ing ridden above a thousand miles), bringing with him three Mohawk boys sent by Sir William, named Joseph, Center, and Negyes. "Two of them," says Wheelock, "were little better than naked, and could not speak a word of English; but the other, being of a family of distinction among them, was considerably clothed, Indian fashion, and could speak a few words of English." This was Joseph (Thayendanegea), brother of Sir William Johnson's Indian companion, Mary Brant, and then about nineteen years old. He was probably possessed of greater acquirements than Wheelock's language would imply, since, aside from his family relations with Sir William, he had been already engaged in several campaigns with him,1 and was competent to serve as Kirkland's instructor in the Mohawk language, and three months later, to accompany him as interpreter in a brief mission to that tribe. Joseph's two companions went home in October. Center, who was in failing health, soon after died; and Negyes, who went to care for him on the journey, was "captivated by a young female," and did not return. On November 4, Joseph and Kirkland set out on the trial mission above mentioned, and returned again on the 27th with two new scholars and a kind letter from Sir William promising more. These last were both "direct from the wigwams," and neither of them could speak a word of English. "All their clothing," Wheelock tells us, "excepting two old Indian blankets and Indian stockings, was not worth sixpence, and they were very lousy." Within six weeks they made surprising proficiency in reading, and could write a little. They were distinguished as Moses and Johannes.

Joseph Brant remained with Wheelock until July, 1763. He learned very rapidly, and was highly esteemed. In March, 1763, Wheelock reports him as having been converted during the previous winter; and on July 4 he set out as interpreter with Rev. Charles J. Smith on a mission, under Wheelock's patronage, to

destroyed by Colonel Butler's expedition, which found it a flourishing farming community, with abundance of domestic animals. Stone's Life of Brant, i. 367; Hardenberg's Journal, Cayuga Collection, No. 1, p. 63.

Jeningo is now Chenango. The Indian town was about four miles north of Binghampton, N. Y. See, as to both places, Wheelock's Narrative (1763), p. 19. 1 Stone's Life of Brant, i. 21. See, for Brant's portrait in advanced life, Hist. of the Indian Tribes, McKinney and Hall, ii. 117.

the Six Nations. The mission was cut short by reason of the Pontiac war, and Mr. Smith returned; but Joseph remained, his sister not wishing to have him longer at the school, she had, indeed, written to recall him early in May. He settled at first in Canajoharie, and as long as he lived, stood a firm friend to Wheelock and his school, and to his early companion, Kirkland. He rendered many valuable services for their sake to the missionaries, and forty years later sent his two sons from Canada to the school at Hanover, with a letter full of kind expressions. Wheelock said of him in a letter to Sir William (Jan. 20, 1763): "Joseph is indeed an excellent youth. He has much endeared himself to me and to everybody else by his good behavior." Wheelock had early formed a plan to send him to Princeton College with Kirkland. It is to this that reference is made in the following letter of Sir William's:

FORT JOHNSON, July 21, 1762.

SIR, This day, on my return from Easton, I was favored with yours of the 27th ultimo, and am glad to find the progress which the boys have made under your care.

As I should have nothing more at heart than to promote so good and useful an undertaking, I strongly recommended it to the several nations of Indians at a meeting some time ago, when they seemed much pleased thereat, and determined to encourage the same; but my being for two months absent from home has prevented me doing anything therein during that period.

I shall inquire of Joseph's friends whether they approve of your proposal, and shall at all times give you my assistance towards promoting a scheme so well calculated for the instruction of the Indians, by which they may become useful members of society. I am, sir, . . . WM. JOHNSON.

THE REV. MR. WHEELOCK.

Excuse my brevity, being greatly hurried. Please to remember me to Joseph and the others, and tell them I hope that they will mind their learning closely. His sister, etc., are well, and will be glad to hear often from him.

1 Charles Jeffrey Smith, of Brookhaven, L. I., a young man of brilliant gifts but fragile body, graduated at Yale College in 1757. Having an ample estate of six or seven thousand pounds, he declined an election as tutor, and devoted himself to the life of an Indian missionary, intending to bear the expense for himself and an interpreter. He served without pay as master of Wheelock's school from April to July, 1763. Before setting out with Joseph he was, June 30, ordained at Lebanon as a missionary. In March, 1764, he was preaching from place to place in the vicinity of Egg Harbor, N. Y. On account of his health his father opposed his going among the Indians. He went, however, after a time to Virginia to labor among the slaves, and bought an estate, intending to settle there. He was subject to a disease that affected his head. While on a visit to Long Island (Aug. 10, 1770) he went out with his gun, and was found dead, under the appearance of

Mr. Oliver, the treasurer of the London board in Boston, was secretary likewise of the Massachusetts Provincial Assembly. He was at this time much interested for the school, and rendered Wheelock valuable aid. In October, 1761, Wheelock, being again in Boston, learned from him of a legacy of £750, given by Sir Peter Warren to the province as a fund for the education of children of the Six Nations. This had been lying unimproved since the death of Sir Peter in 1752. Wheelock prepared a memorial and intrusted it to Mr. Oliver; and soon after, through his good offices, obtained from the Assembly, Nov. 23, 1761, a grant out of the income of the fund of £12 each for the support for one year of six children, to be obtained from the Six Nations. Upon this, Wheelock in December applied once more to Sir William for the desired number. Of these he wished two to be girls, since they could be more cheaply supported, and the allowance he thought was too small to cover the expense of six boys. Getting no reply to this, nor to a second request in April, he renewed his solicitations a third time, June 27, by the hand of David Fowler, his successful envoy of the previous year. David was again fortunate, and returned in August, 1762, bringing from Sir William three more Mohawk boys, who were dubbed Abraham Primus (or major), Abraham Secundus (or minor), and Peter, together with a Farmington Indian who stayed but a little while. Others were added from the tribes about home; so that in December, 1762, the school had twenty-five charity scholars, of whom three were of English blood, and four were Indian girls who attended school one day in the week, and lived in neighboring families to learn the arts of housekeeping.

