Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to Messrs. Peck, Mason, and Austin, 1766 November 5

Author Wheelock, Eleazar[pers0036.ocp]

5 November 1766[1766-11-05]

Call Number766605.2

[note (type: abstract): Wheelock writes, for possible publication, to correct assertions made by the New England Company about its relationship to, and support of, Occom. ][note (type: handwriting): Handwriting is small and informal, yet mostly clear and legible. It is not Wheelock's.][note (type: paper): Large single sheet is in good condition, with light staining, creasing and wear.][note (type: ink): Dark-brown.][note (type: noteworthy): The contents of this document are nearly identical to those of manuscript 766605.2.][note (type: signature): The signature is not in Wheelock's hand.]

EventsOccom’s First Mission to the Oneidas, Occom leaves his studies, Occom’s Mission to the Montauketts, Occom’s Ordination, Fundraising Tour of Great Britain

Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
Dear [Meſsrs | Messrs.]MeſsrsMessrs. Peck[pers0032.ocp]
[Maſon | Mason]MaſonMason[pers0357.ocp] and [Auſtin | Austin]AuſtinAustin[pers0062.ocp]
 Sirs
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Peck[pers0032.ocp] has favoured me with a Copy of [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Whita‐
ker[pers0037.ocp]
's Letter to you, [& | and]&and by that I have an [acco.t | account]acco.taccount of [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Oliver[pers0031.ocp]'s Letter to
[Gov.r | Governor]Gov.rGovernor Mauduit[pers0365.ocp], [& | and]&and it seems a little strange that the [Honble | Honourable]HonbleHonourable Board[org0095.ocp]
in whose Name he wrote so long accounted [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. [Occum | Occom]OccumOccom [pers0030.ocp] to be in
their Pay, and yet after all make so many [Miſtakes | mistakes]Miſtakesmistakes in their [Hiſto
ry | histo
ry]
Hiſto
ry
histo
ry
of him, and that too when it is the Result of a Meeting, [& | and]&and [deſignd | designed]deſignddesigned
as their Testimony of Facts, sent to the [Honble | Honourable]HonbleHonourable Society in London[org0095.ocp]
to Certify them so [circumſtantially | circumstantially]circumſtantiallycircumstantially, as that they might not be
[impoſs'd | imposed]impoſs'dimposed upon by deceivers.
Some defects in their Narrative you may see by comparing
the following particulars with what they [aſsert | assert]aſsertassert.
  • 1.[ M.r | Mr.] M.rMr. [Occum | Occom]OccumOccom[pers0030.ocp] (as well as many others of that Tribe[org0063.ocp]) was [un=
    doubtedly | un
    doubtedly]
    un=
    doubtedly
    un
    doubtedly
    a Pagan [till | 'til]till'til he was above Sixteen years old. And [above] hadhad never
    so much as heard that there was such a [Perſon | person]Perſonperson as Jesus Christ.
  • 2.None ever said [any thing | anything]any thinganything to me about taking [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. [Occum | Occom]OccumOccom[pers0030.ocp] under
    my [Inſtruction | instruction]Inſtructioninstruction, or was [above] everever any way moving in that Matter, that I
    ever knew of, but his [illegible][guess (h-dawnd): Bro]BroMother[pers0395.ocp], before he came to live with me upon Trial.
  • 3.[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. [Pomroy | Pomeroy]PomroyPomeroy[pers0432.ocp] never had any concern, but only as a Friend, when
    my Family were unable to bear the Burden of the School[org0098.ocp], by
    Reason of [Sickneſs | sickness]Sickneſssickness, he did at my desire, take the School[org0098.ocp], with my
    [Son in Law | son-in-law]Son in Law son-in-law ([M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Maltby)[pers0352.ocp] the [Maſter | Master]MaſterMaster of it to his House, where
    it continued, as I remember the better part of a year. But he depen‐
    ded upon me to Support [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. [Occum | Occom]OccumOccom[pers0030.ocp], [& | and]&and it was at my [Riſque | risk]Riſquerisk as
    much as ever.
  • 4.[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. [Occum | Occom]OccumOccom[pers0030.ocp] had been long confined by sore [Sickneſs | sickness]Sickneſssickness, before he
    came to me, [& | and]&and was then, [& | and]&and all the Time he was with me in a Low
    state of Health, [tho' | though]tho'though in the main mending, [till | 'til]till'til he went from me
    to serve them as [School maſter | schoolmaster]School maſterschoolmaster [& | and]&and[illegible] Teacher public Teacher, at Mon
    tauk[place0144.ocp]
    , on Long-Island[place0129.ocp]. And he was in as good state of Health as
    when he went away as I ever have knewn him to be. And it was
    by the Importunity of [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Horton[pers0262.ocp] [Miſsy | missionary]Miſsymissionary of the [Honble | Honourable]HonbleHonourable Society in
    Scotland[org0096.ocp]
    that I was [perſwaded | persuaded]perſwadedpersuaded to let [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. [Occum | Occom]OccumOccom[pers0030.ocp] go to take his place
    there.
  • 5.[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. [Occum | Occom]OccumOccom[pers0030.ocp] after he had officiated some time as [above] aa preacher there,
    was [ordain'd | ordained]ordain'dordained by the Presbytery of Suffolk County[org0085.ocp] on Said Island[place0129.ocp], [& | and]&and
    still continues to be a Member of the Same:
  • 6.[above] TheThe [Miniſters | ministers]Miniſtersministers in this [Gov.t | Government]Gov.tGovernment [org0027.ocp] had no hand in Sending [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. [Occum | Occom]OccumOccom[pers0030.ocp] on
    his [firſt | first]firſtfirst [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmission to the Six Nations[org0090.ocp]. See the [acc.t | account]acc.taccount of that in [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr.
    [Boſtwick | Bostwick]BoſtwickBostwick[pers0089.ocp]'s Letter to the [Praſes | praeses]Praſespraeses of directors [&c | and]&cand printed at the End of
