Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to Nathaniel Whitaker, 1766 April 5

Author Wheelock, Eleazar

Date5 April, 1766

ms number766255

abstractWheelock writes to update Whitaker -- in England on the fundraising tour of Great Britain -- on the progress of various students and missionaries, and on Whitaker’s family.

handwritingHandwriting is small and crowded, with several deletions and additions. Letter case is frequently difficult to decipher.

paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in fair condition, with moderate wear and creasing. Worn edges cause a minor loss of text.

inkDark black-brown ink appears to be iron gall, and has eaten through the paper in spots.

noteworthyThere are pencil marks in the lower margins on one recto and two verso.

EventsMason Land Case, Fundraising Tour of Great Britain

Persistent Identifier
Rev.d and dear ſir.
Hitherto we have heard nothing from you ſince your Embarkation — I now begin to expect news from you every Day — I have nothing new to [gap: faded][guess: communicate] excepting the Death of My dear Joseph Woolley — The accot ^[left]of which^ came to me 8 Days ago — He died of a Conſumpſion laſt Nov.r at Onohoquagee — his Death is much lamented by the Indians — He had much Recommended Religion by a very exemplary con­­verſation — had exerted himſelf much to erect a School in a Tuſcarora Town — where, and at Onohoquagee, a few miles diſtan[gap: worn_edge][guess: ce] he had a proſpect of two Schools conſiſting of near 50 children — He was well accompliſhed for usefulneſs — and I hoped in a few years might make an able Preacher to the Savages in their own Tongue —
When M.r Smith came home and told me of his exceeding pru­dent diſ[illegible]crete conduct, and his great Zeal & [illegible]Ingagedneſs in the Redeemers Cauſe — my Hopes concerning him were raiſe[gap: worn_edge][guess: d] very high — but God is teaching us that he did not need him at all — I truſt he is now with the Bleſsed —  The cheifs of that Tribe mMet in Council to condole his Death, and wr[illegible][guess: i]ote me a Letter to aſsure me, they had done all they could to Save his Life, and were heartily Sorry for his Death &c —
M.r Titus Smith has So far recovered that he has been with me 3. weeks, and left me 5. Days ago, but I much fear his Health is So broken, that he will never more be imployd as a Miſsionary — M.r Kirtland is not yet returnd — but by all I can hear our Proſpects are very Good — David's Wintter School at Onoyada conſiſts of 27 Childr.n [illegible]how many in M.r Kirtlands I have not yet heard — I hope in my next to give you a more particular acco.t of all affairs — I hant yet calld a meeting of our Board becauſe I wait for M.r Kirtland's arival, if it may be firſt — I expect we Shall imploy 4 Miſsionaries and 8 School­Maſters at leaſt the Enſuing Seaſon. viz. Meſsrs Chamberlain Kirtland
[left]From mr Wheelock Apr. 5. 1766
Kirtland, Burritt, and Kinnee, or Potter — & it may be all of them — But this matter, ^[illegible]^ you know will be deter­­mined by the Board. The School Maſters ^[illegible] whom^ I expect will be imp[illegible]loyed are the 3. Collegians viz. Johnſon, Avery, & McCluer, and with them three Indian Aſsociates viz Jacob, Joseph Johnſon, & Samuel — and beſides these David & Hezekiah in their laſt years [gap: hole][guess: Sc]hools — the 3. college Ladds are deſigned to go into Tribes where they may Likely be Sent a^[inline]s^ Miſsionaries when they get through College, in order to learn the Languages of the reſpective Tribes, which they Expect to Serve — They are all well enured to their Blanket Bed, and ſeem to be in good Spirits for the undertaking — The Lord mercifully grant them his Special Preſence —  I have forgodt whether, Johnſon above mentioned was with me before you went away or not, he belongs to Durrham & is in his 2.d year at College — I eſteem him well turnd for the Buſineſs —
your dear Spouſe & Family were all well as usual a few Days ago — M.r Woodward yet continuing in the ſchool there, and reſides in Your House to Comfort Mrs Whitaker & and your Family — Your people have been expecting Mr Deming of W[illegible]ethersfield to preach to them — but I hant heard that he is come to them —.
