Samson Occom, letter, to a Minister of Albany, 1791 December 26
26 December 1791[1791-12-26]
Call Number791676
[note (type: abstract): Occom writes that he cannot attend an ordination due to ill health, that he has moved to Munhegunnack (or New Stockbridge), and that many Indians are coming to New Stockbridge to hear preaching.][note (type: handwriting): Handwriting is small, but mostly clear and legible. The letter “a” is frequently unclosed at the top, which causes it to look like the letter “u.”][note (type: paper): Single large sheet is in poor condition, with heavy creasing, staining and wear that results in some loss of text. Repairs have been made on particularly heavy creases.][note (type: ink): Brown ink is faded.][note (type: noteworthy): The identity of the minister to whom Occom writes is unknown.]
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
New Stockbridge[place0165.ocp]
[Decr | December]DecrDecember 26: 1791[1791-12-26]
[Revd | Rev.]RevdRev. and much [eſteemed | esteemed]eſteemedesteemed Sir,
[Revd | Rev.]RevdRev. and much [eſteemed | esteemed]eſteemedesteemed Sir,
I dont think I Can be at the ordination, in [Balls
Town | Balls
ton]Balls
TownBalls
ton[place0363.ocp], it is a long way, and I am old, and Lame, and I [muſt | must]muſtmust be
at the [Preſbytery | Presbytery]PreſbyteryPresbytery[org0083.ocp] next March[1792-03] at Albany[place0001.ocp] if live, and Shall be
well; I want to be at the ord[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): e]ernation; and one or two of our men
with me but it Cant be so now — I am now moving my Family to
Munhegunnack or New-Stockbridge[place0165.ocp], I told you it was [Calld | called]Calldcalled [Tuſ | Tus]TuſTus
c[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): a]arora, but that is not the Proper name of it, — [Capt | Capt.]Capt Capt. [Hindrick | Hendrick]HindrickHendrick[pers0257.ocp] who
will deliver this to You, is one of our Church; he is [juſt | just]juſtjust Come
from the [weſtward | westward]weſtwardwestward, [amongſt | amongst]amongſtamongst the Indians, and he has a large Tract
of [gap: tear][guess (h-dawnd): land]land [offerd | offered]offerdoffered him if he and his people would move there — I think
it [woud | would]woudwould be [gap: tear][guess (h-dawnd): a fine open]a fine opening for the [Goſpel | Gospel]GoſpelGospel, — Our Church have
willingly and Cheerfully adopted the [Confeſsion | confession]Confeſsionconfession of Faith of the
[Preſbyterian | Presbyterian]PreſbyterianPresbyterian Church[org0133.ocp] of the United States in America[place0362.ocp]. They Joy
fully put [themſelves | themselves]themſelvesthemselves under the Care and [inſpection | inspection]inſpectioninspection of Albany
[Preſbytery | Presbytery]PreſbyteryPresbytery[org0083.ocp] — And thankfully receive the [Goſpel | Gospel]GoſpelGospel [Fellowſhip | fellowship]Fellowſhipfellowship
[open'd | opened]open'dopened for them — And from This Time, we Shall look upon our
Selves one of the [leaſt | least]leaſtleast Branches of the Religious Family of the
[Preſbyterians | Presbyterians]PreſbyteriansPresbyterians[org0133.ocp] in America[place0362.ocp] — — We are try[above] inging to [inſtruct | instruct]inſtructinstruct our Children
in Letters, but we are very weak, we want a little help — one [Jo– | Joseph]Jo–Joseph
Quinney[pers1757.ocp] keeps the School, without any [Proſpect | prospect]Proſpectprospect of Reward,
and he [gap: hole][guess (h-dawnd): is]is our Singing [Maſter | master]Maſtermaster too, and he is [Inſtructing | instructing]Inſtructinginstructing the People
in Sin[gap: hole][guess (h-dawnd): ging]ging [Conſta | consta]Conſtaconsta[gap: hole][guess (h-dawnd): ntl]ntly, two or three Evenings every week and
he demands no pay — and he and his Family, are very [deſtitute | destitute]deſtitutedestitute
of [Cloathing | clothing]Cloathingclothing, — Our [Profiſsers | professors]Profiſsersprofessors keep on S[above] tteady in Religion, and
