Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to Nathaniel Whitaker, 1766 October 13

Author Wheelock, Eleazar

Date13 October, 1766

ms number766563

abstractWheelock writes to Whitaker about the New England Company sending Mr. Mosley as missionary to Onaquaga at the same time as the Windham Association sent Mr. Smith. Wheelock criticizes the NEC and faults them for not supporting Occom in his mission to the Montauks on Long Island.

handwritingHandwriting is small and somewhat cramped, which occasionally hinders legibility.

paperSingle sheet folded in half to make four pages is in fair condition. There is a large tear from top to bottom on two recto/verso, resulting in a significant loss of text.

inkDark black-brown ink bleeds front to back.

signatureThe signature is missing due to the tear.

EventsFundraising Tour of Great Britain, Occom’s Mission to the Montauketts

Persistent Identifier
My dear M.r Whitaker.
Yours via N. York and by Marſhal and one Since of July 23.d have much refreſhed me, & cauſed my Heart to rejoyce in God, who hath not left off his loving kindneſs to you and M.r Occom, nor his Favours toward the great Deſign on which you are Serving him.
I in close Letters from Meſsrs Saltar, and Smith, and also capt Shaws acco.t if there be need that their Atteſtations be Authen -ticated by Authority, only adviſe me of it, and it Shall be done.
As to what I myſelf know relative to their Sending M.r Moſely to Onohaquagee, when they fully knew that we had Supplyed y.t Paarty of Indians according to the deſire of good Peter who was their Meſsenger, and came on that very Errand. you, as well as I, and all our Country, know, what Abuſive & Injurious Repreſentations they made of the narrative of that remarkable meeting of the three Parties, from So great a Diſtance, and without the leaſt knowledge of each others Deſign; and they fully know by the Same Narrative that M.r Smith was appointed to Serve them, and had accepted of it. And you also know that when we were together at Boſton in the beginning of June M.r Oliver told us, they had no Miſsy about to go out, nor any that he knew of thatwho their Eyes were upon Whom they had their Eyes upon. I aſked M.r Eliot a few Days after in the Town House (but am not certain that you was preſent) Whether they had any Miſy to imploy this year? he told me they had none. I told him that we had agreed to imploy M.r Gunn as Interpreter provided they did not imploy him. He told me he did not know of any Service they Should have for him. you also know how importunate M.r Forbes was that I would relay M.r Smith to be imployed in their Service, and how repeated- -ly he urged it when we were at Boſton. and once in parti- -cular at M.r Smiths.
Sometime after I came Home, and after the Miſseonaries were gone on their Miſsion I heard that M.r Moſeley had beenin vited, and was gone to Boſton, to accept of that Miſsion after he had accepted it he came to my House, & Shewed me the votes of that Board. viz. £100 Sterlg for his Service a year, and, if I dont forget £30. Sterlg for M.r Hawley to accompany & introduce him. I aſked him if he did not know that M.r Smith was gone to the Same Place he ſaid he did, I aſkd how then did he expect to be introduced there. he replyd that M.r Hawley was imployd^appointed^ to introduce him. & they Suppoſd that M.r Hawleys long Acquaintance with, and Intereſt in the Indians there, was Such that there would be no Difficulty in removing M.r Smith. However the Com̅iſs.rs had ordred them not to make an open Breach in the Sight of the Indians. I Supposed by his Reply that he did not underſtand so much of the affair
Affair as I did, which I wondred at, Since there had been So much talk in y.e Country about their Appearing in Opposition to me &c. after M.r Smith's return he told me he beleived M.r Moſeley had been greatly imposd upon. that he expected two or three hundred Sterling inſtead of one, and M.r Smith tho't, if He (M.r Moſely) had diſcourſed with the Com̅iſsrs before he had manifeſted to M.r Forbes, his Willingneſs to accept, he never wod have accepted, of y.e Miſsion. I have entertaind no uncharitable tho'ts of M.r Hawley in y.s Affair; he acted in the dark as a Servant to his Imployers; and I have good reaſon to think that he has re- -flected with much Regrett, that he was Inſtrumental to remove so pious learned ^& well accompliſhed^ a man as M.r Smith from his Service among that poor pp., for whom he had conceived a great Affection, and likely he may regrett the needleſs Expence of So much of Chriſts money, not only in his needleſs Journey but in keeping M.r Bowman and M.r Rice So long in half pay. If the Indians had not been So long without any Teacher among them, excepting my Woolley in the Capacity of School Maſter (Which if I remember right, was towards three years after M.r Bowman left them, and they also had not known that the Indians were well ſupplied, before they moved at all to get a Miſsy, their Zeal in this matter might have gained the Charity of all, and Eſcaped the Cenſures which they have ſuffered by it —
This imperfect acco.t is according to the beſt of my Rememberance in too much haſt.
I am not able with any Certainty to come at what I rec.d of the Boſton Com̅iſsrs towards M.r Occoms Support while he was with me, as my Book of Accots at y.t Day was Small, and I thought nothing of any future use for it when the accts were all Settled — however I beleive the Com̅iſsrs paid all the Accots w.c I Sent them. 'till I was perfectly tired of applying to them, and was fully convinced that I could eaſier get a Support for him by begging of a few well diſposed perſons than by ſuch a Tedious dependance upon them, and So I found it by Exper­eince when I made the Trial.
M.r Occom was never lookd upon as their Schollar nor under their Controul — perhaps if he had So been they might have made him more their Care. Their Approbation was not ſought, nor did I ever under Stand, they ever deſired or expected it, when he went from me to take M.r Hortons place on the Island
After the Commiſsirs had done what they did for him, (which was the greater part of his Support for Several years) I applyd to our Aſsociation, who made a Collection among themſelves for my Aſsiſtance there in — but as our Aſsoc.n are Appointed to meet at M.r Williams's this week, I will mention the Affair to them, and tranſmitt to you what light they can give. It may be they have Some Records of Facts, as it was by their advice that I firſt made Application to the Com̅iſs.rs
And I think it w[gap: tear] the Ministry — [illegible][gap: tear] that the Com̅iſsrs m[gap: tear] the Island — The [gap: tear] Island I never tho[gap: tear] the Extraordinary Ex[gap: tear] there, as he was far[illegible][gap: tear] to Entertain all forig[gap: tear] and many White people [gap: tear] him and his School, & m[gap: tear] not ^yet^ been wont to Shew [gap: tear]
His Labours there were gr[gap: tear] want of a Support, and I [gap: tear] not in y.e Power of my Han[gap: tear][guess: d] Honour Which God put upon [gap: tear] useful among those poor Crea[gap: tear][guess: tures] -ſate all, and quiet his mind un[gap: tear] I have wrote yo as honeſt Acc[gap: tear] will make none but a good [gap: tear] to haſten as the Bearer is juſt[gap: tear] my dear Sir.
You.r B.r &C
P.S. I will write M.r Peck and deſ[gap: tear] long it was after m.r Bowman left [gap: tear] Sent M.r Smith — I have yet had no [gap: tear] Oliver Wrote but y.t W.c y.o gave me[gap: tear] I Shall Send to M.r Peck for it by this [gap: tear] Cap.t Langſon
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