Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to Robert Keen, 1767 July 27
27 July 1767[1767-07-27]
ms number767427.2
[note (type: abstract): Wheelock writes of the desperate situation faced by Samuel Kirkland and the Indians at Oneida. He quotes liberally from Kirkland's letters, and mentions that David Fowler has undertaken a 400-mile journey on foot to secure aid.][note (type: handwriting): The body of the letter is in an unknown hand that is clear and formal; this handwriting is not Wheelock's. The trailer, and a postscript added to the center of the paper between one recto and two verso, is in Wheelock's hand, which is small, cramped and difficult to decipher.][note (type: paper): Large single sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good-to-fair condition, with light-to-moderate staining, creasing and wear.][note (type: ink): The letter bears two different inks: a brown ink in which the body of the letter is written, and a brown-black ink that Wheelock uses in his postscript.][note (type: noteworthy): The letter references the birth of David Fowler’s son. The Oxford English Dictionary defines a “skipple” as three pecks; it is a Dutch word that appears from 1685 until 1901 in New England. OED: Stroud is a type of cloth, and stroud blankets often appear as items to trade to Native Americans. ]
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
When [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Kirtland[pers0315.ocp] left me [laſt | last]laſtlast Spring, he
[ſuppoſed | supposed]ſuppoſedsupposed that I had [ſupplied | supplied]ſuppliedsupplied him [ſufficiently | sufficiently]ſufficientlysufficiently to make him and the [School Maſters | schoolmasters]School Maſtersschoolmasters comfortable [till | 'til]till'til the Fall. A few Weeks after his Arrival [Joſeph | Joseph]JoſephJoseph
[Johnſon | Johnson]JohnſonJohnson[pers0288.ocp] and Jacob Fowler[pers0018.ocp]
[ſat | set]ſatset out for New England[place0158.ocp], and arrived
as you may [ſee | see]ſeesee by [ſome | some]ſomesome late Letters I wrote you, the Copies of which I have not here with me.
They informed me, that [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Kirtland[pers0315.ocp] was like to be [ſhorter | shorter]ſhortershorter of it for Money than he expected. I was then [ſick | sick]ſicksick— and determined, as [ſoon | soon]ſoonsoon as I was able, to take this Tour, to try to [ſupply | supply]ſupplysupply him, without
[ſending | sending]ſendingsending home, as I was loth to draw any more Bills
[till | 'til]till'til I could have Advice from you. But last Eveneing David Fowler[pers0155.ocp] came to me, fatigued with a Journey of
upwards above 400 Miles on foot, which he performed in 10 Days, and
brings Let ters, containing an affecting Account, from [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Kirtland[pers0315.ocp]— (which are too tedious to [tranſcribe | transcribe]tranſcribetranscribe) in forming me of his [diſtreſsing | distressing]diſtreſsingdistressing
[Circumſtances | circumstances]Circumſtancescircumstances on Account of the great Scarcity of [Proviſions | provisions]Proviſionsprovisions, or Famine, in that Country—
In a Letter of the 5th
[inſtant | instant]inſtantinstant[1767-07-05] he writes— —"I want the Bosom of a Father beyond "[Expreſsion | expression]Expreſsionexpression— I am [diſtreſsed | distressed]diſtreſseddistressed to know what I shall "do— The [preſent | present]preſentpresent extreme Poverty of [theſe | these]theſethese poor "People cries aloud for the Charity of God's Children— "Two
years ago their Corn was cut off by the [Froſt | frost]Froſtfrost— "[Laſt | Last]LaſtLast year [deſtroyed | destroyed]deſtroyeddestroyed by the Vermin— and Worms
