Samson Occom Fundraising Trip to Britain Part 4 (Final)

This article first appeared in In Writing

Samson Occom 1723-1792 Mohegan Pastor His fund raising trip to the British Isles 1765-1767 in the company of Nathaniel Whitaker that led to the founding of Dartmouth College. Part Four.

On tour in the west, July 25-October 23, 1766

At the end of July, Occom and Whitaker headed west. From this point on there is no Occom diary so it is difficult to be sure where they were when. It has been said of their itinerary, “its specifics cannot be reconstructed”. We get a general idea from letters and the carefully kept accounts that list most places visited and how much individuals and churches and individuals gave.

The trip west can be divided into two parts in that having come back to London by October 24, they headed off again in some haste on October 29, urged by Whitefield, and continued on this second trip into the new year.

The first trip included Abingdon, Berkshire on July 28 (preaching for Baptist Daniel Turner 1710-1798) and probably Bristol, Bath and the Somerset towns of Frome (including John Kingdon c 1731-1801 and the Baptists), Glastonbury, Bishops Hull near Taunton, Wellington and Bridgwater; then in Wiltshire, Bradford on Avon (Baptist Richard Haynes d 1768, Congregationalist Scotsman John Skirven d c 1771, ther Anglicans and others); in Gloucestershire, Gloucester and Chalford (Nicholas Phené) and perhaps Kidderminster, Worcestershire, where they would have preached for Presbyterian Benjamin Fawcett 1713-1780, a friend of Newton.

In Devon, they visited Barnstaple, Bideford, Topsham (preaching for Independent Aaron Pitts d 1771), Chudleigh (preaching for Indepenendent Joel Orchard d c 1771), Culmstock, Cullompton, Exeter (preaching for Arian controversialist Micaiah Towgood 1700-1792) and Plymouth (preaching for Baptist Philip Gibbs d 1800).

Some specific Lord's Day dates we have for Bristol are these from printed sermon extracts. Each time but one the preacher is Occom.

August 10 Tucker Street Meeting (These people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my people Isaiah 43:21)

August 17 Tucker Street Meeting (And it repented the Lord, that He had made man on the earth, and aggrieved Him at His heart Genesis 6:6)

August 17 Callow Hill Meeting (Looking for that blessed Hope and the glorious Appearing of the great God and our Saviour JESUS CHRIST Titus 2:13) by Whitaker

August 24 Broadmead Meeting (And these shall go away into everlasting Punishment But the Righteous into Life eternal Matthew 26:46)

September 7 Pithay Meeting (My sheep hear my voice, and I know them and they follow me John 10:27)

We know that on September 18 they were in Westbury and Tuesday, 23, Warminster, both in Wiltshire, and in Croscombe and Shepton Mallett, Somerset, 20 miles further west. By October 24 they were back in London.

On tour in the west, October 30-December 31, 1766

After spending a week in Bath preparing, they headed down to Devonshire again, where they visited Crediton (and preached for Anglicans and Presbyterians), Ashburton, Totnes, Dartmouth and Kingsbridge.

They then came back to Bath and were there and in Bristol for two weeks, probably December 1-14. Between Monday, December 15 and Lord's Day, December 21, they visited Wilton and Salisbury, Wiltshire and Blandford Forum, Dorset. It was then

Monday 22 Sherborne, Dorset (21 miles north west of Blandford)

Tuesday 23 Yeovil, Somerset (six miles west of Sherborne)

Wednesday 24 South Petherton, Somerset (10 miles further west again)

Thursday 25 Martock, Somerset (just over three miles further south west)

Lord's Day 28? Crewkerne, Somerset (seven or eight miles more south)

Monday 29 Beaminster, Somerset (seven miles south of Crewkerne) and Bridport, Somerset (another six miles south)

Tuesday 30 Dorchester, Dorset (15 miles east of Bridport) and Wareham, Dorset, another 18 miles east (preaching for Independents Simon Reader c 1716-1789 in Wareham and Joseph Lamb in Dorchester)

Wednesday 31 Poole, Dorset (nine or ten miles east of Dorchester, preaching for Olney born Independent Edward Ashburner 1734-1804 and Presbyterian John Howell 1719-1804)

On tour in the south, January 1-13, 1767

We know their itinerary, more or less, for January 1-14, 1767, when they were in Hampshire.

