SARGEANT, John

[s. 666] : Born at Newark, N. J., 1710; died July, 1749; graduated at Yale College He was contem1729; was tutor 1731-1734. porary with David Brainerd, and taught him the Algonquin language. In July, 1735, he was settled as a mi ionary to the Indians on the Housatonic River and the next month ordained at Deer field in presence of the governor and council and a large number of English and Indians. Mr. Sargeant acquired the native language with facility, and so well that the people said he spoke it better than themselves. He translated into their language parts o£ the Old Testament, and all the New except the Book of He introduced many of the arts of Revelation. civilized life, interested them in singing, taught them Biblical history and doctrine, and brought into the mi ion school many Mohawk and Oneida children from the province of New York. Regarding the education of the youth as e ential to his succe , he had formed the plan of a manual labor school, in which the pupils should con Provision had tribute to their own support. been made for the education of several boys, land procured, a school-house built, and some boys were collected; but the death of Mr. Sargeant prevented the consummation of the plan. Mourned by the Indians, who loved him as a father and friend, he died at the early age of 39. Their improvement through his labors had been He found them but 50 in number, living great. miserably and viciously in wigwams, widely scattered, and roving from place to place. He left them 218 in number, settled in a thriving town, with twenty families in frame houses, and many having farms cultivated, fenced, and well He had baptized 182, and 42 were stocked. communicants. 666