our Church and Society rather [increaſes | increases]increaſesincreases, — our Singers are
in want of Psalm Books — what harm [woud | would]woudwould it be, if You [wou'd | would]wou'dwould
try to beg a few, [amongſt | amongst]amongſtamongst Your Friends and Neighbours in
Albany[place0001.ocp], we [uſe | use]uſeuse [Dr | Dr.]DrDr. Watts[pers0683.ocp]'s Psalms altogether — I have no
more to Say at this Time, — Pray for us — This with much
Esteem is from
your most unworthy fellow Labourer
in the [Goſpel | Gospel]GoſpelGospel of [Jeſus | Jesus]JeſusJesus —
Samson Occom[pers0030.ocp]
Town | Balls
ton]Balls
TownBalls
ton[place0363.ocp], it is a long way, and I am old, and Lame, and I [muſt | must]muſtmust be
at the [Preſbytery | Presbytery]PreſbyteryPresbytery[org0083.ocp] next March[1792-03] at Albany[place0001.ocp] if live, and Shall be
well; I want to be at the ord[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): e]ernation; and one or two of our men
with me but it Cant be so now — I am now moving my Family to
Munhegunnack or New-Stockbridge[place0165.ocp], I told you it was [Calld | called]Calldcalled [Tuſ | Tus]TuſTus
c[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): a]arora, but that is not the Proper name of it, — [Capt | Capt.]Capt Capt. [Hindrick | Hendrick]HindrickHendrick[pers0257.ocp] who
will deliver this to You, is one of our Church; he is [juſt | just]juſtjust Come
from the [weſtward | westward]weſtwardwestward, [amongſt | amongst]amongſtamongst the Indians, and he has a large Tract
of [gap: tear][guess (h-dawnd): land]land [offerd | offered]offerdoffered him if he and his people would move there — I think
it [woud | would]woudwould be [gap: tear][guess (h-dawnd): a fine open]a fine opening for the [Goſpel | Gospel]GoſpelGospel, — Our Church have
willingly and Cheerfully adopted the [Confeſsion | confession]Confeſsionconfession of Faith of the
[Preſbyterian | Presbyterian]PreſbyterianPresbyterian Church[org0133.ocp] of the United States in America[place0362.ocp]. They Joy
fully put [themſelves | themselves]themſelvesthemselves under the Care and [inſpection | inspection]inſpectioninspection of Albany
[Preſbytery | Presbytery]PreſbyteryPresbytery[org0083.ocp] — And thankfully receive the [Goſpel | Gospel]GoſpelGospel [Fellowſhip | fellowship]Fellowſhipfellowship
[open'd | opened]open'dopened for them — And from This Time, we Shall look upon our
Selves one of the [leaſt | least]leaſtleast Branches of the Religious Family of the
[Preſbyterians | Presbyterians]PreſbyteriansPresbyterians[org0133.ocp] in America[place0362.ocp] — — We are try[above] inging to [inſtruct | instruct]inſtructinstruct our Children
in Letters, but we are very weak, we want a little help — one [Jo– | Joseph]Jo–Joseph
Quinney[pers1757.ocp] keeps the School, without any [Proſpect | prospect]Proſpectprospect of Reward,
and he [gap: hole][guess (h-dawnd): is]is our Singing [Maſter | master]Maſtermaster too, and he is [Inſtructing | instructing]Inſtructinginstructing the People
in Sin[gap: hole][guess (h-dawnd): ging]ging [Conſta | consta]Conſtaconsta[gap: hole][guess (h-dawnd): ntl]ntly, two or three Evenings every week and
he demands no pay — and he and his Family, are very [deſtitute | destitute]deſtitutedestitute
of [Cloathing | clothing]Cloathingclothing, — Our [Profiſsers | professors]Profiſsersprofessors keep on S[above] tteady in Religion, and
our Church and Society rather [increaſes | increases]increaſesincreases, — our Singers are
in want of Psalm Books — what harm [woud | would]woudwould it be, if You [wou'd | would]wou'dwould
try to beg a few, [amongſt | amongst]amongſtamongst Your Friends and Neighbours in
Albany[place0001.ocp], we [uſe | use]uſeuse [Dr | Dr.]DrDr. Watts[pers0683.ocp]'s Psalms altogether — I have no
more to Say at this Time, — Pray for us — This with much
Esteem is from
your most unworthy fellow Labourer
in the [Goſpel | Gospel]GoſpelGospel of [Jeſus | Jesus]JeſusJesus —
Samson Occom[pers0030.ocp]
PS.
