March 24, 1820 – no entry. (Thaddeus Journal)
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March 24, 1820 – no entry. (Thaddeus Journal)
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March 25, 1820 – no entry. (Thaddeus Journal)
March 25th. 18 deg 33m. N. Lat. This is the 23rd Sabbath we have spent on the water, and probably the last before we revisit our native element. The Lord has indeed been good to us, in sparing our lives and bringing us thus far on our voyage. We hope He has a work for us to do among the Heathen, & that we shall soon enter upon it. May his gracious presence ever go with us, & his Spirit be our constant guide & director. Then we shall labour cheerfully and suffer patiently for his sake. (Mercy Partridge Whitney Journal)
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Betsey Stockton was born in about 1798; the exact year is not clear. Her mother was most likely an enslaved African-American woman in the Princeton household of Robert Stockton, one of New Jersey’s most politically-prominent families of the Revolutionary era. Her father may have been white.
“The Rev. Dr. Ashbel Green, later President of the (Princeton) College, (1812-’21) married Mr. Stockton’s eldest daughter, and Betsey became a part of his household at a time which cannot now be determined.”
“She became a thoroughly trained domestic nurse, seamstress and cook, acquiring an invaluable practical education so that she could do skilfully whatever was assigned her. It is understood that Mr. Green did not favor educating his servants in books, but she was so desirous to learn that his sons, who appreciated her natural intelligence and her merit, helped her in her study.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, May 12, 1906)
Her apparent religious conversion led to Stockton’s admission to full membership in Princeton’s First Presbyterian Church in September 1816, when the church records identified her as “a coloured woman living in the family of the Revd. Dr. Green.” Around 1817, Ashbel Green freed her, “and have since paid her wages as a hired woman.” (Nobles; Princeton)
Becoming an American Protestant Missionary
Stockton and Stewart were part of the Second Company (First Reinforcements) of American Protestant missionaries to Hawai‘i.
The Second Company destined for the Hawaiian Islands Mission assembled at New Haven for the purpose of taking passage in the ship Thames, captain Closby, which was to sail on the November 19, 1822. (Congregational Magazine)
“On the 11th (April, 1823) Mrs. Stewart presented us with a fine boy (Charles Seaforth Stewart), which I consider as my charge. The little fellow beguiles many of my lonely hours; and you must excuse me if my journal is now weekly instead of daily.”
“From the first moment that I saw the little innocent, I felt emotions that I was unacquainted with before. This, no doubt, arose from the peculiar situation in which I was placed, and from my attachment to his parents.”
“On the 24th (April 1823,) we saw and made Owhyhee. At the first sight of the snow-capped mountains, I felt a strange sensation of joy and grief. It soon wore away, and as we sailed slowly past its windward side, we had a full view of all its grandeur.”
Landing at Honolulu, O‘ahu – Assigned to Lahaina, Maui
They landed on Oʻahu. “The Mission is in prosperous circumstances, and the hopes of its supporters here were never brighter. Truly the fields are already ripe for the harvest, and we may add, ‘The harvest is great, but the labourers are few.’”
“We have been received with open arms by the government and people, and twice the number of missionaries would have been joyfully hailed.” (Charles Samuel Stewart)
“On Saturday, the 10th of May (1823), we left the ship, and went to the mission enclosure at Honoruru. We had assigned to us a little thatched house in one corner of the yard, consisting of one small room, with a door, and two windows—the door too small to admit a person walking in without stooping, and the windows only large enough for one person to look out at a time.”
“On the 26th of May we heard that the barge was about to sail for Lahaina, with the old queen and princes; and that the queen (Keōpūolani) was desirous to have missionaries to accompany her; and that if missionaries would consent to go, the barge should wait two days for them.”
Teacher of the Maka‘āinana on Maui
“It was there, as (Betsey said,) that she opened a school for the common people which was certainly the first of the kind in Maui and probably the first in all Hawaii; for at the beginning the missionaries were chiefly engaged in the instructions of the chiefs and their families.” (Maui News, May 5, 1906)
“After service the favourite queen (Ka‘ahumanu) called me, and requested that I should take a seat with her on the sofa, which I did, although I could say but few words which she could understand. Soon after, biding them aroha I returned with the family. In the afternoon we had an English sermon at our house: about fifty were present, and behaved well.”
“In the morning one of the king’s boys came to the house, desiring to be instructed in English. Mr. S(tewart) thought it would be well for me to engage in the work at once. Accordingly I collected a proper number and commenced. I had four English, and six Hawaiian scholars. This, with the care of the family, I find as much as I can manage.” (Stockton)
Stockton has asked the mission to allow her “to create a school for the makaʻāinana (common people.) Stockton learned the Hawaiian Language and established a school in Maui where she taught English, Latin, History and Algebra”. (Kealoha)
“She wrote to Ashbel Green in 1824: ‘I have now a fine school of the … lower class of people, the first, I believe, that has ever been established.’ Charles Stewart wrote that these Common folk had made application for books and slates and a teacher.”
