Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to George Whitefield, 1764 September 26

Author Wheelock, Eleazar

Date24 September, 1764

Call Number764526.2

abstractWheelock addresses the various conflicts regarding Occom and his employers, would-be and otherwise.

handwritingThe majority of the document appears to be in a hand other than Wheelock's. It is relatively clear, with few additions and deletions. The postcript added to the bottom of two recto is clearly in Wheelock's hand.

paperLarge sheet folded in half to form four pages is in fair condition, with moderate staining and wear. There is a significant separation caused by wear on the lower crease.

inkInk on most of the document is medium brown; the postscript is in black ink.

noteworthyThe letter is likely in response to Whitefield's letter of September 5, 1764; this document is likely a draft or copy.

signatureThe full signature is possibly not that of Wheelock; the postscript is signed with initials, and those are Wheelock's.

EventsJewett Controversy, Building of Occom’s house, Occom returns to Mohegan, Fundraising Tour of Great Britain, Occom’s inoculation

Persistent Identifier
My dear and Hond Sir

Yours by M.r Occom came while I was on a Journey.
And I now take the earlieſt Opportunity to acknowledge the Favour,
and inform you that when I heard that Genl Johnson was returned,
I was ſorry that M.r Occom & David were ſet out on their Journey,
as the principal Ends of their Journey could not likely be accompliſhed,
vizt their ſeeing Parties from remote Tribes together, in Order to
recommend the Deſign, & prepare the Way for ſchool Maſters & Miſsiona­
ries among them, and alſo procure a Number of likely youth
from diſtant Parts for this ſchool, which the Commiſsioners appre-
hended he might have a more favorable Opportunity for by such
a Meeting with the General than we have Reaſon otherwiſe
to expect ſoon. Nor can I in Conſcience ſay it was an imprudent
ſcheme till I have ſome other Reaſon than I have heard or thought
of to convince me of it. It is true we were misinformed of the
Time of Genl Johnson’s Return from Niagara, but I don’t know
that we were to blame for that Misinformation.
The Commiſsioners in Boſton had a principal View to Nehantic
(tho’ Mohegan waſ mentioned) in Mr Occom’s Appointment, but as
he was not a Proprietor at Nehantic, he was obliged to build
& ſettle at Mohegan, which interferes with M.r Jewett’s appoint-
ment; and a Controverſy was commenced and began to riſe high
& threatned much Miſchief. M.r Oliver (tho’ he did not fully
know how bad the Caſe was) expreſsed his Concern about it to me
at Concord, which tho' not agreeable to write was a Conſideration
of Weight in my Mind in taking him out of the Hands of thoſe
Commiſsioners & employing him in the Miſsion he was deſigned for.
I mentioned to the Commiſsioners when they were together their
writing to you on the Affair of ſupporting Mr Occom’s Miſsion;
but a Lecture appointed by our Praeſes obliged uſ to diſpatch the
Buſineſs with ſuch Precipitancy that it was not conſidered as it
should have been. But there was nothing ſaid, nor do I ſuſpect there
was a Thought among them, of your having taken M.r Occom under
your Patronage, or that you looked upon him under more Obligations
to you as his Patron than any other Man for whom you have done
a Kindneſs, or that you had any more Reaſon to expect to be
conſulted in that Affair than in any other Affair of equal Importance, [below]in
in which you have ſhewn your Friendſhip & Concern. Nor did I
ever underſtand the Caſe till this very Day, or what you meant
by ill Treatment by our taking M.r Occom into our Hands with-
out conſulting you therein. Had I underſtood the Caſe as I now do
I ſhould by no Means have moved or conſented therein —
The Commiſsioners (as I underſtand them) were of Opinion that
his Circumſtances which were publickly known, viz, his being ſo much
in Debt, & nothing like to be done, (that they knew of) to free him,
His Expence in moving, & Loſs of Goods & Proviſions in his Paſsage, and
nothing done to repair his Loſs, or to aſsiſt him in ſupporting his
Family, or provide a Houſe for them, he not having received a Farthing
from the Commiſsioners at Boſton and they at ſuch a Diſtance from him, and ſo out
of the Way of Accquaintance with his Circumſtances &c, were ſufficient
to juſtify his Deſire to be under our Care, & us in receiving him.
Had the Commiſsioners viewed the Caſe in the Light which you did, or had
they only had the leaſt Intimations, which they could rely upon, that you
deſigned to help him under his Neceſsities, tho’ they might likely
have repreſented to you the Greatneſs of them, it would have
been the fartheſt from their thoughts to take him out of your Hands.
Mr Occom tells me, “He told me ſomething of it before.” But I
never underſtood it. It was my Compaſsion to him, not knowing
what else to do with him that moved me to act at all in the Affair.
I intirely agree with you, that we muſt be agreed in the
Plan, & that it is reaſonable & neceſsary, that you ſhould approve of
it, as we expect the Benefit of your Friendship & Influence.
And what we have propoſed is, to ſend among godly well
accomplished youth, in the Capacity of Miniſters & School Maſters
to the ſeveral Tribes as we can obtain & find means to ſupport. I have
now 10 Indians in this ſchool well accompliſhed for ſchool Maſters,
excepting that ſome of them want Age. I have alſo 4 English youth
who are very promiſing & would do well to go with the Miſsionaries
to learn the Indian Languages, and while they are doing that, may,
under the Conduct of the Miſsionaries, be uſeful as ſchool Maſters, and
after that return with ſuch likely Boys as they can find to finiſh
their Learning here.
Pleaſe ſir to write me on what I have written, & make
what Propoſals you pleaſe, and I will endeavour to have a
Meeting of the Commiſsioners, & lay what you ſhall write before
them as ſoon as may be. The Conſequence of which you ſhall hear
by the Poſt. I hope you will have Goodneſs enough to overlook
a thouſand Blunders, & Patience enough to correct ſuch as
you ſhall think material.
I am now ſick with a Dyſsentery, have wrote in
great Pain & Confuſion interrupted often by my Diſtemper
Things are in great Confuſion at Mohegan. I wiſh M.r
Occom
could be quite unconcerned in them, The Caſe is
too long to write. They have had ſeveral Meetings to give
in their Reaſons why they reject Mr Clelland as their ſchool
Maſter, and are this Day to meet to give their Reaſons
why they will not hear M.r Jewett preach &c
Pleaſe to direct yours to the Care of Mr Graves
of N London. I have put Money in his Hands to
pay the poſtage of my Letters — My dear Brother,
pray for a poor Creature, who is with much
Affection,

yours in the dear Jeſus
Eleazar Wheelock
Ps. The Com̅iſsrs in Boſton will allow M.r Occom y.e £30 w.c they voted
for y.e Curr[illegible]ent Year. but ſeem not Senſible yt his Neceſsities are in any
meaſure ſo great as they are.
I went to Norwich myſelf and with M.r Whitakers aſsiſtance
procured 40 Days Labour gratis towards his House. but expence for
materials and for what he has, and will have, occaſion to Hire
I underſtand will be conſiderable and much beyond what I expec­
­ted.
pleaſe to write whether it will, or not, be expedient that M.r Occom
ſh[stain: oul]d be Enoculated, in order to his going with you to England
and whether you would take either of the Boys of this ſchool with
you — If you ſhould think of taking one of the Mohocks, it may be beſt
he ſhould make a visit to his Friends this fall. —
Salutation: I am
 yours &c
EW

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