Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to Samson Occom, 1757 January 7
7 January 1757[1757-01-07]
Call Number757107
[note (type: abstract): Wheelock notifies Occom of a communication with the Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America, in which the Commission recommends Occom for ordination. Wheelock feels it is more proper for the local presbytery to examine Occom for ordination, and requests that they provide testimonials of his character as soon as possible.][note (type: handwriting): Handwriting is not Wheelock's; it is tidy, with a heavy upward slant.][note (type: paper): Heavy creasing, with wear along middle crease resulting in minor loss of text.][note (type: ink): Ink is dark, and darker on the verso.][note (type: noteworthy): Letter is marked as a copy.][note (type: signature): Signed "Eleazar Wheelock," but not by Wheelock.]EventsOccom’s Ordination
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
A few Days ago I [receved | received]recevedreceived from the [Honarable | Honourable]HonarableHonourable
Andrew
Oliver [Esq:r | Esq.]Esq:rEsq.[pers0031.ocp] the following votes of The [Hon.le | Honourable]Hon.leHonourable [Comiſs:rs | Commissioners]Comiſs:rsCommissioners[org0095.ocp] [illegible] At a Meeting of The
[Comiſs..rs | Commissioners]Comiſs..rsCommissioners[org0095.ocp]
Oliver [Esq:r | Esq.]Esq:rEsq.[pers0031.ocp] the following votes of The [Hon.le | Honourable]Hon.leHonourable [Comiſs:rs | Commissioners]Comiſs:rsCommissioners[org0095.ocp] [illegible] At a Meeting of The
[Comiſs..rs | Commissioners]Comiſs..rsCommissioners[org0095.ocp]
[Boſton | Boston]BoſtonBoston[place0013.ocp]
12 [Nov:r | November]Nov:rNovember 1756[1757-11-12]
Whereas [Samſon | Samson]SamſonSamson Occom[pers0030.ocp] Who Some years Since was [Enployed | employed]Enployedemployed
at Long [Iſland | Island]IſlandIsland[place0129.ocp] in The Government of New york[place0166.ocp] by [Sum | some]Sumsome of The
Inhabitants there to Keep an Indian School and afterward, to Preach the
Gospel to Them and who upon [applycation | application]applycationapplication Made to The [Comiſs:rs | commissioners]Comiſs:rscommissioners[org0095.ocp] after he had
Engaged in [S..d | said]S..dsaid Service was allowed by Them Twenty Pound, [p.r | per]p.rper annum is
[Notwithſtanding | notwithstanding]Notwithſtandingnotwithstanding his Several allowances fallen in Debt [& | and]&and Thereby brought
Into Difficulties —
at Long [Iſland | Island]IſlandIsland[place0129.ocp] in The Government of New york[place0166.ocp] by [Sum | some]Sumsome of The
Inhabitants there to Keep an Indian School and afterward, to Preach the
Gospel to Them and who upon [applycation | application]applycationapplication Made to The [Comiſs:rs | commissioners]Comiſs:rscommissioners[org0095.ocp] after he had
Engaged in [S..d | said]S..dsaid Service was allowed by Them Twenty Pound, [p.r | per]p.rper annum is
[Notwithſtanding | notwithstanding]Notwithſtandingnotwithstanding his Several allowances fallen in Debt [& | and]&and Thereby brought
Into Difficulties —
Voted as a further Encouragement To Said [Samſon | Samson]SamſonSamson[pers0030.ocp] To Continue in The
Indian Service There be allowed him Twenty Pounds in order To Enable him
To [Diſcharge | discharge]Diſchargedischarge his [worn_edge: [guess (h-dawnd): Debts]Debts]; The [Comiſs..rs | Commissioners]Comiſs..rsCommissioners[org0095.ocp] Expecting That Those who originally
Employed him afford him [There | their]Theretheir [aſsiſtsance | assistance]aſsiſtsanceassistance [Likewiſe | likewise]Likewiſelikewise for This Purpose —
and in as much as Said [Samſon | Samson]SamſonSamson[pers0030.ocp] is [Repreſented | represented]Repreſentedrepresented To be a [Perſon | person]Perſonperson of a Virtuous
Life and [Usefull | useful]Usefulluseful as a Preacher To the Indians; The [Comiſs.rs | Commissioners]Comiſs.rsCommissioners[org0095.ocp] Would recommend
it to The [Revd | Rev.]RevdRev. [M:r | Mr.]M:rMr.[Eleazer | Eleazar]EleazerEleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
[& | and]&and
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Pomeroy[pers0432.ocp] and other [Miniſters | ministers]Miniſtersministers
of The Same [aſsociation | association]aſsociationassociation to [Conſider | consider]Conſiderconsider of the Expediency of [above] hishis being ordained
To The [Paſtoral | pastoral]Paſtoralpastoral office and to Proceed to Do it if They Shall Think Best.
