Eleazar Wheelock, announcement, 1766 February 20
Date20 February, 1766
Call Number766170.1
abstractWheelock writes an announcement for publication stating that both the reports of Good Peter's providential arrival at Wheelock's home, and the narrative of Occom's life, are true.
handwritingInformal handwriting is mostly clear and legible; however, letter case, especially with regard to the letter “S,” is difficult to discern.
paperSingle sheet is in fair condition, with moderate staining, creasing and wear.
inkBrown-black.
noteworthyThis document is likely a draft.
signatureWheelock signs the document several times, once in Occom's name.
Agwirondongwas (by the Engliſh called Peter) &c of Onohoquagee,
and M.r Eliſha Gun, Interpreter at the very Inſtant when the
Board of Corriſpondants were coming together, at my House
March 12. 1765. was by Some previous Notice or appointment
and not So providential, and remarkable as was repreſented
in the public Prints. I lake this Opportunity to inform the
Publick that the Repreſentation made of that matter was the
Truth; and in every Circumſtance as remarkable, to the full,
as was repreſented; nor did I ever know or hear of anyone
who had the leaſt thought or Expectation of such a Meeting, or
that there ever had been any Endeavors used to procure it. or
that any one of either Party had any Expectation of meeting the other at
that Time.
upon by the Repreſentation made that M.r Sampſon Occom an
Indian Miniſter, was bread a Heathen, ‘till he had arived near
or quite to the State of Manhood. I do now certify the publick
of the Truth of that Matter by giving you his own account of
it which he Sent to me from Boſton, on hearing the falſe
of that matter juſt before his Embarkation for Europe, viz.
“I was born a Heathen in Mouayauhecunnak, alias Mohegan
in New London — my Parents were altogether Heathens —
and I was educated by them in their heatheniſh Notions —
and though there was a Sermon preachd to our Mohegan
Tribe Some Times, yet many of the Indians regarded not the
Chriſtian Religion at all, but perſiſted in their heatheniſh
ways — and my Parents in particular, who were very Strong in the
Cuſtoms of their forefathers — They led a wandering Life up and
down
— and thus I lived with them ‘till I was ſixteen years old —
parts, in which the Indians ſhared —
and think about the chriſtian Religion, and was under
great Trouble in mind for Some Time — I thought that
the Religion which I heard at this Time was a new
thing among mankind; and that they never had
heard of ſuch a way of Salvation before so ignorant
was I — and when I was seventeen years old, I got
a Hope in Chriſt — and as my mind was affected with the
things of Religion, I began to learn to read, though I
went to no School ‘till I was in my 19th year, when I
went to the Rev.d M.r Wheelock’s and spent four years
there, and was moſt of the Time in a very low State of
Health. This is a True account of that part of my Life
and Education.
Sampſon Occom
has
is well known to be true.
Teſt Eleazar Wheelock —