Hezekiah Calvin, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1767 August 14

Author Calvin, Hezekiah

Date14 August, 1767

Call 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.

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

Persistent Identifier
Reverend Sir,
With sincerity of Heart I would tempt to write out
now my Mind, — My Cogitations have been these, —
  • 1st.after Mr. Wheelock had made the proposition to me about my
    going Home, My Mind was eased, in thinking that if I returned
    Home and liked the school, I should tarry with it if
    I could support myself that way, without an Companion: and if
    I did not like the School or could not have maintained myself
    that way, I concluded in my Mind to go to Sea and follow them.
      And yet at the same time never to return here again —
  • 2ndly.I thought of Marrying at home and so follow farming
    business, to maintain Me and my Companion, etc.
  • 3rdly.And again the state And condition of my Friends and fellow
    Brethren would be hovering in my Mind daily, so
    that I was almost ready to conclude to spend my life
    amongst them anywhere, 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

And so I left these thoughts in a [illegible][guess: Par] leaving them to be
concluded when I got home etc. — —
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 loathe to leave her, — Yet if Mr. Wheelock has a mind that
we should part I can leave her if you will let me go home and never to
return again, but conclude to one of the two of my first
thoughts. I leave the affair wholly with you to conclude;
for thou canst advise as a father, etc. — —
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 the Indians if no more,
And not be as A dumb stump that has no tongue
to use, like as when I was among the Mohawk Indians
how tiresome was my life; couldn't understand, them
[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 and grieve for my breaking
Friendship with the Mohawks, — I should be very glad
it seems to me to see my Brethren become christians and live like Christians
My Mind is full. I cant express myself
And thus I End Subscribing
myself to be your Dutiful Pupil

Hezekiah Calvin

Hezekiah Calvin's
August 14. 1767

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