and That there be allowed To [S.d | said]S.dsaid [Samſon | Samson]SamſonSamson[pers0030.ocp] a common Pace Book to the Bible
and Cruden’s Concordence
Indian Service There be allowed him Twenty Pounds in order To Enable him
To [Diſcharge | discharge]Diſchargedischarge his [worn_edge: [guess (h-dawnd): Debts]Debts]; The [Comiſs..rs | Commissioners]Comiſs..rsCommissioners[org0095.ocp] Expecting That Those who originally
Employed him afford him [There | their]Theretheir [aſsiſtsance | assistance]aſsiſtsanceassistance [Likewiſe | likewise]Likewiſelikewise for This Purpose —
and in as much as Said [Samſon | Samson]SamſonSamson[pers0030.ocp] is [Repreſented | represented]Repreſentedrepresented To be a [Perſon | person]Perſonperson of a Virtuous
Life and [Usefull | useful]Usefulluseful as a Preacher To the Indians; The [Comiſs.rs | Commissioners]Comiſs.rsCommissioners[org0095.ocp] Would recommend
it to The [Revd | Rev.]RevdRev. [M:r | Mr.]M:rMr.
of The Same [aſsociation | association]aſsociationassociation to [Conſider | consider]Conſiderconsider of the Expediency of [above] hishis being ordained
To The [Paſtoral | pastoral]Paſtoralpastoral office and to Proceed to Do it if They Shall Think Best.
and That there be allowed To [S.d | said]S.dsaid [Samſon | Samson]SamſonSamson[pers0030.ocp] a common Pace Book to the Bible
and Cruden’s Concordence
Copy [atteſt | attest]atteſtattest
[A | Andrew]AAndrew Oliver[pers0031.ocp]
[A | Andrew]AAndrew Oliver[pers0031.ocp]
you observe That They Direct [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Pomeroy[pers0432.ocp] and [Myſelf | myself]Myſelfmyself To Call in other
[Miniſters | ministers]Miniſtersministers to Examine you and [Conſult | consult]Conſultconsult of The [illegible: [guess (h-dawnd): Expeeding]Expeeding] of your [bing | being]bingbeing
Ordained We are in Doubt of The Propriety of our Doing it, Thinking it Rather
The Right of The [Rev:d | Rev.]Rev:dRev. [Preſby:ty | Presbytery]Preſby:tyPresbytery[org0085.ocp] on The Island[place0129.ocp] [unleſs | unless]unleſsunless you Should take the
Pastrol Charge of the Indians on The main but at this [Diſtance | distance]Diſtancedistance we are not
able to judge of That Matter not knowing either the Number or [Dispoſition | disposition]Dispoſitiondisposition
of Those Indians among [whome | whom]whomewhom you are, [& | and]&and have been Labouring, We have
[underſtood | understood]underſtoodunderstood that there is a [conſiderable | considerable]conſiderableconsiderableon Number on This Side The water
who Desire To have you for [There | their]Theretheir [Miniſter | minister]Miniſterminister and we have [Conſidered | considered]Conſideredconsidered The
Distance and Difficulty of [Crosing | crossing]Crosingcrossing the Sound[place0297.ocp] [&c | etc.]&cetc.,
[Miniſters | ministers]Miniſtersministers to Examine you and [Conſult | consult]Conſultconsult of The [illegible: [guess (h-dawnd): Expeeding]Expeeding] of your [bing | being]bingbeing
Ordained We are in Doubt of The Propriety of our Doing it, Thinking it Rather
The Right of The [Rev:d | Rev.]Rev:dRev. [Preſby:ty | Presbytery]Preſby:tyPresbytery[org0085.ocp] on The Island[place0129.ocp] [unleſs | unless]unleſsunless you Should take the
Pastrol Charge of the Indians on The main but at this [Diſtance | distance]Diſtancedistance we are not
able to judge of That Matter not knowing either the Number or [Dispoſition | disposition]Dispoſitiondisposition
of Those Indians among [whome | whom]whomewhom you are, [& | and]&and have been Labouring, We have
[underſtood | understood]underſtoodunderstood that there is a [conſiderable | considerable]conſiderableconsiderable
