thay also stated that thay had made
sum progrees in Cultivating
thair lands thay acnoleged the
assistance of friends as to helping
them to oxen and farming uatesels
thay acnolegd that thay had don
Rong in not keeping the oxen
Better that thay wair now Better
provided with hay and if the
frinds see fit to let them have
oxen thay would try to dow Better
thay also stated that thay wanted
to Bild a saw mill and if frinds
wair willing to let them have
the mill given on a Credit that
thay would pay them and if the
frinds would send on a mill write
to lay out the work thay Could
dew all the work them selves
except the Runing geears and
the pitching the watter if sun one
would show them thay said
that that thay Could hew the timber
make the mantisis and tennantery
and Bild the dam and would pay
for it as fast as the mill Could arn it
thay then would want sum friend to
take Charge of the mill and saw
and sell Boards for them and take
his pay out of it and all so pay
for the irons and work.

the mill seat is about three miles
from thair villige adjining the white
people thair is pine timber and white wood and Clary thay
Requsted an answar to this

my wife gets no Better I desier
to be remembered
your friend Eph. Webster onondago
August the 24th 1815

Letter from Stockbridge

Organization Information

Indians
1 mo 2. 1815

Brothers & Sisters attend

We feel thankful to the great & good Spirit
that he still puts it into the hearts of a number of our white brethren
& Sisters belonging to the religious society of people called Quakers or friends, to
wish to have the chain of friendship strengthened, which bound our
fathers & yours together: & we feel thankful to you for the good advice
comprehended in your address to us & to our men. We heartily join
with you in believing that, it is not the will of the
great Spirit, that the children of men should destroy & kill
each other like the wild beasts of the forest.

Brothers & Sisters, We are sensible that not only most of our men,
but likewise many of our women, have that great enimy to con-
tend with called ardent spirits the bane & ruin of all Indians:
& many bad meaning white people being fully sensible of our
people's weakness therein, have made use of that baneful
material in drawing our men into their intriagues. They
have by that means got possession of a great part of our Township
& we are sensible that if they are not removed in a short time,
we are a ruined people.

Brothers & Sisters, We are sensible that our lands are good & that
if our men will only follow your advice, with regard to culti-
vating the same, & to the raising of domestic animals, they
would do much better than they can by hunting the bear
& deer. And we heartily join with you, in wishing that our
men would leave off the drinking of ardent spirits: & we will
use our utmost endeavors to persuade them to leave off the
evil practice, & to cultivate the ground & raise grain cattle
sheep & flax, & we on the other hand will endeavor as we
have already began to learn to spin & make cloth.

Brothers & Sisters, From the repeated admonitions we have received
from those you have been pleased to send to visit us so great a distance,
together, with other very great favors, manifests to us, that of all other denom-
inations you who are called Quakers are our greatest friends. You have
ever manifested your friendship not in words only, but in deeds
likewise. You have been the means of addings greatly to the growth
of civilization among us. Many of our people are daily experience-
ing the good effects, of being taught the art of spinning, which has
been brought about by your bestowing to us spinning wheels wool flax
&c. together with the assiduity of Mary Doxtader

alias Peters, who
was brought up under your care & instruction, & has given us
great satisfaction with regard to her faithfulness in said business.