1 who accompany this, viz. Johnson and McCluer, are Members of Yale College, as well as of this School; and were design'd, if it might be, under Your Excellency's Direction & Favour, to spend the ensuing Season, (with their Indian associates) in learning the Language of such Tribes, as they may likely serve, as Missionaries & School Masters, when they have compleated their Learning. The Disposal of them is now submitted to your Wisdom, and Prudence. Mr Kirtland seems inclined to take McCluer to Onoyada with him; But whether the learning of that Language will be of such Consequence as that it will be worth his spending his Time for it, Your Excellency is best able to judge. I have thought it might be best for Joseph Johnson, who Mohegan, and is too young to have the government of a sch 2 to be employed, as an Usher under David Fowler, whose school, I understand, will likely be big enough for two masters. Jacob who is Brother to David, and tho' but 16. years old, I 1 DAVID MCCLURE, D. D., was a native of Brookfield, Mass. After spending some time under Mr. Kirtland, at Oneida, he graduated at Yale College in 1769, and then became a teacher in Dr. Wheelock's school. In the summer of 1772 he set out to visit the Delaware Indians on the Muskingum river, west of the Ohio, a journal of which mission is published in Wheelock's Nar. for 1773. On his return to Pittsburgh from this, what turned out to be a fruitless mission, he spent seven months among the scattered white settlements in Western Penn. In the summer of 1774, in company with Messrs. Dean and others, he visited the Canada Indians. During, and for some time after the revolution, he was minister of Northampton, N. H., and in 1786 removed to East Windsor, where he died June 25, 1820, aged 71. His wife was the daughter of Dr. Pomeroy and niece of Dr. Wheelock, whose Memoirs he published in connexion with Dr. Parish in 1811.-ED. 2 JOSEPH JOHNSON was born near Norwich about the year 1750. His father served near Lake George in 1757. At the age of 15, Joseph became a schoolmaster as above stated, and was so employed for two years. He fell off, however, from this life of regularity afterwards, and went on a whaling voyage. Returning in 1771, he fell sick at his native place, which circumstance had such an effect on him, that he became quite religious. He was afterwards licensed to preach among the Six Nations, and was very faithful to the American cause during the revolution. It is said that he was not inferior to Samson Occum as a Preacher. ALLEN. See also Wheelock's Narrative, 1775. 3 JACOB FOWLER, a Montauk Indian was born in 1750. He was approved as a Teacher in 1765, and taught for several years after among the Six Nations and N. E. tribes. Things, however, did not go well with him, and in 1774, he re apprehend is endowed with Prudence & Discretion sufficient to conduct (and is well accomplished to instruct) a School. I would also propose to your Excellency Whether it will be best for Hezekiah [Calvin] to take the School which Joseph Woolley left at Onohoquagee, as I hear Mr Brown determines to defeat his Design of settling at Fort Hunter. But I need not be particular as the Bearers are fully knowing to whatever I should otherwise have need to inform you of; in this affair. And also as the Revd Mr Pomeroy & my son, are appointed (and yesterday sat out via New-York) to wait upon you for your advice respecting the place to fix upon, and build for this School. They will also be able to acquaint you with the favourable Reception, Mess's Whittaker & Occum, & the Design they Recommend, meet with at Home; and the Prospect I have of any Favour I can reasonably desire from the Board of Trade, if only the Place for the School was once determined. and as I would act in every step agreable to your mind, for I apprehend you are able above any man in this Land to serve the grand Design in view. What seems to be wanting at Home, at present, is only to know the place to fix it. And I purpose to mention several, with such Recommendations, Incouragements &c as shall be respectively given them, and leave it with Gentlemen at Home to determine which of the number it shall be. You will please to weigh the Arguments offerd by Mr C. J. Smith to carry it into the Southern Governments, a rough Draft of which I have sent by my son. William (Major as we call him for distinction sake) is a very good Genius, and capable of making a very likely man; but his Pride and the Violence of his Temper have sometimes rendered him troublesome; and obliged me to use severity with him, of which my son can inform you perhaps a Line or Message from You might be of Special service to him. I ordered him to write a few lines (which I inclose) as a Specimen He complained, and you will see, not without Reason, that his Ink was bad. I am heartily sorry to add to the great weight of Care, & turned as a teacher to Dr. Wheelock's School, where he prepared himself for holy orders, previous to moving into the Oneida country with Sampson Occum WHEELOCK. Crowd of Business you are continually in; and rely only upon your Goodness and the nature and importance of the things I write, for Pardon, for this Trouble. That God may restore your Health, Support you under all your Labours, and long lengthen out your important life, is the earnest Prayer of him who begs leave to subscribe, with most Sincere Duty and Esteem. Your Excellency's Obedient and very Humble