Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to Isaac Dakayenensere and Adam Waonwanoron, 1765 August 19

Author Wheelock, Eleazar

Date19 August, 1765

Call Number765469

abstractWheelock notes that he is pleased to hear the Indians want to build a mill and practice husbandry. He also recommends Jospeh Woolley as a schoolmaster.

handwritingHandwriting is informal, small and tightly spaced, with several deletions and additions.

paperLarge sheet folded in half like a book is in good condition, with light wear and staining.

inkDark black-brown, the ink bleeds through to opposite sides.

noteworthyGiven the amount of deletions and additons, this is likely a draft. There is a partly illegible note added after the trailer in a different, likely 19th-century, hand; this note has not been transcribed. The identities of "David" and "Peter" are uncertain and so they have been left untagged; however, it is likely that they are David Fowler and Gwedelhes Agwirondongwas (Good Peter).

Persistent Identifier
My Bretheren,
Yours of July 31. I received yesterday & I am
very glad to underſtand that the Indians hope intend to
cultivate their Lands, and that they deſire to have mills & to be helpd in ſetting
up Huſbandry. but am Sorry to hear of your Diſa­
­pointment, and of the Miſunderſtanding that occaſi­
­oned it. — which was by means of an unſkilful
Interpreter — I underſtood by Joseph Woolley
that the Reaſon why he had no more Boys to teach
laſt winter was becauſe the chief man did not
favour it [illegible][guess: who][illegible: and] tho't it not beſt to teach them Eng­
­liſh and I had underſtood before that the Indians they did not
ſeem to be much diſposed to practiſe Huſbandry. —
and when I talked with Peter & David I Repreſented
to Peter and David the great importance Neceſsity of it to the Indians
if they wod I told them I would do all I could to help them & that I did not Doubt but the Engliſh would
aſsiſt them in Building Mills, getting Tools, and
[illegible] teach the Indians to use them and also
set up a Blackſmith Among them &c. I See
they liked it well but I did not know that
the Reſt of the Indians would. And I expected
[illegible] they would Send me word before I did any
thing about it for that I have waited forever since — I sent for the Men that mornas ſoon as I recd y.r Litter
-ing, which[illegible: [guess: whom]] I had tho'ts of Implying they came this morning to ſee me but the Maſter
workman who is a very good man is [illegible][illegible][guess: well] got into a poor state of
health, and not likely to be well enough very ſoon
and also his Son is not well & is juſt going to ſea for his

health. If [illegible]I had known what I now hear from you 4 months ago they
would likely have been with you about y.e [illegible] before now.
however the chief workman deſires M.r Smith & M.r Gun would
look out for a Suitable place for the mills and See if they can
find suitable [illegible][guess: the] Stones for a Griſt mill and also Send
me word. Whether they can find a good Place to be
found and how far, they muſt go for the ſtones &c and
also where the Irons may be had whether nearer to you than Albany
And they both will be ready to come to you as Soon as
ſoon as the ſeaſon and their Family State will
allow of it. provided that M.r Smith and M.r Gun
ſhall write me that which is incouraging, reſpecting the Place that
the Indians Deſire still deſire it. —
#If you like him Joseph Woolly for your School Maſter
and will build him a House and fence him a Lott of
Lands ſo that he may keep a cow or two which may
give milk in the Spring, that will help these men to
live while they are about your work. —
#Joseph Woolley is accounted a very Honeſt Young man, and
is well accompliſshed to teach Young Children I hope
the Indians will be very kind to him —
I am Glad to hear of your kind Reception of
M.r Smith I hope y.e Indians will Love him much [illegible] [guess: receive] & treat
him as Gods Meſsenger to you.
I give My Love to you and all among
the Indians Who Love our Lord Jesus Chriſt
And am
 Your Brother
Eleazar Wheelock
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