Samson Occom, journal, 1774 December 19 to 1775 February 9
Author
Occom, Samson
Date21 December 1774 to 9 February 1775
ms number774672.3
abstractOccom's journal describes his travels as an itinerant preacher during
the period from December 19, 1774, to February 9, 1775.
handwritingOccom's hand is small but consistently clear and legible.
As is common with Occom, there are several uncrossed t's and crossed l's;
these
have been corrected by the transcriber.
paperSeveral small sheets folded into a booklet and bound with thread
or twine are in good-to-fair condition, with light-to-moderate staining and
wear.
One recto/verso is heavily damaged, which results in a significant loss of
text.
inkBrown ink varies in intensity throughout.
noteworthyAlthough the missing text on one recto/verso makes it
difficult to tell for certain, the "Indian Town" mentioned on one recto is
likely
Farmington. On four recto, it is
uncertain to where Occom refers when he mentions the "Indian Place." Illegible
person and place names have not been tagged. An editor, likely 19th-century,
has
overwritten several letters, words and phrases, as well as punctuation. These
edits have not been transcribed.
Modernized Version
Deletions removed; additions added in;
modern spelling and capitalization added; unfamiliar abbreviations expanded.
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[gap: tear]
[gap: tear] River
[gap: tear]Some Time: I reached
[gap: tear]
[illegible]
[gap: tear] kept Sabbath at this
[gap: faded]
Preached at m[gap: faded]
[gap: faded] to a tronged A[gap: faded]
[gap: faded] very [gap: faded][guess: pleasant] Day
Monday December 19:
left the place
about 10
[gap: faded] and
[illegible] my
way, and
it was a Dreadful Storm of
Rain and
[illegible] in it all
[gap: faded]
Farmingtown got
[gap: faded] before Sun Set
[gap: faded] very wet Lodged at E
[gap: faded]h
[gap: faded]
December 20
[gap: faded] at the Place
[gap: faded]
[gap: tear]
hig
[gap: tear]od
[gap: tear] a g
[gap: tear]
Wednesday
December 21:
[gap: tear] Indian Town about
[gap: tear] the
morning, and it
w
[gap: tear] Cold;
towards Night stopped a
[gap: tear][guess: t] one
Mr. Wiard's and the People were urgent
to have me Stay 'til next Day and
give them a Discourse and I complied; that Night it snowed very
hard, all Night— —
Thursday
December 22
it snowed
Still Yet a great Number of People
Came together at the appointed Time
after meeting went home with one
Mr.
West.
Seven Day Baptist Preacher.
a godly man I believe a very
meek and humble man
and
well reported by his Neighbours,
his wife is a Moravian woman
by Profession a Pious woman by
[gap: tear] with
them, this Night
Friday
December 23
was with
Mr.
West all Day Lodged with
them again —
Saturday December 24:
as this is
their Sabbath So the People got
together for meeting at their Usu
al Hour and I preached to them
as Soon as I had done
Mr. green
preached, a Short Discourse, and
after meeting, I went back to
Mr. Wiards and lodged there—
Sabbath
December 25:
People got
together about 11: a great number
and I preached to them twice in
the evening went to
Mr. Mechams
my good old Friend, he Came from
Westerly and lodged there I was
very Poorly this Night I was Trou
bled with a disorder in my Bow
els very much — —
Monday December 26:
was very Com
fortable this morning my disorder
was gone, about 10 went to
Herington Meeting House
called on
from there went to
Mr.
Woodroff[illegible][guess: 's],
and there put up my horse
and went to meeting Preached to
a large assembly, and the People
attended with great Solemnity —
in the evening
went to See
Mr. Batholomew the old minister of the
Place he has laid down Preaching
by reason of Infirmities, he Seem
ed to be a good sort of a man— lodged
with
Mr.
Woodroff
Tuesday
December 27
after Breakfast went
on my Journey, stopped at
Litchfield a
few minutes just to eat at a Tavern
and then set off again, and directed
my course towards
New Milford; reached
the Place just before night. called on
one
Mr.
