New Englands Duty, Account
Typographus Lectori.
The Reverend Mr. Grindal Rawſon Pastor of the Church in Mendon, and the Reverend Mr. Samuel Danforth Pastor of the Church in Taunton, ſpent from May, 30. to June 24. 1698. in viſiting the ſeveral Plantations of the Indians, within this Province. And the Remainder of this Sheet may be well employed in giving an Account of it.
IN purſuance of the Orders and Inſtructions given us by the Honoured Commiſſioners for the Propagation of the Goſpel among the Indians in the American Plantations in New-England, and parts Adjacent; We have given the ſaid Indians in their ſeveral Plantations in the Province of the Maſſachuſetts-Bay, a viſit: and find as followeth.
At Little Compton, we find two Plantations of Indians; who keep two diſtinct Aſſemblies for the worſhip of God, and (according to the beſt information we could have) are conſtant therein. The firſt Aſſembly dwells at Saconet; Samuel Church alias Sohchawahham has for more than one year paſt, endeavour'd their Inſtruction; and is beſt capable of any in that place, to perform that Service. He has ordinarily forty Auditors, many times more; of theſe above twenty are Men: Diverſe here are well inſtructed in their Catechiſms; and above ten can read the Bible. Here are likewiſe two Indian Rulers, John Tohkukquonnoo and Jonathan George: the firſt of which is a man very well ſpoken of.
At Cokeſit in Little Compton, Daniel Hinckley hath taught here four years; twice every Sabbath. Eleven families are his Auditors: Moſt of the men here can read, and many young ones (of whom we had an inſtance) can ſay their Catechiſms. Of this Company three perſons are in full Communion with the Church ſettled at Nukkehkummees. A perſon call'd Aham is Schoolmaſter here, and as we are informed performs his work well. Here are likewiſe two perſons improv'd as Rulers, Preaching here, the two forementioned Teachers at our direction, pray'd very ſoberly and underſtandingly: they gave very diligent attendance and were handſomely cloathed in Engliſh Apparel.
At Dartmouth, We find two Aſſemblies of Indians; at Nukkehkummees, William Simons (ordain'd by Japhet of Marthas Vineyard, three years ſince) is their Paſtor. In the Church here, are forty Communicants, part dwelling in Nukkehkummees, part in Aſſameeskq, Cokeſit, Acuſhmet and Aſſawanupſet. Here are many that can read well. The Word is Preached here twice every Sabbath; Twenty families, in which one hundred and twenty perſons at leaſt, are for the moſt part conſtant hearers; almoſt all their Children can read: Johanan hath been their Schoolmaſter, but ceaſes now for want of encouragement. We propoſe his continuance as a perſon well fitted for the employment. William Simons informs that here are four perſons annually choſen as Rulers. They are well clothed, and gave good attendance whileſt we diſpenſed the Word to them. Their Paſtor praying with good Affection, and Underſtanding; and is likewiſe well reported of by the Engliſh.
At Acuſhmet, John Bryant their Teacher for five or ſix years paſt. Here are fourteen families, unto whom William Simons once in a month ordinarily comes and Preaches; ſome of thoſe who belong to the Church at Nukkehkummees being here ſettled: viz. five men and ten women: We find that Scandals are among them reflected upon; if any exceed the Rules of Sobriety, they are ſuſpended until repentance is manifeſted. By the beſt intelligence we could arrive to from ſober Engliſh dwellers on the place, we underſtand they are diligent obſervers of the Sabbath; they are generally well clothed, diligent labourers: but for want of Schooling, their Children are not ſo well inſtructed as at the other places; though they earneſtly deſire a Remedy.
At Major Winthrops Iſland, Mr. John Weeks an Engliſh man, teaches them on the Sabbath. An Indian named Aſa chief Ruler among them, and a perſon well reported of, teaches them when Mr. Weeks cannot attend it. Here are but about nine families, moſt of which can read well, are diligent in their callings, and generally go well in cloathing; three of their Women belonging to the Church whereof Japhet is Paſtor at Marthas Vineyard. An Indian called Sampſon attends their School every Winter, and hath the Reputation of the moſt able among them for that Service, taking pains in Catechizing their Children every week. Men, Women and Children are thirty perſons in all. Half the Indian Inhabitants of this Iſland have dyed in a few years paſt. Three families living at Saconeſet point, do attend to the meeting at Mr. Winthrop's Iſland.
