Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to Dennys DeBerdt, 1761 September 22

Author Wheelock, Eleazar[pers0036.ocp]

22 September 1761[1761-09-22]

Call Number761522

[note (type: abstract): Wheelock describes the progress of Occom's mission to the Oneidas, mentions a land dispute in Pennsylvania, and reports on the progress of his school. Mention is made of Kirtland's missionary training.][note (type: handwriting): Handwriting is tightly spaced and informal and there are several deletions and additions, all of which suggests that the doucment is a draft. Letter case is frequently difficult to decipher.][note (type: paper): Slightly worn at edges, though overall in good condition. The central crease is reinforced.][note (type: ink): Dark and heavy, the ink bleeds through to opposite sides. There are some blotches.][note (type: noteworthy): Letter is marked as a copy. For Occom's account of the events mentioned in this letter, see 761330.1.]

EventsOccom’s First Mission to the Oneidas

Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
My dear [& | and]&and [Hond | honoured]Hondhonoured Friend,
I [Rec.d | received]Rec.dreceived Two from You [laſt | last]laſtlast Spring the
Receipt of which I acknowledged in one from [Boſton | Boston]BoſtonBoston[place0013.ocp]
[laſt | last]laſtlast May which I hope has Reached you before now. Another
I wrote Since which [miſcarried | miscarried ]miſcarried miscarried [thro | through]throthrough [careleſsneſs | carelessness]careleſsneſscarelessness,
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Occom[pers0030.ocp] [ſat | set]ſatset out on his Long Journey to the Six Nations[org0090.ocp] on
The 10 of June[1761-06-10]. [above] [laſt | last]laſtlast[laſt | last]laſtlast Accompanied by David [above] FowlerFowler[pers0155.ocp] one of my Indian [ſchollars | scholars]ſchollarsscholars,
by the way of New York[place0166.ocp]. where he tarried Several Days. and
[preach'd | preached]preach'dpreached in [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. [Boſtwick | Bostwick]BoſtwickBostwick[pers0089.ocp]'s Meeting House[place0147.ocp] to an [Aſsembly | assembly]Aſsemblyassembly
[vaſtly | vastly]vaſtlyvastly numerous, at which was Collected for his uses £70.
and the Evening following at the [Baptiſts | Baptists]BaptiſtsBaptists Meeting House
£13. (their [Currancy | currency]Currancycurrency) and received ample Recommendation
from the principle Gentlemen in the City. I have [ſince | since]ſincesince [recd | received]recdreceived
a Letter from him Dated German [Flatts | Flats]FlattsFlats[place0084.ocp] July 7[1761-07-07]. in which he
Informs he had met with uncommon [kindneſs | kindness]kindneſskindness [& | and]&and [reſpect | respect]reſpectrespect in
all his Travel and that [Gen.l | Gen.]Gen.l Gen. [Amherſt | Amherst]AmherſtAmherst[pers0055.ocp] had given him a [Paſs | pass]Paſspass
and Recommendation to all his Officers in the [Strongeſt | strongest]Strongeſtstrongest
Terms. [& | and]&and that [Gen.l | Gen.]Gen.l Gen. [Johnſon | Johnson]JohnſonJohnson[pers0292.ocp] had received him with great
[Reſpect | respect]Reſpectrespect and [promiſed | promised]promiſedpromised him all the [Aſsiſtance | assistance]Aſsiſtanceassistance he could, in
the [Buſineſs | business]Buſineſsbusiness he is upon, and [Deſigned | designed]Deſigneddesigned the Next Day to Intro­