Thursday 1 Ringwood and Romsey (preaching for Baptists Joseph Horsey 1737-1802 and James Fanch 1704-1767 and others)

Lord's Day 4 Occom went the 10 miles across to Broughton to preach for William Steele (1689-1769) father of hymn writer, Anne Steele (1717-1778). Occom himself was the author of a number of hymns.

Monday 5 Winchester (16 miles further on again). Just Occom again

Tuesday 6 Southampton, 13 miles south of Winchester (preaching at Above Bar for Independent William Kingsbury 1744-1818)

Wednesday 7 They headed to the Isle of Wight and took meetings in Newport (for the Anglicans and General Baptist John Sturch d 1764)

Friday 9 Portsmouth and Gosport (preaching for Presbyterian Thomas Wren 1725-1787 and Congregationalist Thomas Williams 1725-1770)

No doubt they also visited Basingstoke and Whitchurch, both in Hampshire, at this time. On Tuesday, January 13, they headed back to London, arriving in the early hours of January 14.

London and on tour in the north, January 14-July 31, 1767

They then spent an extended period in London laying plans and in March set out on a trip north that would eventually bring them to Scotland.

Places visited en route to Coventry, which they reached on March 26, appear to include Hitchin, Olney, Kettering, Northampton (March 16) then Wellingborough and Welford (probably preaching for Independent Samuel King c 1715-1788) and after Coventry

Warwick (preaching for Independent James Kettle 1716-1806)

Evesham (preaching for Presbyterian Paul Cardale 1705-1755)

Bromsgrove (preaching for Baptist James Butterworth d post 1794 Phillips Jenkins)

Pershore (preaching for Baptist John Ash 1724-1779 and others)

Tewkesbury (preaching for Baptist John Haydon 1714-1782 and others)

Upton (preaching for seventh day Baptist Philip Jones 1736-1770)

Hooknorton (preaching for Baptist Benjamin Whitmore 1728-1804)

Bourton-on-the-water (preaching for Baptist Benjamin Beddome 1717-1795, as mentioned in the Bourton church book)

Cirencester (preaching for Anglican Samuel Johnson)

Worcester (on April 19 for Baptist John Poynting 1719-1791, Independent Thomas Urwick 1727-1807 and Presbyterian Francis Blackmore d 1760).

By April 27 they seem to have been back in Kettering. It was probably at this time that they also visited Leicester, Loughborough, Hinckley, Oakham and Uppingham in Rutland, Derby (preaching for Presbyterian Thomas White) and Manchester, arriving in Liverpool by May 2, which Whitaker called “a pool of error and wickedness”.

They appear to have reached Edinburgh by May 1767. Other places visited en route to Scotland no doubt include Nantwich (where they preached for Presbyterian John Houghton c 1730-1800), Lancaster, Preston and Carlisle. On June 9 they were called back to London by the board but that took some time to expedite.

They spent June 12-17 in Glasgow. They also appear to have visited St Andrews, Dundee and Dumfries. By July 8 they were back in Edinburgh. On July 19 they arrived in Ireland but did not stay there long as they had missed the church's synod and a man from Rhode Island was already there soliciting funds for another project.

