A Selection From The Thursday, December 17, 1772 Diary Of Joseph Johnson (Mohegan/Brothertown)

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Brothertown Historical Documents, Brothertown Indians, Eeyawquittoowauconnuck, Founders, Johnson, Joseph Johnson, Journal, Laura Murray, Mohegan

Taken from the Laura Murray book, To Do Good To My Indian Brethren

Some punctuation and spacing added

Well I remember home
O Mohegan O Mohegan
The time is long before I shall be walking
my wonted places which are on thee
Once there I was
but perhaps never again
but still I remember thee

In you is lodged my father and mother dear
and my beloved sisters and brothers
Keep them in thy womb Mohegan
til thou dost hear the voice of God
“O Mohegan give up thy dead”
then no longer prisoners
shall they be unto thee

The joyful hour is approaching
My soul, come meditate the day
and think how near it stands
when you must leave this house of clay
and fly to unknown lands
Hast my beloved fetch my soul up to thy Blest abode
fly for my spirit longs to see my Savior and my God

Mohegan is a lonesome place
oft have I sighed but sighed in vain
desired but desired in vain
cast down but no one to comfort me
in distress no one to relieve me
No friend to open my heart and vent my sorrows
I opened my mouth to the open air and told the stones my sorrow

Thus, O Mohegan have you treated me
and thinkest thou I can forget thee
or thy inhabitants
Thinkest thou or thine inhabiters
that I am desiring to be on thee
or with them?
Far far from me be such a thought

But still there is a precious few in thee
which causes my mind often to meditate of thee
Perhaps in due time
I may once more come on thy borders
But first I have to go, to distant lands; and far country
and different nations I have to walk through
before I see thee.

Thus, O Mohegan
I must bid you farewell
and shut the door of my heart
against thee
for I have a truer friend
to entertain in my heart
so good night

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March 13, 1773: The Beginning of Eeyawquittoowauconnuck/Brothertown

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1773, Brothertown, Brothertown Indians, Eeyawquittoowauconnuck, founding, History, Johnson, march 13, New York Indians, Samson Occom

Today in Tribal History: On March 13, 1773, representatives from 7 Native communities met in Mohegan to discuss emigration to Oneida lands in upstate New York. Brothertown/Eeyawquittoowauconnuck is underway! That was 249 years ago today. Mark your calendars for March 13, 2023!

“March 13, 1773” (C) 2019 by a Brothertown youth

Coincidentally, it would be exactly 2 years later, March 13, 1775, when the first settlers would begin the trip to the new tribal lands in NY.

Check out the new Brothertown podcast now on Spotify-“Stories of the Brothertown Indians”: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NWo6wxOp4pEX4zmygBmo3?si=IeV2viGsSSSc9q1oqqa7UA.

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Joseph Johnson Presentation This Sunday

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brotherton, Brothertown, Brothertown Indians, eeyamquittoowauconnuck, Eeyawquittoowauconnuck, founding, Johnson, Joseph Johnson, Laura Murray, Native American, New York Indians

This Sunday, March 4th at 6:00pm CT/7:00 ET, Ms. Laura Murray, author of To Do Good to My Indian Brethren, will be speaking to us about her research and book on Joseph Johnson, the youngest of our Brothertown founding fathers. Not only is this a unique opportunity to gain insight and to speak with a knowledgeable researcher and author on Joseph Johnson, but it is also a great opportunity to connect with your Brothertown family no matter where you live. Don’t miss out!

To log in, please go to https://zoom.us/j/2529226987 or dial +1 646 876 9923 and enter the Meeting ID: 252 922 6987.

This is a family-friendly event and is open to the public. See you there!

“What’s In A Name?”

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brotherton, Brothertown, eeyamquittoowauconnuck, Eeyawquittoowauconnuck, Farmington, founding, Johnson, New York Indians, occom, Oneida, Sir William Johnson, Wimpey

 

Part I: An Introduction to Brothertown

While it may be tempting to believe that our Brothertown ancestors, with their agricultural lifestyle, European clothing, Colonial homes, and English speech, were doing everything they could to leave their “Indianness” behind them, that would be an erroneous notion.  On the contrary, preserving their race and heritage was extremely important to the Brothertown founders.  There are a number of examples one could offer as proofs of this but none so starkly evident as that line from Occom’s journal entry of November 7, 1785, which reads, “We named our town by the name of Brotherton; in Indian Eeyawquittoowauconnuck (emphasis added)(1).”

The formation of this town was not undertaken lightly.  Plans began at least as far back as March 13, 1773, when members of seven Native communities met in Mohegan (2).  Long trips were taken on foot through the snow(3), letters were written(4), Oneida headmen and local leaders like William Johnson(5), the area’s British Superintendent of Indian Affairs, were consulted.  A “Colony Law Book” was obtained (6), a layout of the new town was drawn up, and agreements were made on how the town would be run and who would oversee certain positions (7).  Primarily due to the American Revolution, nearly 15 years passed between that first meeting in Mohegan and the day they finally “formed into a body politick” on their new land.  This was a well-planned and long-sought-after venture.  The name they gave to their town could not have been bestowed lightly either; it too was well considered.

…..to be continued

 

(1)Occom, Samson. Journal entry November 7, 1785.

(2)Murray, Linda. To Do Good to My Indian Brethren: The Writings of Joseph Johnson, 1751-1776, p 207.

(3) Hutchins Report, https://www.madisoncounty.ny.gov/motf/brothertownone%5B1%5D.pdf,p.24.

(4) Ibid p23ff.

(5) Ibid

(6)Wimpey, Elijah. Letter to the House of Representatives of the Colony of Connecticut, May 25, 1774. Available online through the Yale Indian Papers Project.

(7)Occom, Samson. Journal entry of November 7, 1785