Solomon Williams, letter, to Secretary Willard, 1751 July 24

Author Williams, Solomon

Date24 July, 1751

Call Number751424

abstractWilliams writes to relate the circumstances regarding Occom's school at Montauk, and the uncertainty of his future there.

handwritingHandwriting is is loose, informal and frequently difficult to decipher. There are several abbreviations, deletions, and additions.

paperSingle sheet in good-to-fair condition with moderate creasing, staining and wear.

inkInk is mostly brown-black, although a note is added to the bottom of one verso in darker ink.

noteworthyThe text added to the bottom of one verso appears to be meant as addition to the text of the letter; however, the difficulty of deciphering Williams's hand renders it uncertain as to where the text belongs.

signatureInitials only.

EventsOccom leaves his studies

Persistent Identifier
Honourd Sir
When I was At Boſton ye laſt Fall I informed Mr Oliver &
the Revd Dr Sewal of ye Circumſtances of Samſon
Occom
an Indian youth Educated principally at
the Charge of the Honbl Commiſsioners whom
they had been pleaſed to Deſire me to direct ſince
his Incapacity to purſue his ſtudies any farther
By Reaſon of the weakneſs of his Eies. [illegible] Accordingly I [illegible] directed to keep an Indn Scholol at Montauk. Dr Sewal
told me he Spuppoſed the Commiſsioners wd allow
him a Proper Sallery for teaching School He
was with Me Early in the Spring, & Informd
Me that he had not Recd anything, & that
Mr Maltbie by direction from the Revd Mr Burr had
wrote to him to Come to New York in order [illegible][guess: to his] going to Aſsiſt
in teaching. M r Brinerds Indians, & that Mr
Burr
had directed him ſo [illegible] by Encouragement from the Commiſsioners
that He ſhould be orderd there. Upon which I
wrote an act of the Matter & the State of the
Indians at Montauk, & ye Circumſtances of Samſon
but have Recd No Anſwer, & before I went down
to Commencement I head Samſon was gone to Mr
Braynerd
, & therefore Concluding the Commiſsioners
had diſchargd Me from any further Concern
abt him I Said nothing to any of the Genn
when I was at Boſton. but He is now Come o‐
ver again & is as much at aloſs as Ever he
was & deſires Me to Endr to [illegible]be Informd of wt the
Commiſsioners wt they wd have him do —
underſtang Honrd ſir that you are one of Them I take leave therefore to inform you Sir
that there are 31 Families of Indians at
Montauk on Long Iſland where ſamſon has
been keeping School a year & half & has Ne
ver Recd Any thing [illegible] but Abt 40 ſhil in york
Mony beſide wt the Indians Themſelves have
given him who have been & are ſo deſirous of
his teaching School among them they they have
to their Power [illegible] beyond their Power [illegible][illegible][guess: ]Contri‐
buted towardsfor his Support He has had about 30 Schollers
& More wd have come but their Parents were
ſo poor as not to be able to do any thing for the
Support of Schoolmaſters. the Indians He tells
Me they are ſtill Exceeding very deſirous of his Continiance
there but Complain they are ſo Poor they
dont know how to pay him, & think the
Commiſsioners
are not So Kind to them as to
other Indians. The young Man is willing to
Stay there Still if he cd have a Support He
has been very Serviceable among them in [illegible][guess: promotg Learng ] & Religion as I am In‐
formd by others as well as from the Act he gives
of [illegible] of his Schollers & ye [illegible] of ye Indians Particularly by a Lr from the Rvd
Mr Horton
their Miniſter which I left with
Mr Oliver the laſt [illegible][guess: year]Fall. Samſon Informs me
He is very much Sollicited by the [illegible]Naraganſet
Indians
to keep School There & that there is
great need of a School & is willing to be Entir‐
ly directed by the Commiſsioners. As he comes to
Me from time to time for direction & I have no
order to give him any, I thought it My duty
to let you know this [illegible][guess: ſhort] State of the Affair, &
doubtleſs the Honbl Comiſsioners may find ſome
more ſuitable Perſon to have the Care of direct
ing him. [illegible]I ſhall be glad to be Eaſed Me of The Fruitleſs trouble
of hearing ſo often of his Circumſtances & being
neither able to direct him nor do any thing for
him. wiſhg ye Div.n Bleſsing upon ye Pious & Noble

Deſign of Promotg Xtn Knowledge & Relign among ye
Indns I am Sr with great Reſpect your Moſt
obt Humbe Servt S W
Leb : July 24. 1751.
[bottom]aſkd by the Counsel in order [illegible] a Reſult
Agreeable to him. but wch have a Tendency to
Render Eccleſiastical Councils Ridiculous & the
Reſult, Contimptible & Mankind will be apt to
[illegible] yt if a [illegible] Sallery Stands in ye way or
c.d be found & his [illegible] [illegible] In Nomeni
Domini
is — Muſt be done.

Loading...