Joseph Fish, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1771 January 30.
John
Shattock, letter, to Joseph Fish, 1770 December 30.
Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to
Alexander Moubray, 1771 October 15.
Date30 January, 1771
Call Number771130
abstractMulti-sectioned letter: Fish, writing to Wheelock, encloses a copy of a letter written by Shattock about his son John’s death, and asks Wheelock to pass on the news to people in Scotland and England. Wheelock writes to Alexander Moubray in Edinburgh.
handwritingThe first two sections of the letters, written by Fish, are formal and clear. The third section, authored by Wheelock, is not in Wheelock's hand; it is also formal and clear. The trailer is in Wheelock's hand. Several uncrossed t’s have been corrected by the transcriber.
paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in fair condition, with light-to-moderate creasing, staining and wear. Tearing leads to some loss of text.
inkBrown-black.
signatureThere are three different signatures; however, the only one presumably in the hand of the actual author is that of Fish.
tocks Letter to me, (on this Sheet, the Other Side,) I re
ceivd it; with a Postſcript, earnestly requesting me to
Send
Wheelock, with a view that, if it came in the Doctors
way, he might communicat
to Mr Mebury in Edingborouh & to Mr Cummin
in London. — Accordingly, to Oblige my Friend
[left]x [illegible][guess: Mr ſhattok]/ John x, I have transcribd his Letter, Verbatim, except
ing a very few words, to help y.e Senſe a little. —
ry Serious, honest, faithfull man, as I have reaſon to think.
I employd him 4 months a Schoolmaster to y.e Indian
Children at Stonington, in the Honle Commiſsiones Ser
vice: and he greatly recommended himſelf, as a mas
ter, to me & the Indians. But he began to lan
guiſh, with the Conſumption, (of which he died,) before
he left us. — As to his religious Sentiments, touch
ing the [illegible][guess: outwd] Form of worſhip, I suppoſe they were
Something of the Separate way: but his life was very
Short, after his publick, profeſsion — He might have
seen Cauſe to correct Somethings, had he livd: but as
above, I verily believe him to be Sincere & honest hearted.
"Souls," may need Explanation; in that, by it, Strangers
might think his Father a minister of ye Gospel, or, at leaſt,
a public Teacher: whereas he is only one that takes
Liberty, in the Indian way, to exhort frequently, & has
sometimes gone out to hold meetings &c: when it
might be much better, & more proper, for him & many
others, if they were more Swift to hear & Slow to Speak.
Which way shall theſe Lines reach
you? Where will they find you? How is it with you &
your Dear wife & Children, in your new world? Can I hope
ever to See you again, while travelling thro' this weary
land? I ardently long for an Interview.
if tis but Six Lines — Twill be as good news from a far
Country. — I have neither Time nor room now to Say
more, than that my only Child, Daugh.r Noyes & her 3 Sons
all she has living, are with us This Wenter — In a meaſure of Health—
my Son John departed this Life, about 4 o'Clock in y.e
morning.— A heavy Stroke from y.e Divine hand! how
ever, I have Conſolation mingled with my Sorrow,— I'm
not left to mourn as one that mourns without hope.
no reaſon but to think, that my Loſs is his gain. —
He was buried decently on y.e 22.d —
the time of Night, he Said, "I have but a few minutes
"to Stay with you. Death has loſt its Sting, & the Grave
"its Victory — Father, hold out to the end — Be faithfull
"to Souls — be faithfull unto Death." — His Speech by
this time faild, So that I underſtood no more he Said. —
his Instructors, and held himſelf under the Strongest Obli
gations of Gratitude, to the Divine hand, as the efficient
cauſe, and to the Revd Doctr Wheelock, as the prin
cipal Instrument of his acquaintance with Gods word
and was very deſirous to See him, in the time of his Ill
neſs, and I should have sent for the Doctor, had not the
Distance been too great.—
Nine of them out of the world. I have no reaſon to
think but they are all at reſt,— Six of them dying in
their Infancy.— My son Peter was 25 years old, — a Pro
feſsor, and, in a judgement of Charity, [gap: hole][guess: a real] Saint. To
bias was 26 years of age, when he departed this Life. He
was educated at Doctor Wheelocks School, and was a
man remarkable for piety.— John, whom we have
just parted with, was in his 24.th year. —
John Shattock
Fish of Stoningtown dated Jan.y 30. 1771. inform.g me of the Death
of John Shattock the Indian who was sick & was doubtleſs saving
ly converted to Christ at your house. But by what means M.r
Fish'es Letter was so long delay'd I cant tell. I han't time to
give you the full Acco.t he appear'd to be a real & a growing Saint
I have often heard him speak of your kindneſs with a Grati
tude remarkable for one of that Nation, before I removed
here into this wilderneſs which is about 200 miles from the Indian town
where he died. And as M.r Fish informs me his father expressed a
desire that I should send you the Acco.t of his Son's Death, I will
trans
Revd M.r Fish. — see the Letter on foregoing page —
//
he alter'd a few words only to mend the Grammer. The expreſsion
to his father, be faithful to Souls, may need explanation. viz.t his
father is not a minister as a stranger may naturally think from
that expreſsion, but a zealous Christain who is forward to labor
[gap: tear] the good of Souls in a more private way. I esteem the loſs to
[gap: tear] tribe to be very great, & it seems to spread a malancholy
gloom upon the general design that so man[gap: hole][guess: y] of the most
likely & promising which I have educated are [gap: tear][guess: re]moved. But
God's way is in the Sea. I order'd a narrative to be inclosed
to you some months ago but fearing it has failed I have
order'd the bearer of this to inclose another at Hartford in Con
necticut & direct them to the care of M.r Jon.o Mason of Boston.
to whose care you may also direct yours to me. I am here in
the wilderneſs continually crouded with busineſs. my proſpects
are very encouraging. God has been with us of a truth. And
has caused much of his Goodneſs to paſs before us. I have
a sweet nest of Christains I trust in this nursary, which is
& has been the soveran solace God has afforded to balance
the malancholy things you will read in my narrative.
I write now in utmost haste, have detain'd the Bearer
while I do it.
self & Lady from Dear ſir,
Your unknown but aſsured
Friend & humble Serv.t
Eleazar Wheelock
M.r Alexander Moubray
The Revd Eleazar Wheelock D.D. —
Pr
In
New Hampshire