"threaten the [Deſtruction | destruction]Deſtructiondestruction of one half of the [preſent | present]preſentpresent "Crop— Many of them for a Month past have "eat but once a Day,
and yet continue to work "Corn and Wheat at the German [Flats | Flatts]FlatsFlatts[place0084.ocp] from [ſix | six]ſixsix "Shillings to a Dollar a Skipple, (i.e. 3
Pecks) "and little to be [purchaſed | purchased]purchaſedpurchased for Love or Money. "Eight of the poor [diſtreſsed | distressed]diſtreſseddistressed Creatures [ſat | set]ſatset out this "Morning for the [Tuſcaroraes | Tuscaroras]TuſcaroraesTuscaroras[org0104.ocp] to buy Corn for their "hungry Families. They carry each a new [ſtroud | stroud]ſtroudstroud "Blanket, worth twenty Shillings, and tell me they "expect to get no
more than a Skipple of Corn [a piece | apiece]a pieceapiece "What a fine Opportunity is here for the People of "God to [diſtinguish | distinguish]diſtinguishdistinguish
[themſelves | themselves]themſelvesthemselves from the World by [Expreſ | expres]Expreſexpres "sions of their Charity at this Juncture towards [theſe | these]theſethese "[periſhing | perishing]periſhingperishing Creatures. A little of it would ring [thro' | through]thro'through "the Nations[org0090.ocp], and [raiſe | raise]raiſeraise their Esteem of [Chriſtianity | Christianity]ChriſtianityChristianity— —"From Week to Week I am obliged to go "eeling with the
Indians at Oneida Lake[place0181.ocp] for my "[Subſiſtence | subsistence]Subſiſtencesubsistence. I have lain and [ſlept | slept]ſleptslept with them [till | 'til]till'til "I am as [louſy | lousy]louſylousy as a Dog— [feaſted | feasted]feaſtedfeasted and [ſtarved | starved]ſtarvedstarved with "them as their Luck depends upon Wind and Weather.— "If it [ſhould | should]ſhouldshould be asked, why they don't [ſupport | support]ſupportsupport me, the "[Anſwer | answer]Anſweranswer is ready, they can't [ſupport | support]ſupportsupport
[themſelves | themselves]themſelvesthemselves. "They are now half [ſtarved | starved]ſtarvedstarved. Some of them have no "more than two Quarts of Corn—
—"David Fowler[pers0155.ocp]
[ſat | set]ſatset out about 12 Days ago for
Fort Stanwix[place0081.ocp] by Way of the Lake for the Sake
of "eeling. His Wife[pers0742.ocp]'s Hour being [ſomewhat | somewhat]ſomewhatsomewhat
[ſooner | sooner]ſoonersooner "than was expected, called for Women's Help— and "is now hearty,
with a [ſtately | stately]ſtatelystately young Boy in her "Lap— will probably move from the Lake
tomor
"row to Fort Stanwix[place0081.ocp], where I expect to [ſupport | support]ſupportsupport "her a Month or longer.— — "I fear my appearing in [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch a [ſervile | servile]ſervileservile "beggarly Manner, will very much [diſserve | disserve]diſservedisserve the "[Deſign | design]Deſigndesign in View— But I [muſt | must]muſtmust
[deſiſt | desist]deſiſtdesist— must "go down to the Lake for Eels this Day, and return "[to morrow | tomorrow]to morrowtomorrow to hill my Corn and Potatoes. But "one Thing I may not omit. I shall be [diſtreſsed | distressed]diſtreſseddistressed for "£20— the 1st of [Auguſt | August]AuguſtAugust[1767-08-01], or [ſell | sell]ſellsell my Cows, and make "over my [Horſe | horse]Horſehorse and Watch— — "The Indians generally abide by the
Agree "ment they made [laſt | last]laſtlast Winter to leave off their Drun "[kenneſs | kenness]kenneſskenness in this Town."—
The 13th
[Inſtant | instant]Inſtantinstant[1767-07-13] he writes— —"Through the tender Mercies of God I