At an Iſland called Slocums Iſland, we hear of ſeven families (moſt of which can read) being lately removed thither from the Vineyard and other places.
We hear of ſome Indians at the furthermoſt Iſland formerly called Sandfords Iſland, where there is an Indian Teacher.
At Marthas Vineyard. viz. At Chilmark, alias Naſhauekammuck: Here is an Indian Church of which Japhet is Paſtor: a perſon of greateſt repute for Sobriety and Religion, and diligent in attending his Miniſterial Imployment: Unto whom is adjoyned Abel, as Ruling Elder, who likewiſe Preaches to a part of the Church: living at too great a diſtance, ordinarily to attend on Japhets Miniſtry; although they come together to attend Church Adminiſtrations. In this place we find two hundred thirty and one perſons; threeſcore and four in full Communion: their Children well inſtructed, as we find by our Examination of them in their Catechiſms.
At Ohkonkemme, within the bounds of Tisbury, are threeſcore and twelve perſons, unto whom Steven and Daniel, who are brothers, are Preachers; well reported of for their gifts and qualifications. Here we ſpent part of a Sabbath, and were joyful Spectators of their decent Chriſtian carriage: the aforeſaid Daniel Praying and Preaching not only affectionately but underſtandingly: Unto whom alſo we imparted a word of Exhortation in their own Language to their contentment, and declared ſatisfaction.
At Sebconckqut in aforeſaid Chilmark alſo, which belongs to the inſpection of the aforenamed Steven and Daniel, are thirty five perſons, to whom for their greater eaſe, either the one or the other diſpence the word.
At Gayhead, Abel and Eliſha are Preachers to, at leaſt, two hundred and ſixty perſons; who have at their own charge a Meeting houſe already framed. We find that the Indians here (as alſo may be affirmed of moſt of the Indians belonging to Marthas Vineyard, Chaubaqueduck excepted) are well inſtructed in reading, and are well cloathed, moſtly in decent Engliſh Apparel.
At Edgar Town, viz. At Sahnchecontuckquet are twenty five families, amounting to one hundred thirty & ſix perſons; Job Proſſel their Miniſter.
At Nunnepaog, are eighty four perſons, Joſhua Tackqunnaſh their Miniſter, Joſiah Thomas their Schoolmaſter.
At Chaubequeduck, about one hundred thirty and eight perſons; Maumachegin Preaches to them every Sabbath. Joſiah is their Schoolmaſter, Joſhua, by birth is their Ruler, or Sachim.
At Nantuckquet, we find five Congregations: the Preachers unto which are Joh Ptuckemuck, who ſucceeds John Gibs deceaſed; John Aſherman, a perſon well reputed of; Quequenap, Netowab (a man highly eſteemed by the Engliſh for great Sobriety) Peter Hayt, a well carriaged and ſerious man. Alſo Wunnohſon and Daniel Spotſo, Codpoganut & Noah (a perſon never known to be overtaken with drink, but a zealous Preacher againſt it.) Theſe are their conſtant Teachers. Amongſt theſe there are two Churches who have ordain'd Officers, in each of which are twenty Communicants at leaſt; in which a commendable diſcipline is maintained, as perſons of good reputation on the place have given us information. The whole number of Adult perſons here amount to about five hundred. Three Schools were wont to be upheld amongſt them; though at preſent none, for want of Primers. A good new Meeting houſe is building here; the Frame whereof at their deſire and charge is already procured by the Worſhipful Capt. Gardner. Here we Preached to them in their own Language twice in one Aſſembly, unto which they were generally convened upon the Sabbath day: Three of their principal Preachers were improved by us in prayer, that we might diſcover ſomething of their abilities; in which we found them good Proficients: the whole attending with diligence and great ſeeming affection.
At Sandwich, here we find two Aſſemblies of Indians; to one whereof Capt. Thomas Tupper (an Engliſh man) Preaches every Sabbath day: here are likewiſe Indian Preachers whoſe abilities in prayer we tryed, viz. Ralph Jones (a perſon well reputed of for Sobriety) and Jacob Hedge. Theſe are in number three hundred forty and eight perſons; Men, Women and Children: they are generally well cloathed. Preaching amongſt theſe in a ſmall Meeting houſe built for them after the Engliſh faſhion; we experienced their good Attention and had their thankful acknowledgments. Their Indian Rulers here are William Nummuck, Ralph Jones, Jacob Hedge and John Quoy.
