Harper's New Monthly Magazine
November, 1871.

A New England Village.

mous attack upon that place, and who; by residence among them, knew their character and habits, to procure a suitable person to act as missionary to the Housatonic tribe, or, as they were afterward called, the Stockbridge Indians, and authorized the pledge of £100 a year for his support.        They were fortunate in finding very soon a man eminently fitted for the proposed work. This was John Sergeant, a native of New Jersey, and at that time a tutor in Yale College He had been beard to say that he would prefer the life of a missionary to the Indians rather than any other. Accordingly, when applied to on behalf of the Commissioners, he engaged at once, if the college authorities would consent, to spend half the year with the Indians and half the year at the college, until be should have carried the class be was instructing through their course, which be was anxious to do, and then, if his missionary efforts gave promise of success, to devote his life to the Indians.        He was soon on his way to his new field of labor. A company of twenty adults was gathered to meet him almost as soon as he reached the Housatonic, and he began at once to preach the Gospel to them by means of an interpreter. The name of this interpreter was Poohpoonuc. He had lived among the whites, and those of the better character, and had gained from them a knowledge of the Christian religion. Under the preaching of Sergeant he was disposed to avow his faith openly, and, after a proper examination, was publicly baptized, assuming the English name Ebenezer. With this Indian convert began the church in Stockbridge as it exists today. It is surprising and interesting as one looks into the catalogue of that church, as it is printed most recently, o find standing second on the list of its officers the name of Peter Pan-qua-nau-peet; while Ebenezer Poohpoonuc heads the roll of members, followed by such a succession as this: Captain John Koukapot, Mary Koukapot (wife), Catharine Koukapot (daughter), Lieutenant Aaron Umpachenee*, Hannah Umpachenee (wife), Isaac Wuaumpee. And so the roll goes on for more than fifty years, the names of whites and Indians mingled; the latter, however, gradually losing their predominance as the white population becomes relatively more numerous, and finally, with the removal of the Indians to their new home in New York, their names disappear; the church ceases to be a mission church and takes its place with the other churches of the commonwealth.        The peculiar growth of this New England village is shown also in the fact that for many years the town offices, as well as those of the church, were shared by the Indians. Thus in 1761 we find Johannes Mthoksin and Captain Jacob Cheek-son-kun were selectmen, Frederick Poh-pou-seet constable, Peter Nau-nee-wau-nau-koot tithing-man, and King Benjamin Kau-ke-we-nau-naunt and Captain Cheek-sou-kun on the committee for seating the church. In the year 1765 a constable's return reads thus: "By virtue of the foregoing order I have warned all the Indian inhabitants within a said town as within described, to meet at time and place within mentioned. Per me, Joseph Quinsquaunt, Constable."        When Sergeant came to Stockbridge he found the Indians living in two villages several miles apart. Divided thus into two bands, and of roving habits at the best, it was felt that it would be difficult to reach them in the most effective manner. This difficulty was in part removed by the agreement of the Indians to take up their residence in the winter at a point midway between their two villages, building there a school - house, and pitching their huts or lodges around it. Here the missionary taught a school during the week-days, and on the Sabbath preached to his dusky auditors. But no sooner had the spring begun to return than he found his parishioners forsaking him and going into the woods for the is purpose of making maple sugar. It seems we are indebted to these Housatonic Indians for the discovery of that delightful sweet, so universally relished; for in the history of the               *Governor Belcher had conferred the commission of captain and lieutenant upon Koukapot and Umpachenee.               Vol. XLIII.--No. 258.--52 817 | Previous Page | Next Page | | Berkshire County Home |