Joseph Johnson, letter, to Andrew Oliver, 1773 October 10

Author Johnson, Joseph

Date10 October, 1773

Call Number773560

abstractJohnson writes to Oliver about his service among the Farmington Indians, and requests funds to pay off his debts.

handwritingHandwriting is small, but mostly formal and clear.

paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in fair-to-poor condition, with moderate-to-heavy staining, creasing and wear that results in a minor loss of text.

inkDark-brown ink is faded, heavily in spots.

noteworthyAn editor, likely 19th-century, has added the note "Jos. Johnſon's letter to Commiſsrs Oct. 10. 1773. ." to two verso. This note has not been included in the transcription.

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

Persistent Identifier
To the Honorable Andrew Oliver Esq.
With a due sense of my great unworthiness, I att
‐empt to write to your Worthy person at this time;
Honoured Sir, this afternoon I came down here to this
Town to get my watch which I left here some
time past to be repaired being considerable da‐
‐maged. and finding an Opportunity to Send to
your Honour, I with much thankfulness do
Embrace it. I would inform your Honor that
the School which is under my Care at present is
in good circumstances. the Children are well;
and Are very tractable; or they learn very fast,
considering chief of them are young, 5, 7, 10, 13
years of Age. etc.: also I would inform your Honor,
that the School has been kept very Steady, and I
have endeavoured to be faithful to all with whom
I have to do. both Parent, and Child. also the Parents
have Sent very Steady, and highly esteem the great
privilege which Kind Providence is at present
favouring them with. and we all humbly hope
that our privilege will be graciously Continued to
us poor Unworthy, Ignorant, and despised Indians.
we hope that Your Honour, has Remembered us, a‐
midst your crowd of important business. also we
hope that the Honourable Board of Commissioners
has considered our humble Petition, and we hope still
that an answer of Joy will be sent us in due time.
Honoured Sir. We are the Same as ever we was. Objects
of Pity. the Indians are very desirous to learn.
[gap: worn_edge][guess: b]ut not to be too tedious, Suffer me to Conclude this
my Indian epistle with a humble Petition to your
Honour. Worthy Sir. be pleased to consider of me;
I have kept this School 6 Months already, and I have
made out to live hitherto, but I have been obliged to
borrow a little; although it is not customary to lend to
an Indian in these Parts, but I have behaved my‐
self as well as I could and People think, that I am
no [illegible][guess: r]est, and have ventured to help me little. but
Honoured Sir, I dare not ask there favours any more;
but I am obliged to Seek your Honors favour.
Honoured Sir, I confess I am Poor Indian, a fatherless,
and motherless, and almost friendless Lad. Yet
I want to live and I want to live honestly. if it
is not my Calling to teach my Poor Ignorant
Brethren the Indians whom I love, and Pity. I [illegible][guess: will]
not crowd myself into the business. but if it be
my Calling, and Duty, I must beg to live by
it, or have Suitable help and Encouragement —
from somewhere. all I want is things Conveni‐
‐ent. that I may give myself to the Service chee‐
rfully. and Honoured Sir, as I Said just now that I
have made out to live hitherto, So now I say that
unless your Honor is pleased to Pity me, and help
me I cannot live any longer in this business
but I must break off, and go into Some other Call‐
‐ing in order to clear myself of little Debt, which
I have necessarily contracted the season past.
I have no pleasure in being trusted, neither is it
honourable. So Honoured Sir. my humble and earnest
desire is that your Honour would be pleased to Send
me half years Pay if possible, or if it has pleased the
Gentlemen to allow me anything for Encourage‐
ment, to keep this School. Honoured Sir, without doubt
that the Rev. Mr. Pitkin my Kind, and faithful overseer
would write in my favour if he had Opportunity. I
was at his house last Thursday Evening, and inquired
of him whether he had recieved any News from your
Honour Concerning our Petition, or Concerning this
School he told me that he had not recieved one word
from your honour Concerning us Indians. I acquainted him of my
circumstances at present, and he Said he would Join
and write in my favour again if there was any going
from hence to Boston. I inquired little but heard of
no one, that was going to Boston. So kind Sir I
hope that you will no[gap: hole][guess: t] be angry with me in under‐
taking to write to you of myself. I know
that I am an Indian. but having an Opportunity, I
thought it my Duty, to ask for the thing that I
do really Stand in great need of. be pleased to Send
the Money for which I earnestly Request, by the
Boston post. with whom I send these few lines. but
if there is nothing allowed for my Encouragement be
so kind, and condescending as to let me know it by
post next Saturday as I purpose to meet him here —
again on that Day if I am well. I am Sorry that I
have troubled you So often with my Requests, but I
hope that hereafter I Shall know what to depend upon
forgive me for whatever I have at any time wrote
unbecoming to your Honour, and charge it to my
Ignorance. So I must End wishing you, and yours
prosperity in this Life, and perfect felicity in the Man‐
‐sions of bliss hereafter.
I am your humble Petitioner
Joseph Johnson the Mohegan Indian
To [illegible][gap: stain] [guess: Esq.]
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