William Apess - Early Life

Early Life

William Apess was born in 1798 in Colrain in northwestern Massachusetts to William and Candace Apess of the Pequot tribe.

According to his autobiography, Apess' paternal grandfather was white and married a Pequot woman. He claimed descent from King Philip through his mother, who was also of European-American and African ancestry. Until the age of five, Apess lived with his family, including two brother and two sisters, near Colrain.

After his parents separated, the children were cared for by their maternal grandparents, who were abusive and suffered from alcoholism. After continued abuse, a neighbor intervened with the town selectmen on behalf of the children. They were taken for their safety and indentured to European-American families. The then five-year-old Apess was cared for by his neighbor, Mr. Furman, for a year until recovered from injuries sustained while living with his grandparents. Apess was sent to school during the winter for six years to gain an education, while also assisting Furman at work. As a child he was taken to Methodist gatherings and became faithful to the religion.

Apess ran away at age fifteen and joined a militia in New York, fighting in the War of 1812. By the age of 16, he became an alcoholic and struggled with alcoholism for the rest of his life. From the years 1816 to 1818, he worked at various jobs in Canada.

Troubled by his alcoholism, Apess decided to return home to the Pequot and his family. Within a short period of time, he reclaimed his Pequot identity. He attended meetings of local Methodist groups and was baptized in December 1818.