No doubt it was on the way back to England that they visited places like Morpeth (preaching for Robert Trotter 1729-1806 and the Presbyterians), Newcastle, Sunderland, Darlington, Whitby, Hull, York, Leeds (where givers included Lady Ingham 1699-1768, wife of Moravian Benjamin Ingham 1712-1772), Wakefield, Halifax (givers there including the Independent church pastored by Titus Knight 1719-1793), Sheffield, Nottingham and Lincoln,

On tour in the east, August 1-October 31, 1767

There was a third brief trip to nearby Hitchin in August but in September and October they covered places in the east of the country, places such as Halstead, Braintree and Bocking, Thaxted, Castle Hadingham, Coggeshall, Clavering and Dedham, all in Essex, then in Suffolk - Sudbury, Woodbridge, Long Melford, Bury St Edmunds, Wattisfield, Southwold (Hurrion), Nayland, Wrentham (Sweetland), Stowmarket and Ipswich (on September 28) – and in Norfolk - Great Yarmouth, Denton, Norwich (Dr Samuel Wood, d 1767, etc), Bungay and Hadley (Mr Tom's). It was probably on this trip that they visited Boston and Stamford in Lincolnshire and Cambridge.

Berkshire and Kent, November, 1767

On November 9, we know they were in Watford, Middlesex, preaching for Baptist Samuel Medley (1738-1799) newly installed there and a friend of Gifford. They also covered High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire and Reading and Newbury, Berkshire. Later in the month they were in Kent, in Tunbridge Wells on the 26th and in Ashford, Appledore, Tenterden and Canterbury too.

The return home, 1768

Whitaker and Occom appear to have fallen out increasingly towards the end of the trip and returned to America on separate vessels. Whitaker appears to have left England for Boston on March 2, 1768, arriving. He arrived on June 6, a long journey of more than three months.

In September, 1768 Occom wrote to Robert Keen explaining how he had been sick for much of his journey home but had recovered. He was taken ill two or three days into the voyage and was seriously unwell for the first four weeks of an eight week journey. He must have arrived in Boston around April 29 or May 6. He began his ride home the next day. His wife had been ill but by the time of writing, she was improving.

From a financial point of view, the trip had proved successful with £12,000 being raised, including 200 guineas from King George III himself.

From other points of view, things were not so good. On his return Occom learned that Wheelock had failed to care for his wife and children while he was away. Furthermore, Wheelock moved on to New Hampshire where he used the funds raised to establish Dartmouth College (named for the English earl) for the education of the sons of American colonists, rather than Native Americans as had originally been envisaged.

In 1764, Occom had opposed the sale of tribal lands and was involved in the “Mason Controversy,” a long lasting dispute over land between colonists and Mohegeans. The Mohegans formed an alliance with the Mason family to plead a case for the governor of Connecticut to give back the lands to the Mohegans. When Occom came back to Mohegan territory, he expressed his support for the Mason family and the Mohegans which caused the missionaries to make threats to take away his preacher's license and stop financing his missionary work. The colonists also started to spread rumours about Occom, that he was an alcoholic and that he converted to Christianity just to look good. In a 1769 letter, Wheelock wrote to Occom about the rumour that he was an alcoholic. The rumour hurt Occom's reputation after the success of the fundraising trip to England. Wheelock suggested that Occom truly did not care for Christianity. He even raised the idea that his conversion was false and could not be trusted as a preacher. The stereotype of the drunken Indian was foisted on Occom and inevitably undermined his work. Wheelock benefited from the defamation of Occom as it bolstered his authority.

Samson Occom Fundraising Trip to Britain Part 3

This article first appeared in In Writin

Samson Occom 1723-1792 Mohegan Pastor His fund raising trip to the British Isles 1765-1767 in the company of Nathaniel Whitaker that led to the founding of Dartmouth College. Part Three.

London, Northampton and Olney, June 1-14, 1766

Having spent some months in London, Occom and Wheelock were now ready to travel to other parts of the country. On June 1, Occom preached at the Barbican for General Baptist Charles Bulkley (1719–1797). For once the congregation was disappointingly small. In the afternoon, he preached for Richard Winter (c 1715–1799), assistant pastor to Thomas Hall (1687-1762) at the Independent church, Moorfields. There was a good congregation but Occom was left feeling quite weak. On Saturday, June 7, he travelled to Northampton. He preached there for the Baptist leader, John Collet Ryland (1723-1792). A large and attentive crowd gathered and at least one young man was converted. In the afternoon he preached in the meeting house courtyard to about 3000 people.

