Joseph Johnson, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1773 August 30
30 August 1773[1773-08-30]
ms number773480
[note (type: abstract): Joseph Johnson writes to ask for help funding a trip into the wilderness for the purpose of Brothertown business. There is also a brief narrative of Johnson’s life.][note (type: handwriting): Handwriting is small and cramped. Letters case is difficult to decipher, as is the difference between commas and periods.][note (type: paper): Small half sheet is in fair condition, with moderate-to-heavy wear, especially along central vertical crease; that, and some repair work results in a minor loss of text.][note (type: ink): Dark brown.][note (type: layout): The narrative of Joseph Johnson's life is upside-down at the bottom of one verso.][note (type: noteworthy): On the top of one verso, another hand, likely 19th-century, has written "Joseph Johnson" in a different ink. This has not been transcribed.]
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
With much humility, I undertake to Write to your worthy Person. and I
would [Enform | inform]Enforminform you that I ever have a [gratefull | grateful]gratefullgrateful Sense of your favours in time past. for which I [deſire | desire]deſiredesire at this time renewedly to [expreſs | express]expreſsexpress my thanks. if I was an Englishman, [& | and]&and was thus [Reſpected | respected]Reſpectedrespected by you. I should be very [thankfull | thankful]thankfullthankful. but much more doth it now, become me being an Indian, to be humble. [& | and]&and very [thankfull | thankful]thankfullthankful in very [illegible][guess (maggiec): deed]deed Me thinks the more I am [Reſp ected | respected]Reſp ectedrespected the more humble it makes me. but to conclude this my Indian introduction let me
[aſsure | assure]aſsureassure you. that a law of gratitude is wrote as it were upon the table of my Once
savage heart. for all your Remarkable favours in times Past. [& | and]&and I [illegible][guess (maggiec): ever]ever think of your worthy
[perſon | person]perſonperson with love, ^[above] [& | and]&and Reverence^[& | and]&and Reverence in my heart. But [whot | what]whotwhat I would more [perticularly | particularly]perticularlyparticularly
[enform | inform]enforminform
^[above] you^you of this time is what may follow. [Revd | Rev.]RevdRev. Sir. by leave of kind Providence. I [purpoſe | purpose]purpoſepurpose to [illegible]leave this Place next monday
being the time appointed that I .[& | and]&and the [reſt | rest]reſtrest of the [Choſen | chosen]Choſenchosen men. should go into the [Wilderneſs | wilderness]Wilderneſswilderness. to [vizit | visit]vizitvisit our savage Brethren. and to [Converſe | converse]Converſeconverse with them Concerning our [Propoſals | proposals]Propoſalsproposals. [&c | etc.]&cetc.: and as the time is drawing nigh. I find I am Obliged to solicit your
favour this once more. for which I am very sorry. I am Sorry to try your good Nature
so soon. But still I would humbly. [& | and]&and
[Earneſtly | earnestly]Earneſtlyearnestly solicit your favour at this time. I was [Conſiderably | considerably]Conſiderablyconsiderably
[disoppointed | disappointed]disoppointeddisappointed down Country, not seing [Mr. | Mr.]Mr.Mr. Occom[pers0030.ocp] whose note I have with me still. [illegible][guess (maggiec): [alſo | also]alſoalso][alſo | also]alſoalso 2 English friends added [Diſoppointments | disappointments]Diſoppointmentsdisappointments to me. not [leting | letting]letingletting me have my [Reaſonable | reasonable]Reaſonablereasonable due their Plea was this that they Did not expect I [ſhould | should]ſhouldshould return [till | 'til]till'til next Winter or in spring. so they thought it best to lay out the money.
