Lot 1018

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JOHN JOHNSON ENMEGAHBOWH - FIRST ORDAINED NATIVE AMERICAN EPISCOPALIAN PRIEST
(1807 - 1902) "He that prays [for his people while] standing"; (also known as John Johnson), the first Native American to be ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church. Born an Odawa from Canada, he converted to Christianity after being baptized by James Lloyd Breck. Enmegahbowh became a deacon and went to Crow Wing, Minnesota to assist in a new mission there in 1858. He helped avert an attack on Fort Ripley during the Dakota War of 1862, and later raised funds for Christian charities on Indian reservations. Very rare fine content group of three A.Ls.S., 28pp. 8vo., Leech Lake and White Earth reservations, 1870-78, all sent to Rev. Samuel Hollingsworth in Port Chester, NY and Greenfield, Ma. In small part: "...Your timely assistance reached us in our great need of time [sic]...the God of Mercy reward you...none of these things moved us from the worship of the Great Spirit...I have a fine congregation and still they're coming one by one...one of the principal chiefs...he is yet a heathen man...". He describes how the chief stood before the congregation and promised to renounce his past sins and join Enmegahbowh's flock. He continues in another letter: "...When the summons was given that we must leave our native land....all my people were pagans...[I] saw the brave hearted men tumble like the leaves...it was the best thing...to take them far away from the Devil Spit and from the bad pale faces that was destroying them without number...I was asked to go and follow my people...". He then sets forth a very detailed description of his travel to join his tribe, describing a harrowing, nearly fatal trip across Lake Superior before arriving at Gale Lake where the "Devil Spit was flowing like the River". A dispute breaks out as the chief prefers the "Romanist" mission, until the chief is assassinated and Enmegahbowh becomes determined to rejoin his tribe. After encounters with angry whites en route, the Indian missionary arrives to receive a warm welcome from the new chief. In the final letter, he despairs at the millions and millions of acres of land taken from his people. He continues: "...we have not yet learned fully how to cultivate the soil like the pale faces...to clothe ourselves by the fruit of our labors...it must take time before we can become true men...in all the ways of the pale faces...". He then relates a humorous anecdote about an old chief who is told to "act in the same way as the pale faces" - which he does, by leaving white visitors left-overs for dinner! He adds: "...By these goods you have sent us you have greatly relieved many very many who are suffering...Two women died last night...by the effect of the cold...when I heard about the Christian religion my father and my grandfather advised me not to go near it...". There are four pages from the conclusion of a letter with signature, date unknown. In part: "...I have...named one of my converts to your full name...Some of the Christian Chiefs and Braves (newly converted) I have given them the names of the good men as follows: Rev. I. H. Tuttle, Rev. C. E. Washburne...I never known an instance an Indian be baptized with his Indian name...We think that with this act the Great Spirit would have his blessing upon it...". Fine condition, much more content in this historic archive. Enmegahbowh is commemorated on June 12 on the Episcopal calendar of saints.

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September 28, 2012 11:00 AM EDT
Stamford, CT, US

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