enjoy "[ſome | some]ſomesome degree of Health [amidſt | amidst]amidſtamidst all my Trou "bles and [Diſtreſses | distress]Diſtreſsesdistress, though my Strength begins "to fail— can't [ſubſiſt | subsist]ſubſiſtsubsist long without Relief— "I have eat no [Fleſh | flesh]Fleſhflesh in my own [Houſe | house]Houſehouse for nigh "8 Weeks. Flour and Milk with a few Eels has "been my
living— Such Diet with my hard "Labour abroad, don't [ſatisfy | satisfy]ſatisfysatisfy Nature— My poor "People are [almoſt | almost]almoſtalmost
[ſtarved | starved]ſtarvedstarved to Death. I am grieved "at the Heart for them. There is one Family [con ſiſting | consisting]con ſiſtingconsisting of four I [muſt | must]muſtmust
[ſupport | support]ſupportsupport (after my Fashion) "till Squashes come on, or they [muſt | must]muſtmust
[periſh | perish]periſhperish. They "have had nothing [theſe | these]theſethese 10 Days but what I have "given them, They have only each an old
Blanket "not worth [ſix pence | sixpence]ſix pencesixpence wherewith to buy [any Thing | anything]any Thinganything,
"and begging here at this [Seaſon | season]Seaſonseason would be very poor
[Buſineſs | business]Buſineſsbusiness. I would [myſelf | myself]myſelfmyself be glad of the Opportunity "to fall upon my Knees for [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch a Bone as I have "often [ſeen | seen]ſeenseen
[caſt | cast]caſtcast to the Dogs—
—"My leaving the People, and rambling "[ſo | so]ſoso often, very much hurts the [Deſign | design]Deſigndesign of my [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmission, "and gives me [ſo | so]ſoso much [Diſtreſs | distress]Diſtreſsdistress, that I enjoy very "little Peace— Glad [ſhould | should]ſhouldshould I be, if it were [conſiſtent | consistent]conſiſtentconsistent, to [reſign | resign]reſignresign my [Commiſsion | commission]Commiſsioncommission— But I had rather "die than leave [theſe | these]theſethese poor Creatures alone in their "[miſerable | miserable]miſerablemiserable
[periſhing | perishing]periſhingperishing Condition— I beg for God's "Sake the [Goſpel | Gospel]GoſpelGospel may be [ſupported | supported]ſupportedsupported
[amongſt | amongst]amongſtamongst them "as it ought to be, for a Trial, and the Lord [ſend | send]ſendsend "by whom he will— I believe there are two [Chriſ | Chris]ChriſChris "tians, ^[above] here^here and hope I have
found a third [to day | today]to daytoday. [Bleſsed | Blessed]BleſsedBlessed "be God for this Encouragement. My Heart revives— "I had a
Meeting with the Indians [laſt | last]laſtlast Evening— "might tell you [ſome | some]ſomesome Things very agreeable and encou "raging, had I Time. But
I am quite beat out— "have had little or no Sleep [theſe | these]theſethese 3 Nights for "the Gnats and [Moſchettoes | mosquitos]Moſchettoesmosquitos— I cannot keep my "Eye open to write— "P.S. the 14th[1767-07-14]— I was never more
fatigued in my "Life than [laſt | last]laſtlast Evening— David[pers0155.ocp] is going down
for "Relief, without which I shall [periſh | perish]periſhperish
[ſoon | soon]ſoonsoon. My "Nature is [almoſt | almost]almoſtalmost broke— My Spirits low— My "Heart bleeds for [theſe | these]theſethese poor [miſerable | miserable]miſerablemiserable Wretches—
David Fowler[pers0155.ocp] informs me, that the [Oneidaes | Oneidas]OneidaesOneidas[org0075.ocp] have laboured more this Year on their Lands than they ever
did before— that just before he came away they unanimously agreed to help
[Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Kirtland[pers0315.ocp] in [howing | hoeing]howinghoeing his Corn, Potatoes and Beans— and performed it well—
[right] July [29..th | 29th]29..th29th[1767-07-29] this Day Sent David Fowler[pers0155.ocp]
away the [Shorteſt | shortest]Shorteſtshortest
[courſe | course]courſecourse to [onida | Oneida]onidaOneida[place0179.ocp] with £4[illegible]5.4..8.
