Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to Nathaniel Whitaker, 1767 November 28
Date28 November, 1767
Call Number767628.1
abstractWheelock writes of the serious trouble caused by Whitaker’s dealings with Nathaniel Eells. He also posits that Ralph Wheelock’s ability to manage Indians would make him his father's best successor.
handwritingInformal handwriting is small, crowded and occasionally difficult to decipher.
paperSingle small sheet is in poor condition, with heavy creasing, staining and wear, which results in some loss of text. The paper has been heavily reinforced.
inkBrown ink is faded.
noteworthyThe contents of this document are nearly identical to those of manuscript 767628.4, which is a copy of this original. The remnants of the seal cover some text; guesses as to the illegible text are based on the contents of the copy. The sons of Whitaker and Occom mentioned by Wheelock in the closing on one verso are James Whitaker and Aaron Occom.
EventsFundraising Tour of Great Britain
My dear Brother
wait 'till God has done with you where you are.
The imprudent Letters which
occaſioned me much Trouble. and seemed for a while as tho'
they would unhinge the whole Affair — I charitably. beleive
he ment no more than to purſue the Plan laid by our Board
of Com̅iſsioners before you Saild, and to take that Advantage
of Trade which Somebody muſt have upon that Plan, and
why not he as well as another? Yet the Letters as they appeard
were shocking indeed. I knew nothing of them 'till I had the Copie
of them by M.r Keen, with
M.r Breed was proteſted, on that acco.t — I had no other Refuge
but God alone. it occaſioned me a long, tedious, & fruitleſs,
Journey to Portsmouth, before I had recovered from a fit of
sickneſs so as to be able to ride 20 miles in a Day. but God has
helped me through all, and the Cauſe has not Suffered greatly
by it, on this ſide the Water —
But I ſuſpect there is yet Some Jealouſies remaining in
the Mind, [gap: hole][guess: o]f the Gentlemen of the Truſt which it concerns you
fully to remove. M.r E–s wrote M.r Whitefield that which I hoped would be Satis-
-factory [gap: hole][guess: b]ut have never heard wheth.r
M.r K[gap: hole][guess: ee]n writes me that it is generally underſtood & that you
have declared that the Truſt have right to pay or protest Bills as they
Shall think Adviſable; but I preſume you hant well digested
that matter; beſure you ha'n't had the Experience which I have
very timeouſly had of the Danger, and Riſque upon that Plan, nor
do I know who you will find willing to be an Agent on this ſide
the water, upon that Plan, so long as his own Intereſt is pawnd
to defray all charges.
The Gentlemen of the Truſt Shewed a laudible, & truly chriſtian
Integrity towards the Redeemers cauſe; as the matter appeared to
them. I never blamed them so much as in a Thought tho' I was
myſelf so [gap: hole][guess: gr]eat and the only Sufferer. But I can aſsure you I did
not
not always feal as I should, while I was daily expecting the proteſted
Bill, and tho't on all the Conſequences which would likely
the support of the Miſsionaries, who aſk for no other Reward for their services, muſt
be sure. I think that leſs than that can't be right, nor pleaſing to God; unleſs
they were able and willing to Support themſelves. And I dont see how
the Affair can be accomodated without an Incorporation, or at leaſt a
Truſt here. — I have been turning my Tho'ts and weighing every man
man within my Acquaintance, and deſign Soon to fix upon a number
and make a New Will and submit it to the cenſures of my Hond Patrons
the Gentlemen of the Truſt.
My son Ralph after ſuch a long and dark Cloud as he has been under
with reſpect to his health, has now a proſpect of enjoying that Bleſsing
to a good Degree. He is in high Spirits for Indian Affairs, he under‐
‐ſtands that Buſineſs, and has a Tallent at governing Indians beyond
any man I can imploy. I don't know what God intends for him, but
at preſent he is a Comfort & Help to me. it may be he will be the
man to conduct this Affair when I have done. Indeed I know of no
man at preſent who can do it better. but I wait upon God to dire[gap: tear][guess: ct]
[illegible][guess: and I] Love to wait, & hope and truſt in him alone.
[illegible][guess: Your and] M.r Occoms Sons with me are well Your Family were so n[gap: tear][guess: ot long ago.]
give my Love to M.r Occom I want to See him, dos he k[gap: tear][guess: eep]
[illegible][guess: clear of] that Indian Diſtemper, Pride. if you ſee anything of it, ad[gap: tear][guess: vise]
him that he had better have a Rattle Snake in his Boſom. I do[gap: tear][guess: n't]
write this becauſe I suppose he is worſe than myſelf but becau[gap: tear][guess: se]
I have known So much of the Miſchiefs of that Evil & know his Temp-
-tations to be very great. oh! watch and pray.
My dear Brother, I love you right well. and [gap: tear][guess: a]m
Eleazar W[gap: tear][guess: he]elock
herewith tranſmitted to the Truſt & to
M.r Whitefield. to which I referr you
for Intelligence. My Phyſician Say I muſt Soon quitt all unleſs I will
abate of my continual Labour but what Shall I do? I im[gap: tear][guess: p]loy one
pen beſides my own continually and Sometimes two, and have Done ſo
for many months.
[gap: tear][guess: 17]67 concerning the
[gap: tear][guess: co]nduct of the ye Truſt in
[gap: tear][guess: ac]quiring a deed of truſt