“So, beginning with about thirty individuals, this school was formed in the chapel, meeting every afternoon under the supetintendence of Betsey, who, he said, ‘is quite familiar with the native tongue.’ Other missionaries had established the first schools in the islands, usually attended by the upper classes. Betsey, the former slave, was the first to organize a school for the disadvantaged.” (Moffett)
Leaving the Islands
“After only two and a half years in Hawaii, Mrs. Stewart became so ill that their whole family, including a new little daughter born to the Stewarts during that time, found it necessary to return to America … Betsey chose to leave with them. They were offered a gratuitous passage to England by Captain Dale of the English whaleship Fawn.”
“After a six-month voyage, from October 15, 1825, until April, 1826, they arrived at the English port of Gravesend. Following a layover of several months in London, they continued the return journey to America, arriving at New York in August.”
“Following her return from the Sandwich Islands, Betsey kept an infant school for black children for a while in Philadelphia. But because of Harriet Stewart’s continuing frail health, she stood ready and went on a number of occasions to help care for Harriet and the children. Charles Stewart had been forced to resign his missionary commission because of his wife’s health and had joined the navy chaplaincy.”
“When Harriet Stewart died in 1830, just four years after they had returned from Hawaii, ‘Aunt Betsey’ answered a call again and went to Cooperstown, New York, to care for the (by now) three motherless children. Their father soon had to leave again, as he so often did for long stretches of time when his ship was away at sea.”
“In 1833 Betsey decided to move the children and herself back to Princeton, even though Dr. Green and his household had been living again in Philadelphia for the past eleven years. Tames Green, her childhood family tutor, had married and established a notable law practice in Princeton.”
“Charles Stewart, the children’s father, remarried in 1835 and they went back with him to New York. But Betsey stayed on in Princeton. She was truly alone for the first time in her life and had some depressing bouts of illness.”
“She helped to found a Sabbath school for children and young people in connection with the church and was its most faithful teacher for twenty-five or thirty years. (Moffett)
She never married but stayed in touch with Stewart and his son, Charles Seaforth Stewart, the baby born at sea. In 1860 the son bought her a house in Princeton, “a one-story white cottage on a lot near the northeast comer of Green and Witherspoon, now built upon. The grounds and building were always neat and attractive and the interior of the house was a model of cleanliness and order.” (Dodd)
For people whose right to equal education, or education of any sort, had been so long questioned, denigrated, and disdained, this tribute to their teacher also served as a tribute to their own achievement. By giving Betsey Stockton a prominent place in the black community’s main church—her window in the Witherspoon Street Church is still visible today on walking tours of the town.
Betsey Stockton made pioneering endeavors as a missionary in Hawaii, but her legacy is not well known. Still, Stockton’s school “set a new direction for education in the Islands … (It) served as a model for the Hilo Boarding School.”
Her teaching program have influence Samuel C Armstrong, the founder of Hampton Institute, who also worked as a missionary in Hawaii during this period. After a full and productive life of service for the Lord, Betsey Stockton passed away in October of 1865 in Princeton, New Jersey. (Johnson)
Click HERE for more information on Betsey Stockton.
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March 26, 1820 – Lord’s Day. – We suppose the present to be the last Sabbath of our passage. Brother Thurston preached on deck a seasonable discourse from Prov. 14, 9. “Fools make a mock at sin.” May the Lord add his blessing. Mr. Cooper, the officer before mentioned, gives some evidence of an important change in his feelings; his external reformation is very apparent, and his conversation agreeable. (Thaddeus Journal)
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March 27, 1820 – it is with peculiar emotions of adoring gratitude that we acknowledge the distinguishing goodness of God seasonably interposed for our deliverance this day. While Brother Whitney was assisting in painting the outside of the vessel, which he considered not only as pleasant and profitable, but needful exercise, the rope on which he held by one hand gave way and let him fall from a temporary scaffold into the sea. His weight, and the force of the ship entirely broke his hold from the rope and left him astern calling for help. Capt. B’s orders were promptly executed, and the Brig, tho’ under full sail at the rate of 6 or 7 knots an hour, was “hove to” in less than 5 minutes and stopped sailing. In the meantime Br. W. whose perfect self-possessed skill in swimming enabled him successfully to buffet the waves after one or two had broken over him happily gained a small bench which had been providentially carried on deck a few minutes before, and was thrown overboard to serve him as a temporary buoy. On this he was easily sustained after it had once or twice deceived him by rolling, tho’ his strength was considerably exhausted. Never before did the Mission family know how much they loved him. In 5 minutes more the boat was cleared away and let down, and sent to his relief, which reached him in about 5 minutes at the distance perhaps of 1/6 of a mile. Before the Boat set off, he raised his hat and waved it, lest his anxious wife should be too much distressed, and then composed himself in prayer; while many on board were, in this “soul-trying hour” lifted up to God in fervent petitions that he would spare his life for his appointed work among the gentiles. Not far from 21 minutes after he fell, by the blessing of him who had said, “When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee”, he was safely returned and joyfully received on board and welcomed with many tears, and with thanksgiving to our strong deliverer who saved the sinking Peter, and who was now equally present with his saving help. Assembled this evening and presented our united thank offering to our covenant Father who is our “very present help in trouble”, who can at once deliver those who trust in him, from the waves and from the monsters of the deep, and with equal care “from the floods of ungodly obligation”.