Baldwin and Tarried there
all night, and appointed a meeting
10 o'clock for the next Day, this Night
we had a Terrible Storm of Snow —
Wednesday
December 28:
Storm Conti
nued very Hard Yet we went to meet
ing and there was a Considerable Num
ber of People, went to
Mr.
Taylors the
minister of the Place and was very
kindly and tenderly entertained —
Thursday
December:
went with
Mr.
Taylor to attend upon a Lecture
which
Mr.
Taylor had appointed Some
Days before about 7 miles South from
the Town, I preached, and there
was a Number of People got toge‐
ther, considering the Deep Snow; after
Service, the people were very urgen
[gap: faded][guess: t] to have another meeting in the
even
ing, and I consented, and So preached
again; and we had very Solemn
meeting, the people in general
were
greatly affected — after meet
[illegible][guess: ing] went home with
one
Mr. Hitchcock and lodged there, I believe the man
and
his
wife were true Christians,
sat up 'til late and then went to
Bed quietly
Mr.
Taylor went home
this evening and I desired
him to Send
word to
New Preston, that I would
be there on the next Day and give
them a Short discourse towards
evening,
Friday
December 29:
after Breakfast
returned to
New Milford got about 12
and found
Mr. Tayl[illegible][guess: a]r had not Sent
word to
New
Preston, and I passed by
as Soon as could, one
Deacon Hogekins
accompanied me, and we got
there a little before sunset, and
they gave notice to the People, and
begun our Meeting in the
evening
and there was a great Number of
People, and they attended well,
as
Soon as the meeting was done we
went back again to
New
Milford This Night Lodged with one
Mr. Camble a Separate
Minister and
a very man I believe, — — —
Sabbath
January 31
Preach at the Place all Day to amazing Number of People —
lodged at
Mr.
Hinds
whose
wife is a very good woman, was very
kindly entertained, this evening
two young women Came to me
under great Concern of Soul
and
I gave them a word of advice
and counsel
Monday January 2
left
New Milford early in the morning and
went
on to
New fairfield got there
about
10 o'clock Call in at
Mr. Sills the
Minister of the Place a few minutes
and then went to meeting, preached
to a large Number of People, after
meeting went to
Mr. Sills and dined
and Soon after Dinner left the
Place and went on towards
Kint
Mr. Sill went with me, went
through Peſ
[illegible]tokook, stopped a few
Minutes at the Indian Place
but there was no Indians at home
scarcely, and So we passed on, got
to
Mr. Bodwell about 7 in the evening
and they Sent word all round that
Night to have a meeting next
Day about 10 in the morning
Tuesday
January 3:
went to meeting
about 10 and had a great
Number of People to Preach to
and the
People attended with
great Solemnity and affecti
on, after meeting went to
Mr. Bodwells and dined there, and
Soon after Dinner went on my
towards
9 Partners and got to
Esq. Hopkinss about 7 in the
evening and lodged there —
Wednesday Jan.r 4:
preached at the red meeting House, —
Thursday
January 5:
preached at a private
House, in the Place — —
Friday
January 6:
went to
Mr. Knibloes in
Esq. Hopkinss
sleigh, got there before noon
about 1 went to meeting
and it was extreme Cold, I
delivered a Short discourse,
after meeting went to
Mr. Plat's and dined there, and
than went on our way Home
to
Esq. Hopkins, got there
just after sunset — — —
Sabbath
January 8:
preached here
all Day, just at night left
the Place and went over
the Mountain to
Mr. Wood's
meeting
House, and preached
there, and it was extreme
Cold, went home with
Mr. Fowler in his sleigh and
lodged there — — — —
Monday January 9:
left
Mr. Fowlers early
in the morning and went on towards
Pleasant
Valley, Got to
Mr.
Case's before
Night,
Mr.