Sterling,, for
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Kirtland[pers0315.ocp]s [preſent | present]preſentpresent
[releif | relief]releifrelief. but I apprehend that it is not
[beſt | best]beſtbest that ^[above] no^no
[School Maſters | schoolmasters]School Maſtersschoolmasters be not Sent ^[above] back^back till their [preſent | present]preſentpresent
[preſsing | pressing]preſsingpressing
[Neceſsities | necessities]Neceſsitiesnecessities for Support of the Indians be Supplied. Who knows w[illegible]hat Good God ^[above] may^may mercifully
[deſign | design]deſigndesign
^[above] for^for them by their [preſent | present]preſentpresent
[diſtreſses | distress]diſtreſsesdistress.— } I have Sent duplicates of my [accots | accounts]accotsaccounts with many Letters [& | and]&and copies But [ha' | have]ha'have had nothing [f.r y.o | from you]f.r y.ofrom you Since march 22[1767-03-22]— hope to hear before
I leave these parts pray dear [ſir | sir]ſirsir let me hear [f.r | from]f.rfrom
[y.o | you]y.oyou as [ſoon | soon]ſoonsoon as may be. pray without [ceaſing | ceasing]ceaſingceasing for, dear [ſir | Sir]ſirSir, [yrſ | yours]yrſyours most heartily [illegible][guess (maggiec): [Brth.r | Brother]Brth.rBrother][Brth.r | Brother]Brth.rBrother Salute in my name [moſt | most]moſtmost
[reſpectfully | respectfully]reſpectfullyrespectfully
[thoſe | those]thoſethose worthy
[Gentn | Gentlemen]GentnGentlemen of [y.e | the]y.ethe Trust[org0103.ocp]
[wth | with]wthwith
[D.r | Dr.]D.rDr.
[illegible][guess (maggiec): [Mſsrs | Messrs.]MſsrsMessrs.][Mſsrs | Messrs.]MſsrsMessrs. w[illegible] d. Smith [w.m | William]w.mWilliam I hope to [ſee | see]ſeesee
[yſ | this]yſthis fall—
July [29..th | 29th]29..th29th[1767-07-29] this Day Sent David Fowler[pers0155.ocp]
away the [Shorteſt | shortest]Shorteſtshortest
[courſe | course]courſecourse to [onida | Oneida]onidaOneida[place0179.ocp] with £4[illegible]5.4..8.
Sterling,, for
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Kirtland[pers0315.ocp]s [preſent | present]preſentpresent
[releif | relief]releifrelief. but I apprehend that it is not
[beſt | best]beſtbest that ^[above] no^no
[School Maſters | schoolmasters]School Maſtersschoolmasters be not Sent ^[above] back^back till their [preſent | present]preſentpresent
[preſsing | pressing]preſsingpressing
[Neceſsities | necessities]Neceſsitiesnecessities for Support of the Indians be Supplied. Who knows w[illegible]hat Good God ^[above] may^may mercifully
[deſign | design]deſigndesign
^[above] for^for them by their [preſent | present]preſentpresent
[diſtreſses | distress]diſtreſsesdistress.— } I have Sent duplicates of my [accots | accounts]accotsaccounts with many Letters [& | and]&and copies But [ha' | have]ha'have had nothing [f.r y.o | from you]f.r y.ofrom you Since march 22[1767-03-22]— hope to hear before
I leave these parts pray dear [ſir | sir]ſirsir let me hear [f.r | from]f.rfrom
[y.o | you]y.oyou as [ſoon | soon]ſoonsoon as may be. pray without [ceaſing | ceasing]ceaſingceasing for, dear [ſir | Sir]ſirSir, [yrſ | yours]yrſyours most heartily [illegible][guess (maggiec): [Brth.r | Brother]Brth.rBrother][Brth.r | Brother]Brth.rBrother Salute in my name [moſt | most]moſtmost
[reſpectfully | respectfully]reſpectfullyrespectfully
[thoſe | those]thoſethose worthy
[Gentn | Gentlemen]GentnGentlemen of [y.e | the]y.ethe Trust[org0103.ocp]
[wth | with]wthwith
[D.r | Dr.]D.rDr.
