Monday, March 9, 2009

Scott's Family Bible

Do you remember that the Stockbridge Mohicans attempted to settle at Indiana's White River before they came to what is now Wisconsin?

Do you remember that John Metoxen was the leader of the band that left New Stockbridge, New York in 1818 and settled at Wisconsin's Fox River in 1822?

Do you remember that they worshipped with a white congregation at a stop along the way?

Some have called Metoxen's band the Stockbridge Christian Party. Although no missionary traveled with them, they still kept the Sabbath in the old Calvinist way. On Sunday mornings, John Metoxen would read from Scott's Family Bible. I was able to find photos of the six-volume set online. (Use this link if you want to buy a copy in good condition, for less than $600.)

On page 129 of An American Bible, Paul Gutjahr tells us that Scott's Family Bible was "immensely popular" and "helped shore up Calvinist Orthodoxy."

2 comments :

dumneazu said...

A former New Jerseyite (living in Budapest, Hungary) with an anthro background in Algonquian linguistics... I just want to say I read your posts daily with great interest. Good job. Lots of interesting insight into a people whose continued existance is very fundamental to understanding American history.

Jeff Siemers said...

Thank you very much.