John Sergeant (missionary)

John Sergeant (1710 – July 27, 1749) was an American missionary in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, through whose ministry many Mahicans converted to Christianity.

In 1734, the Reverend Samuel Hopkins, having heard of Chief Konkapot's well-known good character and disposition towards Christianity, decided to meet with John Stoddard, an authority on the local Native Americans, on the subject of a possible mission to the so-called "River Indians" (the term "River-Indians" in eighteenth century Massachusetts meant the Mohicans who came from the Colony of New York)[4] living near the Housatonic River.

When they consented, Jonathan Belcher and the commissioners authorized the mission on August 16, 1734, granting a salary of 100 pounds per year for a minister.

Being that he was not yet ordained, Bull baptized the first native, an interpreter with an already advanced grasp of English and Christianity, afterward called Ebenezer, on October 18.

From November 25 through the 30th, John was called away to Albany to visit with the Mohawks, and so Reverend Hopkins enlisted Timothy Woodbridge of Springfield to assist the minister, and oversee the mission in Sergeant's absence.

[6] Sergeant left to return to Yale on December 9, bringing the young sons of Captain Konkapot and Lieutenant Umpachanee along with him, for their education.

This created logistical issues, and John and schoolmaster Timothy Woodbridge had to make trips between the two locations, often swapping places.

Governor Belcher therefore proposed to the General Assembly that a township be granted to the mission, so that the entire tribe could live together, and attend the same church and school.

The epitaph on his tombstone was said to be composed by one of the local Native Americans: Where is that pleasing Form, I ask, thou canst not show; He's not within, false stone, There's nought but Dust below; And where's that pious soul, that Thinking conscious MIND?