Tuscarora Village 9 Dect 1823
Report from the Tuscarora Nation of Indians
I have complied with your wish I would inform you the condition of the Tuscarora Nation. Our Nation containes about two hundred & fifty. And they all get their living by farming. there are many of our people who have pretty good farms. Some of the families sell forty bushels of corn above their own use likewise wheat and from fifty to one hundred & fifty & two hundred bushels of corn & wheat. And also some of our farmers sells from five to twenty tons of Hay. Since the late war there has been two frain houses built & likewise three good barns. We do not build farmhouses generally on account of the scarcity of pine timber. The farming utensils which are given to us from Government are faithfully used by our people. We have had a school for a number of years. but on account of the ill management of the school it was given up for a time but we expect to have one soon We have likewise had a minister for about twenty three years. but our Minister has been dismissed from us We soon expect to have one sent to us Our Nation I think entered the covenant with the New York Missionary Society in 1800 & in 1820 transferred to the W. F. M. Society We have a church consisting of about twenty members -
We feel very thankful to the Government of U. States for their patronage and the many favors which we so frequently receive from the Government - We really hope that the Government will not be discouraged with our backwardness in complying with their admonitions and good will to us - but we hope that they will bear with our infirmities & still continue to encourage us - We hope in time that we will share with our white brethren in all their blessings both civil and religious which they enjoy
We have done what you wished by sending this
Your friends
David Corkick
A Tuscarora Chief.
Coppy of David Corkick Letter
Decr 9, 1823
Sent to the War Department