Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to George Whitefield, 1762 September 16
16 September 1762[1762-09-16]
ms number762516.1
[note (type: abstract): Copy of a letter in which Wheelock discusses Occom's mission, those affected by Indian wars, the growth of the School, grants of money, and the donation of books.][note (type: handwriting): Informal handwriting is small and occasionally difficult to decipher; it is not Wheelock’s.][note (type: paper): Large sheet folded in half to make four pages is heavily reinforced, which makes it difficult to gauge the condition of the paper.][note (type: ink): Black-brown ink is somewhat dimmed by reinforcement.][note (type: noteworthy): This letter is a copy of manuscript 762516. It is uncertain to whom Wheelock refers when he mentions the "English Youth" in the second paragraph of one recto, and so he has been left untagged. The number 814 is circled in blue pencil at the top of one recto; it is likely a cataloguing number, possibly of a private collector. An editor, likely 19th-century, has added the note "To Whitefield" after the trailer on two verso. This note has not been included in the transcription.][note (type: signature): The signature is not in Wheelock’s hand.]EventsOccom’s Second Mission to the Oneidas
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
David[pers0155.ocp] my indian Scholar, [return'd | returned]return'dreturned
july [18.th | 18th]18.th18th[1762-07-18] from
[ye | the]yethe
Mohawk country[place0142.ocp], where I [inform'd | informed]inform'dinformed you in my [laſt | last]laſtlast I [sint | sent]sintsent him, [& | and]&and brought with him four indian boys. 3 Mohawks [& | and]&and one of [ye | the]yethe
Farmington tribe[org0044.ocp], [ye | the]yethe boys [& | and]&and girls I expected from [Onida | Oneida]OnidaOneida[place0179.ocp], were [detain'd | detained]detain'ddetained by their Parents, on account of a Rumour [& | and]&and
[ſuspicion | suspicion]ſuspicionsuspicion of a [warr | war]warrwar full com‐mencing between [ym | them]ymthem
[& | and]&and
[ye | the]yethe Nation on [ye | the]yethe Back of them [& | and]&and in Such a [Caſe | case]Caſecase they did not [chuse | choose]chusechoose to have their Children at [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch a distance from them, But perhaps they were
[ſuspicious | suspicious]ſuspicioussuspicious that they [ſhould | should]ſhouldshould be obliged to join these Nations against [ye | the]yethe English —
The English Youth of which I have [inform'd | informed]inform'dinformed you who has been a Captive with [ye | the]yethe
[Senecans | Senecas]SenecansSenecas[org0088.ocp]
[till | until]tilluntil he is [maſter | master]maſtermaster of their Language. [& | and]&and which I [ſent | sent]ſentsent for with a view to fit him for an Interpreter to that Nation. was under
such engagements to a Trader at Black
Fort[place0012.ocp], as that he could not get [illegible][clear'd | cleared]clear'dcleared for the present, I have again wrote to [Gen.l | General]Gen.lGeneral Johnson[pers0292.ocp], who was not at Home when I
David[pers0155.ocp] was there [till | 'til]till'til
[ye | the]yethe night before he came away, [& | and]&and desired him to procure [& | and]&and
[ſend | send]ſendsend
[ye | the]yethe youth, if he [Eſteems | esteems]Eſteemsesteems him likely to answer [ye | the]yethe design — [Mr | Mr.]MrMr.
[Occum | Occom]OccumOccom[pers0030.ocp] writes me a very Me‐‐lancholy Letter.
