Editing Samson Occom (section)

==Early life and education==
Born to Joshua Tomacham and his wife Sarah, Occom is believed to be a descendant of [[Uncas]],<ref>Indian Margaret Connell Szasz, [https://books.google.com/books?id=kFkOxBRc6NwC&pg=PA192 ''Education in the American Colonies, 1607-1783'']</ref> the notable Mohegan chief. According to his autobiography, at the age of 16 or 17, Occom heard the teachings of Christian evangelical preachers in the [[First Great Awakening|Great Awakening]]. He began to study theology at the "Lattin School" of Congregational minister [[Eleazar Wheelock]] in 1743<ref>{{cite book | last = Calloway | first = Colin Gordon | authorlink = Colin G. Calloway  | title = The Indian History of an American Institution: Native Americans and Dartmouth | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=CNLMam3j_48C&pg=PA4 | accessdate = 28 October 2012 | date = May 11, 2010 | publisher = Dartmouth College Press | location = [[Lebanon, New Hampshire]] | isbn = 978-1584658443 | page = 4}}</ref> and stayed for four years until leaving to begin his own career. In addition to improving his English, Occom learned to read and speak [[Latin]], Greek, and [[Hebrew language|Hebrew]]. As a young man, the only book he owned was the Bible. From 1747 until 1749, Occom worked under and studied with the Reverend Solomon Williams in [[New London, Connecticut]].