AuthorWoolley, Joseph
Date6 July, 1765
ms number765406.2
abstractJoseph Woolley writes to Wheelock with news from his mission to
Onaquaga. He mentions the smallpox epidemic, the Shawnees' and Delawares' confirmation
of
the Covenant Chain, his cousin Jacob Woolley, and David Fowler’s abuse of his
Indian
students.
handwritingHandwriting is largely clear and legible.
paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good-to-fair
condition, with moderate staining, creasing and wear.
inkBrown.
noteworthyWoolley makes unusual use of quotations to indicate asides
placed in the left margin.
Modernized Version
Deletions removed; additions added in;
modern spelling and capitalization added; unfamiliar abbreviations expanded.
We have awaited for the Messrs.
Smith
and
Chamberlain, four Days, and I dont think it is best for
me to wait any longer. then next Monday, I
think
Providence calls me to go away from here soon.
The epidemical smallpox
distemper is here, and proves very mortal among the Indians — The Squash Cutter
died with it about ten Days ago; another died last evening and was buried this afternoon here.
This poor Man was left destitute by all his Friends
and Relations, had nobody to tend him, "I felt So con‐cerned for him I like to gone there myself."
I am sorry
and
grieved to see
in the Indians
so much brutality that they cared no not more for each other than the beasts do "(though I believe if a horse knew there was something of a Mat‐ ter with his Mate,
he would come and leap over him) but there appeared no such Affection among them;" however, some
of them made out to go and assist in bury‐ ing him. — — —
The
Shawnees
and
Delawares came here the Day
before yesterday in order to
confirm the Covenant
Chain, which
Captain
Kill-Buck
Chief of the
Delawares has been upon
ever since last Spring — to whom, I had the Honour
a Head Warrior of the Delawares who has done so much
mischief
and
exercised
so much Inhumanity to the English
This man with the
Squash Cutter were there as
hostages from that Tribe
of Interpreting those Letters and the Parchment in which the
Covenant was written; and to his greatest satisfaction.
This Man
Kill-Buck would fain have me go to
Allegany with him to his own Home, and to Spend my
Life amongst them There — But I have discourage‐
ments from those that have been there."
As we was passing
through
Sheffield, one a Man
called out to me, and asked me whether I was
not the same Man that lay sick there last Fall."
and inquired
asked into my Name — But I told him not
who I was and what I was, that I might have the better
Chance to know what he had to say about him — well,
he
began to tell what he did after he got well with
the pleurisy — That he taught young Men and
children
to Sing read and write and
cipher; That he had his Learn‐
‐ing from
Mr. Wheelock, and went to the
Jersey
College, and in his
last Year went back again to
Mr. Wheelocks. and after‐
ward ran away from him and went into the Service. i.e of the War
Moreover, he told me what that young Man
said — The
reason why he ran away, that he was afraid
Mr. Wheelock would make him Preach; Therefore now he determines ne‐
ver to see you.— But I could get no Intelligence which
Way he went, whether he is alive or no. he told it to
me in
such a light I could not help but thinking it was
cousin
Jacob Woolley."
I have not heard about of your the Dutch horse I am afraid he is lost, and if so
it is a great loss.
I have been out of Health ever since I arrived here, a Sharp Pain in my breast and so
through on the other Side, continues bad.
"I have heard of
Fowler
today that he is yet
alive and well, begins to beat his scholars
very much, makes their Hands to Swell very much
which the Indians dont like
very well; They
say, he ought to have suppressed it longer, and not be‐
gin so soon — " I have no more Special to say, you
know I was never a good News Monger. —
Pray please
Sir to accept my Humble Duty, to you
and
Mrs. Wheelock, and tell her I hope her unwearied Pains
for me
wont be quite
lost, but that I shall improve the
best of my Ability to my People — among my poor
Brethren
and
also
Duty to kind
Ma‐ ster Lathrop — I remain