­duce him to the Oneida Nation[org0075.ocp], illegible the Affair [above] of his [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmissionof his [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmission looked then
with a very favourable [& | and]&and Encouraging [Aſpect | aspect]Aſpectaspect.
I have also Rec.d another Letter of the Same Date and from
the Same Place, from [Gen.l | Gen.]Gen.l Gen. [Johnſon | Johnson]JohnſonJohnson[pers0292.ocp] by the Hand of Two
[Mohawke | Mohawk]MohawkeMohawk[org0062.ocp] Lads, who are Recommended and Sent by the
[Genl | Gen.]GenlGen.[pers0292.ocp]
to this School[org0098.ocp], to be fitted for Interpreters, or [Miſsion[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): rs]rs | missionaries]Miſsion[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): rs]rsmissionaries
in [Complyance | compliance]Complyancecompliance with my [Deſire | desire]Deſiredesire by Letter to him to [ſend | send]ſendsend me
Six. Three to be Supported by the [Honle | Honourable]Honle Honourable [Scotiſh | Scottish ]ScotiſhScottish [Com̅iſsrs | Commissioners]Com̅iſsrsCommissioners
in [Boſton | Boston]BoſtonBoston[org0011.ocp]
, the other Three I ventured to Send for, to be,
in Addition to the Six I had with me before, [y.e | the]y.ethe Objects of
Such Charity as God Shall [Diſpose | dispose]Diſposedispose his people to [ſhew | show]ſhewshow upon
this [Occaſion | occasion]Occaſionoccasion. Those Two boys were [joynd | joined]joyndjoined by a Third
after they Left the General[pers0292.ocp] [above] [& | and]&and[& | and]&and who came without his Knowledge
or Recommendation and is here at [ſchool | school]ſchoolschool[org0098.ocp], they all behave
well and are much engaged to Learn [above] Sufficiently Studious [& | and]&and [Induſtrious | industrious]Induſtriousindustrious in the [Buſineſs | business]BuſineſsbusinessSufficiently Studious [& | and]&and [Induſtrious | industrious]Induſtriousindustrious in the [Buſineſs | business]Buſineſsbusiness. The [Gen.l | Gen.]Gen.lGen.[pers0292.ocp] writes me
that he hopes as he [paſses | passes]paſsespasses [thro' | through]thro'through the Other Nation on his way
to the Detroit[place0060.ocp] (whither he was going with [Preſents | presents]Preſentspresents to the
Indians) he [ſhall | shall]ſhallshall be able to [ſend | send]ſendsend me 3 or 4 more to [com­
­pleat | com
plete]
com­
­pleat
com
plete
the Number which I wrote for.
One [Sam.ll | Samuel]Sam.llSamuel [Kirtland | Kirkland]KirtlandKirkland[pers0315.ocp] a pious [& | and]&and [promiſing | promising]promiſingpromising Youth [above] whomwhom I've
taken in to the School[org0098.ocp] as a Charity [Schollar | scholar]Schollarscholar, to be fitted for
a [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmission, is now learning the [Mohawke | Mohawk]MohawkeMohawk[org0062.ocp] Language of
these Boys as fast as he can under the [Diſadvantage | disadvantage]Diſadvantagedisadvantage of ha­
­ving no Book nor Intepreter to [Aſiſst | assist]Aſiſstassist him and [ſo | so]ſoso
[alſo | also]alſoalso are [above] [alſo | also]alſoalso[alſo | also]alſoalso several of my Indian Boys. —
The generous [Bequeſt | bequest]Bequeſtbequest of that Noble Lord the [Marqueſs | Marquess]MarqueſsMarquess [below] ofof

