David Fowler, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1765 September 23
Author
Fowler, David
Date23 September, 1765
ms number765523.4
abstractFowler recounts his arrival at Oneida, and describes the state of his
school and life there.
handwritingHandwriting is largely clear and legible.
paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in fair-to-good
condition with moderate-to-heavy creasing and staining. There is significant
tearing around the remants of seal, but it results in no loss of text.
inkInk varies in intensity from medium-brown to brown-black.
noteworthyThe contents of this letter are very similar to those of
manuscript 765365. In the closing salutation, it is uncertain to whom "Master"
refers, and so it has been left untagged.
Modernized Version
Deletions removed; additions added in;
modern spelling and capitalization added; unfamiliar abbreviations expanded.
About this Transcription
Modernizedversion expands abbreviations and historical notation within the author's original
text to produce a modern reading copy
Transcription Options
- Literalversion preserves the author's original text, including abbreviations and historical
notation.
- Technicalversion shows transcription markup and includes a summary of metadata captured in
the document text.
Oneida
September 23 1765
Honoured Sir,
I arrived here on the fourth instant, and immediately began my School; but it is very small at present
occasioned by gathering Corn and building houses, I believe I shall
have thirty after the hurry is over — My Scholars
learn very fast
some have got to the eight Page: I am yet teaching both Old and Young to sing, they can carry three parts of several Tunes neatly.
I made it a long time before I got 'up here because I had such heavy Pack.— I bought me Plow Irons and
several other Things which I could not do without very
well. I have got the little
horse; the Man asked a Dollar for
keeping him and half a Dollar for going with me ten Miles before
he would deliver the horse to me.— My coming up so
slow, buying so many things, giving Money to those Women and bringing two horses
almost took all my Money be‐fore I got up; I think I was very
prudent with my Money.— I shall want twenty Dollars more. also I shall be exceeding glad you would find me a complete Letter Writer and Guide to Prayer.—
I design to come down next Year after I have planted Corn and my Garden
things come up. so that I may be able to tell my Children how they must manage the Garden in my absence.
Give my kind Regards to
Madam and
Master I could not write to him this Time.— And
ac
cept much Love and Duty from,
Blank page.Blank page.