Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to Samuel Huntington, 13 May 1765

Author Wheelock, Eleazar

Date13 May, 1765

Call Number765313.3

abstractWheelock relates the meeting of the board at which Occom and Jewett resolved their differences.

handwritingInformal handwriting is crowded and occasionally difficult to decipher.

paperLarge sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good condition, with light-to-moderate staining, creasing and wear. A tear at the bottom of the paper indicates that it was separated from a larger sheet.

inkBlack-brown.

noteworthyThis document appears to be a draft.

EventsMason Land Case, Jewett Controversy

Modernized Version Deletions removed; additions added in; modern spelling and capitalization added; unfamiliar abbreviations expanded.

Persistent Identifier
Dear Sir,

The enclosed is a Copy of short mi‐
nutes of the doings of our Board of Correspondents in the
case of Mr. Occom. In which the Board
was unanimously agreed.
When Mr. Jewett laid in the Charge he de‐
‐clined pursuing it, lest it should appear
like a personal controversy , he also said
that there were Evidences in the Case who
were not here. Mr. Occom
removed Mr. Jewetts objection against pursuing the charges against him both
insisted that it should be delayed 'til all
the Evidences could be had and showed a
great desire that Everything anyBody had
to allege against him should be brought
to the Light — so as to leave nothing more
to be said afterwards — it was then proposed
that Mr. Occom should own all that
Mr. Jewett Supposed any could say against
him. or if there Should be any material
contradiction which Should require proof we
might then Adjourn. Whereupon we proceeded to a hearing
and were more than a Day upon it. they
agreed in their Accounts of th[illegible]ng without
any material contradiction Which they did not settle
and adjust between them. the consequence of
which you see in the enclosed. After Mr. Jewett had
had agreed to [illegible] to Repair the Injury
done Mr. Occom's Character at Boston they
Shook hands, renewed their friendship, Mr. Occom
told him that as fast as he could consistently
he Should have proof of the Sincerity of his friend‐
ship towards him, but told him that the Indians
were at present against him (Mr. Jewett) that
if he himself should appear open and full
in it at once it would prejudice the Indians so against
him as to disable him to serve them in their most
important concerns and defeat the great design
of his bringing them back to Mr. Jewetts ministry , which
he was sincerely desirous to the proposal was agreeable and thought to be judicious
It was then moved that the writing between
them relative to the Case should be all burnt
and so the Hatchet forever buried — Mr. Jewett
was first in gathering the Papers and called Mr. Occom
to it. They both took hold of them and jointly
cast them into the fire — which they were
Cautioned not to burn the House down.
And as I understand it, it was only on Account of the Settlement which
we all hoped would be lasting that no Record
to perpetuate the memory of the controversy has been hitherto made.
and I apprehend that after Mr. Occom had made his
Defence and submission he stand in as good a light
before this Board, as ever
what Mr. Occom has done or how defective Mr. Jewett
was in giving the account of him I cant tell, but
that the case as it was laid before us was impartially heard and determined I have no doubt.
and am persuaded it will be so thought of by all
impartial Judges. before we could propose no
manner of advantage to ourselves or the cause by favouring him in
in Iniquity When as [illegible: [guess: we all]] knew all the
affairs which we judged had been transacted upon the [illegible] [illegible: [guess: base]].
I have done every thing in my power as I had opportunity to keep Mr. Occom
back from meddling in Masons Case, and we were all
heartily Sorry that he wrote and Signed the Indians story with
the Tribe which I suppose is the whole he has done in the case but it cant now be helped
and if he had not been a minister I suppose none would have disputed his right to do it so long



as he Supposed he had right and justice on his Side is —
and how far high resentments in the case, or any
thing that looks like Endeavors to bear him down by
Majoration will serve our cause at Home, or what
will be their sentiments of anything of that Nature, if any should
be Ill Natured enough to make Such a representation
of us there, belongs to Gentlemen of Penetration
to judge —
If you think best let his Honour the Governor see this
Freedom of
Yours most Heartily
Eleazar Wheelock
PS. please to show this letter
and the enclosed to Mr. Davenport
Letter to Samuel Huntington Esq.
May 13. 1765
Member of Assembly at
Hartford
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