The next day, the great John Newton (1725-1807) came and took him to stay with him in Olney, thirteen miles south of Northampon. That evening, Occom preached at short notice to an overflowing crowd. We learn from Newton's diary that the text was Song of Songs 2:1 but much of the sermon was taken up with describing striking things that had taken place in America. In his diary, Occom noted both the piety and the poverty he saw in Olney. On the Tuesday, Newton walked him back north towards Northampton, stopping halfway, at Denton, for breakfast. Newton then walked home and Occom proceeded on horseback, arriving in Northampton about noon, where he dined with William Hextal (c 1711-1777) successor to Philip Doddridge (1702-1751) at Castle Hill Independent Church. Occom preached there that night. He lodged with Ryland and rose very early the next day to take the coach back to London.

London again, June 15-July 15, 1766

On June 15, Occom preached three times. Firstly, for Baptist Samuel Burford (d 1768), then for Joseph Pitts (1702-1788) and in the evening for the Presbyterians in Shakespeare's Walk, Shadwell. Following this, he supped with a Mr Ware. The next day he again went to see John Thornton in Clapham, staying overnight. On Tuesday morning, Thornton brought him home to his London lodgings. The next day, Occom met Andrew Gifford's nephew Joseph Gwennap (1730-1813), by this time a Baptist minister in Saffron Walden. On Thursday evening, June 19, Occom preached to a large congregation at Wesley's Foundry Chapel. On the Saturday, Occom and Whitaker travelled to Saffron Walden where they stayed at Myddylton House with Elizabeth Fuller, an influential member of the Independent church where Gwennap was pastor. On the Sunday afternoon, Occom preached well although he became ill once again. A collection was taken.

They returned to London the next day. Occom heard that stage players had begun to mock him in some of their plays. He counted it a badge of honour. Not all the opposition he received on the trip was received with the same sanguinity.

Dining with Samuel Savage the next day, they were visited by the Methodist Samuel Furley (c 1732-1795). On the Friday, Occom preached to the meeting of John Richardson (d 1792) an Anglican who had been an assistant to Wesley.

On Sunday June 29, he preached for the Independent Samuel Brewer (1724-1796) in Stepney. A collection was taken that amounted to the sizeable amount of £100. The excursion to Sheerness mentioned previously was taken the next week.

The following Sunday, Occom preached to a small congregation in St Paul's Alley for the General Baptist Francis Webb (1735-1815). The following week there were trips to Clapham to see Thornton and to Wimbledon where they stayed with Thornton's sister, Mrs Wilberforce, aunt to abolitionist MP, William Wilberforce (1759-1833). She took Occom back to London in her coach. In the afternoon he met a Jewish convert, Susanna Gideon (b 1731), with whom he enjoyed conversation. Converted through Lady Huntingdon, she was the daughter of banker Sampson Gideon (1699-1762). He also met two loyalist Americans, New York physician and politician, Sir James Jay (1732-1815) and Sir John Wentworth (1737-1820) from New Hampshire. The latter would secure the land and sign the charter for Dartmouth College in 1769. Wednesday, July 9 was an unsuccessful day of networking but the next day he and Whitaker were more successful at making contacts with ministers in Stepney and elsewhere. On Friday they called on Quaker Thomas Penn (1702-1799), second son of William, but he was not in. In a pathetic fallacy, it rained and thundered.

On the Lord's Day, July 13, Occom preached first at Deptford, Kent, for John Olding (1722-1785), an Independent. He then returned to London where he preached for Independent John Stafford (1728-1800) at a smaller meeting in Broad Street. After that, drinking tea with a Mr Cox he was told he was due to preach again and did. Sermons from this day survive. One is on 1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight and an other on 2 Corinthians 5:17 In Christ he is a new creature.