At Mahſhpah, belonging to Sandwich, we found another Aſſembly of Indians, amongſt whom the Reverend Mr. Rowland Cotton frequently diſpenſes the Word, unto whoſe good progreſs in the Indian Language we cannot but ſubjoyn our atteſtation, having heard him diſpenſe the Word to them: amongſt whom alſo we left a word of Exhortation. They are generally well cloathed, being in number fifty ſeven families, in which are from ten years old and upward, two hundred ſixty and three perſons: diverſe of whom have the Character of very ſober men. The Indian Preacher here is Simon Papmonit, a perſon ſuitably qualifyed as moſt amongſt them, for that work. Their Rulers are Caleb Papmonit, Caleb Pohkneit, Sancohſ…n, James Ketah. Here they want a Schoolmaſter.
At Eastham and Harwich, Eaſtharbor, Billings-gate, and Monimoy, are (as Mr. Treat informs us) five hundred perſons.
At Ponanummakut, Thomas Coſhaumag, Preacher and Schoolmaſter. Their Rulers are William Stockman alias Quequaquonchet, and Lawrence Jeoffryes: Families here are twenty two: Moſes alſo teaches School here.
At Eaſtharbor and Billings-gate, Daniel Munſhë, Preacher, Daniel Samuel Ruler; here are about twenty houſes, in ſome of which are two families.
At Monimoy, in which are fourteen houſes; John Coſens, Preacher and Schoolmaſter; their Rulers John Quoſſen and Menekiſh.
At Sahquatucket alias Harwich, are fourteen families, unto whom Manaſſeh is a Preacher, Joſhua Shauntam Ruler.
Many amongſt theſe, almoſt every head of families are perſons capable of reading the Scripture, as we are informed.
At Plymouth, viz. at Kitteanmut or Monimoint ponds, William Nummuck, has Preached here ſometime, but is removed, and his return earneſtly deſired. Here are ten families. Joſeph Wanno and John his brother improved by Major Bradford to decide ſmaller caſes among them. Esther, wife of John Wanno has been ſometime here School-dame, and is willing ſtill to be uſeful in that way.
Near Duxbury Saw-mills, we hear of a few ſcattering families, to witt, three or four.
A like number at Mattakeſit.
At Kehtehticut, between Tanton and Bridge-water, are forty two Adult perſons, Charles Ahaz. Preaches to them, and teaches their Children to read.
At Aſſawampſet and Quittacus, are twelve houſes, in which are above fourſcore perſons. John Hiacoomes Preacher and conſtant Schoolmaſter (the moſt eminent for Sobriety of all the Indians in thoſe parts.) Alſo Jocelyn Preaches at Aſſawampſet. In this Plantation are ſeven perſons belonging to the Church at Nukkehkummees.
At Natick, we find a ſmall Church conſiſting of ſeven Men and three Women: their Paſtor (ordained by that Reverend and holy man of God Mr. JOHN ELIOT, deceaſed) is Daniel Tokkohwompait, and is a perſon of good knowledge. Here are fifty nine men and fifty one women, and ſeventy children under ſixteen years of age: their numbers being increaſed by the Acceſſions of diverſe families formerly belonging to Haſſinnamiſco. We find no School-maſter here, the want whereof has had a very evil influence into the non proficiency of their children, in thoſe wayes of Education which formerly obtain'd amongſt them, there being but one child that can read here.
At Haſſinnamiſco, are five families, unto whom James Printer, ſtands related as a Teacher: many families belonging unto this Plantation (which before the Wars was very flouriſhing, and had a hopeful Church in it) are removed from thence, ſome to Natick, and ſome to other places in hopes of greater ſecurity.
There are about Ninty two Indians; Men, Women, and Children, belonging to Puncapaog, William Habaton teacheth them on the Sabbath days. And the Reverend Mr. Peter Thacher gives them a Lecture in their own Language. Their School-maſter dyed ſome years ago; and there is not another ſettled in his room.
We have been credibly informed of a great Mortality among the Indians within theſe few years paſt, whereby ſome flouriſhing Plantations of them have been almoſt depopulated, and in particular the famous and numerous Indian Church at the Iſland of Chaubaqueduck is wholly deſtroyed, but one of them ſurviving; and other Plantations exceedingly thinned.
Signed by
Grindal Rawſon
Samuel Danforth
Preachers to the Indians in their own Tongue. Boſton; July, 12th. 1698.
THE END.
End of the text · Nicholas Noyes, New Englands Duty (1698)