Snapshot: Education on the Eastern Pequot Reservation
1772 – 1775
Introduction
Reverend Joseph Fish wrote about his activities with the Eastern Pequot in several journals. He was the minister in the northern part of Stonington. He preached to the Eastern Pequot whose reservation was nearby. Excerpts from his first journal tell how he helped the Eastern Pequot build a school. He hired a schoolmaster. Also read his Letter to the Commissioners of Indian Affairs in 1757. He describes in more detail about what he did to oversee the school HERE.
Charles Daniels was the first schoolmaster. He was Narragansett (Rhode Island). He had been a student at Moor’s Indian Charity School in Columbia, Connecticut from 1765 to 1767. (Moor’s Indian Charity School later became Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.)
William Pendleton was the second schoolmaster. He was also Native American, possibly also Narragansett.
January 21, 1772. At a lecture at Indian Town, met with Captain Cyrus Wheeler at Blind Jacob’s [house on the Eastern Pequot Reservation].
He told the Indians the same as he told me … that he would give them timber off his land for the frame of the school house and logs, etc. of old stuff, already down, enough to cover the house: board, shingle, clapboards, etc. We talked of twenty feet square. I incited the Indians to go immediately about the work [building the schoolhouse] and told them that if they would get all the materials ready by middle of March next, I would endeavor to obtain … all the glass and nails needed for the house.
September 18, [1772]. I went to the school kept by Charles Daniels. Heard him teach his scholars. Two of them, a boy and girl, read handsomely in the Bible. One or two more read in Psalters, some spell in spelling book, and the rest in their letters. There were twenty children present.
The school here seems to be well tended, the master steady, the children orderly, most of them very small, but in a hopeful way.
Wednesday, August 17, 1774. Delivered to William Pendleton, schoolmaster, five primers and three spelling books, for the use of the Indian children belonging to the school at Amboosamus, Stonington.
Friday, November 4, 1774. I paid Master William Pendleton eleven pounds, Legal Money for keeping the Indian school at Stonington the last half year which ended Monday night last, the 31st of October.
Monday, January 2, 1775. Mr. Pendleton, having but two or three scholars come to school, I advised him to go to the houses of all the Indian children that belong to his school and teach them daily from house to house, and give me an account of the lecture, of his conduct and success.
March 27, [1775] Monday. Examined part of Master William Pendleton’s scholars, (not half present) found one read well in Bible. Two spell pretty well, the rest in letters or words of one syllable. Gave one spelling book and three primers to these children, twelve for this school.
Source: Joseph Fish’s First Eastern Pequot Journal, http://nativenortheastportal.com/annotated-transcription/digcoll1018157