who Desire To have you for [There | their]Theretheir [Miniſter | minister]Miniſterminister and we have [Conſidered | considered]Conſideredconsidered The
Distance and Difficulty of [Crosing | crossing]Crosingcrossing the Sound[place0297.ocp] [&c | etc.]&cetc.,
and have Therefore agreed [illegible] To [adviſe | advise]adviſeadvise, That you [Deſire | desire]Deſiredesire
[ſome | some]ſomesome Neighbouring
[Miniſter | minister]Miniſterminister To [Viſit | visit]Viſitvisit, and Try The Minds of your People and Send us a [illegible: [guess (h-dawnd): True]True] [Repreſentation | representation]Repreſentationrepresentation
of [There | their]Theretheir number and [Diſposision | disposition]Diſposisiondisposition Towards you and then that you [Viſit | visit]Viſitvisit The
[Rev.d | Rev.]Rev.dRev. [Miniſters | ministers]Miniſtersministers of That [Preſbytery | presbytery]Preſbyterypresbytery[org0085.ocp] [Shew | show]Shewshow This To Them and [alſo | also]alſoalso Represent to
Them The State of The indians at [Muntauck | Montauk]MuntauckMontauk[org0061.ocp] and [Deſire | desire]Deſiredesire Said [Miniſters | ministers]Miniſtersministers[org0085.ocp] to
[Manyfest | manifest]Manyfestmanifest to us [wheather | whether]wheatherwhether They approve of our [Proseeding | proceeding]Proseedingproceeding according to The foregoing
Vote of [Comiſs:rs | commissioners]Comiſs:rscommissioners[org0095.ocp] [&c | etc.]&cetc., and if So That They Give us Proper Testimonials of your
Moral and [Chriſatian | Christian]ChriſatianChristian Character, And That you accomplish This as Soon as may
be. and you Must Consider That it will be Some Time after your are Examined
before The Matter Can be accomplished if we Shall have To [Viſit | visit]Viſitvisit The [Sevaral | several]Sevaralseverals
Tribes of Indians upon the Main in order To your ordination. The Lord be with
[above]youryour your [Sperit | spirit]Speritspirit
[Derct | direct]Derctdirect your [above] waysways and [Keepe | keep]Keepekeep you from [Fawling | falling]Fawlingfalling into the Condemnatio[above] nn
of The [Divel | Devil]DivelDevil upon Such an [occation | occasion]occationoccasion. Give Mine and [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Pomeroy[pers0432.ocp]s Love to
your Spouse[pers0029.ocp]. and [Except | accept]Exceptaccept The Samef your Self From him, as well as, I
[Miniſter | minister]Miniſterminister To [Viſit | visit]Viſitvisit, and Try The Minds of your People and Send us a [illegible: [guess (h-dawnd): True]True] [Repreſentation | representation]Repreſentationrepresentation
of [There | their]Theretheir number and [Diſposision | disposition]Diſposisiondisposition Towards you and then that you [Viſit | visit]Viſitvisit The
[Rev.d | Rev.]Rev.dRev. [Miniſters | ministers]Miniſtersministers of That [Preſbytery | presbytery]Preſbyterypresbytery[org0085.ocp] [Shew | show]Shewshow This To Them and [alſo | also]alſoalso Represent to
Them The State of The indians at [Muntauck | Montauk]MuntauckMontauk[org0061.ocp] and [Deſire | desire]Deſiredesire Said [Miniſters | ministers]Miniſtersministers[org0085.ocp] to
[Manyfest | manifest]Manyfestmanifest to us [wheather | whether]wheatherwhether They approve of our [Proseeding | proceeding]Proseedingproceeding according to The foregoing
Vote of [Comiſs:rs | commissioners]Comiſs:rscommissioners[org0095.ocp] [&c | etc.]&cetc., and if So That They Give us Proper Testimonials of your
Moral and [Chriſatian | Christian]ChriſatianChristian Character, And That you accomplish This as Soon as may
be. and you Must Consider That it will be Some Time after your are Examined
before The Matter Can be accomplished if we Shall have To [Viſit | visit]Viſitvisit The [Sevaral | several]Sevaralseveral