Case was not at Home
in the evening he Came Home
and we
had a Joyful meeting he
and his Family were very well,
and his People lodged there —
Tuesday
January 10:
towards evening
went to the Hollow and
Mr.
Case went
with me I preached at the House of one
Mr. Struit, a Young Dutchman who
is under great Conviction of
Soul
we had a great Number of People and
very Solemn meeting we had, —
—
Wednesday
January 11:
we went 8: or 9
miles northwestward to one
Mr.
Samuel Smiths and preached there in the evening
to a Crowd of People, and they attended
exceeding well — lodged in the Same
house one
Mr. ward brought hither
in his sleigh from
Mr.
Case's —
Thursday
January 12:
went off very
early in the Morning towards
Statesbourough got there about 10 in the
morning put up at
Mr. Struits
young
Mr. Struit brought us here,
Mr. Ham Came with us in the afternoon about
1 began a meeting, there was not a great
Number of People at this time they
Came by mistake the meeting
was appointed at evening, —
in the evening a great
Number
Came together, and I gave them
another discourse, the People here
are Chiefly Dutch, and I found
Some excellent Christians
amongst
lodged at
Mr. Struits
Friday
January 13:
Set off very
early in the morning towards
Pleasant Valley, for we had
appointed meeting there at 1
o'clock this Day, got there just a
bout meeting Time, and there
was a great Number of
People
I preached, — after meeting I
went with one
Mr. Newcom a
Baptist Brother, a man of great Riches
was very kindly entertained, lodged
here, with much satisfaction —
Saturday January 14:
this morning
I made use of my Printed Notes or
Christian Cards — about
11 I walked Down to
Mr.
Case's
Mr. Newcom went with me,
Spent the rest of the Day
with
Mr.
Case, he is quite a
Clever Sort of a man —
Sabbath: January 15:
preached at
the place again to a vast
Crowd of People, and we had
a very Solemn meeting many
were
brought to Floods of Tears
[illegible] it was
a
Sacrament with the People
and I Join the People it was
a Comfortable Season, — as Soon
as the service was over we
went to a Place called
Oswego about 6 miles off, got there
in the dusk of the evening
found a prodigious Number
of People, preached to them,
Mr.
Case made the last Prayer
I lodged with one
Mr. Plat
: Monday January 16:
went to a
nother part of
Oswego about
7 miles off, to a
Baptist
meeting House, meeting began about
1 in the afternoon, and there
was a great multitude of
People of
all Sorts and Deno
minations, the greater part
of the People could not get in
to the House, and we had a
Solemn meeting — as Soon as
the meeting was done
we went to
wards
Poughkeepsie, and had a
meeting in the evening at one
Capt. Hagmans and had a pro
digious great Number of
People
and the People attended with much
affection —
Tuesday
January 17:
early
in the morning went on to
Poughkeepsie and stopped a Little while at
a public
House, and So passed by
and went on towards the Ferry
about four miles Down the River
Mr.
Case and
Mr. Ward went with
me about a mile out the Town
and there
took leave of each
other in friendship — and I went
to the Ferry, there met with
major Durgee of
Norwich in
his return Home from
Susquehanna, got over before sunset
and
went Down to
Mr. Debois's and
lodged there Found them all
well except
his
wife, they were
very glad to See me, and received
with all kindness — —
Wednesday
January 18:
after break
fast went Down to
New Windsor
called
on
Mr. Luml Co[illegible]ling and also one
Mr.
Clark my old friends and ac
quaintances they were extremely
glad to See me and stopped no more
'til I got
Butter Hill where one
Mr.
Joseph Wood Lives he is an old
disciple indeed, we had a joy‐
ful meeting, we had not Seen
each
other in Ten Years I felt as if
I was in my Fathers house
Sat
up 'til good bed Time and then
took our repose for the Night
Thursday
January 19:
was at
Mr. Woods 'til towards Night, then
went to meeting at
Mr.
