David Avery, letter, to David McClure, 1768 August 14
Author
Avery, David
Date14 August, 1768
ms number768464.3
abstractAvery writes a collegial letter, over a few days and in segments,
about the people and conditions at his mission. He notes that he will travel
to
Canajoharie to recruit an interpreter, and then writes from there as well.
handwritingInformal handwriting is largely clear and legible; it is
occasionally difficult to decipher punctuation.
paperMedium-sized single sheet is in fair condition, with moderate
staining, creasing and wear. Large portions of the wax seal remain.
inkDark-brown.
noteworthyThe authorship of this letter has been determined by 1) the
trailer on one verso, and 2) the fact that the handwriting does appear to
be
Avery's. The letter's date is taken from the trailer on one verso; it is
written
over the course of at least three days. The undated segments beginning "Monday
Morning" and "wrote to you either..." appear to have been written previous
to the
section dated August 17, and likely from Kanawalohale. It is uncertain to whom Avery refers when he mentions
"the Queen," however, she is possibly Molly Brant, William Johnson's consort."The Peregrina" or “pilgrim" is likely a
reference to Avery himself. It is uncertain whether “little Jonne Williams’s
Brother" refers to a little Jonne, William’s brother, or the brother of little
Jonne Williams, and so these names have been left untagged. The identity
of
“Johnson" is uncertain, and so he has been left untagged; however, he is
possibly
Joseph Johnson or Jacob Johnson. The identity of Mr. M– is
uncertain and so he has been left untagged.
signatureIt is uncertain whether the signature "G.H.S." is a nickname
between two former classmates, an abbreviation for a saying, or something
else
entirely.
layoutThe letter is written in segments, in several different
orientations on the page.
About this Transcription
Literalversion preserves the author's original text, including abbreviations and historical
notation
Transcription Options
- Modernizedversion expands abbreviations and historical notation within the author's original
text to produce a modern reading copy.
- Technicalversion shows transcription markup and includes a summary of metadata captured in
the document text.
Monday Morning} Waharoh Hanienſt
leg-go-ro-hoh-quon-ye-Suckeweſat‐
yo-yonnereh..T
^h^e Indians bear y.
o
avery tender regard— ho
[illegible][guess: !] yonnereh, qu
ógh!
y.
a are very kind to me— conſtantly bringing
one thing & another—
Father Isaac is a
Father indeed— little
Jonne W
[gap: tear][guess: [illi]am's Bro
ther often brings preſents— it w.
d have
made you laught to see y
e little shaver
y.
s come w.
h a
small
baſket of
Cucumbers indian like slung on his head—
another
little boy of y
e school about 4 years old
made a prest: laſt saturday of three very
small shuiners! The Queen is going to
see her Son at
N England=
[illegible][guess: Tuebhuns]—& hope
to hear from at her return—
adieu!
adieu!
Yours
ut supra
[illegible][guess: G.]
H. S.
Canajohare
Aug.t 17….
Came here today very much fatie
auged.—
the Diſaffection
&
Inſenſibity of y
e dutch
[illegible]are enough to provoke y
e righteous diſpleaſure
of a good man— Give more Love to
Friſbie for his Letter y.
n can be expreſt by my old blunderg.
Quil—
Suppoſed
Ripley non datur or should have wrote him
by
Mr Kinne..— wiſh you all a happy Commencement—
remember an abſent friend
^to^ C… Brethren…y
o will all write
me either by y
e
Miſsionary or y
e Queen..
fiat! fiat!….
Canajohare
Augt 18.
The Indians of
y.s
Caſtle are laden with Iniquity—
drunken &
drinkg. con‐
‐ſtantly— laſt Evening
two drinken Sober
Gentlemen of y
e
D–l
came to make me a
Viſit! however, they
could not git right of me.
pray for me— —
my hand trembles so
thro
weakneſs am not
able to mend theſe
Tera
‐bles — Thanks to
Meſs
rs
Allis,
Dudley
& Johnson for y.
r Letters—.
y
e doctor's cauſed me a
good hearty Laugh!
Dud‐ ley wrote on y
e
Lady of
Friendſhip!— —
hope to procure some
more curioſities for
M
r M. write about y.
[illegible][guess: m]—
if y.
o see y
e
D.
rs
y
o will see w.
t a hurleburley
y
e Peregrina is in.
wrote you either laſt night or y.
s
Morg. be‐
twixt one & four — not being able to sleep—
as Sleep is wont to depart from
my Eyes—
am going to
Canajohare to git
Joannes if poſsible for Interpreter—