Hezekiah Calvin, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1767 August 14
Date14 August, 1767
ms number767464
abstractCalvin writes seeking permission to marry and advice about his future.
handwritingClear, formal and legible.
paperPaper is in good condition, with light-to-moderate staining and wear.
Persistent Identifier
With sincerity of Heart I would tempt to write out now my Mind,
— My Cogitations have been theſe, —
- 1st.after M.r Wheelock had made the propoſition to me about my going Home, My Mind was eaſ'd, in thinking that if I returned Home and lik'd the school, that I should tarry with it if I could support myself that way, without an Companion: & if I did not like the School or could not have maintain'd myself that way, I concluded in my Mind to go to Sea & follow them. ^[below]^ And yet at the same time never to return here again —
- 2ndly.I thought of Marrying at home & so follow farming Buſyneſs, to maintain Me and my Companion, &C
- 3rdly.And again the state [illegible]And condition of my Friends & fellow Brethren would be hovering in my Mind daily, so that I was almost ready to conclude to spend my life amongſt them any where, if it were among the very wildeſt of them if I could but have it in my Mind that I should be likely of doing them any good
Aſ
Mr Wheelock has made another propoſition, I know not what to say, it is true that we have concluded to join.
And my affections are so great for her, I should be very loth to leave her, — Yet if M.r Wheelock has a mind yt we should part ^I can leave her^ if you will let me
go home & never to return again, but conclude to one of the two of my first
thoughts. I leave the affair wholly with you to conlude; for thou canst adviſe as a father, &c — —
And as for the thoughts of my going home I greatly have a fond for,
that I might learn somewhat of my own Native Language, that I might be the
better fitted for the Deſign you have in view, that I might be able to carry on a free discourſe with them
^Indians^ if no more, And not be as A dumb stump that has no tounge to uſe, like as when I was among the Mohawk
Indians how tireſome was my life; could,nt understand, ^Ym.^
and
[gap: stain][guess: no] body to keep [gap: stain][guess: at a free]
discourſe with. — this is
what lays in my Mind.
But however sometimes I mourn & grieve for my breaking Friendship with the Mohawks, — I ſhould be very glad
^[left]it seems to me^ to see my Brethren become christians & live like Christians My Mind is full. I cant expreſs myself
And thus I End Subscribeing myself to be your Dutiful
Pupil
Hezekiah Calvin
Hez.h Calvin's
Augst 14. 1767
To The Rev,d
Mr E. Wheelock
att
Lebanon
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