Samson Occom, journal, 1789 May 11 to 1790 January 10

Author Occom, Samson

Date11 May 1789 to 10 January 1790

Call Number789311

abstractOccom details his travels through New York and New England, from May 11, 1789, to January 10, 1790.

handwritingHandwriting is largely clear and legible. There are some crossed l's and uncrossed t's, which the transcriber has corrected.

paperSeveral small sheets folded into a booklet and bound with small pins are in fair-to-poor condition, with significant wear that results in some loss of text. There are a few loose pages and the last page is torn in half.

inkBrown ink varies in intensity throughout.

noteworthyThere are underlinings in black ink throughout and notes by later editors on the back of the last page (16 verso) in black ink and pencil; these edits have not been transcribed. On the scan of 11 recto, text from 12 recto shows through; the actual first line of 11 recto begins "gether. to Meeting…." Several other of the following scans show text from adjacent pages. On 15 recto, the name of the river that Occom mentions is uncertain; however it is possibly the Thames River. Persons and places whose names are illegible have not been tagged. If Occom's intention regarding a word or abbreviation is uncertain, that word or abbreviation has been left unmodified in the modernized transcription.

Persistent Identifier

Monday May 11: 1789

We arrivd at Albany, Juſt be
fore Night, and I we went to
See about geting a wagan to
Cary us to [illegible]Schenactida, — but
got none, Tueſday

Tueſday May 12:

got a wagan
early and we Loaded about
10: and we Sot off, and we got
to Schenactida[illegible] Juſt before
Sun Sit, and we were very
wet for had Rain moſt of the way
and I was much beat out, and
we put our things in Mr John
Poſt
Barn, and there we lodg[illegible][guess: d]
We went to Begd Soon — —

Wedneſday May 13:

about
5: I attended upon a Lecture
and there was not many
People, becauſe they had not
Notice— I Spoke from, 1 Corin
7: 22: 30: and the People a[gap: worn_edge][guess: t]
[gap: worn_edge][guess: t]ended becomingly, and they
made me a Collection, and
it was godd for the Times — —

Thirdsday May 14:

was at
the Place all Day — —

Fryday

was at all Day
again — —

Satturday May 16:

a bout
10 we pout a Boar of a Batoe
our things, and we went
over the River, and walkd
up the River a bout 2 miles
and there we Stopt Some at
a Certain Houſe, and the man
of the Houſe gave us a Dinner
and about 1: the Boat Cam
up, and Sot off Some Time
in the after Noon, and we
got to Hi[illegible][guess: c]ry Tavern, and the[gap: tear][guess: re]
we Lodgd,—

Sabb May 17:

Sot of early
and we got to Warrans
Buſh , at Night and my
wife
and I Lodgd at Mr Bar
tlet
s, my good old Friends —

Monday May 18:

wen on again
early, and reachd to Kaconawa[illegible][guess: u]ka
and my wife I Lodgd at Mr
Vader
s, — —

Tueſeday May 19:

Sot off again
early, and we were over
with Rain at Major Fonda's
and my wife I went into the
Houſe, and we were kindly
Treated had Dinner, and
we we a little further and
there Lodgd at Mr Hardys —

Wedneſday May 20:

got up
early and got us Breakfaſt
and then we puſ[illegible]hd on and
we got up above fort Plain
and we Made up a fire by
the Sigde of the River and
there we Spent the Night —

Thirdsday May 21

got up
early and got Breakfaſt
and as Soon as we had ate
we went on again, and in
the we got to Conajohare and
we Lodgd a little above old Mohawk
Caſtle
, and we made up a fire
near the River, near by one
Mr John Vantreſer, — —

Fryday May 22:

Soon after
eating we went on again
and in the Evening we got
a little below Fort Harkamer
and we made up a Fire
again by the River, and
there we Slep — —

Saturday May 23

in the
morning we went on again
we made a Halt at Mr Franks
and after that we paſt on
here a white woman took
our Little Salley, and mad
wa[illegible]lk about 8 miles She
only four and half year old
She was much worried
in the Evening we got Mr
Tygurt
s, and the we Lodgd
my wife and I in a Hovel
the Reſt Lodgd in the Boat —

