Civilization of the Indian Natives / or, a Brief View of the Friendly Conduct of William Penn Towards Them in the Early Settlement of Pennsylvania

by Halliday Jackson

In the spring of the year 1798, (in order to induce the Indians to labour,) a proposition was made to hire some of them to assist in improving the land allotted for a farm; but they were so irregular in working, that the plan was abandoned. Some days nearly thirty would come to work, and on other days, scarcely one was to be had. They therefore engaged a number of lads and young men whom they boarded, and allowed a reasonable compensation for their services.

At this time some improvement had taken place. Many of the Indian men would assist their wives in working their little lots of land; but they experienced some difficulty from the want of a blacksmith, to make and repair their tools. A Friend, however, well qualified to instruct them in this business, offered his services, who, with his wife, and another female, desirous of spending some time in the instruction of the Indian women, proceeded to that settlement, and were usefully engaged in the benevolent object of improving the condition of the natives.

In the Seventh month, this year, this settlement was visited by two of the committee, who assisted the Friends there, in making some arrangements with the Indians relative to the smith’s business, and otherwise imparting suitable encouragement to them in regard to the cultivation of their land.

About this time, and for some time previous, (probably instigated by the evil insinuations of some designing white men,) some of the Indians had manifested suspicions of the sincerity of Friends’ views. They knew that the improvement made on their land, and the various tools and implements of husbandry furnished them by Friends, must have cost a great deal of money, and they had not been witnesses of any instance, where white people had come forward in such a manner to assist Indians, but, sooner or later an interested motive discovered itself—therefore, some had fear that it was intended to make a permanent establishment, and lay claim to a part of their land. And indeed when we advert to the many impositions practised upon this much injured people, by those who have gone among them, under the character of missionaries, and religious instructors, we cannot much marvel that this should be the case.

Friends, however, expostulated with them on various subjects, relative to their improvement, and reminded them of their ungrateful surmises and whisperings in this respect—and told them, that they had never asked any of their land—they never should—nor would they take it, if offered to them—and that they had no other inducement for staying among them, spending their time and their money, but their own good.

In their reply to Friends, the Indians, by way of apology, mention—“There are some had people, who have spoke against you, that you had a design to take away our land; and sometimes when our minds were not right, we believed such talk—and this made us feel very ugly—but now we are convinced, and sorry we believed such things. We are satisfied that you are a true people, and we will continue to be of that mind.”

This visit seemed (to use the Indian term,) to brighten the chain of friendship; and the prospect of improvement assumed a more encouraging appearance. A comfortable dwelling house and barn were built this year, and the Indian lads and young men were usefully employed in cultivating the farm. A large quantity of grain, hay, and vegetables were raised—affording ample proof to the natives, of the beneficial effects of cultivating the soil.

Several of them, also, acquired considerable knowledge of the blacksmith’s business, and many of their young women and girls received instruction in spinning, knitting, sewing, and other domestic affairs, and some progress was made in their school learning.

In the spring of 1799, a more encouraging prospect of success, in improving the condition of the Indians, was apparent. Several of the Indian men improved lots of land for their own benefit, which they sowed with wheat, and other grain. The smith’s business continued to be attended to by them, and Friends, with the aid of the Indians, continued to work their farms; nor were their exertions, either this or any former year, confined to their immediate residence; but as opportunities for usefulness presented, they extended their labours to the various parts of the Indian settlements, and afforded assistance in as many ways, as the necessities of the natives required.

As the Indians at this place had now obtained sufficient instruction to enable them, by proper application, to procure a comfortable living, it was concluded by Friends, that the time was drawing near, when it might be right to withdraw from them, and to convince the Indians of their disinterested motives, by leaving all their improvements, tools, and implements of husbandry for their own use and benefit; and with a view of making this arrangement, four of the committee visited the settlement in the Ninth month this year. After viewing the progress made by the Indians in the agricultural art, and also finding that two of them had acquired the knowledge of the blacksmith’s business, so fully as to be likely to answer all the work the natives might stand in need of, and others having applied themselves to the use of carpenter’s tools, so as to be capable of building good houses, barns, and making ploughs, harrows, and many other implements of husbandry, it appeared that very little was wanting but application on their part, to put themselves in a way of living comfortably, and of procuring or raising in a plentiful degree, most of the necessaries of life.