The Dartmouth Indians

That characteristic of Dartmouth history which has ever remained one of its most picturesque and romantic traditions is the story of the Dartmouth Indian. Frederick Chase and John K. Lord exhausted all the supply of general information in their excellent histories, but there remains to be written a detailed history of the individuals of the race that sent so many students to Moor's Charity School and to the college itself. There is hardly a Dartmouth gathering anywhere at which some reference is not made to the Dartmouth Indian, but who that Indian was and what he did have had but little special attention. And yet it was probably the efforts of Sams on Occom, an Indian, in England, when he raised a sum equivalent to about $66,000, that determined the success of the Moor School and Dartmouth College.

Indians are mentioned in nearly every book written about the college, yet outside the names of Occom, Joseph Brant, Charles G. Eastman and more lately John Meyers of baseball fame, there is little familiarity among the alumni with the names of the Indians who have attended Dartmouth and the Moor School since 1743. Yet that unwritten history of the Dartmouth Indians fairly sparkles with romance. Some of the early Moor School men were engaged in the Brothertown enterprise in New York where an attempt was made to settle a colony of Indians who would live as white men did. Somewhere in Deansville, N. Y., in a cemetery discovered by Dr. W. D. Love and members of the Hamilton College Alumni, probably lies the body of Samson Occom, the grave unmarked, as far as I know, and not distinguishable from the graves of other Indians. The same is true of the Indians buried at St. Francis in Canada and New London, Conn.

There were Indians from Dartmouth who blazed trails into the West. There were Dartmouth Indians who led scouting parties in the Revolution and engaged in the war on both American and British sides. One Indian in Hanover thought himself the Lost Dauphin, or Louis 17th of France; another was at the age of 14 elected King of a tribe of Indians in Canada; another went back to Canada a hundred years ago and founded a church and a school that have continued until this day. And this is but the beginning. The records are scattered over so many books, letters, diaries, and manuscripts that it will require years of patient effort to collect them all. In the year that I have been compiling the names of Indians who attended Moor's Charity School and Dartmouth College I found evidences of much interesting material. Mrs. Elise J. Torbert of the Dartmouth library is now at work reassembling the books of the Dartmouth library, 1743-1800, and writing an account of the literary influences of the school.

Two lists are appended to this very brief article. One includes the Wheelock list, which I found 011 the inside page of one of Wheelock's Memorandum books. The other is the list which I have myself compiled from sources already known, from letters, from old account books, and from lists of the Moor School.