intending to allow for [uſe | use]uſeuse. but not to be further tedious. my [Earneſt | earnest]Earneſtearnest
[deſir | desire]deſirdesire is that you would help me to some Money. I know not who [elſe | else]elſeelse Can. I am a stranger. but as for my Indian friends. if I lean upon them at [preſent | present]preſentpresent they are like a broken [illegible]staff. but I
have nothing again my Brethren. they have a will. had they but ability and if you [pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease to pity. [& | and]&and to help me at this time you have no [reaſon | reason]reaſonreason to fear but that you shall have your own. again in due time. if I return
well. perhaps. I shall
[illegible][guess (maggiec): [rcieve | receive]rcievereceive][rcieve | receive]rcievereceive, money from down Country by last of October. then I will pay you your
[reaſonable | reasonable]reaſonablereasonable due. but if any Accident happen. to me so as that I [ſhall | shall]ſhallshall never return. still you need not fear. as [doubt leſs | doubtless]doubt leſsdoubtless you know. that my reward from [Boſton | Boston]BoſtonBoston[place0013.ocp] will Come into your hands. so you then can take your Money
again. [Pleaſe | Please]PleaſePlease
[gap: tear] to help me if [Poſsible | possible]Poſsiblepossible. I know not [gap: tear][guess (maggiec): ex]exactly how much I stand in need of. but I should be glad to have little to
[illegible][guess (maggiec): spar[gap: tear][guess (maggiec): e]e]spar[gap: tear][guess (maggiec): e]e not
knowing what may befall me by the way. I [illegible][illegible][guess (maggiec): [ſhall | shall]ſhallshall][ſhall | shall]ſhallshall in d some [meaſure | measure]meaſuremeasure be [expoſ | expos]expoſexpos[gap: tear][guess (maggiec): ed]ed to
smallpox. by the way, [& | and]&and how many more accident. I know not. I view my [gap: tear][guess (maggiec): [ſelf | self]ſelfself][ſelf | self]ſelfself to be [feble | feeble]feblefeeble Creature. if I should have the sm all-Pox. I should at least
want 8 or 5 Pounds of money. but hoping I shall [Eſcape | escape]Eſcapeescape that danger ous [Diſtemper | distemper]Diſtemperdistemper. I Should be glad to have Six Pounds if [Poſsible | possible]Poſsiblepossible. [doubtleſs | doubtless]doubtleſsdoubtless we shall be obliged to lay out some money. [beſides | besides]beſidesbesides our bare expences, by the way.
[bottom] To [illegible] Enquiring friends, or to
Strangers. would you know kind Sir, who the [compoſer | composer]compoſercomposer of this Discourse is. Be [pleaſed | pleased]pleaſedpleased to read the following. I am an Indian of the mohegan Tribe[org0063.ocp], known by the Name of [Joſeph | Joseph]JoſephJoseph
[Johnſon | Johnson]JohnſonJohnson. Educated by the [Revd | Rev.]RevdRev.
[Eleazer | Eleazar]EleazerEleazar Wheel[pers0036.ocp] ock D. D. whose School I left when
I was 14 years of age. and in the
[3d. | 3rd]3d.3rd month of my [15th. | 15th]15th.15th year, I was sent [amongſt | amongst]amongſtamongst the Six nations[org0090.ocp], and I [ſpent | spent]ſpentspent about 2 years in [thoſe | those]thoſethose Parts. keeping school. afterwards I left the school [in--tirely | entirely]in--tirelyentirely
[Revd | Rev.]RevdRev.
