Kirkland 138a Letter to Samuel Kirkland from John Sergeant S. July 9:1791 Reverend and Dear Sir Am happy to be dismissed from the Court a few days since - hope you will take all possible care of my people - Wish you to preach once at Tuscarora and that Mr. Occam might be there unnoticed believe it might do him much good - Mrs. Sergeant urges to have me tarry till after her visit - and fully determined - if I can get the money will send you 12 or 15 dollars to buy a good Cow for Jacob Gonk s wife Show moreKirkland 138a Letter to Samuel Kirkland from John Sergeant S. July 9:1791 Reverend and Dear Sir Am happy to be dismissed from the Court a few days since - hope you will take all possible care of my people - Wish you to preach once at Tuscarora and that Mr. Occam might be there unnoticed believe it might do him much good - Mrs. Sergeant urges to have me tarry till after her visit - and fully determined - if I can get the money will send you 12 or 15 dollars to buy a good Cow for Jacob Gonk s wife he is one of Captain Hendricks companions if you can help her about a Cow - wish you to do it or give her the money - she I suppose has little or nothing to eat - a very clever woman - Wish you to exhort the people to take good care of fences and fetter unruly horses - give my love to Captain John tell him to keep up good courage - we shall be along by and by all is well. Joseph wants to stay and work to get him some clothing yours most sincerely in haste J Sergeant Reverend Mr. Kirkland [addressed on other side of sheet] The Reverend Samuel Kirkland Clinton Reverend John Sergeant July 1 1791 Show less
Kirkland 134b Letter to Samuel Kirkland from John Sergeant Stockbridge March 10th 1791 Reverend and Dear Sir. You have no doubt been informed by Edgar Blackmer that we had a prosperous and pleasant journey down. found all well except my dear parent whom providence denied me the satisfaction of seeing and receiving her blessing before she left us. I have been informed about a week before her death - she took leave of all her Children and grand Children in a most extraordinary happy and composed s Show moreKirkland 134b Letter to Samuel Kirkland from John Sergeant Stockbridge March 10th 1791 Reverend and Dear Sir. You have no doubt been informed by Edgar Blackmer that we had a prosperous and pleasant journey down. found all well except my dear parent whom providence denied me the satisfaction of seeing and receiving her blessing before she left us. I have been informed about a week before her death - she took leave of all her Children and grand Children in a most extraordinary happy and composed state of mind: when you see Captain Yoke if you please you may read Mr. West's address to us in his funeral sermon, which I have copied off and sent. Your Family are well, want much to see you hope you will be down by the middle of April - which will be a good time to take care of your farm here. which will also be about the time that at present I expect to return I am preparing my Journal and letters to the Commissions if you think best, wish you would send me your plan for the arrangement of the proposed Indian Schools - perhaps it will be more satisfactory to the Gentlemen for us to sign something together to lay before the Society at their May meeting. I have written to Mr. Crosby - I shall write that we proposed one school at Oneida the other at Genesee, etc. hope you will encourage my people in their temporal and spiritual Concerns as you have opportunity. you will please to write and give me all the Indian News remain Reverend Sir your friend and Brother John Sergeant Reverend Mr. Kirkland [addressed in same handwriting on other side of paper] The Reverend Samuel Kirkland Clinton Reverend John Sergeant March 10, 1791 Show less
Kirkland 134c Letter to Samuel Kirkland from John Sergeant Stockbridge March 22: 1791 Reverend and Dear Sir. I received your kind and friendly letter of the 12 March: rejoice that you appear to enjoy happiness in your labours among the people of your charge - as all the several towns must now lie on your hands. It is a great and glorious work to be employed by the great hand of the Church to preach his gospel among the poor Indians it always appeared pleasant to me to interest the ignorant nativ Show moreKirkland 134c Letter to Samuel Kirkland from John Sergeant Stockbridge March 22: 1791 Reverend and Dear Sir. I received your kind and friendly letter of the 12 March: rejoice that you appear to enjoy happiness in your labours among the people of your charge - as all the several towns must now lie on your hands. It is a great and glorious work to be employed by the great hand of the Church to preach his gospel among the poor Indians it always appeared pleasant to me to interest the ignorant natives - especially when they appeared