    [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Randall[pers0439.ocp]s Sermon before the Society in Scotland[org0096.ocp] [Jany | January]JanyJanuary 3 176[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): 3]3[1766-01-03]
  • 7.[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. [Occum | Occom]OccumOccom[pers0030.ocp] was as much in the Pay of the [Boſton | Boston]BoſtonBoston [Commiſsrs | Commissioners]CommiſsrsCommissioners[org0095.ocp] before
    the [N. | New]N.New York [Commiſsrs | Commissioners]CommiſsrsCommissioners[org0069.ocp] sent him on this [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmission as he was afterwards
    so far as [above] II ever illegible knew. And his [Cirumſtances | circumstances]Cirumſtancescircumstances were as needy [till | 'til]till'til that
    he was relieved by that public Contribution at [N. | New]N.New York[place0308.ocp] as ever I knew
    them to be. Nor did I ever [underſtand | understand]underſtandunderstand that the [N. | New]N.New York [Commiſsrs | Commissioners]CommiſsrsCommissioners[org0069.ocp]
    ever [ask'd | asked]ask'dasked [conſent | consent]conſentconsent of the Boston Board[org0095.ocp] to Send him
  • 8. The [Boſton | Boston]BoſtonBoston [Commiſsrs | Commissioners]CommiſsrsCommissioners[org0095.ocp] paid only part of his Debts, when application
    was made to them after his Return from that [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmission, [& | and]&and I believe only
    a [leſser | lesser]leſserlesser part of them.
  • 9.He could not have continued in their [Sevice | service]Seviceservice nor [above] inin any other, if he
    had [rec.d | received]rec.dreceived no other Support but that which he had from them.
  • 10.As to the Report [above] thatthat he was a Mohawk[org0062.ocp] [&c | etc.]&cetc., [& | and]&and that large Contri
    butions were made to me on that [Acc.t | Account]Acc.tAccount I have never yet heard that
    there has been such a Report in this Country but [above] onlyonly what came
    from the [afores.d | aforesaid]afores.daforesaid [Co[above] mmmiſsrs | Commissioners]Co[above] mmmiſsrsCommissioners [org0069.ocp] — And how a Report that he was a
    Mohawk[org0062.ocp] [&c | etc.]&cetc. came to be [publiſh'd | published]publiſh'dpublished in England[place0068.ocp], [& | and]&and transmitted here
    in the Public Prints, I can only [gueſs | guess]gueſsguess.
As to their [reſigning | resigning]reſigningresigning him to me [& | and]&and putting him out of their hands
when they had him in their Service as well as pay, only on my telling
them I could employ him better, abundantly evidences their high [eſteem | esteem]eſteemesteem
of my good [Judg.t | Judgement]Judg.tJudgement [& | and]&and Fidelity, at least before I [above] soso unhappily [crack'd | cracked]crack'dcracked my
Credit, by declaring [publickly | publicly]publicklypublicly in the [above] [moſt | most]moſtmost[moſt | most]moſtmost populous Towns in that [& | and]&and the
Neighbouring [Govt | Government]GovtGovernment that he was a Mohawk[org0062.ocp] lately Emergent out
of [groſs | gross]groſsgross [paganiſism | paganism]paganiſismpaganism [&c | etc.]&cetc., in order to get large Contributions for this
School[org0098.ocp]
.
These hints so far as I know are true, [& | and]&and I [tho't | thought]tho'tthought proper you should
have them [& | and]&and make such Improvement [above] of themof them as your prudence shall
direct. And if you think it [neceſsary | necessary]neceſsarynecessary you may [publiſh | publish]publiſhpublish them or
any part of them. [Tho' | Although]Tho'Although I [confeſs | confess]confeſsconfess the [Entring | entering]Entringentering into [above] aa public Quarrel
with [thoſe | those]thoſethose Gentlemen, is so unnatural [& | and]&and incongruous to the design
of building up, [& | and]&and enlarging the peaceable Kingdom of Christ which
we all [profeſs | profess]profeſsprofess to have in view, that I exceedingly dread it, if the
Glory of God [& | and]&and the [Intereſts | interests]Intereſtsinterests of the Redeemers [Cauſe | cause]Cauſecause dont evidently
require it.
I herewith [encloſe | enclose]encloſeenclose a Letter to [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Oliver[pers0031.ocp], a true Copy of which
I [alſo | also]alſoalso [encloſe | enclose]encloſeenclose that you might know the Contents in which you will
see I desire a Copy of his [afores.d | aforesaid]afores.daforesaid Letter to [Gov.r | Governor]Gov.rGovernor [Manduit | Mauduit]ManduitMauduit[pers0365.ocp], [& | and]&and [alſo | also]alſoalso that
you are [deſired | desired]deſireddesired to wait on him for that [purpoſe | purpose]purpoſepurpose please Sir to
favour me herein, [& | and]&and make return [& | and]&and advise me of your [Succeſs | success]Succeſssuccess as
soon as may be.
I have [alſo | also]alſoalso [deſired | desired]deſireddesired [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Oliver[pers0031.ocp] to [remitt | remit]remittremit £10 of the annual allow
ance made of that Board[org0095.ocp] for the use of this School[org0098.ocp], which I have
[Reaſon | reason]Reaſonreason to expect he will not refuse, Since he has made two Remit‐
tances without the Least objection since he wrote the [afores.d | aforesaid]afores.daforesaid Letter
to the [Honble | Honourable]HonbleHonourable Society in London[org0095.ocp]. If he should refuse that, or a
Copy of his Letter, or both, you will enquire [& | and]&and know his [Reaſsons | reasons]Reaſsonsreasons
for it. And I hope agreeable to your wonted [Goodneſs | goodness]Goodneſsgoodness, [excuſe | excuse]excuſeexcuse the
Trouble herein given you, by, My dear Sirs
[Closer]
Your much [obligd | obliged]obligdobliged [& | and]&and very humble [Serv.t | Servant]Serv.tServant
Eleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
[Trailer]
Letter to [Meſsrs | Messrs.]MeſsrsMessrs. Peck[pers0032.ocp]
[Maſon | Mason]MaſonMason[pers0357.ocp] [& | and]&and [Auſtin | Austin]AuſtinAustin[pers0062.ocp]
[Nov.r | November]Nov.rNovember 5. 1766[1766-11-05].
Document Summary