Tribes of Indians upon the Main in order To your ordination. The Lord be with
[above]
of The [Divel | Devil]DivelDevil upon Such an [occation | occasion]occationoccasion. Give Mine and [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Pomeroy[pers0432.ocp]s Love to
your Spouse[pers0029.ocp]. and [Except | accept]Exceptaccept The Same
[Closer]
Your Affectionate Friend
and [Servante | servant]Servanteservant
Eleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
and [Servante | servant]Servanteservant
Eleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
[Postscript]
PS [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Oliver[pers0031.ocp] in his To me has This [Paſsage | passage]Paſsagepassage which [becauſe | because]becauſebecause
it Concerns you I Transcribe here viz “[Capt | Capt.]CaptCapt. Shaw[pers0477.ocp] of New London[place0164.ocp] has
[usu[above] aalley | usu[above] aally]usu[above] aalleyusu[above] aally [Supplyd | supplied]Supplydsupplied [Samſon | Samson]SamſonSamson[pers0030.ocp] and taken his orders upon me for it, andwhere
[above] werewere you
Do send
[above] to [ſend | send]ſendsendto [ſend | send]ſendsend him Copy of what Relates To him would I Doubt not To Do it
Still
Not be G[above] llad to Do it Still.”
Copy.
it Concerns you I Transcribe here viz “[Capt | Capt.]CaptCapt. Shaw[pers0477.ocp] of New London[place0164.ocp] has
[usu[above] aalley | usu[above] aally]usu[above] aalleyusu[above] aally [Supplyd | supplied]Supplydsupplied [Samſon | Samson]SamſonSamson[pers0030.ocp] and taken his orders upon me for it, and
Not be G[above] llad to Do it Still.”
Copy.
[Trailer]
[Lett.r | Letter]Lett.rLetter to [Sampſon | Samson]SampſonSamson
occom[pers0030.ocp]. [Jany | January]JanyJanuary. 1757[1757-01].
occom[pers0030.ocp]. [Jany | January]JanyJanuary. 1757[1757-01].
Document Summary
People identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Role in header | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|---|
pers0030.ocp | recipient | Occom, Samson | |
pers0031.ocp | Andrew Oliver Esq: r Esq. | mentioned | Oliver, Andrew |
pers0030.ocp | Samſon Samson Occom | recipient | Occom, Samson |
pers0030.ocp | Samſon Samson | recipient | Occom, Samson |
pers0036.ocp | Rev d Rev. M: r Mr. Eleazer Eleazar Wheelock | writer | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0432.ocp | M. r Mr. Pomeroy | mentioned | Pomeroy, Benjamin |
pers0031.ocp | A Andrew Oliver | mentioned | Oliver, Andrew |
pers0029.ocp | your Spouse | mentioned | Occom, Mary (née Fowler) |
pers0036.ocp | Eleazar Wheelock | writer | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0031.ocp | M r Mr. Oliver | mentioned | Oliver, Andrew |
pers0477.ocp | Cap t Capt. Shaw | mentioned | Shaw, Nathaniel |
pers0030.ocp | Sampſon Samson occom | recipient | Occom, Samson |
Places identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
place0122.ocp | Lebanon | Lebanon |
place0013.ocp | Boſton Boston | Boston |
place0129.ocp | Long Iſland Island | Long Island |
place0166.ocp | Government of New york | New York |
place0129.ocp | The Island | Long Island |
place0297.ocp | the Sound | Long Island Sound |
place0164.ocp | New London | New London |
Organizations identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
org0095.ocp | Hon.leHonourable Comiſs:rsCommissioners | The Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America |
org0095.ocp | Comiſs..rsCommissioners | The Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America |
org0095.ocp | Comiſs:rscommissioners | The Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America |
