Newberry Library - A narrative of the United Brethren among the Delaware & Mohegan Indians from its commencement in the year 1740 to the close of the year 1808 :...

A narrative of the United Brethren among the Delaware & Mohegan Indians from its commencement in the year 1740 to the close of the year 1808 :...

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Open book A narrative of the United Brethren among the Delaware & Mohegan Indians from its commencement in the year 1740 to the close of the year 1808 :...

Title A narrative of the United Brethren among the Delaware & Mohegan Indians from its commencement in the year 1740 to the close of the year 1808 :...

Creator Heckewelder, John Gottlieb Ernestus, 1743-1823

Date 1820

Place Ohio River Valley, Ohio--Tuscarawas River Valley, United States

Subjects Delaware Indians, Mohegan Indians, Moravian Church, Moravian Indians, Moravians

Description Editor's revisions noted in pencil throughout.
Heckewelder's ms. published: Philadelphia : M'Carty & Davis, 1820. Cf. Sabin 31205.
Includes letter of contract from William McCarty to Heckewelder dated Bethlehem, Pa., May 30, 1819 specifying the terms of publication.
Forms part of the Edward E. Ayer Manuscript Collection (Newberry Library)
Unbound, in slipcase made by Riviere & Son.
Formerly known as Ayer MS 378.5.

Summary In this lengthy narrative, Heckewelder recounts the development and expansion of the Moravian Mission among the Delaware and Mohegan Indians from 1740 through 1808. Heckewelder includes in his work a brief history of the Moravian Church, the establishment of Indian missions in present day Ohio - especially the Tuscarawas River Valley, his difficult experiences throughout the Revolutionary War period when he attempted to continue the Mission's viability, the Indian massacre at Gnadenhutten in 1782, and his fiduciary role in the early 1800's of managing 12,000 acres of land held in trust by the Church for the benefit of the Moravian Indians.

Biographical/Historical Note Missionary of the Moravian Church to the Indians of Ohio and Pennsylvania during the latter half of the eighteenth century, Heckewelder spent many years learning the languages and customs of these Indian tribes. He was most familiar with the Ohio Country Delaware and Mohegan Indians helping to establish the Moravian Mission of Gnadenhutten, Ohio in the 1760's and 1770's. Heckewelder vividly recorded in contemporary correspondence and in later accounts his experiences and broad knowledge of Indian life and of colonial affairs in the Ohio Valley.

Extent [2], 444, [1] p. ; 21 cm

Format Correspondence

User-Contributed Transcription [top right corner] 3Wars, so that the historian had it not al-ways in his power to bring daily ocur-rences into [inserted: proper] co[unclear letters]ion; nor to state a num-ber of facts of great importance, well known to the writer of this work.In the Narrative [inserted: here presented] which by the byeI believe will be found to correspond inits principal parts with "Loskiel's history" -- and from which I have in some instancescopied passages -- nothing is omitted whichcould tend to throw light on any subjectsof importantce, so that the reader willnot only have a clear view of the situ-ation in which the Christian Indian Con-gregations were placed at all times -- andmore especially during the time of the revolutionary War; but will also beable to make up his mind, whether these "Moravian Indians," as they are called, were de-serving of the charges laid against them, byignorant, evil minded and designing Men;or had conducted [inserted: themselves] properly, and acted at alltimes prudently, and with the caution whichat [underlined] that [end underline] time was [inserted: more] particularly requisite.The course which the Missionarieswho dwelt with the Indians had to pur-sue, was plainly marked out to them.They had not gone among there for thesake of earthly gain; neither to servea party. Their sole Object was, that ofbringing them the good tidings, thatChrist had come into this World -- sufferedand

Transcription Status Needs review

Transcription Note This document was transcribed by volunteers as part of the Newberry Transcribe crowdsourcing initiative.

Archival Collection Title Edward E. Ayer Collection, Edward E. Ayer Manuscript Collection

Link to Catalog View record

Call Number Ayer MS 3089

BibID 132278

Rights Status No Copyright - United States

Contributing Institution Newberry Library

Newberry Open Access Policy The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to these terms and conditions.

IIIF Resource Type Canvas

Size 1903px × 2444px 13.33 MB

File Created 09/06/2023

Filename 991322788805867_Ayer_MS_3089_00024-0.tif

Unique Identifier NL11OQ6A

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