delighted with the truth. I heartily thank you for the pains you have taken with my poor Children. also rejoice that you have taken pains to open their eyes to see their real good. their divisions has long been matter of real grief to me. notwithstanding all the ill treatment and trials I have met with from those who are opposed to me I still have an affection for those I have taught from their Infancy. I have felt myself greatly exposed to prejudice. I have therefore been more on my guard, and in inculcating a peaceable temper among them - I have sometimes thought that I had entire master of my own feelings - I have studied that charity which thinketh no evil - which stands opposed to a jealous and suspicious temper which ascribes every action to the worst motive, and throws a black shade over every character. I have not time to be particular in answering your letter - or giving you all the reasons of my conduct in my treatment of them. I have no doubt of your friendship in bringing about a reconciliation. your advice with regard to justice and policy I kindly accept, believe you really think it would be wise for me to treat them as if there had never been any division (I mean at all times to lie open to conviction) at present I can't quite agree with you. in some respects I treat them with all the friendship I ever did. I can't at present think they have a right to half the school Money - nor is it in my power with out the consent of my friends to give it - I am directed to appoint the Master - which is all I have to do about it - I used to treat them all alike till they sought an entire separation - desiring me not to live among them ( viz at Tuscarora) since that time I thought that justice as well as good policy required me to treat them with some neglect - they have appeared to dismiss any good that I could be the means of doing them - I have thought that some degree of neglect would be as eye salve - I am very sensible that there are but few who act upon principle in either party - with regard either to O-- or myself. It is very difficult for either party to make any concessions - on our part we think that we have done every thing that reason and duty required. They well know the moment they make up with us (as the Indians express it) they will have an equal benefit of the school money - I have often thought as long as O-- lived there was not the least prospect of their being united - all things are possible with him who overrules every edict - if there are any encouragements I rejoice - I have such a strong affection for them that I feel willing to do any thing that appears to be wise and best - if you have given them any advice with regard to a reconciliation hope you have done it openly - that all the party may hear and understand you - for I am very sensible that certain men among O party have always tried to keep the people in ignorance - I am now in a quite different situation than I was three years ago - having nothing to say to them about Brother O-- pro, or Con - so that it will now be no virtue in me entirely to keep Council - I have written in haste - hope you will excuse this scroll - I really feel ashamed to send it - I think it is more interruption to be surrounded with three or four little Children - when writing a letter than to hear an Indian speech - please to throw this into the fire as soon as you have read it - friends are all well - Mr. Sedwick returned - 5000 troops to be sent to the westward - am sorry you do not return before I go up - but know it will be more pleasant for you to come down in May - give my love to my people - if you should have another conference meeting with them - tell them unless they reform (in their temporal carcasses - they will soon lose their Minister and every spiritual privilege - a lazy people will be under the divine curse etc. I remain your very affectionate friend and brother John Sergeant Reverend Samuel Kirkland PS I hope you won't forget to encourage N - going to the westward as everything urges - you are not sensible what good effect a speech from our Tribe would have on those nations at War-- Reverent John Sergeant March 22, 1791 Show less
Bresters to visit Samuel Kirkland at Clinton, hopes to buy land. Sargeant suggests selling them some of Kirkland's so that he would have good neighbors.
Just returned from Boston. Saw the Doctor and the Board. Told them of Kirkland's Stockbridge purchase. Boston in upheaval. Mr. West may be dismissed from the LBCB.
Has not looked outside of the neighborhood for land (for Samuel Kirkland), only one 12-acre parcel for sale there. Reverend West book disliked: "full of blasphemy".
Mrs. Kirkland visiting friends with Avery. Lady of interest recently married, Sergeant tells Samuel Kirkland: "if you know of any that might suit me, let me know it".