The Story of an Indian
When Samson Occom came back to America after histrip abroad he decided that it would be the best thing possible for him to write his autobiography. He tells thestory of his life and then goes on to make a complaintagainst his treatment by the missionary board. This paperis in two parts, and will be divided between two numbersbefore the actual journal is carried on again. In point oftime the writing of the narrative follows directly after thetrip to England, but the details he writes of go back someforty years previous.
FROM MY BIRTH TILL I RECEIVED THE CHRISTIAN RELIGION
I WAS born a heathen and brought up in heathenism till I was between 16 and 17 years of age, at a place called Mohegan in New London Connecticut in New England. My parents lived a wandering life, as did all the Indians at Mohegan. They chiefly depended upon hunting, fishing, and fowling for their living, and had no connection with the English, excepting to traffic with them, in their small trifles, and they strictly maintained and followed their heathenish ways, customs, and religions, tho there was some preaching among them; once a fortnight a minister from New London used to come up, and the Indians to attend; not that they regarded the Christian religion but they had blankets given to them every fall of the year and for these things they would attend.
And there was a sort of school kept, where I was quite young, but I believe there never was one that ever learnt to read anything. And when I was about 10 years of age, there was a man who went about among the Indian wigwams, and wherever he could find the Indian children, he would make them read; but the children used to take care to keep out of his way;—and he used to catch me sometimes and make me say my letters, and I believe I learnt some of them. But this was soon over too; and all the time there was not one among us that made a profession of Christianity. Neither did we cultivate the land, nor keep any sort of creatures, except dogs which we used in hunting; and we dwelt in wigwams; they are a sort of tent covered with matts, made of flags; and to this time we were unacquainted with the English tongue in general although there were a few who understood a little of it.
FROM THE TIME OF MY REFORMATION, TILL I LEFT MR. WHEELOCK
When I was 16 years of age, we heard a strange rumor among the English, that there were extraordinary ministers preaching from place to place, and a strange concern among the white people.* This was in the spring of the year. But we saw nothing of these things till some time in the summer when some ministers began to visit us and preach the word of God. And the common people came also frequently and exhorted us to the things of God, which it pleased the Lord, as I humbly hope, to bless and accompany with divine influences to the conviction and saving conversion of a number of us; amongst whom I was one that was imprest with the things we had heard. These preachers did not only come to us, but we frequently went to their meetings and churches.
After I was converted I went to all the meetings I could come at, and continued under trouble of mind about six months at which time I began to learn the English letters; got me a primer, and used to go to my English neighbors frequently for assistance in reading, but went to no school. And when I was 17 years of age, I had as I thought a discovery of the way of salvation through Jesus Christ and was enabled to put my trust in him, a love for life and salvation. From this time the distress and burden of mind was. removed, and I found serenity and pleasure of soul in serving God; by this time I had begun to read in the New Testament without spelling, and I had a stronger desire still to learn to read the word of God, and at the same time had an uncommon pity and compassion to my poor brethren according to the flesh. I used to wish I was capable of instructing my poor kindred. I used to think if I could once learn to read I would instruct the poor children in reading, and used frequently to talk with our Indians concerning religion. Thus I continued till I was in my 19th year; by this time I could read a bit in the Bible.
At this time my poor mother was going to Lebanon, and having had some knowledge of Mr. Wheelock and hearing he had a number of English youths under his tuition, I had a great inclination to go to him and be with him a week or fortnight, and desired my mother to ask Mr. Wheelock whether he would take me a little while to instruct me in reading and mother did so, and when she came back she said Mr. W heelock wanted to see me as soon as possible.
So I went up thinking I should be back again in a few days. When I got up there he received me with kindness and compassion and instead of staying a fortnight or three weeks, I spent four years. After I had been with him some time he began to acquaint his friends of my being with him and of his intentions of educating me and my circumstances. And the good people began to give some assistance to Mr. Wheelock and gave me some old and new clothes. Then he represented the case to the honorable commissioners at Boston who were commissioned by the honorable society in London for propagating the gospel among the Indians in New England and parts adjacent, and they allowed him 60 pounds in old tenor which was about six pounds sterling, and they continued it two or three years, I can't tell exactly. While I was at Mr. Wheelock's I was very weakly and my health much impaired, and at the end of four years I overstrained my eyes to such a degree that I could not see for my studies any longer, and out of these four years I lost just about one year, and was obliged to quit my studies.
FROM THE TIME I LEFT MR. WHEELOCK TILL I WENT TO EUROPE
As soon as I left Mr. Wheelock I endeavored to find some employ among the Indians. Went to Nahantick thinking they may want a school master; but they had one. Then went to Narragansett and they were indifferent about a school and went back to Mohegan, and heard a number of Indians were going to Montauk on Long Island, and I went with them, and the Indians there were very desirous to have me keep a school amongst them. I consented and went back a while to Mohegan and some time in November I went on the Island, I think it is 17 years ago last November. I agreed to keep a school with them half a year, and left it with them to give me what they pleased; and they took turns to provide food for me. I had near 30 scholars this winter and I had an evening school too for those that could not attend the Day School and began to carry on their meetings, though they had a minister, one Mr. Horton, the Scotch Society's missionary, but he spent, I think, two thirds of his time at Sheenecook, thirty miles from Montauk. We met together three times for divine worship over ye Sabbath and once on every Wednesday evening. I read the Scriptures to them and used to expound upon some particular passages in my own tongue. I visited the sick and attended their buriels. When the half year expired, they desired me to continue with them, which I complied with for another half year. When I had fulfilled that they were urgent to have me stay longer.
So I continued amongst them till I was married, which was about two years after I went there. And continued to instruct them in the same manner as I did before. After I was married a while, I found there was need of a support of more than I needed when I was single, and I made my case known to Mr. Buell and to Mr. Wheelock, and also the needy circumstances and the desire of these Indians and of my continuance amongst them, and Mr. Wheelock and other gentlemen represented my circumstances and the desires of these Indians of my continuing amongst them, and the commission was so good as to grant 15 pounds a year, sterling, and I kept on in my service as usual; yea I had additional service. I kept school as I had before and carried on the religious meetings as often as ever, and attended the sick and their funerals, and did what writings they wanted and often sat as judge to reconcile and decide matters between them.
THE DARTMOUTH CRADLE The Old Moore School at Lebanon, Conn., has been renovated in recent years but much of the original building remains. Here Wheelock lived, and here Occum went to school.
THE PEACE PIPE AT THE PINE In the days that this picture was taken, the Old Pine was still standing. This picture comes from the Eighties.
*The "strange concern" was of course the new religious movement known as the Great Awakening. Many orthodox Christians frowned upon it, and like most popular movements it was carried to excess in certain quarters so that its apostles were even banned from churches. Wheelock himself, endeavoring to preserve a Liberal point of view was once banned from a New Haven pulpit (probably of Yale College) because he was suspected of favoring the "New Religion." The Great Awakening, emotional and evangelical as it was, seems to have had a great influence in bringing democracy into religion, and admitting to the company of the elect, thousands of persons ("creatures") whom the orthodox Calvinist might have had his doubts about. The Indians were especially affected by this movement.