Clarks
there were So many People they
could not all get in, and we
had a Comfortable meeting
after meeting returned Home
with
Mr. Wood again and sat
up Some Time after we got Home
Friday
January 20:
was at
Mr. Woods again 'til toward Night
again and went to
New Windsor for Meeting had a meeting in
one of Elders House, returned
home again with
Mr. Woods —
Sabbath
January 22:
about 10
went to the meeting House and
a Multitude of People Came to
meeting, and we had a Solemn
meeting in the evening went
to
Mr. Deboiss House and had
a meeting there and a great
Number of People were
toge‐
ther again I Baptized two
Children we had the power
of god
with us many were
brought to floods of Tears —
I lodged here,
Monday January 23:
in the morning
went back again to
Newburgh and preached there in the
Church of England to a
great Number of
People as Soon as the meeting was
over I went up to
Malborough
and
preached in the School House to
a Crowded People and they atten
ded with affection
— after meeting
—went back to
Mr.
Clarks and
lodged there — —
Tuesday
January 24:
went away
early in the morning
Mr.
Clark went with me. and
Mr. Dayton
also went to wards
Wall Hill got
to
Mr. Tolton's about 11 where
we were to have a meeting, a
bout 12
[illegible] we begun Meeting and
there was a Multitude of People
I had Some freedom in Speaking
this Night Mr. with
Mr. Tolton
Wednesday
January 25:
Held
a meeting not far from
Mr. Tolton's in a Dutch mans house
a great number of People
came together again — —
in
the evening had another
meeting not far the Place
where had a meeting in
the
Day and I believe the Lord
was with us of a Truth there
was great
Trembling in the
Congregation This night
lodged with one
Mr. Norton —
had a long Conversation with
them, they were
Baptists —
Thursday
January 26:
in the
morning went away to another
place, about 6
miles off,
where we had appointed a
meeting at a Dutch mans
house, we got there about 11
about 12 went to meeting in
a
Barn, the people
crowded
like Bees and we had a solemn
meeting, after meeting I went
with a gentleman 2 or 3 miles
northward, in the evening a number
of Neighbours Came in to
meeting though we did not men‐
tion any meeting, and I gave
a word of Exhortation
lodged here — —
Friday
January 27:
Set off in
the morning and to
Blooming grove, about 20 miles off got
there about 5 in the
after
Noon was kindly entertained
by one
Mr. Brewster
lodged
there — —
Saturday January 28:
was at
Mr. Brewsters all Day in
the evening one
Hoseah Came
to See me he is a mulatto man
reckoned a Christian man
we had Some Conversation
together in Prodigious mat
ters — —
Sabbath: January 29:
preached at the
Place to a vast crowd of People
and I had but little sense of
Divine things, however,
the People attended with great
attention — — towards Night went
Oxford about 4 miles off there
we had an
evening meeting to
a crowded Audience and I had
Some sense of Divine things and
the People were much affected
I believe Lord was with us of
Truth,— lodged at
Deacon Little's
Monday January 30:
in the morning
quite early I set off for
Smiths Clove
Deacon Little accompanied
me, got the there
about 10 a
bout 12 we began Divine Service
and there was a great multi
tude of People, and I
had much free
dom in Mind and Speech and many
People were melted into
floods of
Tears, as Soon as the Meeting was
done I went Down to
Murderers
Creek got there before night
went to
Mr. Woods found them all
well, in the evening went meet
ing
towards the Creek, and had
Some what Solemn meeting, af
ter meeting
went to the Creek
and lodged there with one
[illegible][guess: Mr. –]
Tuesday
January 31:
went off early in the morning
in order to get over the River,
stopped a little while with
Mr.
Close at
New Windsor there was no
passing there, and So I went to
Newburgh, Breakfasted at
Mr.