Another sermon that survives from this period is on Matthew 22:42 Saying, what think ye of Christ? It begins

It Looks to me Some like a Dareing Presumtion, that I Shoud Stand before you this Day as a Teacher, What Can I Say to you, you that are highly Priviledg'd of the Lord of Hosts, to Whom God has done great and Marvelous things, you tha[t] are Lifted Within Sight of Heaven, as it were, in Point of Gospel Blessings, and you that are refin'd with Literature and kinds of Sciences Who am I Shoud that I Stand Stand before this Great Congregation this Day, I [that] am but a Babe in Religion that begun to think of it, as it were but Yesteday, and imperfect every way, I shall but Be-tray my Profound Ignorance in Speaking to before you- And what Shall I say for I have not the Wisdom of the Wise nor Knowledg of the Learned nor Eloquence of the Oratour - but I Wish Coud with Propriety Say to any one Poor Impotent Soul in this great Congregation, as Peter Said to a Poor Criple, Silver and Gold have I none But Such as I have I give thee In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, Rise up and Walk.

Hitchin, Luton and London, July 17-24, 1766

The next evening Occom preached to a small congregation for Gifford. On Thursday, July 17, they travelled to Hitchin by stagecoach. Arriving at about noon, they were warmly received. Occom lodged with a Mr Thomas and Whitaker with banker and lawyer William Wilshere (1754-1824), a deacon at the Baptist church. The next day they visited in Hitchin and on the Saturday made an excursion twenty miles south to Sopwell, where Occom preached to a small group.

The Lord's Day, July 20, was very busy. Occom preached in the morning at the Independent church for Edward Hickman (d 1781) and in the afternoon for the Baptist Samuel James (1716-1773). A post chaise was stationed at the church door and immediately after the service Occom was taken to nearby Luton, to preach to a large crowd for a Mr Hall. After that, he immediately returned to Hitchin, arriving around 10 pm. On the Monday they returned to London and spent the next three days taking leave of friends in the city before setting out for their tour of the country.

To be continued

Samson Occom Fundraising Trip to Britain Part 2

This article first appeared in In Writing

Samson Occom 1723-1792

Mohegan Pastor
His fund raising trip to the British Isles 1765-1767 in the company of Nathaniel Whitaker that led to the founding of Dartmouth College. Part Two.

London, February 11-23, 1766

On Tuesday, February 11, Occom and Wheelock dined with a London merchant and supporter Samuel Savage (d post 1775) and with Whitefield and his congregation in the chapel at a Love feast. On the Thursday, they met Quaker botanist and physician John Fothergill (1712-1780) but the cold and wet weather meant that they did not stay as long as expected.

Early the next morning, Whitefield took them to see more of “the religious nobility”, as Occom calls them. This time, leading Evangelical Anglican preacher, William Romaine (1714-1796) and the chaplain of the Lock Hospital, Martin Madan (1726-1790). They also met the German Pietist Friedrich Ziegenhagen (1694-1776), a court preacher. Occom speaks in the highest terms of Whitefield and his unwearied efforts to be a blessing to them, calling him “a tender father” and “… a Spiritual Father to thousands and thousands”. He describes how Whitefield's home was surrounded daily by people in need – the poor, the sick and injured, widows and orphans. He prays for God's blessing on him.

On the Sunday, Occom preached for the first time in England - to a large congregation gathered in Whitefield's Tabernacle on Tottenham Court Road. He clearly counted it a very great privilege. The next week they visited the Baptist pastor Andrew Gifford (1700-1784) with whom they dined.

On the evening of February 23, they dined with yet another Whitefield supporter, wool merchant Robert Keen (d 1793). From there they went on to a funeral where Whitefield preached and led in prayer. After that, Smith introduced Occom to the Bishop of Gloucester, William Warburton (1698-1779) who was keen for Occom to take Anglican orders but was told that he had been ordained six years before among dissenters! It was then on to the Independent Dr Samuel Chandler (1693-1766) the uncrowned patriarch of dissent, who urged caution over Whitefield but was generally positive.

