Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to Isaac Dakayenensere and Adam Waonwanoron, 1765 August 19

Author Wheelock, Eleazar

Date19 August, 1765

ms number765469

abstractWheelock notes that he is pleased to hear the Indians want to build a mill and practice husbandry. He also recommends Jospeh Woolley as a schoolmaster.

handwritingHandwriting is informal, small and tightly spaced, with several deletions and additions.

paperLarge sheet folded in half like a book is in good condition, with light wear and staining.

inkDark black-brown, the ink bleeds through to opposite sides.

noteworthyGiven the amount of deletions and additons, this is likely a draft. There is a partly illegible note added after the trailer in a different, likely 19th-century, hand; this note has not been transcribed. The identities of "David" and "Peter" are uncertain and so they have been left untagged; however, it is likely that they are David Fowler and Gwedelhes Agwirondongwas (Good Peter).

Persistent Identifier
My Bretheren,
Yours of July 31. I received yesterday & I am very glad to underſtand that the Indians hope intend to cultivate their Lands, and that they deſire ^to have mills & to be^ helpd in ſetting up Huſbandry. but am Sorry to hear of your Diſa­­pointment, and of the Miſunderſtanding that occaſi­­oned it. — which was by means of an unſkilful Interpreter — I underſtood by Joseph Woolley that the Reaſon why he had no more Boys to teach laſt winter was becauſe the chief man did not favour it [illegible][guess: who][illegible: and] tho't it not beſt to teach them Eng­­liſh ^and^ I had underſtood before that ^the Indians^ they did not ſeem to be much diſposed ^to^ practiſe Huſbandry. — and when I talked with Peter & David I Repreſented to Peter and David the ^great importance^ Neceſsity of ^it^ to the Indians ^if they wod^ I told them ^I would do all I could to help them & that^ I did not Doubt but the Engliſh would aſsiſt them in Building Mills, getting Tools, and [illegible] teach the Indians to use them and also set up a Blackſmith Among them &c. I See they liked it well but I did not know that the Reſt of the Indians would. And I expected [illegible] ^they^ would Send me word before I did any thing about it ^for that I have waited forever since^ — I sent for the Men that morn^as ſoon as I recd y.r Litter^ -ing, which[illegible: [guess: whom]] I had tho'ts of Implying ^they came this morning to ſee me^ but the Maſter workman who ^is a very good man is^ [illegible][illegible][guess: well] got into a poor state of health, and not likely to be well enough very ſoon and also his Son is not well & is juſt going to ſea for his
health. If [illegible]I had known what I ^now hear from you^ 4 months ago they would likely have been ^with you^ about y.e ^[illegible]^ before now. however ^the chief workman^ deſires M.r Smith & M.r Gun would look ^out^ for a Suitable place ^for the mills^ and See if they can find ^suitable^ [illegible][guess: the] Stones for a Griſt mill and also Send me word. Whether they can ^find^ a good Place to be found and how far, ^they muſt^ go for the ſtones &c and also where the Irons may be had whether nearer to you than Albany And they both will be ready to come ^to you^ as Soon as ſoon as the ſeaſon and their Family State will allow of it. provided that M.r Smith and M.r Gun ſhall write me that which is incouraging, ^reſpecting the Place^ that the Indians Deſire still deſire it. — #If you like ^him^ Joseph Woolly for your School Maſter and will build him a House and fence him a Lott of Lands ſo that he may keep a cow or two which may give milk in the Spring, that will help these men to live while they are about your work. — #Joseph Woolley is ^accounted^ a very Honeſt Young man, and is well accompliſshed to teach Young Children I hope the Indians will be very kind to him — I am Glad to hear of your kind Reception of M.r Smith I hope y.e Indians will ^Love him much^ [illegible] [guess: receive] & treat him as Gods Meſsenger to you.
I give My Love to you and all among the Indians Who Love our Lord Jesus Chriſt
And am  Your Brother Eleazar Wheelock
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