Manuscript Collection: Samuel Austin Worcester
Institution: Thomas Gilcrease Library and Archive
Language of Material: English
Description: 62 items
Period covered: circa 1831 - 1961
Collection summary derived from "Guidebook to Manuscripts", 1969: Samuel Austin Worcester (1798-1859) was a missionary to the Cherokees in Georgia and in Indian Territory. His great contribution was his translation of various works into Cherokee, securing the type of the Sequoyah Syllabary, and the many publications from his press for the Cherokees, Choctaws, and Creeks.
In this collection, there is only one original item: the agreement of the "Old Settlers" Council to allow him, with certain stipulations, to set up his press at the Forks of the Illinois. Instead Worcester located the press at Union Mission where there was a building available. After a little more than a year's time, it was moved to Park Hill.
The remainder of the collection, dated from 1831 to 1868, consists of typescripts and photostats of letters from his wife, Ann; his daughter, Ann Eliza Robertson; and from D. D. Hitchcock, doctor in the Union Army who married his daughter Sarah and, after her death, her sister Hannah. There is also some correspondence about the location of the press, and a diary of Worcester’s kept in 1831 from January to July.
In the Ross papers (39-7) there is an original letter (1839) from Worcester to James Orr, the missionary at Dwight Mission.
Important item: A photostat of the order to Worcester on February 15, 1834, to vacate his house in New Echota to Colonel William Handen and to leave the state. The order is signed by William S. Springer (?), Agent of the Cherokees in Georgia. The original of the order is in the possession of a great grandson, H. W. Hicks of Tulsa.
Background: Staff, interns, and volunteers of the Thomas Gilcrease Library and Archive have contributed to the organization and maintenance of the files since the collection passed to the City of Tulsa in the 1950s. The Gilcrease Foundation acquired these materials before 1964 and is housed in the Helmerich Center for American Research (HCAR). The library currently receives most materials through community donation, board members, artists and the acquisition of manuscript collections.
Restrictions: Please, contact the Rights and Reproduction Department for information on publishing or reproducing materials included in these records. Permission will be granted by the Gilcrease Museum as the owner of the physical materials, and does not imply permission from the copyright holder. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain all necessary permissions from the copyright holder.
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Availability: This collection is open for use by appointment only at the Helmerich Center for American Research (HCAR). Contact the Library at 918-631-6441 or renee-harvey@utulsa.edu in advance to inquire if materials exist pertaining to your research interests.
Arrangement | Title | Description | Date |
---|---|---|---|
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 1 | Handwritten text of a sermon delivered at New Echota and Park Hill |
Handwritten text of a sermon delivered at New Echota and Park Hill on December 13, 1829 and February 26, 1837, respectively. Sermon notes are also included. Folder 1 |
December 13, 1829 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 2 | Diary of Reverend S. A. Worcester, including letter to Mr. Boudinot |
Folder 2 |
January - July 1831 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 3 | Letter from Ann O. Worcester, New Echota, to Reverend Thomas Savage |
Letter from Ann O. Worcester commenting on husband's release, reprinted in Muskogee Daily Phoenix. |
February 2, 1833 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 4 | Letter from Ann Orr Worcester in New Echota to Reverend Thomas Savage |
Letter from Ann Orr Worcester pertaining to "cask of clothing". |
February 2, 1833 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 5 | 1831 booklet titled "The Imprisoned Missionaries" |
Folder 5 |
1831 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 6 | "Georgia and the Supreme Court, Opinion on opinion of Justice Marshall" |
Folder 6 |
1832 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 7 | Letter from S.A. Worcester to sister and a note from "A.W." |
"A.W." is Ann Eliza Worcester Robertson. |
February 1, 1833 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 8 | Notice from William G. Springer, Agent for the Cherokees in Georgia, to Worcester |
Note informs Worcester his house and land must be vacated by February 28 as it is to be taken by Colonel William Honden. |
February 15, 1834 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 9 | Resolution of General Council of Cherokees granting S.A. Worcester permission to erect printing press |
Erection of printing press establisment near the fork of the Illinois River was not accomplished, work was done at Union Mission and Park Hill instead. Source: T.L. Ballenger. |
October 29, 1835 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 10 | Letter from S.A. Worcester, in Kowetah Mission, to "Rev. and Dear Sir" |
Worcester discusses application to establish press at fork of Illinois and includes text of communication at Cherokee Council. |
October 31, 1835 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 11 | Letter from S. A. Worcester, in Park Hill, to James Orr denying he advised Elias Boudinot to head a party to sign a treaty |
Letter from S.A. Worcester is followed by concurrence of Elias Boudinot dated Feburary 11. |
February 8, 1839 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 12 | Report listing missionaries, books, and pamphlets printed in multiple Native languages |
Report listing missionaries, books, and pamphlets printed in Cherokee, Creek, Choctaw and Wea languages at Park Hill, pages 349 - 350. |
July 3, 1843 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 13 | Letter from John Ross to W. Charles Goodey, President National Committee, concerning Worcester’s' printing establishment |
Folder 13 |
November 16, 1843 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 15 | Bill of sale issued by Lydia Hoyt to Abija Hicks for "Servant" Sophia, witnessed by Worcester |
Bill of sale does not include her children, if any, after sale. |
