Monday, April 6, 2009

Rich Walling's New Jersey Delaware Site

I've met Rich Walling and seen some of his research in print form, but I was not aware of his website until today. He claims that it is a "new site and still under construction," but it is already loaded with material.


The title of the site is:
Brotherton and Weekping Indian Communities of New Jersey.

The purpose of the website, as Walling makes clear, is to put primary source documents related to the New Jersey Delaware Indians online. The bulk of those documents, are from a "hitherto untapped archival source," from the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Other documents came from the Quaker Collection at Haverford College, PA, and the New York Historical Society.

This sign, although accurate in what it says, neglects to point out that, by moving to the Oneida's land, the Brotherton Indians were also joining the Stockbridge Mohicans' church.

The Brotherton Delawares in New Jersey were not cut off from other Christian Algonkians. See, for example, these documents in which Rev. Samson Occum is called to be the Brotherton's minister. Included farther along under that link are journal entries from Occum's travels among the New Jersey Indians and some other material related to Captain Hendrick Aupaumut and other Stockbridge Mohicans.

I wholeheartedly recommend Rich Walling's Brotherton and Weepking site.

See my post introducing the Brotherton Delaware Indians.

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