Up to this time Wheelock had spent in the whole business during eight years £566 sterling, and had received in donations £509 sterling. He at no time charged the charity funds anything for his own services, nor at first for many incidental expenses. The first six years he charged for each Indian £16 a year. After the number increased, he was obliged to be more exact. Tuition was included at rates similar to those charged the white paying pupils, with something additional for such having purposely shot himself. He appears to have been a most amiable man, of great intellectual and social promise. He was certainly a most disinterested, ardent, and valuable friend of Wheelock. Sprague's Annals of Amer. Pulpit, 402.

as needed more care and instruction.

This amounted to two For the girls was charged

shillings a week, or £4 10s. a year. fourpence a week for one day's schooling and dinner. The whole school on the average, he tells us, had not hitherto quite cleared the expense of the masters. The allowance to the master was £3 per month, besides board and all other accommodations, and a horse when needed. Wheelock enjoyed at several times, for limited periods, the services of masters who declined compensation.1

"The Indian boys were accommodated in a part of the house given by Mr. Moor, and furnished with proper lodging, diet, and other necessaries by persons employed for that purpose. Nigh Mr. Wheelock's dwelling was the school-house, in the hall of which the students and their instructors attended morning and evening prayers." The school-house is said to have stood on the south side of the Willimantic road, opposite Wheelock's house, and on the corner east of the Hartford road. It is also said that its frame is still extant in the public school-house in Columbia.2 The method of conducting the school was this:

"The scholars are obliged to be clean and decently dressed, and be ready to attend prayers before sunrise in the fall and winter, and at six o'clock in the summer. A portion of Scripture is read by several of the seniors of them, and those who are able answer a question in the Assembly's Catechism, and have some questions asked them upon it and an answer expounded to them. After prayers and a short time for their diversion, the school begins with prayer about 9 and ends at 12, and again at 2 and ends at 5 o'clock with prayer, before daylight is gone. Afterwards they apply to their studies. They attend the public worship, and have a pew devoted to their use in the house of God. On Lord's day morning, between and after the meetings, the master, or some one whom they will submit to, is with them, inspects their behavior, hears them read, catechises them, discourses to them, etc. And once or twice a week they hear a discourse, calculated to their capacities, upon the most important and interesting subjects. In general they are orderly and governable. They appear to be as perfectly easy and contented with their situation and employment as any at 1 These were James Lesley and Charles J. Smith, and another who "chose to be nameless." Narrative, 1765, p. 4.

2 One Hundred and Fiftieth Celebration of the Church in Columbia, p. 58. 8 The parish voted, Nov. 18, 1755, "that in order to their regular, comfortable, and orderly attendance upon the public worship of God, the boys in said school shall have for their use the pew in the gallery over the west stairs in the meetinghouse, and further provision suitable for them if there shall be occasion." In 1761 it was "voted to allow Mr. Wheelock's Indian girls liberty to sit in the hind seat on the woman's side below." See One Hundred and Fiftieth Celebration, p. 51.

a father's house. I scarcely hear a word of their going home, so much as for a visit, for years together, except it be when they first come."1

As its reputation grew, many visitors came to the school to witness the exercises. So much was it the fashion that Wheelock was advised to place a charity box at the door; but we do not learn that he did so. The following pleasing description is from John Smith, a merchant of Boston and fast friend of the school:

BOSTON, May 18, 1764.

SIR, - In riding last week to New London, I turned some miles out of my way to see Mr. Wheelock's Indian School; nor do I repent my trouble. I had heard in general that it consisted of Twenty or more Indian Boys and Girls of the Mohawks and other Tribes of Indians, and that a number of the ministers of that province had spoken well of Mr. Wheelock and of this undertaking of his; but this I thought was seeing with the eyes of others, and therefore chose to use my own.

My first observation in travelling through the towns was the different acceptation of both Mr. Wheelock and his enterprise there from what some in Boston had entertained. Here, because of his lively adhering to the doctrines of grace, he was not accepted by some; and when this is the case, you are sensible both enterprise and execution of it are too apt to be viewed by an eye of surmise, and sometimes of carping. But in Connecticut I found charity and candor; and everywhere in passing, Mr. Wheelock had the reverence of a man of God, and his school was had in high esteem.

I reached his house a little before the evening sacrifice, and was movingly touched on giving out the psalm to hear an Indian youth set the time, and the others following him and singing the tenor and bass with remarkable gravity and seriousness; and though Mr. Wheelock, the schoolmaster, and a minister from our Province (called, as I was, by curiosity) joined in Praise, yet they, unmoved, seemed to have nothing to do but to sing to the Glory of God.

I omit Mr. Wheelock's prayer, and pass to the Indians; in the morning when on ringing the school-house bell, they assemble at Mr. Wheelock's house about five o'clock with their master, who named the chapter in course for the day, and called upon the near Indian, who read three or four verses, till the master said "Proximus," and then the next Indian read some verses, and so on till all the Indians had read the whole chapter. After this Mr. Wheelock prays, and then each Indian parses a verse or two of the chapter they had read. After this they entered successively on Prosodia, and then on Disputations on some questions propounded by themselves in some of the arts and sciences. And it is really charming to see Indian youths of different tribes and languages in pure English reading the word of God and speaking with exactness and accuracy on points (either chosen by themselves or given out to them) in the several arts and sciences; and especially to see this done with at least a seeming mixture of obedience to God, a filial love and 1 Narrative, 1763, p. 36; Memoirs, p. 32.