On Sunday, February 23, they heard Welshman, Howell Davies (c 1716-1770) at Whitefield's Tabernacle in the morning and Dr Gifford in the evening. They stayed with Gifford that night. In the next week they met again with Savage and the leading Independent minister and lecturer Dr Thomas Gibbons (1720-1785). On the Thursday, Occom preached at the Independent church, Moorfields, where John Conder (1714-1781) a tutor at the Mile End Academy was pastor. After the meeting, they dined with a man referred to as Randall, possibly the Scots Presbyterian Thomas Randall Davidson (c 1747-1827).

Sickness and recovery, February 24-April 15, 1766

Soon after this Occom fell seriously ill and there is no diary entry until March 11, when he tells us that Whitaker had inoculated him against smallpox somewhere near Whitefield's Tabernacle. It was not until April 1 that Occom had properly recovered. He appreciated the many visits received during that time but was in something of a delirium through it all.

He finally finished his course of medicine on the Lord's Day, April 6. That day he was visited by Methodist leader Selina Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon (1707-1791) who was converted through Wesley but became a follower of Whitefield. Occom was suitably aware of who he was meeting. After this, meetings continued with a visit to a woman called Webber the other side of the Thames and with a man called Weeks for a meeting at the Lock Chapel. On the Sunday, he preached for Dr Chandler but was taken ill during the sermon.

Still in London April 18-May 31, 1766

On Wednesday, April 16 they dined with the influential Seventh Day Baptist Samuel Stennett (1727-1795) pastor at Little Wild Street, who became a supporter from this time. They were with him again for breakfast a week later. On April 24, they were with Conder again, then long serving Independent minister, Samuel Brewer (1724-1796) in Stepney, where the largest London congregation of dissenters met. He became another strong supporter,

Occom preached for Whitefield once again midweek and, on April 27, at the Presbyterian church, Little St Helen's, Bishopsgate and at the Baptist church, Devonshire Square. On Monday, April 28, it was more visiting. Publisher Charles Dilly (1739–1807) gave him some free books. He dined with dissenting minister, Joseph Barber (1727-1810) then went with Whitaker to a church where Whitaker baptised a child for the minister, Mr Bailey.

On April 30, they met Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Secker (1693-1768). Secker had been brought up as a dissenter and had trained as a medical doctor. Occom found him agreeable and friendly. That evening he again addressed a crowded Tabernacle for Whitefield. The next day, Stennett introduced them to the Archbishop of York, Robert Hay Drummond (1711-1776) also friendly and sympathetic. Later that same day they were with another sympathiser, Arthur Onslow (1691-1768), many times speaker of the House of Commons. Despite these apparent encouragements it all came to nothing and Occom would later write

Now I am in my own country, I may freely inform you of what I honestly and soberly think of the Bishops, Lord Bishops and Archbishops of England. In my view, they don't look like Gospel Bishops or ministers of Christ.

Lord's Day, May 4, Occom preached again for Joseph Barber and in the evening to a large crowd for a Baptist by the name of Britton. The next day Stennett introduced them to more potential supporters but these visits were less satisfactory. Thankfully, they had good fellowship with Sir Charles Hotham (1735-1767), who had already given a generous gift. He spoke freely and willingly of the Lord Jesus. On Wednesday, May 7, a meeting was arranged with ministers and others at the Barbers Hall in the city and many proved to be sympathetic. The next day they travelled down to Clapham, then in the countryside. Again, some were sympathetic, others not so.

On the Lord's Day, May 11, Occom preached to a large congregation in Stepney for Brewer and in the evening for a Mr Shillon. On the Monday and Tuesday they revisited Onslow and Savage and on the Wednesday dined with a man called Morrison. Thursday, May 15, they were in Clapham again to dine with merchant and philanthropist John Thornton (1720-1790), with whom Occom was very impressed. Thornton became an important member of the English Board.

The next day Occom preached for a man called Clark or Clarke. This was probably William Nash Clarke (1732-1795) who was converted under Whitefield but became a Baptist and joined the Devonshire Square church. In 1761 he became pastor of Unicorn Yard, after studies under Dr Stennett. Clarke himself trained several men for the ministry before, in 1786, removing to Exeter, where he spent his final years. He was a man of great piety and probity and strongly opposed to antinomianism. On the Saturday, Occom made a second fruitless visit to an unsympathetic man called Jackson, probably the colonial agent Richard “omniscient” Jackson (c 1721-1787).