May 10, 1853 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 16 | “Song of the Cherokee Cold Water Army of the Olden Time” |
Folder 16 |
1856 |
Essay on the Temperance Society started by Worcester |
Folder 16 |
19th century | |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 17 | Letter from Worcester to his son, John Orr Worcester, discussing school and confession of faith |
Folder 17 |
January 24, 1855 |
Letter from Samuel A. Worcester to John Orr Worcester who was away at school |
Folder 17 |
March 12, 1858 | |
Letter from Samuel A. Worcester to John Orr Worcester about school |
Folder 17 |
January 29, 1858 | |
Letter from Mother to John Orr Worcester |
Folder 17 |
1858 | |
“The Good Man's Ambition” |
Folder 17 |
May 13, 1859 | |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 18 | Excerpts of letter from Ermina Nash Worcester to John Orr Worcester concerning his father's will |
Ermina Nash Worcester was the second wife of Samuel Worcester. |
October 4, 1859 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 19 | Letter from Leonard Worcester to Augusta Robertson Moore regarding Cherokee Bible |
Folder 19 |
January 14, 1933 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 19a | Letter from Eric M. North, American Bible Society, to Augusta Moore |
Folder 19a |
July 24,1933 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 20 | Tulsa Daily World articles titled "Printing Industry 100 Years Old" and "Worcester's Grandson Operates a Bookshop" |
Folder 20 |
October 6, 1935 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 21 | Special newspaper on 100th anniversary of printing in Oklahoma |
Folder 21 |
October 6, 1935 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 22 | Article "First Print Shop is Memorialized" from Tulsa Daily World |
Article "First Print Shop is Memorialized" from Tulsa Daily World containing reproduction of portions of October 31, 1835 letter from Union Mission by S. A. Worcester. |
October 11, 1935 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 23 | Boston Recorder containing published biography of Samuel Worcester |
Folder 23 |
October 20, 1821 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 24 | Portion of newspaper article on dedication of site of Union Mission |
Folder 24 |
October 12, 1935 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 25 | Article "Indian Territory First Printing Press 1835-1861" |
Black Fox was the pen name of Herbert Hicks. |
1937 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 26 | Park Hill Mission history of a bell cast in 1847, recast in 1889 |
Folder 26 |
1889 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 27 | Bill of sale from Elizabeth Medley to Abijah Hicks of house in Illinois Prairie |
Folder 27 |
January 28, 1847 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 28 | Appointment of Abijah Hicks as Administrator of Estate of J. S. Boyington |
Appointment of Abijah Hicks as Administrator of Estate of J. S. Boyington by David Hildebrand, Judge, Tahlequah District, Cherokee Nation. |
December 15, 1857 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 29 | Bill of sale from Agent C. C. Torrey, Park Hill, to Abijah Hicks for buildings owned by American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions |
Park Hill buildings sold by American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions consist of the Dwelling House, Printing Office, and School House. |
February 18, 1861 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 30 | Diary of Hannah Hitchock including notes for sister, Ann Eliza |
Folder 30 |
August 17, 1862 - February 20, 1863 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 31 | Letter from Hannah Worcester Hicks of Ft. Gibson, to Ann Eliza Worcester Robertson regarding family and war |
Folder 31 |
March 29, 1864 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 32 | Letter from A.E.W. Robertson to Hannah at Ft. Gibson |
Folder 32 |
November 2, 1864 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 33 | Letter from A.E.W. Robertson to Sarah Worcester regarding domestic trials |
Folder 33 |
circa 1846 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 34 | Letter from Miss Thompson |
Letter from Miss Thompson refers to Ann Eliza Worcester and Sarah (Sally) Worcester. |
March 2, 1847 |
Letter from Miss Thompson to Ann Eliza Worcester |
Folder 34 |
September 14, 1859 | |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 35 | Letter from Mr. and Mrs. Wm. S. Robertson to D. D. Hitchcock at Fort Blunt, C.N |
The letter from Mr. and Mrs. William S. Robertson pertaining to guerilla warfare and flight of families to Iola, Kansas. |
November 25, 1863 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 36 | Letter from Mrs. A.E.W. Robertson, Tullahassee, to D.D. Hitchcock of Park Hill |
The letter from Mrs. A.E.W. Robertson mentions a disagreement with Reverend Robert Loughridge over secession issue. |
June 2, 1861 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 38 | Account certification by Dr. D. D. Hitchcock to U.S. Army |
Account certification by Dr. D. D. Hitchcock to U.S. Army for services from January 1 to February 28, 1863. |
May 1, 1865 |
Reply from W. Phillips to D. D. Hitchcock concerning account certification with U.S. Army |
Reply from W. Phillips to D. D. Hitchcock concerning account certification with U.S. Army for services from January 1 to February 28, 1863. |
May 1, 1865 | |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 40 | 1867 Diary of Dwight Hitchcock of Cherokee Nation, I.T. |
The diary also includes entries in shorthand for certain accounts. |
1867 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 41 | Letter from A.E.W. Robertson at Park Hill to parents with postscript |
Folder 41 |
August 9, 1852 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 42 | Letter from Nancy Thompson to Mr. & Mrs. Wm. S. Robertson |
Folder 42 |
July 12, 1862 |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 44 | Letter from J.W. Trumbull to Major Powell concerning General Pike's vocabulary |
Letter from J. W. Trumbull also refers to "Mrs.Robertson". |
May 7, 1881 |
Letter from editor to A.E.W. Robertson concerning the naming of Park Hill |
Folder 44 |
November 6, 1890 | |
Samuel Austin Worcester, Folder 45 | "Translating into the Muskogee or Creek" in Oklahoma School Herald, April 1893 |
Folder 45 |
April - March 15, 1893 |