Jacob Johnson and David Avery, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1768 October 17

Author Johnson, Jacob W.

AuthorAvery, David

Date17 October, 1768

ms number768567.1

abstractJohnson and Avery write from the congress at Fort Stanwix, and enclose a copy of their petition to Sir William Johnson. Jacob Johnson adds a postscript reporting on Avery’s activities, and inquiring about American rebels in Boston.

handwritingThe document is written in both Johnson's and Avery's hands: the petition is in Avery's hand, and the postscript is in Johnson's. Although informal, both hands are mostly clear and legible.

paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good condition, with light staining, creasing and wear.

inkBrown ink varies in tone; it is possible that the document is written in two different inks.

noteworthyThis document appears to be an addition to manuscript 768567.

Persistent Identifier
To the Honourable Sir W.m Johnson Superintendt of the Six Nations &c
Your Excellency having received a Letter lately from the Rev.d D.r E. Wheelock — as alſo, seen his In‐ſtructions for propegateing the Goſpel among the Indians &c— Purſusant whereunto — Theſe are humbly to deſire & importune your Exy. That, in as much as your Exy. hath been pleaſed more publicly & private‐ly to manifeſt an approbation & good liking to the Dr's Plan, & laudable Deſign of propegateing the glorious Goſpel among the Indians under your Exy.s Superintendency: So y.r Ex.y would pleaſe still to countenance & encourage the tryuly noble deſign. And in order to proſecute ye same to Effect That y.r Exy. (as a Tender Father to theſe periſhg. Indians) would be pleaſed, of y.r moſt generous & benevolent Diſpoſition, so to befriend their Cauſe, as to prevent y.r Selling y.mſelves off from y.r Lands, thereby to fruſ‐‐trate ye aforeſd. deſign of propegateing ye Goſpel among ym, w.h undoubtedly will be ye sad Conſequence of y.r so doing — That this Effect may not happen Your Exy. is humbly deſired to Reſtrict ye Bounds of the reſpective Provinces, that they may not be extended ſo far North & Weſt, as to cut off the Lands & Inheritances of ye Natives: But that y.a
poſseſs & enjoy y.m for y.r own private Temporal uſe; & for y.r yt more sacred benefit of propegateing ye Knowledge of ye great Saviour of ye world amg. y.m; yt so, by ye Grace of God, y.a may have a fur‐ther opportunity of a more general offer of the Goſpel to y.m. And for this End, that y.r Exy. wo.d be pleaſed to recommend, out of y.r clemency & goodneſs, the above Deſign of propegateing the Go.s among y.m, To the Heads & Chiefs of ye Nations that may be preſent at theis Congreſs — And finally, yt we may have an opportunity, by order of y.r Exy. to lay ye same before ye heads & chiefs yt may be here — and in so dog. your Exy. will not onely gain further juſt Eſteem & deſerved Thanks of all that wiſh well to this moſt chriſtian deſign; but the bleſsing of many ready to periſh will come upon your Excellency in this preſent world — and in ye world to come, thro' ye Grace of G. Life everlaſting — w.h is y.e unfeign‐‐ed Deſire & conſtant Prayer of y.r Exy.'s moſt obliged, humble Servants
NB Mr D. Avery is gone up to Kannawarohere in order to [illegible] take his farewel of the Indians & get every thing ready to come off immediately at the cloſe of the Congreſs The ſabbath before laſt Mr Peters preachd to the Ind.ns & others in the forenoon abroad but twas so cold & uncomfortable in the after noon that tho I was deſird by Mr Peters ſir Wm & others I declined but the Ind.ns gathering together at Mr B^r^adax they Sent for me and I went there the Houſe was full and after Some Time Sir Wm Goven Franklind & the Chief men of the Fort came But my Interpreter (that did very well till they came, whether daſh'd or what at there comeing was not able by all the condecendency I was maſter of to humer theIndn Tounge) could not go on the which ^[left]ſr^ willm W.m Johnſon & others Seeing with‐
drew which occaſiend me a good deal of ſorrow & mortification when they were gone He recoverd Himſelfe again & did pretty well — Yeſterday at the Deſire of ſr W.m & others Mr Peters & I took our Turns He in the ch-h way & I in the deſcenters to ye Great ſatiſfaction as far as I coud learn of all preſent— But ſr wehear ſhocking accounts from Boſton which I am not able to contradict onely to ſay I do not belive them — It is ſd [illegible] [guess: ſome ſay] 6 Re‐giments are Landed — & ^the Town^ under G^u^ard. That Mr Otis, Roe, & Hankock are ſent Home as Rebels & that 'tis not doubted but they muſt ſuffer Death & that the 92 will likely Have the ſame fate —Do let me know as ſoon as you can about theſe things & How far you have gone reſpecting a place for a College &c.— Abraham the bearer has a great mind ^[left]to^ go into your ſchool I took this opportunty to ſend theſe & Recomend Him to you ſir if you think proper —
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