On the Sunday, Occom preached for the Baptists again – Gifford in the morning, Stennett in the evening. Wednesday, May 21, was marked by another visit to the Anglican Romaine, who Occom felt spoke very willingly and naturally about the things of God. They travelled into town in a coach together. The General Baptist Charles Bulkley (1719–1797) then took him to meet about twenty Baptist ministers with whom he dined before returning home.

On Thursday, May 22, Occom was at the home of a Mr Skinner from where he went to a meeting probably with the Independent minister, Thomas Toller (c 1732-1795) and his family. Toller preached. Back home, they heard a horrible story of a couple killed when their coach overturned and they were hit by a cart. That evening Occom was very ill again. It was another week before he was well enough to go out once more.

To be continued

Samson Occom Fundraising Trip to Britain Part 1

This article first appeared in In Writing

Samson Occom 1723-1792 Mohegan Pastor

His fund raising trip to the British Isles 1765-1767 in the company of Nathaniel Whitaker that led to the founding of Dartmouth College. Part One.

Between February, 1766 and the end of 1767, a native American Presbyterian preacher called Samson Occom (1723-1792) travelled extensively in England, Scotland and Ireland, preaching between 300 and 400 sermons and drawing large crowds almost everywhere he went. He raised over £12,000 (over £1.5 million today) for a project back in New England from where he and his companion, the Congregational minister Nathaniel Whitaker (1730-1795) had travelled.

Occom was a member of the Mohegan (not Mohican or Mohawk) tribe and was said to be descended from a leading chief called Uncas. Occom was converted in the revival now known as the first Great Awakening. He heard the gospel when he was 16 or 17 and began studying theology shortly after at a school led by Congregationalist minister and educator, Eleazar Wheelock (1711-1799).

Occom was there for four years and by the end of that time had learned to speak good English and familiarise himself with Latin, Greek and Hebrew.

From 1747-1749, he worked under and studied with Congregationalist minister, Solomon Williams (1700-1776) in New London, Connecticut. Occom went on to become a teacher, a preacher and an arbitrator among the Montauket Native Americans of Montauk, Long Island. He married a Montauket woman called Mary Fowler (1726-1792), who had been a school pupil under him. They had many children.

He was officially ordained on August 30, 1759, by the presbytery of Suffolk. He was never paid the same salary as white preachers, although this had been promised. He was given a supplementary stipend by The Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge but he and his family lived in poverty for much of his life.

In 1761 and 1763, Occom travelled to preach to the Six Nations of the Iroquois in upstate New York and saw converts. He then returned to teach at Mohegan, Connecticut, near New London. He mediated in conflicts between colonists and Native Americans, as he was very familiar with colonist culture and was recognised by Native Americans as a leader.

Meanwhile, Wheelock established an Indian charity school in Lebanon, Connecticut in 1754 with a legacy from Joshua Moor and others. In 1763-1765 the great evangelist George Whitefield (1714-1770) made his sixth and penultimate visit to America. He visited New London, Norwich, Lebanon and Moor's school and met Occom. Whitefield was one of the instigators of the trip across the Atlantic. It had long been felt that a trip to Old England could raise a good deal of cash to support education among native peoples and on Occom's return to Mohegan, Wheelock persuaded his former pupil to be the man, with Whitaker, to do the fundraising that was felt to be necessary.

Boston to Brixham Dec 23, 1765-Feb 6, 1766

Occom kept a diary that covers much of the early part of the trip. There we learn that he said a warm farewell to his family on Thursday, November, 21, 1765, and headed to Boston, Massachusetts, where he arrived on the afternoon of November 23. He stayed with a watchmaker called Moses Peck (1717-1801). Whitaker arrived in Boston on November 27, but it was not until Monday, December 23 at around 9.30 am that the two left New England. They sailed on the 70 ton sloop, The Boston Packett captained by John Marshall (d 1768). They paid 15 guineas, a reduced rate thanks to the generosity of one of the owners, wealthy Boston merchant, John Hancock (1736-1793). Their fellow travellers were the Boston merchants, Thomas Bromfield (1733-1816) and John Williams (d 1791).

