Item 62: A Testimony by Samuel Kirkland of Jehoiakim Mtohksin Reverse, A Testimony by Jonathan Sullivan in Response to Samuel Kirkland’s Request, 1789 January 13; 1789 December 10.

Item — Box: 12, Folder: 102

Staff Only

Testimony by Samuel Kirkland of Jehoiakim Mtohksin Reverse, A Testimony by Jonathan Sullivan in Response to Samuel Kirkland’s Request, 1789 January 13, 1789 December 10

Dates

Created: 1789 January 13; 1789 December 10.

Disclaimer for Name and Subject Authorities

Some of the name and subject authority tags have been assigned by educated guessing and estimation of persons and subjects by region, age, profession, and familial relationships. They have been thoroughly researched by using primary and secondary sources available digitally, and named in each description, or in some cases linked directly to the person tag.

Access:

All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.

Extent

1 items

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Type of Material:

Letter

Condition Note:

Fair.

Measurements:

6 ¼ in. x 6 in.

Description:

The manuscript dated January 13, 1789, depicts a copy of a letter by Samuel Kirkland an educated lawyer and ordained minister, who was later commissioned an missionary to nearby indigenous tribes by the board of correspondence of the Missionary society in 1766. Kirkland is writing a testimony to his knowledge that Jehoiakim —-, also known by the moniker of Captain Yokhen, served under Captain Jonahan Sullivan during the Sullivan Expedition but was never paid for his service. Kirkland notes that —- served for the whole campaign and requests attention to John Sergeant, the missionary of the stockbridge tribes, to respond to this neglect. The reverse of the manuscript is signed by John Sullivan on December 10, 1789. In his testimony, Sullivan certifies that —- did indeed serve under his command, proposing that he joined in may or june of 1779 and served to the conclusion of the campaign in the middle of October. The bottom of this note states that the certificate of Sullivan was received by R. Seluner by W B Sprague in 1831. Beneath this note, dated 1838, J.H. Causten states receiving the note by Mr. Gilpin. The Sullivan Expedition was a United States military campaign in 1779, led by Major General John Sullivan and Brigadier General James Clinton, where George Washington ordered the Continental Army to respond with force after a series of British and Iroquois forces allied to attack a number of territories in 1778, including Wyoming, in the Battle of Wyoming, German Flatts, and Cherry Valley. It has been regarded as a “scorched-earth campaign” where the Iroquois Confederacy resided. The raid essentially razed over 40 Iroquios villages, destroying everything within including crops, food storages, and livestock.

Location:

Stockbridge

Transcription:

This may certify that I engaged the Bearer Jehoiakim Mtohksin, alias Capt[ain] Yokhem of the Stockbridge Tribe of Indians to go to General Sullivan and join his army at Eastown on the Delaware in the year 1779 for the western expedition at the express desire and in consequence of a letter from Gen[era]l Clinton of the State of New York. and that said Capt[ain] Yokhem served in Gen[era]l Sullivans army during the whole campaign of 1779 on the western expedition for which service I have ever understood he has received no pay altho[ugh]: he was very active during said campaign. Sam.l [Samuel] Kirkland Miss.ry [Missionary] Southbridge 13 Jany 1789 A true coppy (sic) att. [attention] John Sergeant Missionary to said Stockbridge Indians ~~ 403 is written in pencil below

E Gen[era]l Sullivan certificate

Back:

I certify that the within named Capt[ain] Yaken Joined the western Army some time in the month of may or June 17879 and Served faithfully untill (sic) the Expedition was over which I think was about the middle of October following. Jno [Jonathan] Sullivan Late command[e]r of the western army Durham, December 10th 1789~~

Certificate of General Sullivan, sent me by W. B. Sprague of albany in 1831— sent me by Mr. Gilmore 1838 JHCausten Jun[io]r