Isaac Dakayenensere, letter, to the Connecticut Board of Correspondents of the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge, 1765 September 30

Author Dakayenensere, Isaac

Date30 September, 1765

Call Number765530.5

abstractOn behalf of the Oneida and Tuscarora chiefs, Dakayenensere writes to accept the Board's offer to build mills and instruct the Indians in husbandry.

handwritingHandwriting is somewhat uneven, yet mostly formal and clear.

paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in fair condition, with moderate staining, creasing and wear. Preservation work has been done on particularly heavy creases.

inkBlack-brown.

signatureSeven large signatures all appear to be in Dakayenensere's hand.

layoutThe first page of the letter is on one recto, but the second page is on two recto, not one verso.

noteworthyPersons whose names are illegible have not been tagged.

Modernized Version Deletions removed; additions added in; modern spelling and capitalization added; unfamiliar abbreviations expanded.

Persistent Identifier

Brethren
We thank you for the Care you take of
us, and that you have taken pains to write to us;
to let us know your . forwardness, and willingness to assist
and instruct us;
Many times when one or two determines up‐
on anything, when others come to know it, it is over‐
thrown; therefore taking your proposal into consideration
and having a Mind that it should stand strong and not be
overthrown, we called a general council, in which we
approved of your proposal of assisting us in building
Mills, and instructing us in husbandry, and thank you, that
you have taken such Care of us
Now concerning our Father Mr. Smith who is here
present with us, we think we have nothing here that
will tempt him to Stay and live with us unless he sees
a Reformation among us; we hope that God in his
own Time will bring about a Reformation so, that he may [gap: tear]
be willing to Stay with us
What we have now written is the general
voice of us all, both we of Onaquaga, and our Brethren
the Tuscaroras assembled in council
God is above all, and if we are brought truly to
love and fear him, we shall not only be of one Mind in
these Affairs, but shall be united also in all others —
We seem at present to be in greatest want of
a [gap: stain][guess: [saw] Mill, we desire that that may be first built;
and if Stones can be found for the grist Mill, and it should
then appear best to have one, that that may be built next
Now Brethren we have told you the sum of what
we have to say, yet if the great Man, our Brother, who sits
at the head of Affairs should not approve of what we
have done as we fear he will not, though you have a Mind
to assist us, and we desirous that you should, it will be, all
overthrown, which will make both you and us very sorry
  We
Blank page.
We send our Love to you and remain

your Brethren
Isaac Dakayenensere
yaywe kadiyorha
Adam waoonwanoron
[guess: O]ye[guess: a]s kaniyode
Seth otyoywawayon
[illegible]erek kanokar[illegible]e
[guess: Rotho nonsawede]
} Chiefs of
the Oneidas
and Tuscaroras
upon Susquehan
na River


To
The Rev. Mr. Eleazar Wheelock
of
Lebanon

New England

From the Chiefs of the Onei‐
das
and Tuscaroras to
the Board of Correspondents
September 30th 1765
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