[gap: omitted] and then went
to the ferry, about 11 went over
to
Fishkills Side, and went on
to the Center of the Place,
got to
the
Presbyterians Meeting House
about 3 in the afternoon, the
People stopped me to have a meeting
on the next Day, and I went
to one
[gap: omitted] and lodged
there, and was very kindly
treated and entertained, —
Wednesday: February 1: 1775 —
about 11 o'clock went to meeting
and there was a great multi
tude of People,
and had a Solemn
meeting, As Soon as the meeting
was over, I went on towards
the
mountains, lodged with one
Mr. Judge — and was very kind
ly entertained and he said, that
ever I should Come there again I
should make his house my Home
Thursday: February 2:
went off very
early in the morning, to a Place
called
the Mills, there I had a meet
ing, begun about 12: preached
in a Barn to a vast great concourse
of People, and the Power of God
was manifest
amongst us, there
was great trembling among the
People after meeting went with
one
Mr. Lawrence a
Baptist Minis
ter he lives in the mountains, and
I lodged at his house, —
Friday: February 3:
about 12 went
to meeting, preached to Amazing Num
ber of People in the woods, and we had
very good meeting the Spirit of god
moved upon the
people, after meet
ing went Home with
Mr Lawrence, in
the Evening
Mr. Lawrence and I went
to
Capt.
Champlens, and we had long
and Friendly conversation together
in Religious Matters, lodged here this
Night, and was extremely
well
used
and entertain —
Saturday Morning February 4:
left the Place and went over
to
Dover
Mr. Miller went with
me we got to
Mr. Waldos about
10: he is a
Baptist
Minister of
the Place, and he received me
with Brotherly kindness and Love
lodged here —
Sabbath
February 5
about 10 went
to meeting, and there was great
Number
of People Got toge‐
ther, and I preached with
much freedom the People were
affected many of them, after
meeting, went Down to
New
Fairfield, got to
Mr. Sills be‐
fore Night, the meeting was
appointed at his house, and
the People Came in So thick
there was not half Room enough for
them, and just as we were
about to begin Divine Service
a messenger Came from the
meeting House which is a mile
off and Said there was great
Number of People got together
there, and we were obliged to
remove to the meeting
House and when
we got there we found a great
Number of People, the meeting
House was crowded, and the
Lord gave me freedom in
Speaking, after meeting
went back with
Mr. Sill and
Lodged there —
Monday: February 6:
in the morn-
ing went Down to a Town House
of
Fairfield and there preached
began about 12 and there was
a great Number of People got
together and we had a Comfortable
meeting, as Soon as the meeting
was over I went towards
New
Milford, got there towards Night
stopped at
Mr. Hindss: and
there were very urgent to have
me Stay and
have a meeting
they Pled So hard it was very
hard for me to pass by the them,
there was one Young Convert
in particular entreated with
Tears in her Eyes to have me
Stay they pulled very hard
upon my very Heart Strings
and it Hard work to get
away from them, however
I did get away, and went
on towards
New Preston, got
there Some Time in the evening
put up at
Mr.
Coggswells a
tavern and he gave me my
Entertainment —
Tuesday
February 7:
set
off very
early in the morning, and
reached to
Farmington Some
Time in the
Evening, put
up at
Elijah Wympy's
found
them all well — —
Wednesday
February 8,
went
off very early in the morning
and Got So far as
Mr. Cornwells East Side of
Connecticut River
about
10 miles, I intended to have
gone further, but the Land
Lord
Cornwell
urged to have
me Stay, and I consented
at last, and presently it
was noised about I was
there, and they had a Notion
of having a meeting, and
at last I consented, this
was about half an hour
after sunset, and in about
more the House was crowded
with People. and I preached
and I had Some Freedom—
and
after meeting went
to rest quietly, —
Thursday
February 9:
took leave of them very early in the morning, and on my way, made but little Stops
by the way, arrived to my house
just before Night, and found all my family in good State of Health,
— Blessed be the Lord god of Heaven and Earth for his goodness to me and to my Family, that he has carried me out and brought