Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to Samson Occom, 1773 July 21

Author Wheelock, Eleazar

Date21 July, 1773

ms number773421.2

abstractWheelock complains that Occom has misjudged and maligned Wheelock's efforts on his behalf and on behalf of the mission to Christianize Indians.

handwritingHandwriting is small and crowded, though mostly legible.

paperSingle sheet is in good condition, with light creasing, staining and wear.

inkGrayish-brown ink is faint, as if watered down or faded.

signatureThe signature is abbreviated.

noteworthyThis document is likely a draft; it is heavily abbreviated and there are several additions.

Persistent Identifier
Rev.d & dear ſir,
Yours of June[illegible] 1.ſt came to hand three Days ago, and if you knew the continual Crowd of Cares and Buſineſs I am in — and how many Scores of Letters of im‐ ‐portance I have by me which Yet remain una^n^ſwered & and muſt remain So for want of leiſure for it you wod not think Strange that I have wrote you no oftener.  and I now ^I^ tell you I have Steadily been your Friend, & am not behind hand with you in Expreſsions of it. I have repeatedly wrote in your Favor — and was, as you have been doubtleſs ^been^ informed the principle Means of obtaining a Penſion for your Support though I have never heard that you have acknowledged the kindneſs †—
[left]†but y.o wrote me in your Letter which gave me an acco.t of that generous Grant, that they Honle Truſt had said nothing about me, which I wod hope was a Slip of y.r p[illegible][guess: en]
Nor have I ever heard a word fr. ^[left]y.o^ like brotherly Sympathy, pitty or Compaſsion towards me, under all my Burdens & Labors in this wilderneſs nor ^of^ a Line that you have ever wrote or a wiſh you have ever uttered in favor of my Support, notwithſtanding you have fully known that ^y.e good of yr Bretheren has been my grand object. & that^ I have Nothing as to outward means to depend upon yt has been equal to it, but the Charity of my Friends abroad. but on y.e other hand I have continually heard of many things unfavorable, as Cenſures of my Conduct, and threats to use your Influence againſt me and the Cauſe ^wc^ I am building up as much, as well, and as faſt as I ^[illegible]^can. and you have my dear Sir, not been Spoken of as a Friend to me, but quite the Contrary. so I have heard from Boſton, and So repeatedly from Connecticut. If You are indeed my Friend, & a Friend to the Cauſe I am building up, I shall be glad to See you here with all my Heart, and rejoyce to be favord with your brotherly Council & help in any thing ^in which^ you may servehelp ^serve^ the [illegible] deſign and I aſsure you ^I have been and^ I shall always ^shall^ be far ^very far^ from Slighting your brotherly help. but I am sure you cant be a competent Judge of my Affairs at Such a Diſtance & So perfectly un‐ ‐acquainted as you are with them. {& I think in y.r Laſt as well as {y.r former Letters y.o appear suffi {‐ciently forward to cenſure without {more knowledge of y.e affair  I [illegible] am heartily glad to hear that your Labors have been ſucceſsful in some places — and hope and pray that God will make yo emina[gap: worn_edge][guess: nt] ‐ly useful to build up the Cauſe of the Redeemer among the Indians — pleaſe to accept my Love to y.o & m.rs Occom. and aſsure yrſelf y.t I am
y.r cordial Friend & ready Serv.t Eleaz.r Wheelock
To The Revd M.r Occom July 21. 1773.
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