Sabb May 24:

got up early
and I went over the River
and went to Fort De[illegible][guess: a]ton and
there I preachd, Twice to a
large number of People, and
I Spoke from Jonah III: 5
and 1 Corin XVI. 22 and the
People attended with all gra
vity and Solemnity,— took my
Dinner at Mr Tolcuts — and
as Soon as the meeting was
done I went with Dr Petre
and there took Tea — and
as Soon as we had done I
had an Horſe got up for me
and a young man with a
nother Horſe to accompany
wme towards Fort Schiler
and we Soon Sot off, and we
got about 4 miles Short of
the Fort, and there I got down
and the Young man went back
with Horſes, and I walked a
long about a mile, and found
Tired, and I went into a Certain
Houſe, and aſked whether I
Coud not Stay there, and they
Said I might, and so I Stayd—
and the man of the Houſe aſkd
me wether I Cou'd not give them
a Diſcourſe, I told them I Coud,
and So they Sent out word, &
Neighbours Came in directly
and there was a Conſiderable
Number of People Collected.
and it is a New Settement,—
and I Spoke from the words
he that believeth on the Son
of god, hath the witneſs in
himſelf — and the People at
tended with Solemnity — Soon af
ter Meeting I went to bed, and
reſted well. — —

Monday may 25:

got up
early and Sot off, and I got
to weavers Town Soon, and went
in old Mr Weaver's Houſe, and
there took Breakfaſt, and
Soon after went on a gain &
got to my Family. about
10 at Fort Schioler and found them all well,
and there we Stayd all Day
and the Boat that brought us
went on to Niegara. – —

Tueſday May 26:

was again
at the Place all Day — towards
Night, our Anthony Paul Came
and Brother David Fowler
Came to us, and Stayd all Nig
with us — — —

Wedneſday May 27:

Soon after
Breakfaſt, we Sot off for B[illegible]ro
therton
,. and we had Rain
to travil in, and to our Place
a little before Sun Sit, and
were very much w[illegible][guess: a]rried, and
we went to Bed Soon. — —

Sabb May 31:

Preachd at
Brother Town [illegible] to not a large
Congregation, Spoke from,
[gap: omitted] and the People were
attentive, and were glad to See
me once more. — —

Monday June 1 &c:

this week
went to warrins Buſh, — —

Sabb June 7:

Preachd at
Elder Mudges meeting Houſe
in Yankey hill, Spoke from
[gap: omitted] and there was a vaſt
Number of People, and attend
ed with great attention, a

Monday

Towards Night Preahd
at M

Tueſday June 9.

went to
Albany Buſh, and there
I preachd at a Certain
Houſe. and there was not
many People, and they attended
with Seriousneſs — —

Wedneſday June 10,

was at
Phaladelphia Buſh, Came here
laſt Night, and Lodgd at one
Mr Sharmans,— and about 9
the People Collected together at
the Same Houſe, and I preachd
to them, Spoke from [gap: omitted]
and the People attended well
as Soon as the meeting was
over, I with one Mr [gap: omitted]
and I Dined there, and as soon
I had ate, I went on to John
Town
, and So on — — —

Fryday June 112.

got to Fort‑
Plain
before Noon, put up
at Mr Jonathan Deans, one of
my good old Friends, found them
all well; — — Towards Night the
People Collected, and there was
but few, — and I Spoke from [gap: omitted]
[gap: omitted] Lodgd at at the Same Houſe

Saturday June 13

Some Time
before Noon, Sot off again, and
got to Garman Flats Some
Time before, N and I put at Esqr
Frank
s,—

Sabb: June 14

after Break
faſt went over to Fort Dayton
and there preachd in a Dutch
meeting Houſe
, and there was
a large Number of People, and
I Spoke from [gap: omitted] Isa. V:

July 1 Sab

Preachd at the gar
man flats

Auguſt 1 Sab Sepr 1. S and
Sepr the laſt Sab.

the Texts
I Spoke from [gap: omitted]
by one man Sin entered into
the World &c Jeſus Chriſt the
Same &c. Underſtandeſt thou
what thou readeſt — at Esqr
Frank
s on week Day, thy heart
is not right in the Sight of god
So then every one of us Shall give
an account of himſelf to god. —
Blank page.