[Eleazer | Eleazar]EleazerEleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp] D. D. [intirely | entirely]intirelyentirely. and from that time, I have been wandering up, and down, in this [Deluſive | delusive]Deluſivedelusive World. some of my time I spent at Providence Town[place0292.ocp]. keeping a school. some of my time, I have spent
upon the Ocean wide. I have been down [Eaſtward | Eastward]EaſtwardEastward, as far as to the
[Weſtern | Western]WeſternWestern
[Iſlands | Islands]IſlandsIslands[place0466.ocp]
^[above] twice^twice. [illegible][guess (maggiec): Curvo]Curvo, [& | and]&and
[illegible][guess (maggiec): florus]florus, I have seen. and to the southward I have been as far, as to
[granades | Grenadines]granadesGrenadines[place0393.ocp]
^[above] to the [weſt | West]weſtWest Indies[place0386.ocp]^to the [weſt | West]weſtWest Indies[place0386.ocp]. Seen [aſlo | also]aſloalso the [Iſlands | islands]Iſlandsislands between An[illegible]tigua[place0388.ocp] and [granades | Grenadines]granadesGrenadines[place0393.ocp]. and again from antigua[place0388.ocp]
[illegible]I have [illegible]sailed down leward sailed by the virgin [Iſlands | Islands]IſlandsIslands[place0398.ocp], [alſo | also]alſoalso by [sandy cruize | Santa Cruz]sandy cruizeSanta Cruz[place0397.ocp], [Portireco | Puerto Rico]PortirecoPuerto Rico[place0396.ocp]. ^[above] down^down as far ias to
mo[illegible][guess (maggiec): ria]ria. and after so long time Even in my [21st. | 21st]21st.21st year I safely arrived to my Native place. their I spent one year in
working upon my farm.
To [illegible] Enquiring friends, or to
Strangers. would you know kind Sir, who the [compoſer | composer]compoſercomposer of this Discourse is. Be [pleaſed | pleased]pleaſedpleased to read the following. I am an Indian of the mohegan Tribe[org0063.ocp], known by the Name of [Joſeph | Joseph]JoſephJoseph
[Johnſon | Johnson]JohnſonJohnson. Educated by the [Revd | Rev.]RevdRev.
[Eleazer | Eleazar]EleazerEleazar Wheel[pers0036.ocp] ock D. D. whose School I left when
I was 14 years of age. and in the
[3d. | 3rd]3d.3rd month of my [15th. | 15th]15th.15th year, I was sent [amongſt | amongst]amongſtamongst the Six nations[org0090.ocp], and I [ſpent | spent]ſpentspent about 2 years in [thoſe | those]thoſethose Parts. keeping school. afterwards I left the school [in--tirely | entirely]in--tirelyentirely
[Revd | Rev.]RevdRev.
[Eleazer | Eleazar]EleazerEleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp] D. D. [intirely | entirely]intirelyentirely. and from that time, I have been wandering up, and down, in this [Deluſive | delusive]Deluſivedelusive World. some of my time I spent at Providence Town[place0292.ocp]. keeping a school. some of my time, I have spent
upon the Ocean wide. I have been down [Eaſtward | Eastward]EaſtwardEastward, as far as to the
[Weſtern | Western]WeſternWestern
[Iſlands | Islands]IſlandsIslands[place0466.ocp]
^[above] twice^twice. [illegible][guess (maggiec): Curvo]Curvo, [& | and]&and
[illegible][guess (maggiec): florus]florus, I have seen. and to the southward I have been as far, as to
[granades | Grenadines]granadesGrenadines[place0393.ocp]
^[above] to the [weſt | West]weſtWest Indies[place0386.ocp]^to the [weſt | West]weſtWest Indies[place0386.ocp]. Seen [aſlo | also]aſloalso the [Iſlands | islands]Iſlandsislands between An[illegible]tigua[place0388.ocp] and [granades | Grenadines]granadesGrenadines[place0393.ocp]. and again from antigua[place0388.ocp]
[illegible]I have [illegible]sailed down leward sailed by the virgin [Iſlands | Islands]IſlandsIslands[place0398.ocp], [alſo | also]alſoalso by [sandy cruize | Santa Cruz]sandy cruizeSanta Cruz[place0397.ocp], [Portireco | Puerto Rico]PortirecoPuerto Rico[place0396.ocp]. ^[above] down^down as far ias to
mo[illegible][guess (maggiec): ria]ria. and after so long time Even in my [21st. | 21st]21st.21st year I safely arrived to my Native place. their I spent one year in
working upon my farm.