People identified in this document:

id Text in document Role in header Authorized Name
pers0032.ocp Peck recipient Peck, Moses
pers0357.ocp Maſon Mason recipient Mason
pers0062.ocp Auſtin Austin recipient Austin
pers0032.ocp M. r Mr. Peck recipient Peck, Moses
pers0037.ocp M. r Mr. Whita‐ ker mentioned Whitaker, Nathaniel
pers0031.ocp M. r Mr. Oliver mentioned Oliver, Andrew
pers0365.ocp Gov. r Governor Mauduit mentioned Mauduit, Jasper
pers0030.ocp M. r Mr. Occum Occom mentioned Occom, Samson
pers0030.ocp M. r Mr. Occum Occom mentioned Occom, Samson
pers0030.ocp M. r Mr. Occum Occom mentioned Occom, Samson
pers0395.ocp Mother mentioned Occom, Sarah
pers0432.ocp M. r Mr. Pomroy Pomeroy mentioned Pomeroy, Benjamin
pers0352.ocp M. r Mr. Maltby) mentioned Maltby
pers0262.ocp M. r Mr. Horton mentioned Horton, Azariah
pers0089.ocp Boſtwick Bostwick mentioned Bostwick, David
pers0439.ocp M. r Mr. Randall mentioned Randall
pers0365.ocp Gov. r Governor Manduit Mauduit mentioned Mauduit, Jasper
pers0036.ocp Eleazar Wheelock writer Wheelock, Eleazar