Servant Sir William Johnson Baront. Sr REV. MR BROWN TO SIR WM JOHNSON. Albany Sep 13th 1766. I have the Honour of yrs of the 10th Instant pr master Peter, wherein I find no particular Instructions in Regard to his schooling, conclude therefore that you leave him to me on that Head. Depend on it I shall take the same care of him in every Respect as my own Child. I shall be prepared to meet his Excellency y'self & the rest of the Fraternity on the earliest notice. My Discourse to my Indian Children shall be short, but how sweet I must leave to yr better Judgment. I shall obey yr other commands by inviting four or five the most decent of our Brethren to meet his Excellency on that Solemn occasion. I remain Sr with the utmost Respect yr most obliged Hum Servi Sr Wm Johnson. T. BROWN. REVD MR CHAMBERLAIN TO THE REV. MR BROWN. Revd Sir Onowadagegh Oct. 10 A. D. 1766. Though my being a Stranger to you might free me from many offices which might be expected from a youth bound to you by many acts of your kindness yet I cant neglect writing to you on a late occurrence without violating the Bonds of simple Humanity which bind equally the most remote Acquaintance and the most intimate Friends. A Report has been lately handed about here that you Revd Sir at the late Meeting at Johnson Hall christend serveral children in the Presence of his Honour the Governor the honourable Sir Win Johnson many other Gentlemen and a Number of Indians of several Tribes who had been before christened by Missionaries of the presbyterian order. I acknowledge Revd Sir that the Fact mention'd in their Report is too notoriously conterary to the Practices of Christians of every Denomination to gain Credit amongst any but Indians and the most ignorant and crudilous Part of the white People, confident therefore that this Report is intirely Groundless I have thought it imprudent to apply to any Gentleman to have it refuted but to yourself who will I doubt not readily give so full and ample Refutations of it from under your own Hand that I may for the Futer be able to put to shame all who would thereby asperse your character or bring into Contempt and Neglect amongst these ignorant Heathen the whole christian system. It was my advice from several presbiterian Ministers and from all whom I converse with on the subject that twas best as much as possible to keep from the minds of the Indians every Notion of any Difference or Distinction amongst prodestant Christians. To this I have always been desposd and have therefore been ever ready to stand by a silent Spectator and Auditor of what ever any Gentleman of the standing church chlergey have desired to act or speak in any of the Places where my commission under the honble Scots Society has impowered me to officiate. The Prudence of this Measure the Advantage it gives to the common cause of Christianety and its utility to the Nation so far as we consider the natinal Interest as connected with the scheme christinising the Heathen in these Parts must appear to every considerate Person upon the least Reflection but if the forementiond Report obtains we are obviously under a Necessity either to leave the Indians intirely or else to give a satisfactory Reason for such a Piece of unheard of Conduct, The first of these Sir you may readily suppose we shall not do before we see the Indians all supplid with Ministers of some Prodistant Persuation who will reside amungst them to instruct currect and persuade them and to set them Examples of such christian conduct as I trust all christians would rejoice to see prevail amongst mankind and to expect this from the church clargey who are so scarce in these Parts is childish unless then you will amply refute the Report of your having rebaptisd Children we are necessatated to give a Reason for such Bisbaptisms and this we cannot do without entering into a Distinction which we desire never to mention here and which would to God there had never been occasion for. You may depend upon it Sir that I am disposd to treat every man in a christian Manner who act like a Christian and to use them with all that Deference and Respect which either their Age or Carracter or any Distinction can claim from me and shall therefore be entirely silent about the above Report till I see whether an Answer to my Request is to be expected from you and after that shall endeaver to act in a Manner most consistant with the same Principals. The affair has given some uneasiness both to Revd Mr Kirtland and myself and in Case you think this unworthy an Answer we shall doubtless apply to some Gentleman who was present and will freely give us that satisfaction which I at present hope to obtain from you and by which shall be able to satisfy Mr Kirtland and to put a stop to a Rumor so abusive and uncommon. In hopes of this I rest for the Present and beg Leave to subscribe myself Revd & Worthy Sir Your Humble Servant THEOPHILUS CHAMBERLAIN. To Revd Mr Brown. THEOPHILUS CHAMBERLAIN was ordained at Lebanon, on 24 April, 1765, and set out on the 19th June following for the country of the Six Nations. He established several schools among the Mohawks, visited the Oneydas, made a tour among the Onondagas, and preached to them. He returned to Lebanon in October, accompanied by two Oneida youths to be placed under Dr. Wheelock's charge. He returned again the following year to the Mohawk country, as appears by the above, and a subsequent letter.-ED |