WHEELOCK'S LIST—1745-1770

1743-1748 Samson Occom 1754 Dee. 18 John Pumshire a Delaware since dead and Jacob Woolley a Delaware run away 1757 Feb. 18 Samson Woyboy a since dead April 9 Joseph Woolley a Delaware since appointed Schoold Hezekiah Calvin a Delaware master among the Indians 1758 Dee. 7 Joseph Johnson a Mohegan 1759 April 12 David Fowler a Montauk appointed School-master 1760 among the Indians April 28 Aaron Occom a Mohegan went away October 1761 Nov. 26 Naiah Isaiah a Mohegan taken to work on the Farm Uncaus 1761 June 2 Amie Johnson a Mohegan Aug. 1 Joseph Brant and Negyes Mohawks since returned home and Center Sept. Miriam Stores a Delaware Nov. 27 Moses and Johannes Mohawks 1762 April 20 Sarah Wyoge a Mohegan rusticated July 22 Enoch Closs a Delaware run away and Samuel Tallman a Delaware 28 Daniel Mossock a Farmington went away soon after and Abraham Major and Abraham Minor Mohawks and Peter Aug. 24 Patience Johnson a Mohegan since dismissed Sept. 25 Samuel Ashpo a Mohegan licensed to preach Nov. 27 Jacob Fowler a Montauk 1763 April 10 Manuel Simon a Narragansett went away soon after Sept. Hannah a Nehantic went away socm after Poquiantup Dec. 17 Hannah Garrett a Narragansett and Mary Sequettass a Narragansett 1764 Nov. 30 William Major went away Feb. 16 of 67 and William Minor Mohawks went away April of 67 and Elias 1765 June 12 Susannah and Katharine Mohawks Katharine and Mary went and Mary away Jan. 9, 1767 and David an Oneida Oct. 5 Mundeus and Jacob Oneidaes Dec. 13 Sarah Symonds a Narragansett Charles Daniel a Narragansett 1766 Jan. 11 John Green a Mohawk went away Feb. 16, 1767 June 27 Wm. Oneida Sept. 28 Margaret Mohawks went away Jan. 9, 1767 Paulus Dec. 3 Aaron Occom a Mohegan 8 Seth Mohawk went away Feb. 16, 1767 16 John Shadduck Narragansetts and Toby Shadduck 29 Toby Shadduck's Wife & Child 1767 April 3 Nabby & Martha Narragansetts Abigail went away June 4 June 10 Hannah Nonesuck a Nehantick Sept. 24 Hannah Cornelius Oneyadas Peter William Minor Oct. 14 James Simons 29 Apolles Mohawk Dec. 4 Nathan Clap an Indian of expelled July 9, 1768 Yarmouth 11 RJary Mooch of Newcut in Norwich 1768 Jan. 2 Peter an Oneida June 30 Hannah 28 Joseph June 28 Joseph an Oneida Oct. 28 Abraham Symans of Narraganset 1769 1770 Mar. 17 Daniel Symons came Sept. Caleb Watts came FROM 1770 TO THE PRESENT TIME 1770 Daniel Simons (Symons), A. M. Narragansett. First Indian Graduate of Dartmouth College is reputed to have heard in Hanover the gunfire at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Was graduated in the class of 1777. Abraham Simons. Brother of Daniel. Was sent out in 1772 to bring in students from the Tuscaroras. Assisted Wheelock greatly in the conduct of the Moor School. Caleb Watts. A Mulatto, listed as an Indian. Name appears in the first catalog of the college. Was born of an English mother. In 1775 preached in Wheelock's pulpit. Left in October 1776. At one time Wheelock thought of sending him among the colored peoples in the South to incite them to join with the colonists against Great Britain. The three listed above with the possible exception of Watts accompanied Wheelock from Lebanon to Hanover. 1771 Sir Peter Pohquonnoppet. Was graduated from the cojlege in the class of 1780. Sent by the Rev. John Sargent of Stock- bridge. John Konkapot (Stockbridge). Came with Sir Peter. Served for a time in the Revolutionary Army. Samuel Squintup (Squintap, Squntup, Squontup). On June 7, 1772 he was given four pounds, 16 shillings for a long canoe trip up the river, probably to St. Francis. 1772 Joseph Meechekaumpoh. Paul Umpeethawe, (Umpetrewe). Joseph Indian. Lewis Vincent. Graduated in the class of 1781 Dartmouth College. One of the three Indians in the 18th Century who were graduated from the college. He was a Huron from Lorette and served with great distinction in the Revolutionary Army. Sebastian Vincent Huron, brother of Lewis. Captive. Found by missionaries near the Penobscot river. Came from the Mattagnessawack tribe from somewhere West of Lake Superior. Is mentioned in the Wheelock Narrative. Captive. Brought in by Sylvanus Ripley of the Natic tribe. Peter Indian. A private in the company formed in Lebanon, N. H. and Hanover to fight Burgoyne. John Phillips of Cagnawaga. One of ten Indians brought to Hanover by Ripley and Lieut. Thomas Taylor of Claremont. He was a grandson of a Mr. Tarbull a captive from Groton. He scouted in the woods about Hanover for a possible Indian attack in May 1775. Was of unusual intelligence and had been elected King of an Indian tribe in Canada when he was 14 years old. Thomas Stacey. A Cagnawaga halfbreed, descendant of an American captive. Came with John Phillips. Tabot Phillips. Mentioned in a Wheelock letter in the Dartmouth library. 1773 Andrew Indian. Benjamin Towsey. An Indian boy under Wheelock's care. Was involved in the famous small-pox episode which led to Wheelock's attempt to remove the college from Hanover. John Pophnehawnawop. Lewis Loret. Stephen Jacob. Eneas, Enehas, Oenas. David Indian. 