of [Lothain | Lothian]LothainLothian[pers0355.ocp]
of £50. Sterling, The Grants of the [Honle | Honourable]HonleHonourable
[Com̅iſsrs | Commissioners]Com̅iſsrsCommissioners[org0011.ocp]
and a number of Private Donations have
Enabled me to Scrabble along hitherto.
The [Govern.r | Governor]Govern.rGovernor of [Penſilvania | Pennsylvania]PenſilvaniaPennsylvania[pers0226.ocp] is [doubtleſs | doubtless]doubtleſsdoubtless doing all
in his Power to prevent our People [ſetting | setting]ſettingsetting on the Land
they have [purchaſs'd | purchased]purchaſs'dpurchased there, The Indians have lately drove
off those who Settled on Delaware[place0059.ocp], [above] and we hear the [Engliſh | English]EngliſhEnglish have Killed two Indiansand we hear the [Engliſh | English]EngliſhEnglish have Killed two Indians The [Proprieters | proprietors]Proprietersproprietors of those
Tracts have united [& | and]&and Chosen [Col[illegible].[above] oo | Col.]Col[illegible].[above] ooCol. [Eliph.t | Eliphalet]Eliph.tEliphalet Dyar[pers0174.ocp] of Windham[place0243.ocp]
to be their Agent at the Court of Great [Brittain | Britain]BrittainBritain[place0090.ocp] [above] [illegible][illegible] [above] by himby him
they [Deſign | design]Deſigndesign to make Application for an Incorporation.
They [Deſigned | designed]Deſigneddesigned he [ſhod | should]ſhodshould have [ſat | set]ſatset out on his voyage this
month, but have lately concluded he [ſhall | shall ]ſhall shall [ſtay | stay]ſtaystay till Early
next Spring. he is a very fit Gentleman to be [imployed | employed]imployedemployed
in the Affairs of this School[org0098.ocp], and I hope we [ſhall | shall]ſhallshall be able
to prepare matters So as to [imploy | employ]imployemploy him there in, and he
will make no Small [Acco.t | account]Acco.taccount of your [Friendſhip | friendship]Friendſhipfriendship [& | and]&and [Aſsiſtance | assistance]Aſsiſtanceassistance
there in.
Not having an Opportunity to [ſpeak | speak]ſpeakspeak with [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Peters[pers0422.ocp] I wrote
him Your Errand. my Son [informd | informed]informdinformed me [y.t | that]y.tthat he [ſaid | said]ſaidsaid he had agreed
with a man [laſt | last]laſtlast fall to pay the money to [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Hazzar[gap: stain][guess (h-dawnd): d]d[pers0251.ocp] of [N. | New]N.New York[place0166.ocp]
but the man had deceived [& | and]&and [diſopointed | disappointed]diſopointeddisappointed him. but Said he would
take Speedy Care that it [ſhould | should]ſhouldshould be done. He is Settled in Hebron[place0099.ocp]
and none till lately [tho't | thought]tho'tthought but [y.e | the]y.ethe Society[org0095.ocp] had Sent him there
'till lately an Report is come [above] SpreadSpread that he had Orders for Taunton[place0231.ocp]
in the Province of the [Maſsachusſetts | Massachusetts]MaſsachusſettsMassachusetts Bay[place0134.ocp]. I [wiſh | wish]wiſhwish I could [illegible]you [wod | would]wodwould
favour me with one of the Societies[org0095.ocp] Returns. his [Aſsembly | assembly]Aſsemblyassembly is
very Small indeed. what their means are I can't [ſo | so]ſoso fully [above] am not able toam not able to Say.
[Miſs | Miss]MiſsMiss. Williams of Wethersfield[place0240.ocp][pers0598.ocp] was married [laſt | last]laſtlast Spring to
