at Mr Camps
and took
and Sent of James before me —
after a while I Sot of, and about
11 oc Calld at a publick Houſe
the mans Name was Robbinſon
and he knew me and some o
thers and another Came in, and
they began to impertune and
urge very hard to have me
Stop
was a man deſired me before
to go so far as to green Buſh
and Mr Camp deſird me alſo
to Stop there and keep Sabbath
at one Esqr Woodworths, — and
finily Concluded to Stop at Mr
Robinſon's to preach there
in the Morning, and so go to
green Buſh in the after noon—
and so lodged in Mr Robin‐
ſon's — The Place is Call'd
Phillips Town —
Sabbath Octor 2:
collected together, and there was
a great Aſsembly, and I preachd
to them from [illegible][guess: 1] Epiſt V:10: and
Soon after meeting took dinner
and then went of to Esqr Wood‐
worths in green Buſh, Mr
Robinſon and another gentllen
went with me, and we got
there about 4 PM: and there
was Number of People got to
gether, and I began the Service
Directly, and there a Solemn
attention, — The People Collected
Some thing for me, Lodgd in
here this Night and was kind
ly entertaind, — here I met Mr
[illegible][guess: H]ally from Norwich he is
preaching in a Place Calld
New Betheleham — in the
evening a Number of us had
agreeable Exerciſe with my
Chriſtian Cards and after that
went to bed Quietly —
Monday Octr 3:
till 12: then went to New Bethm
Stopt at Mr Townſends and
there
kep on,
bout 2: and a great Number
of People had got together, and
began the meeting directly, and
at [gap: worn_edge] went back to Esqr [gap: worn_edge]