org0095.ocp | Comiſs.rsCommissioners | The Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America |
org0085.ocp | The Rev:dRev. Preſby:tyPresbytery | Presbytery of Suffolk County |
org0085.ocp | That Preſbyterypresbytery | Presbytery of Suffolk County |
org0061.ocp | indians at MuntauckMontauk | Montaukett Tribe |
org0085.ocp | Said Miniſtersministers | Presbytery of Suffolk County |
Dates identified in this document:
Standard Form | Text |
---|---|
1757-01-07 | JanyJanuary yethe 7th7th 1757 |
1757-11-12 | 12 Nov:rNovember 1756 |
1757-01 | JanyJanuary. 1757 |
Regularized text:
Type | Original | Regularized |
---|---|---|
modernization | ye | the |
modernization | 7th | 7th |
modernization | Samſon | Samson |
variation | receved | received |
variation | Honarable | Honourable |
modernization | Esq:r | Esq. |
modernization | Boſton | Boston |
variation | Enployed | employed |
modernization | Iſland | Island |
variation | Sum | some |
variation | applycation | application |
modernization | Notwithſtanding | notwithstanding |
modernization | Diſcharge | discharge |
variation | aſsiſtsance | assistance |
modernization | Likewiſe | likewise |
modernization | Repreſented | represented |
modernization | Perſon | person |
variation | Usefull | useful |
modernization | Revd | Rev. |
modernization | M:r | Mr. |
variation | Eleazer | Eleazar |
modernization | M.r | Mr. |
modernization | Miniſters | ministers |
modernization | aſsociation | association |
modernization | Conſider | consider |
modernization | Paſtoral | pastoral |
modernization | atteſt | attest |
modernization | Myſelf | myself |
modernization | Conſult | consult |
variation | bing | being |
modernization | unleſs | unless |
modernization | Diſtance | distance |
modernization | Dispoſition | disposition |
variation | whome | whom |
modernization | underſtood | understood |
modernization | conſiderable | considerable |
modernization | Miniſter | minister |
modernization | Conſidered | considered |
variation | Crosing | crossing |
modernization | &c | etc. |
modernization | adviſe | advise |
modernization | Deſire | desire |
modernization | ſome | some |
modernization | Viſit | visit |
modernization | Repreſentation | representation |
variation | Diſposision | disposition |
modernization | Rev.d | Rev. |
modernization | Preſbytery | presbytery |
variation | Shew | show |
modernization | alſo | also |
variation | Muntauck | Montauk |
variation | Manyfest | manifest |
variation | wheather | whether |
variation | Proseeding | proceeding |
variation | Chriſatian | Christian |
variation | Sevaral | several |
variation | Sperit | spirit |
variation | Derct | direct |
variation | Keepe | keep |
variation | Fawling | falling |
variation | Divel | Devil |
variation | occation | occasion |
variation | Servante | servant |
modernization | Mr | Mr. |
modernization | Paſsage | passage |
modernization | becauſe | because |
modernization | Capt | Capt. |
variation | usu[above] aalley | usu[above] aally |
variation | Supplyd | supplied |
modernization | ſend | send |
variation | Sampſon | Samson |
Expanded abbreviations:
Abbreviation | Expansion |
---|---|
Jany | January |
Hon.le | Honourable |
Comiſs:rs | Commissioners |
Comiſs..rs | Commissioners |
Nov:r | November |
Comiſs:rs | commissioners |
S..d | said |
p.r | per |
& | and |
Comiſs.rs | Commissioners |
S.d | said |
A | Andrew |
Rev:d | Rev. |
Preſby:ty | Presbytery |
Lett.r | Letter |
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 34) |
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Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: | 0 (out of 9) |
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): | 0 (out of 127) |