[illegible][guess (maggiec): [Mſsrs | Messrs.]MſsrsMessrs.][Mſsrs | Messrs.]MſsrsMessrs. w[illegible] d. Smith [w.m | William]w.mWilliam I hope to [ſee | see]ſeesee
[yſ | this]yſthis fall—
[left] Letter to [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Keen[pers0301.ocp]
July. 28. 1767[1767-07-28].
Letter to [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Keen[pers0301.ocp]
July. 28. 1767[1767-07-28]. from [Boſton | Boston]BoſtonBoston[place0013.ocp]—
Document Summary
People identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Role in header | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|---|
pers0315.ocp | M r Mr. Kirtland | mentioned | Kirkland, Samuel |
pers0288.ocp | Joſeph Joseph Johnſon Johnson | mentioned | Johnson, Joseph |
pers0018.ocp | Jacob Fowler | mentioned | Fowler, Jacob |
pers0155.ocp | David Fowler | mentioned | Fowler, David |
pers0742.ocp | Wife | mentioned | Fowler, Hannah (née Garrett) |
pers0155.ocp | David | mentioned | Fowler, David |
pers0315.ocp | M. r Mr. Kirtland | mentioned | Kirkland, Samuel |
pers0301.ocp | M. r Mr. Keen | recipient | Keen, Robert |
Places identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
place0013.ocp | Boston | Boston |
place0158.ocp | New England | New England |
place0084.ocp | German Flats Flatts | German Flatts |
place0181.ocp | Oneida Lake | Oneida Lake |
place0081.ocp | Fort Stanwix | Fort Stanwix |
place0179.ocp | onida Oneida | Oneida |
place0013.ocp | Boſton Boston | Boston |
Organizations identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
org0104.ocp | TuſcaroraesTuscaroras | Tuscarora Nation |
org0090.ocp | the Nations | Six Nations |
org0075.ocp | OneidaesOneidas | Oneida Nation |
org0103.ocp | y.ethe Trust | Trust in England |
Dates identified in this document:
Standard Form | Text |
---|---|
1767-07-27 | July 27th 1767 |
1767-07-05 | 5th inſtantinstant |
1767-08-01 | 1st of AuguſtAugust |
1767-07-13 | 13th Inſtantinstant |
1767-07-14 | the 14th |
1767-07-29 | July 29..th29th |
1767-03-22 | march 22 |
1767-07-28 | July. 28. 1767 |
Regularized text:
Type | Original | Regularized |
---|---|---|
modernization | Mr | Mr. |
modernization | laſt | last |
modernization | ſuppoſed | supposed |
modernization | ſupplied | supplied |
modernization | ſufficiently | sufficiently |
variation | School Maſters | schoolmasters |
variation | till | 'til |
modernization | Joſeph | Joseph |
modernization | Johnſon | Johnson |
variation | ſat | set |
modernization | ſee | see |
modernization | ſome | some |
modernization | ſhorter | shorter |
modernization | ſick | sick |
modernization | ſoon | soon |
modernization | ſupply | supply |
modernization | ſending | sending |
modernization | tranſcribe | transcribe |
modernization | diſtreſsing | distressing |
modernization | Circumſtances | circumstances |
modernization | Proviſions | provisions |
modernization | inſtant | instant |
modernization | Expreſsion | expression |
modernization | diſtreſsed | distressed |
modernization | preſent | present |
modernization | theſe | these |
modernization | Froſt | frost |
modernization | Laſt | Last |
modernization | deſtroyed | destroyed |
modernization | Deſtruction | destruction |
variation | Flats | Flatts |
modernization | ſix | six |
modernization | purchaſed | purchased |
variation | Tuſcaroraes | Tuscaroras |
modernization | ſtroud | stroud |
variation | a piece | apiece |
modernization | diſtinguish | distinguish |
