Petition of Job Kattenanit to the Massachusetts General Court
To the Honorable Governor and Counsel, the Humble Petition of Job Kattenanit
Whereas your poor suppliant, hath been abroad in Your Honors' service among the Indians enemies and have given a true and faithful account of what I could learn among them according to my instructions.1 And in my journey, I found my three children with the enemy together with some of my friends that continue their fidelity to God and to the English2 and do greatly mourn for their condition and long and desire to return to the English if you please to let them live where or how you will please to appoint, and to this end, some few of them3 have agreed with me to meet them at Hassannamesit about the full of the moon and to endeavor to bring [ crossout ] my children with them, my humble request and supplication is that you will please to admit your poor servant: [And if you please, to send an Englishman or two] with me I shall be glad, but if that can not be done, then to admit me and James Speen to go forth to see, to meet and bring in my poor children and some few godly Christians among them, and if they do escape, we shall meet them and return within three or four days if God please. But if we can not meet them, then I shall conclude they cannot escape and so shall immediately return and, if Your Honors please, shall go forth with the army to the enemy quarters or to do any other service I can do for Your Honors and the Country, though to the hazard of my life and shall be very thankful to Your Honors for this favor.
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Legislative Action: |
This petition is granted and [illegible] test to Major Gookin and Mr. Thomas Danforth to order the method for the effecting thereof. By Edward Rawson, Secretary, February 14, 1675/6 |
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Notation: |
Act of the Council, February 14, 1675/6 as to Job Kattenanit |
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Cataloguing: |
190a |
- 1. Job Kattenanit had enlisted his services to go among Philip's Indians as a spy and gather intelligence about their strength and plans. At the same time, he intended the travels as a search for his family and others of his community who were captured. For more information about Kattenanit's odyssey, see Brooks, Our Beloved Kin, 246-252.
- 2. Kattenanit's children were taken by a number of Nipmuc who were allied to Philip. They were being cared for by Pumham and other of his family members. Many of his captive friends were members of Praying Indian communities. For a closer look at Kattenanit's service to the English, see Brooks, Our Beloved Kin, 171, 231-235, 246, 287-, 311-312. Andrews, Native Apostles, 91.
- 3. Namely, his brother, Joseph Tukuppawillin.
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