Sepr 1

was Call by the Major
Coldbreath
to be with them in their
Training at Clinton; about 2
in the after noon they were all
Collected, and the major Came to
Capt Tuttles where I was and
he acompanied me to the Com
pany, and a fine appearence
they made for the firſt Time
there was upwards of a Hundred
likely young men, the Place
has been Settling only one 2 Year
and an half,— I gave them
a few words of Exhortation, and
then Prayd, and then they exer
ciſd a little while,— and then went
to Dinner, they put me at the head
of the Table, and a fine Dinner
we had,— in the evening I went
to Capt Bullings and there Ld
and was kindly entertaind.—

Sepr 2:

I went home —

Sepr 18: 1789 Fryday

left home
and Sot out for New England, my
Son Andrew
acompanied, we got to
Fort Sckiler before Night, and we
Stayd there all Night —

Sepr 19

we got up very early
and Sot off, and we got to Fort
Dayton
near 12, Calld on Mr
Talcutt
, and took Dinner, and
Soon after eating, my Boy went
back,— And towards Night I
went overt to Esqr Franks, and
there Lodgd, — —

Sabb Sepr 20:

Preachd at
Esqr Franks Barn, and there
was a vaſt Number of People,
Lodgd at the Esqrs — —

Monday Sepr 21:

Some Time in
the morning, I went to Mr Kains
and was there a while, and then
went back to Fort Harkumer,
took Dinner with Mr [gap: omitted]

Tueſday 22

Toward Night, Esqr Phelps Bat
too Come a long, and I got a B[illegible]th
in it, and I went a Board, and
we went down and got to the
little Falls after Sun Set and
there we Lodgd, — —

Wedneſday Sepr 23:

got up very
early, and had things Caried below
the Falls, and So we went on down
the River, and we go to Cohneneau
ka
and we Lodgd at a Tavern,
we found the River exceeding low
and very difficult in Some Places
to get along, the men were obligd
to get out of the Boat very often —

Thirdsday Sepr 24 Octr 1

Sot off very
Early again, and got to Schena
tada
a little before Night. and
I Lodgd at Mr Poſts -– — —

Fryday SeprOctr 2

got up early,
and went to a Certain Houſe
where I expected to have a Chance
in a Wagon, but was diſapointed
and So I went on a foot, and Some
in the after Noon a Friend over
took me, and he took me in his wagon
and we got to Albany Juſt after
Sun Sit, and I Lodgd at Mr Orrs
and I went to Bed Soon — — —

Saturday Octr 3.

Some Time
before Noon Sot off a foot again
went to Coegman Pattern, and
I met Dr Utter, and his Brother
and they Said they woud be
back Soon, and woud take
Me in their wagon, and Juſt
before Sun Set they over took
and I went with them, and we
Calld at Dr Utters a little while
and Mr Jeſee Utter Caried to his
Houſe, and it was near mid N
before we got there, and there
I Lodged, — — —

Sabb 4:

as Soon as we got our
Breakfaſt, we went into a
wagan and to meeting at
Dor Utters about 4 miles. &
there I Preachd. Spoke from
Acts VIII. 21. and the People attended
well,— In the after Noon, we went
to Mr Conrod Tenikes Barn, and there
we had a meeting, and there was
a large Number of People, and
I Spoke from Jonah III: 5: and
the People attended with great
Attention, and it was a Rainey
Day,— in the evening Preachd
in Mr Corod Tenikes Houſe, and
there was a Conſiderable of
People, and I Spoke from Matt
I: 21: and the People behaved
well — Lodgd at the Houſe the[below]y
are Ducth People, and they were
very kind to me, and reſt well — —

Monday Octr 5:

Some Time be‐
fore Noon, I had an Horſe brought
me and I went to Mr Northops
and found them very Religious
about 2. we began the meeting
and there was a great Number
of People,— Lodgd at the Same
Houſe. —

Tuſed
Tuſeday M Octr 6

As Soon as I
had done eating, we went[illegible] to
Dr Stantons, — and we began
the meeting about 11: and there
was a great Number of People
and I Spoke [illegible]from [gap: omitted] in the aftr
Noon preachd again — and
Spoke from [gap: omitted] in the
Evening I went to M.r Stantons
and did not expect to have
any People, but there was
a number, Came together &
we a little meeting, — and
I Lodgd at the Same Houſe
and reſt well — — —

Wedneſday Octr 7:

Soon afr
Beakfast we went to M.r Tenik
about 2 we began the mee
the meeting, and there was
a great Number of People
and I Spoke from Marck V: 4
and the People attended well —
Lodgd at Mr Tenikes — — —
after meeting I we to mr
John Colvins' and there we
had a nothere meeting, unexptedly
and there was a large number
of People and I Spoke to them
Matt Seek ye firſt &c: and the
People were much movd, it
was a Comfortable meeting, I
Lodgd at the Same Houſe, — —

Thirdsday Octr8:

oin the morn
I went to See a woman that
had been Sick Some Time.
and Said few word to her and
Prayd with her, — and then
went back, and took break
faſt, and Soon after Mr Colvin
went with me to the River, [gap: worn_edge][guess: and]
1 Corin 6: 19 —
we parted the River, and I
over to S[illegible][guess: c]odock, and from there
went to Mr Lotts about 7 miles
and I walkd a bout 2 m and half
and then Mr Brown overtook
me, and he Caried me to Mr
Lott
s, got there near Sun Set
and we were very glad to See
each other once more,— Lodgd
at the Same Houſe — — —

Fryday 9

Some Time in the
morning I went to Mr Daniel
Muckmullins
, and to Mr Ephra
Baily
s, towards Night went
back to Mr Lotts, and there we
had a meeting in the evening
and there a large Number
of People I Spoke from [gap: tear]
Gal. IV 11
gether to Meeting, and I Spoke
from Job I: 9 and the People
attended with great affection
I Lodgd at the Same Houſe —

Tueſday Octr 13:

Mr Whilly
Came to Mr Lotts quite early
to acompany me down to Scodock
Landing
, got there Soon, and
Capt Allyn was not ready, &
Mr Whilly went back, —

Wedneſday, Octr 14:

was at the Schoon
ner all, Day —

Thirdsday Octr 15:

Some Time
in the after Noon we weighd
Ancker, and Spred Sail to
the Wind, and went the River
got but about 10: 11: and
there we Dropt Anker

Fryday Octr 16

found
the wind a Head of us and
So we lay Still till a bout 2
in the after Noon and the
wind Sprang about weſt North
weſt and went down again —

Saturday Octr 17

Some Time
in the Day went on again
but did not go but little ways —

Sabb: Octr 18:

went on again
but did not go far — —

Monday Octr 19.

got but a little
ways again —

Tueſday Octr 20

went on again
not far.

Wedneſday Octr 21.

went on Still
got near New York — —

Thirdsday Octr 22

a little after
Sun riſe we were a Shore —
went directly to find a Paſage
to New London and found one
Soon, in a Sloop goin to N London
Towards Night I put [gap: worn_edge]
my things. and Lodged a Board
Capt Fellows is Maſter of her —

Fryday, 23

Some Time before
Noon we Sot Sail, and went
on the Wind in our Favour
and we Saild all Night,—

Saturday Octr 24.

we went
the wind in our favour Conſide
rable. towards Night the wind
began to Blow hard, and the
Clouds gatherd thick and So
we Sought for a Harbor, and
Some Time before Sun Sit
we made a Harber, againſt
Brandford, and there Lay
all Night, and it was a
Stormy Night. —

Sabb. Octr 25

Some Time in
the Morning we Sot Sail, the
wind was right a Head as we
were geting out of the Har
[gap: worn_edge]
but it was very fair when
we got out, and the Sun was
about an Hour and half high
at Night when we got faſt
at a warf and I went to See Some
Friends — Lodgd at Mr Perrys
a public Houſe,— and I Sot up
late with two women, Converſ
ing about Religious matters
about 11. I went to Bed, and
I was taken Strangely in the
Night with an uncommon Sweat
but after a while went to Sleep
but did not Sleep well — —

Monday Octr 26:

Got up early
and it was a Stormy Day it
Raind very hard, and wind blew
hard alſo — towards Night I went
over to Groton, Calld on Capt Lathem
a few minutes, and then went
to Mr Streets, and there I took
food, and they let me have a
Horſe and went to Mr Woodman
cys and there I Lodgd, and was
very kindly entertaind, went to
Bed Some what late, and Soon
after I got to Bed, I began to Sweat
again very much and was un
comfortable Slept but poorly —

Tuſday Octr 27.

got up early
and after Breakfaſt, I had a
Horſe, of Mr Woodmancy and I
went to Mr Saunderss and I met
Mr Saunders, and Mr Woodworth
and they glad to See me, and so
I paſt on, and when I got to the
Houſe, how glad they were, and
there I Stayd all Day — I expect
ed my Mare, that I Left with
Mr Culver but She was rid
a way laſt Sabb: and was not
returnd, and and So I Stayd all Day
and all Night —

