Graham's Magazine, Vol. XL, No. 2, February 1852Various
General
Graham's Magazine, Vol. XL, No. 2, February 1852
Various
Literature -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals
Oliwibatuc had gone to his rest! Faithfully, had his devoted young
captive labored to sow with good seed the hearts of his red brethren,
and in some instances, the scalping-knife and tomahawk had been buried
by the living warrior; but after the death of the old chief, he had
taken up his abode with Lord Temple, having been married to Anna soon
after the death of Red-Bird. Long and happily did they dwell together,
wondering much that an over-ruling providence should have watched over
the divided current of their lives, and united them so mysteriously in a
far, foreign land. Lord Temple lived until his head was white with
four-score years; but until death retained his Quaker dress and
appellation.
That village is now a beautiful and flourishing town in the heart of the
old empire State. The lone canoe of the Indian long since disappeared
from the blue lake, but hundreds of snowy sails now whiten its waters.
Few of the busy multitude that now throng these streets, could point the
curious traveler to the spot on which stood the humble cottage of the
first settler—many would not even remember his name; but go to the
ancient records, and there you will find that as early as 1660, a
wealthy Quaker, calling himself John Brown, made purchase of a large
territory of the Mohawk chief, and settled upon it with his own
family—that he afterward built a church of the _Presbyterian order_,
and endowed it with a fund, for its after-support, and left at his death
many rich legacies. It is also added, that much mystery shrouded the
aforesaid Brown, and by some he was supposed to have been an associate
of Oliver Cromwell.
An elegant edifice stands now on the site of the little church of the
first settler; but the burying-yard behind it remains unchanged, and
there on a broad slab may still be traced, a long obituary of John
Brown, the earliest settler, and by his side sleeps the first pastor of
that ancient church, of whom it is recorded, that he labored for a
number of years as a faithful missionary among the Mohawks, by whom he
was taken captive; and, afterward, for nearly forty years, as the
minister of the first church of Christ in the wilderness. By his side,
sleeps Anna, his wife—and children, and children’s children are around
in long ranks, with the slumber of years upon them.
Reader! My story is brought to a close. It but feebly illustrates the
chance and change of life—but if it serve to awaken a more earnest
interest in those who have gone before us, its author will not have
spent those few pleasant hours amid the records of the past in vain.
Life is not all with us! Those who trod the paths we are now treading,
knew as much of its joys and sorrows—perchance even more than
ourselves, and would we search more deeply the annals of our
forefathers, our toil would often be rewarded with histories as full of
vicissitude and adventure, as that of the illustrious Judge Temple, or
the Vaudois peasant-boy of the Alps!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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