praying towns

praying towns were a series of planned settlements established by Puritan missionaries in 17th-century New England for the purpose of converting local Native American tribes to Christianity and assimilating them into colonial society. Primarily founded by the missionary John Eliot with support from the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in New England, these communities were intended as self-governing villages where converts, known as "Praying Indians," could live separately from both colonial towns and traditional tribal groups. The experiment represented a significant, if ultimately flawed, chapter in the complex history of Anglo-Indian relations and Christian mission efforts in North America.

Definition and origins

The concept emerged from the religious fervor of the Puritan migration to New England and the theological imperative to proselytize, as framed by leaders like John Winthrop. The model was heavily influenced by earlier Spanish mission systems in the Americas, but adapted to the Congregationalist polity of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Key intellectual and financial support came from the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in New England, a missionary organization incorporated by the Long Parliament in England. The first official community, Natick, was established in 1651 by John Eliot, who had begun his work among the Massachusett people and produced a translation of the Bible into the Massachusett language.

Establishment and purpose

The primary purpose was religious conversion and cultural transformation, aiming to create "civilized" Christian communities. Missionaries like John Eliot and, later, Experience Mayhew on Martha's Vineyard, sought to replace indigenous spiritual practices with Protestantism and traditional social structures with English law and governance. Inhabitants were expected to adopt English-style clothing, agriculture, and gender roles, living in framed houses instead of wigwams. The towns were often governed by a combination of colonial-appointed officials and converted Native leaders, such as Waban, who helped establish the community at Nonantum. This process was seen by the Puritans as fulfilling a divine covenant and securing the frontier.

Key examples and locations

The most prominent praying town was Natick, founded on the Charles River and serving as a model for others. Other significant settlements included Hassanamisco, Okommakamesit, and Wamesit within the territory of the Nipmuc. On Martha's Vineyard, missionaries like Thomas Mayhew and his son Experience Mayhew established similar communities among the Wampanoag. In Connecticut, efforts were made among the Mohegan and Pequot, though with less centralized success. The spread of these towns was largely concentrated in present-day Massachusetts, extending from the coast to the interior Connecticut River Valley.

Impact on Native American communities

The impact was profoundly divisive, creating a distinct class of "Praying Indians" who were often estranged from their traditional kin. While some, like the Punkapoag leader Wampatuck, saw strategic value in alliance, others viewed converts as collaborators. The towns provided some protection from land encroachment and a degree of legal standing under colonial authorities like the Massachusetts General Court. However, during conflicts such as King Philip's War, Praying Indians were suspected by both sides; many were forcibly interned on barren islands like Deer Island by the Massachusetts Bay Colony militia. Figures like the translator and preacher James Printer exemplified the complex loyalties and precarious position of these communities.

Decline and legacy

The system declined rapidly after King Philip's War, as colonial trust in even Christianized Native Americans evaporated and many towns were disbanded or abandoned. Surviving communities often lost their autonomous status and lands through pressure from expanding settlements like Boston and Sudbury. The legacy is mixed, remembered as an early experiment in assimilation that contributed to the erosion of indigenous cultures and languages, while also preserving a documentary record of them through works like John Eliot's "Indian Library." The history of the praying towns informs later studies of colonialism and religious conversion, and some modern tribes, including the Nipmuc Nation, trace part of their community's continuity through these settlements.

Category:History of New England Category:Native American history Category:Christian missions Category:17th century in Massachusetts