Places identified in this document:

id Text in document Authorized Name
place0122.ocp Lebanon Lebanon
place0144.ocp Mon tauk Montauk
place0129.ocp Long-Island Long Island
place0129.ocp Said Island Long Island
place0308.ocp N. New York New York City
place0068.ocp England England

Organizations identified in this document:

id Text in document Authorized Name
org0095.ocp HonbleHonourable Board The Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America
org0095.ocp HonbleHonourable Society in London The Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America
org0063.ocp that Tribe Mohegan Tribe
org0098.ocp the School Moor’s Indian Charity School
org0096.ocp HonbleHonourable Society in Scotland Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge
org0085.ocp Presbytery of Suffolk County Presbytery of Suffolk County
org0027.ocp this Gov.tGovernment Colony of Connecticut
org0090.ocp Six Nations Six Nations
org0096.ocp Society in Scotland Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge
org0095.ocp BoſtonBoston CommiſsrsCommissioners The Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America
org0069.ocp N.New York CommiſsrsCommissioners The New York/New Jersey Board of the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge
org0095.ocp Boston Board The Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America
org0095.ocp The BoſtonBoston CommiſsrsCommissioners The Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America
org0062.ocp Mohawk Mohawk Nation
org0069.ocp CommiſsrsCommissioners The New York/New Jersey Board of the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge
org0098.ocp this School Moor’s Indian Charity School
org0095.ocp that Board The Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America
org0095.ocp the HonbleHonourable Society in London The Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America

Dates identified in this document:

Standard Form Text
1766-11-05 5th5th Nov.rNovember 1766
1766-01-03 JanyJanuary 3 1763
1766-11-05 Nov.rNovember 5. 1766

Regularized text:

Type Original Regularized
modernization 5th 5th
modernization Meſsrs Messrs.
modernization Maſon Mason
modernization Auſtin Austin
modernization M.r Mr.
variation Occum Occom
modernization Miſtakes mistakes
modernization Hiſto
ry
histo
ry
modernization deſignd designed
modernization circumſtantially circumstantially
modernization impoſs'd imposed
modernization aſsert assert
modernization M.r Mr.
variation un=
doubtedly
un
doubtedly
variation till 'til
modernization Perſon person
variation any thing anything
modernization Inſtruction instruction
variation Pomroy Pomeroy
modernization Sickneſs sickness
variation Son in Law son-in-law
modernization Maſter Master
modernization Riſque risk
modernization School maſter schoolmaster
modernization perſwaded persuaded
modernization Miniſters ministers
modernization firſt first
modernization Miſsion mission
modernization Boſtwick Bostwick
modernization Praſes praeses
modernization &c and
modernization Boſton Boston
modernization Commiſsrs Commissioners
modernization Cirumſtances circumstances
modernization underſtand understand
modernization conſent consent
modernization leſser lesser
variation Sevice service
modernization &c etc.
modernization publiſh'd published
modernization gueſs guess
modernization reſigning resigning
modernization eſteem esteem
variation publickly publicly
modernization moſt most
modernization groſs gross
modernization paganiſism paganism
modernization neceſsary necessary
modernization publiſh publish
modernization confeſs confess
variation Entring entering
modernization thoſe those
modernization profeſs profess
modernization Intereſts interests
modernization Cauſe cause
modernization encloſe enclose
modernization alſo also
modernization deſired desired
modernization purpoſe purpose
modernization Succeſs success
variation remitt remit
modernization Reaſon reason
modernization Reaſsons reasons
modernization Goodneſs goodness
modernization excuſe excuse

Expanded abbreviations:

Abbreviation Expansion
Nov.r November
& and
acco.t account
Gov.r Governor
Honble Honourable
tho' though
Miſsy missionary
ordain'd ordained
Gov.t Government
acc.t account
Jany January
N. New
ask'd asked
rec.d received
Acc.t Account
afores.d aforesaid
Co[above] mmmiſsrs Commissioners
Judg.t Judgement
crack'd cracked
Govt Government
tho't thought
Tho' Although
obligd obliged
Serv.t Servant

This document's header does not contain any mixed case attribute values.

Summary of errors found in this document:

Number of dates with invalid 'when' attributes: 0
Number of nested "hi" tags: (consider merging the @rend attributes, or using other tags) 0
Number of tags with invalid 'rend' attributes: 0 (out of 51)
Number of people/places/organizations with unknown keys: 0 (out of 58)
Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: 0 (out of 13)
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): 0 (out of 169)