We acknowledge too, our obligation to Capt. B. and others under him, not only for the kind sympathies which they manifested but for the prompt and efficient aid which they extended to our brother in distress. As the best return which we can make, may we be enabled to exhibit equal sympathy, promptitude, and efficiency in seeking their salvation. We hope this interesting providence will do us all good, make us feel more deeply the importance of constant preparation for our unexpected summons, produce in us a more cheerful spirit of laborious diligence in the work which we believe God has designed for our brother and the rest of us to do among the heathen, who without aid must sink in endless perdition. (Thaddeus Journal)
27th. Today our dear brother Whitney fell overboard as he was assisting the sailors paint the outside of the Brig. We were sailing at the rate of 6 knots an hour and it was some time before the Boat could be lowered to go after him but he was able to reach a bench which was thrown to him and so was spared his valuable life as we trust for great usefulness in Owhyhee (Hawaii). Thus is the Lord right to help in times of trouble. (Samuel & Nancy Ruggles)
March 27th. A kind and merciful providence, has this day interposed and rescued my dear Husband from a watery grave. This morning he felt in unusual good spirits and said to me, “I shall soon have a downfall,” intimating, that he expected something would turn the current of his feelings. Feeling the need of exercise, & the officers being engaged in painting, he offered to assist them. It was not long before I heard a running on deck – all seemed to be in great confusion. I could not imagine what could be the cause of such commotion; until I heard the cry “Morrison” (one of the sailors) “has falled over board.” I ran upon deck and was soon informed it was Mr. W. But the promise “as thy day is, so shall thy strength be,” was verified to me. I was enabled to compose my feelings & look to God in prayer. I felt willing to leave my dear friend in the hands of my heavenly Father, knowing that he would do what is best. The place itself where he stood was not dangerous, but the rope by which he held gave way, which occasioned his fall. We were sailing 6 miles an hour; but no sooner was it known that he was in the water than the sails were turned and the vessel stopped. This was done almost instantly. One of the officers afterwards remarked to me, “it seemed providential & very remarkable that so much should be accomplished in so short a time.” The boat was immediately let down & rowed for his deliverance. By this time the vessel had drifted a considerable distance from him, he had previously caught hold of a bench which was thrown over for his relief; & God was pleased to spare his life until other means were used to rescue him from danger & death. Here will I again erect my Ebenezer, for hitherto hath the Lord in mercy helped me. He has restored to me, my dear husband when he had sunk in the deep, and the grave seemed ready to swallow him up. O what shall I render to the Lord for his goodness. I hope this dispensation of providence may be sanctified, and prove a means of exciting us to diligence in our Master’s work. May we remember that death will soon terminate our labours and that “what we do we must do quickly.” (Mercy Partridge Whitney Journal)
27. – How mysterious are the ways of providence, & how frail this human dependence! When my mountain stood strong, and I said I shall not be moved, then God hid his face & I was troubled. But I cried unto him and he heard me, his loving kindness was great and he delivered me. – This morning as the officers were painting on the quarter, I thought it would be a good time for me to exercise, believing there would be no danger from the stage which was let down as I had taken the precaution to see that the rope was fast which was to support me. I had not been at work long before the ropes slipped & I fell back into the water the ship that this time was going at the rate of six miles an hour. With emotions not to be described I saw the ship, my friends, the wife of my bosom leaving me behind. But I was not left long to speculate on dissolving ties. Eternity appeared nearer than ever before. The thought of soon standing before my judge was for a moment dreadful. But he who said to the winds & the waves ‘be still’ gave me strength to commit myself into his hands. And there in the midst of the waves I renewed my covenants to spend my spared life in building up his kingdom in the Isles of the sea. Relief was at hand and in the space of 20 to 30 minutes I was again on board. Thus I now stand a monument of God’s mercy, bound by a covenant which I hope, & trust the influence of temptation will never cause me to break. (Samuel Whitney Journal)
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