viz that, by an Untimely frost last fall, their Indian Corn was all Cut [of | off]ofoff, that [ye | the]yethe
[Onayadas | Oneidas]OnayadasOneidas[org0075.ocp] are almost
[ſtarv'd | starved]ſtarv'dstarved having nothing to live upon but what they get by Hunting that they had just
come in from their [Pidgeon | pigeon]Pidgeonpigeon — [& | and]&and were going a fishing, as [ſoon | soon]ſoonsoon as they return from that they will go after Deer, That he [follow'd | followed]follow'dfollowed them but found it very difficult to get a number of them together to
preach to them, that by hard living ([tho | although]thoalthough they were as kind
to
to him as they Could be) [& | and]&and especially by lying on [ye | the]yethe wet Ground his old disorders (viz [Rhumatic | rheumatic]Rhumaticrheumatic) [return'd | returned]return'dreturned
[& | and]&and he was apprehensive he must return before [ye | the]yethe time appointed, That he lived in fear of being [kill'd | killed]kill'dkilled. [tho | Although]thoAlthough
[ye | the]yethe Indians had [promis'd | promised]promis'dpromised him in [caſe | case]caſecase a [warr | war]warrwar
[ſhould | should]ſhouldshould break out, they would [ſend | send]ſendsend him under [ſufficient | sufficient]ſufficientsufficient guard down as far as [ye | the]yethe English Settlements
But there was something very good in his Letterviz that there were
visibly good Effects of his Labours among them last Year, [& | and]&and especially a Reformation among them as to their Drinking
My School[org0098.ocp] is in a flourishing State
through [ye | the]yethe Great Mercy of God, I have 19. in Number. viz 15 Males [& | and]&and
4. females, [& | and]&and
[ye | the]yethe most of them appearing quite likely, I hope I [ſhall | shall]ſhallshall have several well fitted for Interpreters [& | and]&and
[Misſionarys | missionaries]Misſionarysmissionaries in due time. I have been [favour'd | favoured]favour'dfavoured with [ye | the]yethe best of of [Maſters | masters]Maſtersmasters
[ſucceſsively | successfully]ſucceſsivelysuccessfully for some Years — I have received
[ye | the]yethe Bell you sent and it is decently hung on [ye | the]yethe
[Houſe | house]Houſehouse Which is devoted to [ye | the]yethe
[ſervice | service]ſerviceservice. [& | and]&and we now feel [ye | the]yethe Benefit of it we can keep Hours with little Trouble [& | and]&and I hope in Gods Time it will be [use'd | used]use'dused to call [to gather | together]to gathertogether a little black [Aſſembly | assemby]Aſſemblyassemby to hear you Preach Christ.
A small Counsel of Ministers has been lately [Call'd | called]Call'dcalled to
[Examin. | examine]Examin.examine
[Saml | Samuel]SamlSamuel
[Aſhpo | Ashpo]AſhpoAshpo[pers0002.ocp]. an Indian of whom I once wrote you
[& | and]&and they were so [farr | far]farrfar
[ſatisfied | satisfied]ſatisfiedsatisfied
[& | and]&and
[pleas'd | pleased]pleas'dpleased with him as that they advised to his being fitted as fast as may be for a
[Miſſion | mission]Miſſionmission. and accordingly I Expect Him to this
School[org0098.ocp] this week. [ſeveral | several]ſeveralseveral others I expect here soon [& | and]&and my hope for their [ſupport | support]ſupportsupport is only in Him what [ye | the]yethe Earth is, [& | and]&and
[ye | the]yethe
[fullneſs | fullness]fullneſsfullness thereof
The [Gen.l | general]Gen.lgeneral
[Aſſembly | assembly]Aſſemblyassembly of [ye | the]yethe province of [ye | the]yethe
[Maſsachusetts | Massachusetts]MaſsachusettsMassachusetts Bay[org0046.ocp], last fall, voted me [ye | the]yethe
[uſe | use]uſeuse of a Legacy of [S.r | Sir]S.rSir Peter Warren[pers0559.ocp]. of about £750 [ſterling | sterling]ſterlingsterling which he left in their hands for [ye | the]yethe Education of [ye | the]yethe Youth of [ye | the]yethe
Six Nations[org0090.ocp], but I Understood by [Dr | Dr.]DrDr. Chauncy[pers0118.ocp] that [ye | the]yethe new [form'd | formed]form'dformed
Society in [& | and]&and about [Boſton | Boston]BoſtonBoston[org0093.ocp] design if they can to get it into their hands, as [ſoon | soon]ſoonsoon as my years [improvt | improvement]improvtimprovement of it is Expired — Also his Majesty [Counsell | Counsel]CounsellCounsel and house of Representatives in [ye | the]yethe province of New [Hampſhire | Hampshire]HampſhireHampshire[org0056.ocp] have voted to [ye | the]yethe
[uſe | use]uſeuse of this School[org0098.ocp] £50 [ſterling | sterling]ſterlingsterling per annum for five years [succeſively | successively]succeſivelysuccessively, but there was not time for [ye | the]yethe
[Governour | Governor]GovernourGovernor[pers0799.ocp] to Consider of [ye | the]yethe Act before he [prorogud | prorogued]prorogudprorogued
[ye | the]yethe
[Aſſembly | assembly]Aſſemblyassembly[org0046.ocp]
[& | and]&and so it is not yet [ſign'd | signed]ſign'dsigned — [& | and]&and who knows to what a Height this School[org0098.ocp]
may arise from low and [deſpicable | despicable]deſpicabledespicable Beginnings and what Glory may redound to the great Redeemer thereby to
God alone be all [ye | the]yethe Glory!
[Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Smith[pers0497.ocp]
[inform'd | informed]inform'dinformed me that there was some talk in England[place0068.ocp] of collecting a Library for [ye | the]yethe use of this School[org0098.ocp], may God incline [ye | the]yethe Hearts of his people to promote that design is there not a [ſociety | society]ſocietysociety[org0092.ocp] in England[place0068.ocp] lately [form'd | formed]form'dformed with a [ſpecial | special]ſpecialspecial view to [ye | the]yethe printing [& | and]&and
[disſperſing | dispersing]disſperſingdispersing
[Usefull | useful]Usefulluseful Books? I wish I could be [inform'd | informed]inform'dinformed particularly about it [& | and]&and if you think fit introduced to a [Corresſpondance | correspondence]Corresſpondancecorrespondence with some members of it. [Miſs | Miss]MiſsMiss Williams[pers0598.ocp] before she left Wethersfield[place0240.ocp], sent me a Number of valuable and useful to be [disperſed | dispersed]disperſeddispersed as I judged but among Children [&c | etc.]&cetc. which I now suppose might likely come to her from
that Society[org0092.ocp]. I have lately been [ſick | sick]ſicksick
[& | and]&and brought low with a [Dyſentry | dysentery]Dyſentrydysentery but [thro | through]throthrough
[ye | the]yethe mercy of God am now able to do [ſome | some]ſomesome
[Buſsineſs | business]Buſsineſsbusiness
[Closer]
pray for Your Unworthy [Br.o | brother]Br.obrother
[&c | etc.]&cetc.
Eleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
Document Summary
People identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Role in header | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|---|
pers0036.ocp | M. r Mr. Wheelock | writer | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0155.ocp | David | mentioned | Fowler, David |
pers0292.ocp | Gen. l General Johnson | mentioned | Johnson, William |
pers0030.ocp | M r Mr. Occum Occom | mentioned | Occom, Samson |
pers0002.ocp | Sam l Samuel Aſhpo Ashpo | mentioned | Ashpo, Samuel |
pers0559.ocp | S. r Sir Peter Warren | mentioned | Warren, Peter |
pers0118.ocp | D r Dr. Chauncy | mentioned | Chauncy, Charles |
pers0799.ocp | Governour Governor | mentioned | Wentworth, Benning |
pers0497.ocp | M r Mr. Smith | mentioned | Smith, John |
pers0598.ocp | Miſs Miss Williams | mentioned | Williams |
pers0036.ocp | Eleazar Wheelock | writer | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0036.ocp | Rev. M r Mr. Wheelock | writer | Wheelock, Eleazar |
Places identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
place0122.ocp | Lebanon | Lebanon |
place0142.ocp | Mohawk country | Mohawk Country |
place0179.ocp | Onida Oneida | Oneida |
place0012.ocp | Black Fort | Black Fort |
place0068.ocp | England | England |
place0240.ocp | Wethersfield | Wethersfield |
place0003.ocp | America | America |
Organizations identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
org0044.ocp | Farmington tribe | Farmington Tribe |
org0088.ocp | SenecansSenecas | Seneca Nation |
org0075.ocp | OnayadasOneidas | Oneida Nation |
org0098.ocp | School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
org0098.ocp | this School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
org0046.ocp | Gen.lgeneral Aſſemblyassembly of yethe province of yethe MaſsachusettsMassachusetts Bay | General Assembly of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay |
org0090.ocp | Six Nations | Six Nations |
org0093.ocp | Society in &and about BoſtonBoston | Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge among the Indians of North America |
org0056.ocp | his Majesty CounsellCounsel and house of Representatives in yethe province of New HampſhireHampshire | His Majesty Counsell and House of Representatives in the Province of New Hampshire |
org0098.ocp | this School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
org0046.ocp | Aſſemblyassembly | General Assembly of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay |
org0092.ocp | ſocietysociety | Society for Propagating Religious Knowledge Among the Poor |
org0092.ocp | that Society | Society for Propagating Religious Knowledge Among the Poor |
Dates identified in this document:
Standard Form | Text |
---|---|
1762-09-16 | Sep. tSeptember 16. 1762 |
1762-07-18 | july 18.th18th |
1762-09 | Sep.rSeptember 1762. |
Regularized text:
Type | Original | Regularized |
---|---|---|
modernization | M.r | Mr. |
modernization | Hond | honoured |
modernization | Sr | Sir |
variation | return'd | returned |
modernization | 18.th | 18th |
modernization | ye | the |
modernization | laſt | last |
variation | sint | sent |
variation | Onida | Oneida |
variation | detain'd | detained |
modernization | ſuspicion | suspicion |
variation | warr | war |
modernization | ym | them |
modernization | Caſe | case |
variation | chuse | choose |
modernization | ſuch | such |
modernization | ſuspicious | suspicious |
modernization | ſhould | should |
variation | inform'd | informed |
variation | Senecans | Senecas |
variation | till | until |
modernization | maſter | master |
modernization | ſent | sent |
modernization | Gen.l | General |
variation | till | 'til |
modernization | ſend | send |
modernization | Eſteems | esteems |
modernization | Mr | Mr. |
variation | Occum | Occom |
variation | of | off |
variation | Onayadas | Oneidas |
modernization | ſtarv'd | starved |
variation | Pidgeon | pigeon |
modernization | ſoon | soon |
variation | follow'd | followed |
variation | tho | although |
variation | Rhumatic | rheumatic |
variation | kill'd | killed |
variation | tho | Although |
variation | promis'd | promised |
modernization | caſe | case |
modernization | ſufficient | sufficient |
modernization | ſhall | shall |
modernization | Misſionarys | missionaries |
variation | favour'd | favoured |
modernization | Maſters | masters |
modernization | ſucceſsively | successfully |
modernization | Houſe | house |
modernization | ſervice | service |
variation | to gather | together |
modernization | Aſſembly | assemby |
variation | Call'd | called |
variation | Examin. | examine |
modernization | Saml | Samuel |
modernization | Aſhpo | Ashpo |
variation | farr | far |
modernization | ſatisfied | satisfied |
variation | pleas'd | pleased |
modernization | Miſſion | mission |
modernization | ſeveral | several |
modernization | ſupport | support |
modernization | fullneſs | fullness |
modernization | Gen.l | general |
modernization | Aſſembly | assembly |
modernization | Maſsachusetts | Massachusetts |
modernization | uſe | use |
modernization | S.r | Sir |
modernization | ſterling | sterling |
modernization | Dr | Dr. |
variation | form'd | formed |
modernization | Boſton | Boston |
variation | improvt | improvement |
variation | Counsell | Counsel |
modernization | Hampſhire | Hampshire |
modernization | succeſively | successively |
variation | Governour | Governor |
modernization | prorogud | prorogued |
modernization | ſign'd | signed |
modernization | deſpicable | despicable |
modernization | ſociety | society |
modernization | ſpecial | special |
modernization | disſperſing | dispersing |
variation | Usefull | useful |
modernization | Corresſpondance | correspondence |
modernization | Miſs | Miss |
modernization | disperſed | dispersed |
modernization | &c | etc. |
modernization | ſick | sick |
modernization | Dyſentry | dysentery |
variation | thro | through |
modernization | ſome | some |
modernization | Buſsineſs | business |
modernization | Br.o | brother |
Expanded abbreviations:
Abbreviation | Expansion |
---|---|
Sep. t | September |
& | and |
inform'd | informed |
clear'd | cleared |
return'd | returned |
use'd | used |
Sep.r | 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 68) |
Number of people/places/organizations with unknown keys: | 0 (out of 36) |
Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: | 0 (out of 1) |
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): | 0 (out of 158) |