modernization | themſelves | themselves |
modernization | Expreſ | expres |
modernization | periſhing | perishing |
modernization | raiſe | raise |
modernization | Chriſtianity | Christianity |
modernization | Subſiſtence | subsistence |
modernization | ſlept | slept |
modernization | louſy | lousy |
modernization | feaſted | feasted |
modernization | ſtarved | starved |
modernization | ſhould | should |
modernization | ſupport | support |
modernization | Anſwer | answer |
modernization | ſomewhat | somewhat |
modernization | ſooner | sooner |
modernization | ſtately | stately |
modernization | ſuch | such |
modernization | ſervile | servile |
modernization | diſserve | disserve |
modernization | Deſign | design |
modernization | muſt | must |
modernization | deſiſt | desist |
variation | to morrow | tomorrow |
modernization | Auguſt | August |
modernization | ſell | sell |
modernization | Horſe | horse |
modernization | kenneſs | kenness |
modernization | Inſtant | instant |
modernization | amidſt | amidst |
variation | Diſtreſses | distress |
modernization | ſubſiſt | subsist |
modernization | Fleſh | flesh |
modernization | Houſe | house |
modernization | ſatisfy | satisfy |
modernization | almoſt | almost |
modernization | con ſiſting | consisting |
modernization | periſh | perish |
variation | ſix pence | sixpence |
variation | any Thing | anything |
modernization | Seaſon | season |
modernization | Buſineſs | business |
modernization | myſelf | myself |
modernization | ſeen | seen |
modernization | caſt | cast |
modernization | ſo | so |
modernization | Miſsion | mission |
modernization | Diſtreſs | distress |
modernization | conſiſtent | consistent |
modernization | reſign | resign |
modernization | Commiſsion | commission |
modernization | miſerable | miserable |
modernization | Goſpel | Gospel |
modernization | ſupported | supported |
modernization | amongſt | amongst |
modernization | ſend | send |
modernization | Chriſ | Chris |
variation | to day | today |
modernization | Bleſsed | Blessed |
variation | Moſchettoes | mosquitos |
variation | Oneidaes | Oneidas |
variation | howing | hoeing |
modernization | 29..th | 29th |
modernization | Shorteſt | shortest |
modernization | courſe | course |
variation | onida | Oneida |
modernization | M.r | Mr. |
variation | releif | relief |
modernization | beſt | best |
modernization | preſsing | pressing |
modernization | Neceſsities | necessities |
modernization | deſign | design |
variation | diſtreſses | distress |
modernization | ſir | sir |
modernization | ceaſing | ceasing |
modernization | ſir | Sir |
modernization | moſt | most |
modernization | reſpectfully | respectfully |
modernization | thoſe | those |
modernization | y.e | the |
modernization | D.r | Dr. |
modernization | Mſsrs | Messrs. |
modernization | yſ | this |
modernization | Boſton | Boston |
Expanded abbreviations:
Abbreviation | Expansion |
---|---|
thro' | through |
accots | accounts |
& | and |
ha' | have |
f.r y.o | from you |
f.r | from |
y.o | you |
yrſ | yours |
Brth.r | Brother |
Gentn | Gentlemen |
wth | with |
w.m | William |
This document's header does not contain any mixed case attribute values.
Summary of errors found in this document:
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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 31) |
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Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): | 0 (out of 115) |