274

PAPKES RELATING TO THE SIX NATIONS.

SIR WM. JOHNSON TO THE REYD. MR. BARTON.

Johnson hall Feby 28 lh 1771.

Dear Sir, Your kind letter of last July would not have remained so long unanswered, had it notbeen mislaid for some time after a late tedious Indisposition. I am fully persuaded that you wouldhave answered the One I formerly wrote you, but we must expect that some letters will miscarry,of which I have met with many Instances nearer home.

I am unable to make a Suitable return for the Warm Wishes you Express for me, but I feel themvery sensibly, and you have every thing in Answer that the strongest friendship can dictate, and Icannot but greatly regret your distance & the peculiarity of your situation which deprives me ofthe opportunity of a more friendly intercourse, often Wishing that you could parlake in the pleasingprospects which this Country now affords from the advancement of religion, and the Improvementsin Cultivation.

M r Stewart has been for some time at his mission where he is much Esteemed not only by theIndians but by the Dutch Inhabitants who constantly resort to his Church his situation enablesme to see him often, and I have great hopes from his appointment, M r Hall 1 has an allowancefrom the Society and is to reside at Canajoharie (whero at my Cost I have built a handsomeChurch) until he is of age to take Orders M 1 ' Andrews, who has brought over a Wife, is long since atSchenectady , he is sensible, and will I believe be of great use there being Connected With a principalInhabitant of that place his Congregation is as yet small but zealous, & likely to Increase. Theonly mission in this Quarter as yet unsupplied is mine at Johns Town, the Church at which beingsmall & very ill built I am preparing Stone & materials for Erecting one much stronger and larger,that will accomdate near 1000 Souls.

I am sorry you did not see my Letter to D r Smith I do assure you that, I thought seriously ofyour desire respecting a piece of Land, but as there was none to be had in such a situation as tomake.it imediately of any value, & as the Patent fees & Quit rent is so very high here I Judged itimprudent to engage you in what must be Imediately attended with a good deal of Expense, andmight lye as a dead Charge on you for many Years, because so many large Tracts are Patentedwhich the owners do not know what to do with and which affords Choice to settlers at very lowrates. I hope by this time that the Connecticutians are pretty easy and that you are reinstated inyour places in the New Purchase, but whether, or not I am in nowise apprehensive that you wantPhilosophy enough to support Losses, you could not give such a Chearful Description of youragreable Homestead unless you were superior to Disappointments , I hope you will allways Continueso, but I am much more inclined to Wish that you may never Experience any in future, for I canwith Great Truth affirm that no one wishes for your happiness with greater Cordiallity thanDear Sir

Your most affect^ & very humble Servt.

The Rev d M r Barton.

Sir John. Col Johnson &c desire to be particularly remembered to you.—I need not repeat mydesire to hear from you, whenever it suits with your Conveniency.

1 Graduated at Philadelphia Coll, and was sent to Canajoharie to learn the Indian language, “ that he may be qualifiedto he Catechist and Schoolmaster in that place untill such time as he shall be able to come over to take orders and be appointedamissionary .”'—.Abstract for 1771. His Salary was £40. He remained there only a year.