[Capt | Capt.]Capt Capt. [Hindrick | Hendrick]HindrickHendrick[pers0257.ocp] is our Elder, and [Joſeph | Joseph]JoſephJoseph [Qunney | Quinney]QunneyQuinney[pers1757.ocp]
is our Deacon; We have but very little [Buſineſs | business]Buſineſsbusiness
[gap: worn_edge]Elder and Deacon, and think, one of each is enough for the
[gap: worn_edge]
[Janr | January]JanrJanuary 8[1792-01-08]
Sir
The [fore going | foregoing]fore goingforegoing was Sent by [Capt | Capt.]CaptCapt. [Hindreck | Hendrick]HindreckHendrick[pers0257.ocp], but was
[oblidged | obliged]oblidgedobliged, to return back, and forgot to give it, to Samuel
Littleman[pers0810.ocp], who, I Conclude [Call'd | called]Call'dcalled upon You, in his way to
New-[Jerſey | Jersey]JerſeyJersey[place0163.ocp] — There Seems to be a Strange inclination among
the Indians, to hear the word of God [preach'd | preached]preach'dpreached, [the | they]thethey Come to our
meets from [Tuſcarora | Tuscarora]TuſcaroraTuscarora[place0288.ocp], most all of them, which they nev[gap: worn_edge][guess (h-dawnd): er]er
did before, and [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Kirkland[pers0315.ocp]s People come very thick too
and they [deſire | desire]deſiredesire, that I might Spend Some Sabbaths, — great
many Come to our meet[above] inging [to Day | today]to Daytoday, [tho | though]thothough [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Kirkland[pers0315.ocp] went there
this morning, and they know of his Coming, — [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Kirkland[pers0315.ocp] is
going away again, and I Shall go to his People next Sab
bath — Several of them, have [gap: hole][guess (h-dawnd): a]a great [Deſire | desire]Deſiredesire to Join us in
full — and [above] Some ofSome of [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. [Sargeant | Sergeant]SargeantSergeant[pers0470.ocp]'s people are Coming to us [alſo | also]alſoalso, and
they will Join us in full, — I have an Evening School for the
young People, and a Number comes, I am [Inſtructing | instructing]Inſtructinginstructing to read [& | and]&and
to Speak [Engliſh | English]EngliſhEnglish proper, and Come on well —
[Capt | Capt.]Capt Capt. [Hindrick | Hendrick]HindrickHendrick[pers0257.ocp] is our Elder, and [Joſeph | Joseph]JoſephJoseph [Qunney | Quinney]QunneyQuinney[pers1757.ocp]
is our Deacon; We have but very little [Buſineſs | business]Buſineſsbusiness
[gap: worn_edge]Elder and Deacon, and think, one of each is enough for the
[gap: worn_edge]
[Janr | January]JanrJanuary 8[1792-01-08]
Sir
The [fore going | foregoing]fore goingforegoing was Sent by [Capt | Capt.]CaptCapt. [Hindreck | Hendrick]HindreckHendrick[pers0257.ocp], but was
[oblidged | obliged]oblidgedobliged, to return back, and forgot to give it, to Samuel
Littleman[pers0810.ocp], who, I Conclude [Call'd | called]Call'dcalled upon You, in his way to
New-[Jerſey | Jersey]JerſeyJersey[place0163.ocp] — There Seems to be a Strange inclination among
the Indians, to hear the word of God [preach'd | preached]preach'dpreached, [the | they]thethey Come to our
meets from [Tuſcarora | Tuscarora]TuſcaroraTuscarora[place0288.ocp], most all of them, which they nev[gap: worn_edge][guess (h-dawnd): er]er
did before, and [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Kirkland[pers0315.ocp]s People come very thick too
and they [deſire | desire]deſiredesire, that I might Spend Some Sabbaths, — great
many Come to our meet[above] inging [to Day | today]to Daytoday, [tho | though]thothough [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Kirkland[pers0315.ocp] went there
this morning, and they know of his Coming, — [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Kirkland[pers0315.ocp] is
going away again, and I Shall go to his People next Sab
bath — Several of them, have [gap: hole][guess (h-dawnd): a]a great [Deſire | desire]Deſiredesire to Join us in
full — and [above] Some ofSome of [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. [Sargeant | Sergeant]SargeantSergeant[pers0470.ocp]'s people are Coming to us [alſo | also]alſoalso, and
they will Join us in full, — I have an Evening School for the
young People, and a Number comes, I am [Inſtructing | instructing]Inſtructinginstructing to read [& | and]&and
to Speak [Engliſh | English]EngliſhEnglish proper, and Come on well —
[Closer]
I am [&c | etc.]&cetc. —
[Samſon | Samson]SamſonSamson Occom[pers0030.ocp]
[Samſon | Samson]SamſonSamson Occom[pers0030.ocp]
Document Summary
People identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Role in header | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|---|
pers0257.ocp | Cap t Capt. Hindrick Hendrick | mentioned | Aupaumut, Hendrick |
pers1757.ocp | Jo– Joseph Quinney | mentioned | Quinney, Joseph |
pers0683.ocp | D r Dr. Watts | mentioned | Watts, John |
pers0030.ocp | Samson Occom | writer | Occom, Samson |
pers0257.ocp | Cap t Capt. Hindrick Hendrick | mentioned | Aupaumut, Hendrick |
pers1757.ocp | Joſeph Joseph Qunney Quinney | mentioned | Quinney, Joseph |
pers0257.ocp | Cap t Capt. Hindreck Hendrick | mentioned | Aupaumut, Hendrick |
pers0810.ocp | Samuel Littleman | mentioned | Littleman, Samuel |
pers0315.ocp | M r Mr. Kirkland | mentioned | Kirkland, Samuel |
pers0470.ocp | M r Mr. Sargeant Sergeant | mentioned | Sergeant, Jr., John |
pers0030.ocp | Samſon Samson Occom | writer | Occom, Samson |
Places identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
place0165.ocp | New Stockbridge | Stockbridge |
place0363.ocp | Balls Town Balls ton | Ballston |
place0001.ocp | Albany | Albany |
place0165.ocp | New-Stockbridge | Stockbridge |
place0362.ocp | United States in America | United States of America |
place0362.ocp | America | United States of America |
place0163.ocp | New- Jerſey Jersey | New Jersey |
place0288.ocp | Tuſcarora Tuscarora | Tuscarora |
Organizations identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
org0083.ocp | PreſbyteryPresbytery | Presbytery of Albany |
org0133.ocp | PreſbyterianPresbyterian Church | Presbyterian Church |
org0083.ocp | Albany PreſbyteryPresbytery | Presbytery of Albany |
org0133.ocp | PreſbyteriansPresbyterians | Presbyterian Church |
Dates identified in this document:
Standard Form | Text |
---|---|
1791-12-26 | DecrDecember 26: 1791 |
1792-03 | next March |
1792-01-08 | JanrJanuary 8 |
Regularized text:
Type | Original | Regularized |
---|---|---|
modernization | Revd | Rev. |
modernization | eſteemed | esteemed |
variation | Balls Town |
Balls ton |
modernization | muſt | must |
modernization | Preſbytery | Presbytery |
variation | Calld | called |
modernization | Tuſ | Tus |
modernization | Capt | Capt. |
variation | Hindrick | Hendrick |
modernization | juſt | just |
modernization | weſtward | westward |
modernization | amongſt | amongst |
variation | offerd | offered |
variation | woud | would |
modernization | Goſpel | Gospel |
modernization | Confeſsion | confession |
modernization | Preſbyterian | Presbyterian |
modernization | themſelves | themselves |
modernization | inſpection | inspection |
modernization | Fellowſhip | fellowship |
modernization | leaſt | least |
modernization | Preſbyterians | Presbyterians |
modernization | inſtruct | instruct |
modernization | Proſpect | prospect |
modernization | Maſter | master |
modernization | Inſtructing | instructing |
modernization | Conſta | consta |
modernization | deſtitute | destitute |
variation | Cloathing | clothing |
variation | Profiſsers | professors |
modernization | increaſes | increases |
modernization | uſe | use |
modernization | Dr | Dr. |
modernization | Jeſus | Jesus |
modernization | Capt | Capt. |
modernization | Joſeph | Joseph |
variation | Qunney | Quinney |
modernization | Buſineſs | business |
variation | fore going | foregoing |
modernization | Capt | Capt. |
variation | Hindreck | Hendrick |
variation | oblidged | obliged |
modernization | Jerſey | Jersey |
modernization | Tuſcarora | Tuscarora |
modernization | Mr | Mr. |
modernization | deſire | desire |
variation | to Day | today |
variation | tho | though |
modernization | Deſire | desire |
variation | Sargeant | Sergeant |
modernization | alſo | also |
modernization | Engliſh | English |
modernization | &c | etc. |
modernization | Samſon | Samson |
Expanded abbreviations:
Abbreviation | Expansion |
---|---|
Decr | December |
open'd | opened |
Jo– | Joseph |
wou'd | would |
Janr | January |
Call'd | called |
preach'd | preached |
& | and |
This document's header does not contain any mixed case attribute values.
Summary of errors found in this document:
Number of dates with invalid 'when' attributes: | 0 |
Number of nested "hi" tags: (consider merging the @rend attributes, or using other tags) | 0 |
Number of tags with invalid 'rend' attributes: | 0 (out of 14) |
Number of people/places/organizations with unknown keys: | 0 (out of 26) |
Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: | 0 (out of 4) |
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): | 0 (out of 112) |