David Zeisberger: a life among the Indians

Earl P. Olmstead, David Zeisberger

Kent State University Press, 1997 - History - 441 pages

David Zeisberger: A life among the Indians offers the unique perspective of a Moravian missionary who lived and worked for sixty-three years among the Iroquois and Delaware nations in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, and Upper Canada. Earl P. Olmstead's narrative draws on thousands of pages of Zeisberger's own diaries, some of which are translated here for the first time. The diaries offer insights into the role of wampum in tribal government, problems resulting from the mass Euro-American western migration, and incidents of duplicity on the parts of both the American government and Native American nations. Of particular interest are Zeisberger's descriptions of Native American life in the years surrounding the French and Indian War and the American Revolution and the effects of these conflicts on the nations that lived in Ohio Country.

Contents

• That Dusty Road 17211736: 3
• Branded as a Thief 17361742: 15
• Preventing Mischief 17431745: 32
• Shamokin The Stronghold of the Prince of Darkness 17461749: 42
• A Journey into Hell 1750: 55
• You Need Never Fear among Us 17501753: 66
• Prelude to Tragedy Then Defeat and Disaster 17541755: 79
• The Peacemakers 17551761: 94
• Pontzac and His Indian War 17611763: 105
• The Philadelphia Incident 17631765: 120
• Indian Missions A Critical Reappraisal 17651766: 135
• Westward to the Delaware Country 1767: 146
• Frustration on the Alkgheny 17681770: 154
• Lagundo Utenunk on the Beaver 17701771: 168
• The Die Is Cast 1772: 182
• Chosen by the Lot 1772: 190
• An Organizational Nightmare 1773: 202
• Lord Dunmore and His Shawnee Indian War 1774: 214
• A Hard Bloody and Tragic Business 1775: 235
• The Pasture of Light 1776: 245
• A Conspiracy on the Muskingum 1777: 258
• Grasping at Straws 1778: 275
• Estrangement among the Delawares 1779: 289
• The Torch the Rifle and the Scalping Knife 17801781: 303
• There Are Worse Things Whiting for Men Than Death 1781: 310
• Gnadenhutten The Day of Shame 1782: 325
• Moravian Missions in North America 17401821: 341
• Zeisbergers Iroquois Trips: 343
• Zeisbergers Comments on the Use of Wampum: 345
• Statutes Agreed upon by the Christian Indians: 347
• Population Statistics: 350
• Netawatwess Instruction on Presenting Wampum Belts: 351
• Johann Schmicks Letter to Matthew Hehl: 354
• John Heckewelders Legendary Ride: 356
• Analysis of the Skeletons Found in the Mass Grave: 359
• Letter to Nathaniel Seidel: 361
• Notes: 365
• Selected Bibliography: 411
• Index: 419

Bibliographic information

• Title: David Zeisberger: a life among the Indians
• Authors: Earl P. Olmstead, David Zeisberger
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Kent State University Press, 1997
• ISBN: 0873385683, 9780873385688
• Length: 441 pages
• Subjects: Biography & Autobiography / Historical; History / Native American; History / United States / State & Local / Midwest (IA, IL, IN, KS, MI, MN, MO, ND, NE, OH, SD, WI); Social Science / Ethnic Studies / Native American Studies