David McClure, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1772 June 30 McClure, David Text Markup Unit, Dartmouth College Library Conversion to TEI P5 encoding Occom Circle Project Transcribed from the original manuscript Dartmouth College National Endowment for the Humanities Schweitzer, Ivy. Dartmouth College Department of English and Women's Studies The Occom Circle A digital edition Trustees of Dartmouth College
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772380 10.1349/ddlp.1081

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Letter McClure writes that he has asked Occom to join the mission, but that Occom states he is in ill health, has too many debts, and that he has been neglected since his return from Great Britain. McClure urges Wheelock to be generous with Occom. USA New Hampshire Hanover Rauner Special Collections Library, Dartmouth College. DC History MSS David McClure, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1772 June 30 McClure, David

Formal handwriting is small, but clear and legible. Large sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good-to-fair condition, with light-to-moderate creasing, staining and wear. Brown.

772380 Rauner Special Collections Library, Dartmouth College.

The Occom Circle Project is a digital edition of letters from and to Samson Occom (1727-1792), with other of his works. The documents in question are all housed in Dartmouth College's Rauner Special Collections Library. Occom was a Mohegan Indian, intertribal leader, public intellectual, and the most important Indian writer in North America in the 18th century.

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Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) Occom Circle Project keywords and controlled vocabulary 30 June 1772 English To be added. To be added. 10/9/12 Cassandra Hartt April 2013 K.G. Kidd April 2013 K.G. Kidd November 21, 2014 Shaun Y. Akhtar Pre-publication TEI review Maninder Rakhra Pre-publication TEI review Hazel-Dawn Dumpert reviewed and adjused prior to publication Mohegan June 30 1772 — Rev.d Rev. and Honor'd Honored Sir/

Thro' Through divine Goodne&slong;s goodness M.r Mr. Frisbie and I had a comfortable journey to this place, where we arrived last Evening & and found M.r Mr. Occom & and famely family in usual health; we immediately laid open the busine&slong;s business on which we came — It was all new to M.r Mr. Occom — neither of your Letters, Sir, have reached him, they have some where somewhere unfortunately stopt stopped . The Doctor's Letters to him by us con=tain'd contained the first intimation he has had re=specting this Mi&slong;sion mission . After conversing on the Opnings openings & and encouragments encouragements of our intended Mi&slong;=sion mission to the Southward, he manifested a desire & and willingne&slong;s willingness to join us, but urged his bodily infirmities & and involvements * against undertaking it immediately — And indeed he has had so short notice of it that it would be difficult if not im=practicable for him to set out with us.

I have all along thought till 'til now that he * he owes he says ₤50 or ₤60 — had a pension of ₤30 Sterl.g sterling ⅌r An: per annum from Esq.r Esq. Thornton — But he says he has had no pension or allowance from him, or any other quarter since he came from England, except two private donations from thence amount.g amounting to ₤60 —. That before he went to England he was under the pay of the Boston board & and since his return has been rejected by them & and by the School two too . And considering what Indian Genius & and temper are, has there not, Sir, been too much occasion for him to complain of neglect? he has had to encounter many & and great difficulties since his return & and would it not, Sir, been good policy if no more & and will it not now be good policy, to make him some small allowance & and let him enjoy in some measure the benefit of the monies he was instrumental in obtaining for the use & and benefit of the design? So that he might be cut off from any oc=sion occasion to repeat what he says M.r Mr. Whitefield told him when he left England; "that they had made him a tool to collect monies for them in England, but when he got to America they would set him adrift." His Character, as far as I can learn in these parts is now good, & and the Crimes of intemperance with which he has been charged, are very much extenuated by the temptations he was under. He appears calm & and rational, more so than I expected to have found him, respecting the Indian design. I am more & and more perswaded persuaded of the expediency & and advantage of his un=dertaking a Mi&slong;sion mission & and ardently hope that God in his providence will so order & and direct that he may join us in the mi&slong;sion mission before us. It would very much strengthen our hands & and encourage us.

In the freedom of Conversation with him he said, many fair promises had been made him but he found they would never fill his belly or cover his back, & and that as soon as he could see a prospect & and know for certain that he could be in a way to discharge his Debts & and support his family he would under his infirmity, go. In the Doctor's behalf, made an offer of ₤100 Sterl.g sterling Annually & and to giave an order on Cap.t Capt. Backus for ₤50 LM.y lawful money of it to be p.d paid now & and the remainder at the close of the Year, if he would undertake he seem'd seemed to think it would not be sufficient to bear his expences expenses & and maintain his numerous famely family . I told him should he undertake, I would engage the Doctor's influence with Esq.r Esq. Thornton & and had not the least doubt but his debts would by that Gentleman be generously discharged. He intimates a design of visiting the Doctor, which hope he will. I have wrote Rev.d Rev. Sir, with freedom & and which I have no apprehension of your blaming me for. M.r Mr. Frisbie has had several poor turns since we set out he joins in Duty & and Affection to the Doctor & and famely family , with Rev.d Rev. & and Honor'd Honored Patron

Your dutiful & and obliged humble Servant David Maccluer McClure

Rev.d Rev. D.r Dr. Wheelock — P.S. I wrote the D.r Dr. ⅌ per . M.rs Mrs. Payne about 6 Days past — As M.r Mr. Occom intends to write the D.r Dr. in the proposd proposed Mi&slong;sion mission we must refer to his Letter to know his mind more fully respecting it — — have inclos'd enclosed a number of the latest papers from different parts.

from Rev.d Rev. M.r Mr. Maccluer McClure June 30. 1772

To The Rev:d Rev. Eleazar Wheelock D.D. President of Dartmouth College New=Hampshire