My ſon Rodulphus yet continues in this School, and tho'. in a poor State of Health, he gives me much Comfort —
M.r Whitefield's undertaking to patronize the Cause which you are upon gives me much hope that God deſigns ſucceſs to it — I hope God has inſpired him for the very Purpose
I hope M.r Occom will keep intirely clear of Maſons affair you know the Temper of the Government and in whom alone their Reſentments will terminate if there ſhould be the leaſt occaſion given — I perceive that Numbers Stand ready Chargd to Salute me with a whole volley if they can get any fair pretence for it — I am the only Rogue — the Com̅iſsrs would have no Hand in the Affair —
I herewith ſend you 3 of M.r Allen's Anſwers to Pilate
pleaſe to give one with my beſt Regards to Doctr Gifford and another to M.r Whitefield — and pleaſe to let me know when you can what they think of Them —
I conclude our dear M.r Smith will be on his Return before this reaches you — If he Should not Salute him moſt heartily in my name — I know you will not fail to write me by evey opportunity, and direct me how & where to write you If an Incorporation Should be obtaind which I hope in God for, if he ſees it beſt, It will perhaps be beſt to tranſmit it to me with out any noiſe 'till it reaches me —
I am not at all Solicitous about preſent Supplies for The Miſsionaries & School Maſters if we Should fail of receiving any from you before they [illegible]ſhall need [illegible]them and [illegible]ely the Proſpect of Large Donations from Home will animate Numbers to contribute for the furtherance of it 'till they come —
[illegible]M.r Peck writes me that the Honle Rob.t Hooper of Marblehead has received an animating Letter from ſir William Johnſon Recommending and incouraging my Deſign — Which I hope will open his Heart and Purſe a good deal — I hope General Johnſons Son now, I ſuppose, in England, will greatly befriend the Cause —  you will excuſe inacuracies, and accept a pacquet of Love, from My dear ſir, your Brother [gap: hole][guess: &] Fellow Servant in the Lords House —
[left]From Mr Wheelock from Apr. 5 — &c
April. 29. found yours to M[illegible]arch. 3.d at your House about an hour after Mrs Whitaker received it, and found it full of matter & much that is very Good. bleſs the Lord o My Soul and all that is within me — God has inſpired M.r Whitefield for the very Purposes — I Shall do everything in my Power for the furtherance of your Deſign — The Board are to meet at Hartford next week — I find it difficult to determine where to fix the School —
Wyoming ion ſeſquanna if it were practicable I ſhould on the whole prefer to any other place — by this Time you are acquainted with Gen.l Lymans Affair & likely his proſpect of Suceſs has occaſioned you & Friends to think whether it will not do to carry the School with him if he obtains — My Friends are generally loth to go ſo far — the Lord direct; to him I deſire to committ the Affair — but you will hear further as ſoon as poſsible 30. received four Letters from D.r M.r Kirtland. which contain the Subſtance of his Journal Since Laſt fall which conſiſts of four Sheets — in general the aſpect is promiſing on the Sordid Senecas — I expect him here within three weeks [illegible]& then I will endeavour to Serve you with his Journal —
I have none of the Indian Manufactures by me worth Sending to you — will write to the Boys in the wilderneſs to bring ſome when they come —
M.r Chamberlai[gap: hole][guess: n] came down laſt week ^his Proſpects are Good.^ — hope we ſhall make him ready to return very Soon — have heard nothing yet from M.r Moſeley at Onohoquagee Our Greateſt Difficulty will be for Suitable Interpreters till my Boys are fit for it — Moſes & Johannes have Served [illegible]M.r [illegible]Chamberlain hitherto but they are too young & not enough maſters of their own Tongue to be ready & accurate in the Buſineſs —
David bids fair to be a very useful man. He has got the Tribe at Onoyada very much under his Thumb — they both Love & fear him — his School has conſiſted of 27. or 28. Children through the winter — they have made great Proficiency in Singing as well as the Children in reading. —
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