Wedneſday 28:

after Breakfaſt
took leave of the Family, and
went to old Mr Culvers, and by
the way I met mr Culver bringg
my Mare to me, and So got up
and went on my way, and Soon
got to Gails Ferry, and the wind
was very hard, and Coud not get
over, and So Stayd all Day at
evening the Wind was Still very
Strong and fl[illegible][guess: a]wee and So Concluded
to Stay all Night, and in the even
ing the People of the Family aſkd
me, whether it woud be agreable
to me to have a few Neighbours
Come together, that I might Pray
with them, I told them it was
quite agreable,—

Thirdsday Octr 29

got up
early, and took Breakfaſt and
then went over — and got to
Son Benonis Some Time before
noon, and found him Sick &
had been very Sick for a
bout 6: weeks, and was now
a little Better,— and I went
on to my Old Houſe, and
them that live in my Houſe
were well, except the woman
and there I Stayd — and I was
poorly with the uncommon
Cold that is every where —

Sabb Novr 1:

was very warm
and I felt a little eaſy, and
I went S aſhpos expecting, to
Seen meeting, but he had none
and So went back — —

SabbOctrurday Novr 7

was much poorly
yet I went to groton Indian T
got there after Sun Set, and
was receivd with great Love
in the evening we had a little
meeting — — —

Sabb: Octr Novr 8

the People got
together about 10, and a great
number there was, and I Spok
from Mat I. 21: and Acts VIII. 21
and the People attended with
great attention and many was
[gap: worn_edge][guess: greatly aff]ected — in the eveng
went to Mr Stantons, and there had
another meeting, and a great
many People there was — I Spoke
from Gala IV. 11 and the People
were very Serious — I Lodgd at
the Same Houſe — —

Sabb 15.

went to Mr Whalley and
preachd to a great Number, of
People I Spoke from Gal IV. 11
and the People gave very great
attention,— as Soon as the meetg
was over I went to widow
Fitches
, and there was Conſide
rable Number of People, and
they attended well, and as Soon
as the meeting was done, I went
home to my old Houſe — —

Sabb Novr 22

went to go over
to [illegible][guess: Paweuttuunuck], but it was
very Stormy, and Stopt — about
10 the Storm abated Some and
I Sot off got there about 12
and we the Service about 3
and there was a [gap: worn_edge] [gap: worn_edge][guess: People]
and I Spoke from Jerem VIII. 6
and the People attended with great
Solemnity — and the People deſired
to have another meet in the evening;
and So we had another, and there
was more People in the evening
than in the Day Time, and Spoke
from I: Corin VII: 29. 30. and there
was greater attention. than in the
Day Time — I Lodgd at the Houſe
the Mans Name was Mr Herkules
and was kindly Treated. — —

Monday Novr 23

after Brea[gap: worn_edge]
I went to the River on Horſe Back
and the Wind blew very hard.
but I had a fine Chance, in a
Whale Boat, to get over the River
got home about 10: and directly
went to the People, that were Sur
veying our Land. — —

Thirdsday Novr 26.

was to go over
to Mr Babcocks at groton
but it was a very bad Storm

Saturday Novr 298:

towards
Night, I went to M[illegible]r Poſts at
Wecus Hill, in Norwich, got
there after Sun Set, Calld at
Mr John Poſts [illegible]and took Sup
per there, and after that
went to old Mr Poſts, and
found, him very poorly, and
there I Lodgd, and he had Se
veral fits in the Night —

Sabb: Novr 29.

The People
began to get to[illegible]gether a bout
10: and there was a large Con
courſe of People we began
the Exerciſe about 11. and
Spoke from Isai I: 12: and the
People attended with great
Solemnity, and many were affec
ted, to Tears — Soon after meetg
after Dinner, I returnd home
and had a meeting at my
own Houſe and there was a
great many People, and I
Sopke from II Timo. 3: —

Janr 10

I have been to no meet
ings four Sabbaths, we had
one very bad Stormy Sabb and
my Mind has been filld with
Trouble So that I have had no
peace, but Sorrow, grief and
Confuſion of Heart — and I am
yet in great Trouble, — —
Non-contemporary text has not been transcribed.
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