the [Honle | Honourable]Honle Honourable [Wm | William]WmWilliam [illegible][guess (h-dawnd): Smith]Smith] [Esq.r | Esq.]Esq.rEsq.[pers0504.ocp] of [N. | New]N.New York[place0166.ocp] [& | and]&and is gone thither to Live.
one [Sam.el | Samuel]Sam.el Samuel [Aſhpo | Ashpo]AſhpoAshpo[pers0002.ocp], a [Chriſtian | Christian]ChriſtianChristian Indian of the Tribe at Mohegan[org0063.ocp]
lodged at my House [above] Last SummerLast Summer on his Return from [Seſquaanna | Susquehanna]SeſquaannaSusquehanna[place0206.ocp] [laſt | last]laſtlast [ſummer | summer]ſummersummer
about 300. miles from hence, and [informd | informed]informdinformed me there was a very
great Concern among the Indians in Several Places near [ſ.d | said]ſ.dsaid River[place0206.ocp]
and a great [Deſire | desire]Deſiredesire to be taught the way of Life. he told
me there was a Number he [tho't | thought]tho'tthought not [leſs | less]leſsless than 20. which
he [above] [illegible][guess (h-dawnd): verily]verily[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): verily]verily [tho't | thought]tho'tthought were Savingly converted at [above] a Place [calld | called]calldcalleda Place [calld | called]calldcalled [Jeninge | Chenango]JeningeChenango[place0110.ocp] near [S.d | said]S.dsaid River[place0206.ocp].
The [incloſed | enclosed]incloſedenclosed was [publiſhed | published]publiſhedpublished amidst a crowd of [Buſineſs | business]Buſineſsbusiness I doub[gap: worn_edge][guess (h-dawnd): t]t
not Your [Friendſhip | friendship]Friendſhipfriendship will [Excuſ | excuse]Excuſexcuse all Defects. My dear [ſir | sir]ſirsir.
continue writing to. [& | and]&and praying for, him who is with the
[moſt | most]moſtmost Sincere [Reſpect | respect]Reſpectrespect.
[Closer]
Yours in the [Deareſt | dearest]Deareſtdearest Bonds,
Eleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Dennys DeBerdt.[pers0014.ocp]
[Trailer]
A Copy of a Letter to
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. [Debert | DeBerdt]DebertDeBerdt[pers0014.ocp]. London[place0128.ocp]
 [Septr | September]SeptrSeptember 1761[1761-09-21]
[note (type: editorial): Blank page.]
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
pers0155.ocp David Fowler mentioned Fowler, David
pers0089.ocp M. r Mr. Boſtwick Bostwick mentioned Bostwick, David
pers0055.ocp Gen. l Gen. Amherſt Amherst mentioned Amherst, Jeffery
pers0292.ocp Gen. l Gen. Johnſon Johnson mentioned Johnson, William
pers0292.ocp the Gen l Gen. mentioned Johnson, William
pers0292.ocp the General mentioned Johnson, William
pers0292.ocp The Gen. l Gen. mentioned Johnson, William
pers0315.ocp Sam. ll Samuel Kirtland Kirkland mentioned Kirkland, Samuel
pers0355.ocp the Marqueſs Marquess of of Lothain Lothian mentioned Kerr, William
pers0226.ocp Govern. r Governor of Penſilvania Pennsylvania mentioned Penn, Thomas
pers0174.ocp Eliph. t Eliphalet Dyar mentioned Dyar, Eliphalet
pers0422.ocp M. r Mr. Peters mentioned Peters
pers0251.ocp M. r Mr. Hazzar d mentioned Hazzar
pers0598.ocp Miſs Miss . Williams of Wethersfield mentioned Williams
pers0504.ocp Hon le Honourable W m William Smith ] Esq. r Esq. mentioned Smith, William Sr.
pers0002.ocp Sam. el Samuel Aſhpo Ashpo mentioned Ashpo, Samuel
pers0036.ocp Eleazar Wheelock writer Wheelock, Eleazar
pers0014.ocp M. r Mr. Dennys DeBerdt. recipient DeBerdt, Dennys
pers0014.ocp M. r Mr. Debert DeBerdt recipient DeBerdt, Dennys