1775 Francis Joseph Gill. Called the Great Francis. Was son of Joseph Lewis Gill, head of the Indians at St. Francis. Entered the College in 1778 but did not graduate. Afterwards known as Annance. Francis Gill the Second or the Lesser. Brother or half-brother to the Great Francis. Benedict Gill from St. Francis. Anthony Gill from St. Francis. _ Montuit Gill. Left College in 1777 with Anthony and Benedict, probably because of War between America and England. The Gills were famous descendants of a white Captive taken cap-tive early in the 17th Century who married among the St. FrancisIndians. The Great Francis remained in Hanover during theRevolution and later sent his son to school there. John Sauk from Cagnawaga. , 1778 John Conkesot, alias Stockbridge. John Bolden. One of Wheelock's Indians in Captain Freeman's company in Revolution. 1779 John Batiste. 1780 Hugh Holmes. 1800 Joseph Brant, Second, son of famous Brant of Wheelock's school and War of Revolution. Jacob Brant. Brother of Joseph Second. 1803 Joseph Taukerman from St. Francis brought by Jacob Kimball. Left in 1805. John Taubausanda. Brought from St. Francis. Returned 1804. Paul J. Gill. Entered Dartmouth College in class of 1810 but did not graduate. Name appears in early catalog. Louis Annance. Son of Great Francis Gill. Remained at Hanover until 1809. Known as Old Louis Annance in Main. where he was a famous guide, a member of the Masons, and prominent in Indian affairs. 1804 Stanislaus Joseph Gill. 1806 William Gill, mentioned also as William Francis. 1807 The Rev. Eleazar Williams. Supposed descendant of Eunice Williams, famous Indian captive from Deerfield. Roomer at Samuel Dewey's. Left suddenly after illness. Later became Episcopal clergyman, leader of Indians at Green Bay, Wisconsin, and was supposed to be the Lost Dauphin, Louis 17. Hero of Hanson's Lost Prince, and the more recent novel Lazarre. 1808 Noel Annance. Class of 1814 Dartmouth College. Was not graduated. 1807 Vincent, son of Huron pupil Sebastian of 1771. 1809 Ignatius Algonquin. Brought by J. Emerson from Canada. 1810 Louis Langford. Brt. by E. F. Willey from Canada, stayed until 1812. 1815 Simon Annance from St. Francis. Unknown, aged 15, brought by Mr. Willey from Senecas. Unknown, aged 16, from Saratoga. Unknown, brought by Willey with above. 1816 Thomas Prentiss Hill. Medical School 1816. Mentioned in Mrs. Eva Emery Dye's McLaughlin & Old Oregon Famous Indian of Frontier. 1827 Rev. Paul Pierre Osunkhirhine, an Iriquois or Cherokee who came to St. Francis and was there called Wzokhilain in the Abenaki. Remained in Hanover some years and published several books for use in Indian schools. Founded school at St. Francis. Was known at Dartmouth as Peter Masta. Church and school still standing at St. Francis, now Odanak. Walked about three hundred miles to attend the Moor School. 1830 (?) Cartnache Annance supposed son of Louis Annance. Was asked to speak in own language on public occasion in Hanover, and said in own language, "You are all confounded fools." The audience applauded him greatly. 1831 James Joseph Annance. Dart. Coll. Class of 1833. Remained one year 31-32. 1833 J. Stanislaus. 1836 Joseph Alex Masta St. Francis. 1840 Maris Bryant Pierce, Seneca, N. Y. Indian Chief. Tried to reinlist interest of Scotch society in Indians at Dartmouth, but without apparent success. A famous Indian leader. Listed by Chapman as a graduate of the college. 1841 J. Slingerland. No record. 1850 John Batiste Masta. Graduate of Medical School. Died 1861. 1854 J. Lawless. No record. 1874 Albert Carney. Non-grad of College 71-73. Died in Indian Territory. Listed with class of 1875. 1876 R. K. Adair. No record. 1887 Charles G. Eastman. Graduate of College. Author of Indian stories and authority on Indian matters. Took part of Samson Occom in tableau before Lord Dartmouth during exercises at laying of corner stone of new Dartmouth Hall, 1904. H. W. C. Shelton. No record. 1904 H. A. Nelson. No record. H. L. Hamilton. No record. 1905 Tortes. Known as John Meyers. Brought by Ralph Glaze 06 from Colorado or Arizona. Entered in class of 1909 but was specified in catalog as member of Moor school. Played baseball with New York National Club and took part in several world's championships. 1909 A. Kusic. 1910 V. H. Johnson. J. H. Pierce. 1914 Walkingstick. With another Indian composed the Indian yell. 1915 David Hogan Markham. Entered as class of 1915. Professor Foster took him out to Vale of Tempe to try new college cheer. He gave a real Indian warwhoop which was worked over by him and by Walkingstick and the present Indian Yell was the result. 1916 A. Oplicer. 1918 B. Bluesky. 1920 F. P. Frazier. 1927 Fred Owl. The latest Indian graduate. Teaching in Indian school in Pierre, S. D. 1932 Ronald Burnett Sundown. Iroquois member of the class of 1932. Came in from Tonawanda [lndian Reservation, Akron, N. Y.

R. B. SUNDOWN '32 AN IROQUOIS INDIAN