American Historical Ephemera and Photography

BEERS, Andrew. "Webster's Calendar: Or, the Albany Almanack, For the Year of Our Lord 1803." Albany: Charles R. and George Webster, [1802?]. 4 x 6 1/2 in., approx. 56pp, of which 5 are utilized for manuscript journal entries in the hand of Rev. Samuel Kirkland, spanning 1803[?]-March 1804. Original almanack appears to have been wrapped in marbled paper and bound with the addition of several blank pages, possibly with the intent of using them for the interspersed journal entries.

Initial 2 pages of diary entries do not include a month or year, while remainder date to December 1803 and March 1804. Kirkland's first entry references his daughter, "In the evening returned from my journey to Boston with my daughter Sally [Sarah Kirkland Amory, 1773-1828] & Isaac Oneida. Experienced much of the Divine goodness thro. my whole journey." This is one of several entries identifying family members that therein help identify the author of the journal, as Kirkland is not specifically identified in the almanack as its owner/author. On March 5, 1804, Kirkland writes, "in the evening came for me by my kinsman R.W.K. [Ralph W. Kirkland, 1769-1813?] ...Recd a letter from my son J.T. K. [Rev. John Thornton Kirkland, 1770-1840]."

Most interesting in the journal are multiple entries related to Samuel Kirkland's work with members of the Oneida Indian Nation, one of the powerful Six Nations Confederacy. Sample entries include: "26. Wednesdy [sic] - went to Utica to confer with Mr. Williams, agent for the Oneidas respecting their mills & measures for adjusting their disputes &c" -- "visited by Isaac of Oneida...PM took leave much agreeable & interesting conversation with him upon present situation of the Indians." -- "visite by Joseph Rye Stockbridge Indian Chief with his wife & sister - his business was to converse with me upon a matter of difficulty subsisting in their church...." -- "December 6 1803 visited by several Brotherton Indeans who apparently come for the sake of the loves."

Also of note are references in the journal by Kirkland to letters sent and/or received by Gen. Henry Dearborn, Secretary of War, Rep. Gaylord Griswold (1767-1809), U.S. Rep. from New York, and "Rev. Mr. Nott," likely Rev. Eliphalet Nott (1773-1866).

[With:] "Benjamin Banneker's Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia Almanack And Ephemeris, For the Year of Our Lord 1792." Baltimore: Goddard and Angell. 44pp -- "Webster's Calendar or, the Albany Almanack, For the Year of Our Lord 1795." [Albany]: Printed and sold by Charles R. and George Webster...," 1794. 36pp. -- "Greenleaf's New York, Connecticut, & New Jersey Almanack, Or Diary...For the Year of Our Lord, 1795." New York: Thomas Greenleaf, [1794]. 48pp. -- "Beer's Almanac For the Year of Our Lord 1801." Hartford: Printed by Hudson and Goodwin, [1800]. 16pp. -- "Phinney's Calendar or Western Almanac, For the Year of Our Lord 1853." Buffalo, N.Y.: Published by Phinney & CO., 91852]. 36pp.

Together, 6 items.

Samuel Kirkland was a Presbyterian minister and missionary. He began his work among the Oneida and Tuscarora peoples of central New York state as early as 1766. He helped persuade the Oneida and Tuscarora to side with the Americans during the Revolutionary War, and played a key role in organizing purchases of lands from the Oneida on behalf of New York state. He was involved in the translation and transcription of the Fort Stanwix Treaty of 1784. In 1793, Kirkland founded a seminary, the Hamilton-Oneida Academy in Clinton, New York, which admitted both white and Oneida boys. This academy was chartered as Hamilton College in 1812. Kirkland's son, John Thornton Kirkland, served as President of Harvard College from 1810-1828. Samuel Kirkland remained among the Oneida, preaching, teaching, and working as a minister and confidant, until his death in Clinton, Oneida County, New York, in 1808.