Samson Occom, journal, 1785 December 15 to 1786 January 22
Date15 December, 1785
ms number785665
abstractOccom details his travels throughout Connecticut, New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts as he preaches among Native, Dutch, and African-American communities.
handwritingHandwriting is largely clear and legible. The journal is minimally overwritten by an editor, likely 19th-century; these edits have not been transcribed. There are some uncrossed t's and crossed uprights that the transcriber has corrected.
paperSeveral small sheets folded together and sewn into a booklet are in good condition, with light-to-moderate staining and wear. There is some repair work done on particularly worn edges.
inkDark brown.
noteworthyThis journal picks up where manuscript 785655 leaves off. On four recto, it is uncertain to which lake Occom refers; however, it is possbily Saratoga Lake. On four verso, the identity of the "Honorable Congress" is uncertain, although it is possibly the New York State legislature. On 11 recto, the identity of the Captain's son is uncertain, and so he has been left untagged. On 14 recto, Occom uses the modern spelling of the word “boss,” which may predate OED's earliest citation by 25 years. On 24 verso, the name “John Shuneman” is written in a hand other than Occom's. When the spelling of a name or place name is illegible, the entity has been left untagged.