Places identified in this document:

id Text in document Authorized Name
place0122.ocp Lebanon Lebanon
place0013.ocp Boſton Boston Boston
place0166.ocp New York New York
place0147.ocp M. r Mr. Boſtwick Bostwick 's Meeting House Mr. Bostwick's Meeting House
place0084.ocp German Flatts Flats German Flatts
place0060.ocp the Detroit Detroit
place0059.ocp Delaware Delaware
place0243.ocp Windham Windham
place0090.ocp Great Brittain Britain Great Britain
place0166.ocp N. New York New York
place0099.ocp Hebron Hebron
place0231.ocp Taunton Taunton
place0134.ocp Province of the Maſsachusſetts Massachusetts Bay Massachusetts
place0240.ocp Wethersfield Wethersfield
place0206.ocp Seſquaanna Susquehanna Susquehanna River
place0206.ocp ſ.d said River Susquehanna River
place0110.ocp Jeninge Chenango Chenango
place0206.ocp S. d said River Susquehanna River
place0128.ocp London London

Organizations identified in this document:

id Text in document Authorized Name
org0090.ocp Six Nations Six Nations
org0075.ocp Oneida Nation Oneida Nation
org0062.ocp MohawkeMohawk Mohawk Nation
org0098.ocp this School Moor’s Indian Charity School
org0011.ocp Honle Honourable ScotiſhScottish Com̅iſsrsCommissioners in BoſtonBoston Boston Board of the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge
org0098.ocp ſchoolschool Moor’s Indian Charity School
org0098.ocp the School Moor’s Indian Charity School
org0011.ocp HonleHonourable Com̅iſsrsCommissioners Boston Board of the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge
org0095.ocp y.ethe Society The Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America
org0095.ocp the Societies The Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America
org0063.ocp Tribe at Mohegan Mohegan Tribe

Dates identified in this document:

Standard Form Text
1761-09-21 Sept.rSeptember 21. 1761
1761-06-10 10 of June
1761-07-07 July 7
1761-09-21 SeptrSeptember 1761

Regularized text:

Type Original Regularized
modernization laſt last
modernization Boſton Boston
modernization miſcarried miscarried
variation thro through
modernization careleſsneſs carelessness
modernization M.r Mr.
variation ſat set
variation ſchollars scholars
modernization Boſtwick Bostwick
modernization Aſsembly assembly
modernization vaſtly vastly
modernization Baptiſts Baptists
variation Currancy currency
modernization ſince since
variation Flatts Flats
modernization kindneſs kindness
modernization reſpect respect
modernization Gen.l Gen.
modernization Amherſt Amherst
modernization Paſs pass
modernization Strongeſt strongest
modernization Johnſon Johnson
modernization Reſpect respect
modernization promiſed promised
modernization Aſsiſtance assistance
modernization Buſineſs business
modernization Deſigned designed
modernization Miſsion mission
modernization Aſpect aspect
variation Mohawke Mohawk
modernization Genl Gen.
variation Complyance compliance
modernization Deſire desire
modernization ſend send
variation Scotiſh Scottish
modernization y.e the
modernization Diſpose dispose
variation ſhew show
modernization Occaſion occasion
variation joynd joined
modernization ſchool school
modernization Induſtrious industrious
modernization Gen.l Gen.
modernization paſses passes
modernization Preſents presents
modernization ſhall shall
variation com­
­pleat
com
plete
variation Kirtland Kirkland
modernization promiſing promising
variation Schollar scholar
modernization Diſadvantage disadvantage
variation Aſiſst assist
modernization ſo so
modernization alſo also
modernization Bequeſt bequest
modernization Marqueſs Marquess
variation Lothain Lothian
variation Penſilvania Pennsylvania
modernization doubtleſs doubtless
modernization ſetting setting
modernization Engliſh English
variation Proprieters proprietors
modernization Col[illegible].[above] oo Col.
variation Brittain Britain
modernization Deſign design
modernization ſhall shall
modernization ſtay stay
variation imployed employed
variation imploy employ
modernization Friendſhip friendship
modernization ſpeak speak
variation informd informed
modernization y.t that
modernization ſaid said
variation diſopointed disappointed
modernization ſhould should
modernization Maſsachusſetts Massachusetts
modernization wiſh wish
modernization Miſs Miss
modernization Esq.r Esq.
modernization Aſhpo Ashpo
modernization Chriſtian Christian
variation Seſquaanna Susquehanna
modernization ſummer summer
modernization leſs less
variation calld called
variation Jeninge Chenango
variation incloſed enclosed
modernization publiſhed published
modernization Excuſ excuse
modernization ſir sir
modernization moſt most
modernization Deareſt dearest
variation Debert DeBerdt

Expanded abbreviations:

Abbreviation Expansion
Sept.r September
& and
Hond honoured
Rec.d received
preach'd preached
recd received
Miſsion[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): rs]rs missionaries
Honle Honourable
Com̅iſsrs Commissioners
thro' through
Sam.ll Samuel
Honle Honourable
Govern.r Governor
purchaſs'd purchased
Eliph.t Eliphalet
ſhod should
Acco.t account
N. New
tho't thought
wod would
Wm William
Sam.el Samuel
ſ.d said
S.d said
Septr September

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 49)
Number of people/places/organizations with unknown keys: 0 (out of 54)
Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: 0 (out of 17)
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): 0 (out of 169)