The passengers got on well during their six week trip, daily worship taking place throughout with sermons every Lord's Day. Occom was thankful to God for the generally favourable winds experienced, with only three short spells when strong gales prevailed and a short period, 500 nautical miles off Lands End, when moderate easterly winds delayed them. Though it was winter, they had quite warm weather most of the voyage.

They first caught sight of England about 10 am, Lord's Day, February 2, 1766. The next day, just after sunset, they disembarked at Brixham, Devon, being ferried to the shore in a fishing boat. They spent a night at the home of an unnamed widow, then made an early start for Exeter on horseback, going on to Salisbury, Wiltshire, by coach. Despite the cold weather, they reached London by the evening of February 6, having covered some 200 miles in just three days.

London, February 7-10, 1766

In London, they stayed first with London merchant and dissenter Dennys DeBerdt (1694-1770). Of Dutch descent, in 1765 he had been elected London agent of the Massachusetts Assembly, having already served as agent for the Connecticut and Delaware Assemblies. DeBerdt was a strong supporter of Whitlock but Whitaker would later grow distrustful of him. The next day their old friend and supporter John Smith (d 1768), an affluent Boston merchant, visited. He made regular trips to London and had arrived there in July 1765. He would die before returning to Boston. Smith had been a supporter of Whitefield since the 1740s and it is he who took Occom and Whitaker to him at this time. Whitefield took them in his chaise to the house of a sympathetic but unnamed friend.

They spent a quiet weekend at Whitefield's, then on the Monday, he introduced them to the man who would later give his name to the college begun with funds raised by Occom and Whitaker, philanthropist William Legge, better known as Lord Dartmouth (1731-1801). Whitefield also took them to see another aristocrat, the elderly and pious Lady Hotham (1696-1771) widow of Charles Hotham (1693-1738).

Sightseeing and leisure

The church going of some, the evident profanity of others, the beggars and the sheer noisy busyness of the place all grabbed Occom's attention.

Although most of the time went on networking, there was time for sightseeing. On February 12 they spent a day riding and the next day went with Whitefield to see Parliament. Later they crossed Westminster Bridge and visited Greenwich Hospital, then a rest home for retired naval personnel.

February 17 was a rest day and the next day, they were at the palace where they saw King George III (1738-1820) in his robes of state and royal crown, escorted by his horsemen and musicians headed to Parliament. Occom was clearly very impressed but eager to remind himself that there is much greater glory in heaven where the King of kings reigns. Later in the day they again visited Dartmouth and dined with him. That same day they made visits to Westminster Abbey and Bedlam, the lunatic asylum, long considered an appropriate place for tourists. Occom says nothing about what he saw there.

Thursday, February 20 appears to have been the official birthday of Queen Consort Charlotte (1744-1818). Occom and others went to St James's Palace but were a little late so did not see as many royals and nobles as had been hoped. Occom's reflections this time run on the lines of the great contrast between rich and poor and the way so much will be reversed in the world to come. The next day it was time to see the Tower with its menagerie of lions, tigers, leopards and wolves and other impressive sights such as the armoury.

On Monday, June 30, Occom went up river with John Smith to Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey. They went by river to Gravesend then by coach to Chatham before arriving in Sheerness by water. The next day they bathed in the sea. Occom was pleased with the scenery but sobered by the sight of criminals swinging on yardarms all along the river. On the Wednesday, they did the return journey in rain and thunder, reaching London about six.

On Tuesday, July 17, they dined with the Baptist minister and numismatist Andrew Gifford (1700-1784). They went on to a meeting with American loyalist Sir James Jay (1732-1815) and to see the curiosities of a certain Mr Person.

To be continued