Document Summary
People identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Role in header | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|---|
pers0030.ocp | M r. Mr. Occom | mentioned | Occom, Samson |
pers0036.ocp | Rev d Rev. Eleazer Eleazar Wheel | recipient | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0036.ocp | Rev d Rev. Eleazer Eleazar Wheelock | recipient | Wheelock, Eleazar |
Places identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
place0074.ocp | Farmington | Farmington |
place0013.ocp | Boſton Boston | Boston |
place0292.ocp | Providence Town | Providence |
place0466.ocp | Weſtern Western Iſlands Islands | Western Islands |
place0393.ocp | granades Grenadines | Grenadine Islands |
place0386.ocp | weſt West Indies | West Indies |
place0388.ocp | An tigua | Antigua |
place0388.ocp | antigua | Antigua |
place0398.ocp | virgin Iſlands Islands | Virgin Islands |
place0397.ocp | sandy cruize Santa Cruz | Santa Cruz |
place0396.ocp | Portireco Puerto Rico | Puerto Rico |
Organizations identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
org0063.ocp | mohegan Tribe | Mohegan Tribe |
org0090.ocp | Six nations | Six Nations |
Dates identified in this document:
Standard Form | Text |
---|---|
1773-08-30 | 30th.30th of August. AD 1773. |
Regularized text:
Type | Original | Regularized |
---|---|---|
modernization | 30th. | 30th |
modernization | Revd. | Rev. |
modernization | Reſpected | respected |
variation | Enform | inform |
variation | gratefull | grateful |
modernization | deſire | desire |
modernization | expreſs | express |
variation | thankfull | thankful |
modernization | Reſp ected | respected |
modernization | aſsure | assure |
modernization | perſon | person |
variation | whot | what |
variation | perticularly | particularly |
variation | enform | inform |
modernization | Revd | Rev. |
modernization | purpoſe | purpose |
modernization | reſt | rest |
modernization | Choſen | chosen |
modernization | Wilderneſs | wilderness |
variation | vizit | visit |
modernization | Converſe | converse |
modernization | Propoſals | proposals |
modernization | &c | etc. |
modernization | Earneſtly | earnestly |
modernization | Conſiderably | considerably |
variation | disoppointed | disappointed |
modernization | Mr. | Mr. |
modernization | alſo | also |
variation | Diſoppointments | disappointments |
variation | leting | letting |
modernization | Reaſonable | reasonable |
modernization | ſhould | should |
variation | till | 'til |
modernization | uſe | use |
modernization | Earneſt | earnest |
variation | deſir | desire |
modernization | elſe | else |
modernization | preſent | present |
modernization | pleaſe | please |
modernization | reaſon | reason |
variation | rcieve | receive |
modernization | reaſonable | reasonable |
modernization | ſhall | shall |
modernization | doubt leſs | doubtless |
modernization | Boſton | Boston |
modernization | Pleaſe | Please |
modernization | Poſsible | possible |
modernization | meaſure | measure |
modernization | expoſ | expos |
modernization | ſelf | self |
variation | feble | feeble |
modernization | Eſcape | escape |
modernization | Diſtemper | distemper |
modernization | doubtleſs | doubtless |
modernization | beſides | besides |
modernization | compoſer | composer |
modernization | pleaſed | pleased |
modernization | Joſeph | Joseph |
modernization | Johnſon | Johnson |
variation | Eleazer | Eleazar |
modernization | 3d. | 3rd |
modernization | 15th. | 15th |
modernization | amongſt | amongst |
modernization | ſpent | spent |
modernization | thoſe | those |
variation | in--tirely | entirely |
variation | intirely | entirely |
modernization | Deluſive | delusive |
modernization | Eaſtward | Eastward |
modernization | Weſtern | Western |
modernization | Iſlands | Islands |
variation | granades | Grenadines |
modernization | weſt | West |
modernization | Iſlands | islands |
variation | sandy cruize | Santa Cruz |
variation | Portireco | Puerto Rico |
modernization | 21st. | 21st |
Expanded abbreviations:
Abbreviation | Expansion |
---|---|
& | and |
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 10) |
Number of people/places/organizations with unknown keys: | 0 (out of 17) |
Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: | 0 (out of 6) |
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): | 0 (out of 107) |