Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to George Whitefield, 1762 September 16
16 September 1762[1762-09-16]
ms number762516
[note (type: abstract): Wheelock writes of his difficulty in securing pupils, and relays news from Occom about the bad conditions among the Oneidas. Ashpo is being trained for mission work. The future of a grant from the Massachusetts assembly and other monies are in question.][note (type: handwriting): Informal handwriting is small and crowded, with several additions and deletions, which affects legibility.][note (type: paper): Large single sheet is in good condition, with light staining and wear, and moderate creasing.][note (type: ink): Black-brown][note (type: noteworthy): This document is likely a draft. Manuscript 762516.1 is a copy of this letter.][note (type: signature): The signature is abbreviated.]EventsOccom’s Second Mission to the Oneidas
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
Lebanon[place0122.ocp]
16. [Sep.r | September]Sep.rSeptember 1762.[1762-09-16]
My very dear and [Hond | honoured]Hondhonoured
^[above] Sir^Sir
Friend
David[pers0155.ocp], my Indian [Schollar | scholar]Schollarscholar returned ^[above] July^July 18 from the Mohawk Country[place0142.ocp], where I informed you in my
[laſt | last]laſtlast, I had Sent him, and [bro.t | brought]bro.tbrought with him ^[above] 4 Indian Boys^4 Indian Boys three Mohawks[org0062.ocp]
Boys
^[above] and one of the Farmington
Tribe[org0044.ocp]^and one of the Farmington
Tribe[org0044.ocp] the Boys and Girls which I expected from [Onoyada | Oneida]OnoyadaOneida[place0179.ocp]
^[above] [wre | were]wrewere detained by their Parents^[wre | were]wrewere detained by their Parents on [acco.t | account]acco.taccount of a Rumour, [& | and]&and
[Suſpicion | suspicion]Suſpicionsuspicion, of a war just [com̅encing | commencing]com̅encingcommencing between them and the Nations back of them [occaſioned | occasioned]occaſionedoccasioned
as they Said by the Attachment of the [Onoyadas | Oneidas]OnoyadasOneidas[org0075.ocp] to the [Engliſh | English]EngliſhEnglish,
in which
^[above] and in [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch a^and in [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch a
[caſe | case]caſecase they [sd | said]sdsaid they did not ^[above] [chuſe | choose]chuſechoose^[chuſe | choose]chuſechoose
[conſent | consent]conſentconsent to have their Children ^[above] at [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch a [Diſtance | distance]Diſtancedistance^at [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch a [Diſtance | distance]Diſtancedistance from them, but perhaps they were
[Suſpicious | suspicious]Suſpicioussuspicious
[yt | that]ytthat they [ſhould | should]ſhouldshould be obliged to [Joyn | join]Joynjoin those Nations [againſt | against]againſtagainst the
[Engliſh | English]EngliſhEnglish. The [engliſh | English]engliſhEnglish youth of which I informed you, who has been a Captive with the Senecas[org0088.ocp]
[till | 'til]till'til he is [Maſter | master]Maſtermaster of their Language, and which I [ſent | sent]ſentsent for with a view to fit him for Interpreter to that Nation, was under [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch
[ingagements | engagements]ingagementsengagements to a Trader at Black Fort[place0012.ocp] as that he
could not get [releaſed | released]releaſedreleased for the [Preſent | present]Preſentpresent, I have again wrote to
[Genl | Gen.]GenlGen.
[Johnſon | Johnson]JohnſonJohnson[pers0292.ocp] who was not at Home when David[pers0155.ocp] was there
[till | 'til]till'til the Night before David[pers0155.ocp] came away
when he returned
from a long Journey which he had taken in order for a
Treaty with Several [Diſtant | distant]Diſtantdistant Tribes of Indians, and then
was So full of [Buſineſs | business]Buſineſsbusiness
[y.t | that]y.tthat he could [scarſely | scarcely]scarſelyscarcely attend to any
thing but his own Affairs. I have again
^[above] and^and
[deſired | desired]deſireddesired him to be
[inſtrumental | instrumental]inſtrumentalinstrumental to procure, and [ſend | send]ſendsend
[ye | the]yethe youth to me if he [eſteem | esteem]eſteemesteem^[above] [illegible]^[illegible] him likely
for
^[above] to [anſwer | answer]anſweranswer^to [anſwer | answer]anſweranswer the [Deſign | design]Deſigndesign.
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Occom[pers0030.ocp] writes me a very [meloncholly | melancholy]melonchollymelancholy Letter. viz that by an untimely [Froſt | frost]Froſtfrost
[laſt | last]laſtlast fall their Indian Corn was all cut off – [y.t | that]y.tthat
the [Onoyadas | Oneidas]OnoyadasOneidas[org0075.ocp] are [almoſt | almost]almoſtalmost Starved [havg | having]havghaving nothing to live upon but what they get by Hunting — that they
had then just come in from their Pigeon Hunt — and were going a
[fiſhing | fishing]fiſhingfishing — as Soon as they returnd from that they will go after
Deer. that he followed them, but found it very Difficult to get a Number of them
together to preach to them — that by hard living ([tho.’ | though]tho.’though they were as kind as they could be) and
^[above] [eſpecially | especially]eſpeciallyespecially^[eſpecially | especially]eſpeciallyespecially lying upon the wet ground his old [Diſorders | disorders]Diſordersdisorders (viz [Rhumatic | rheumatic]Rhumaticrheumatic)
[returnd | returned]returndreturned, and he was [apprehenſive | apprehensive]apprehenſiveapprehensive he [muſt | must]muſtmust return [befor | before]beforbefore the Time appointed [illegible]— that he
lived in fear, ^[above] of being [killd | killed]killdkilled^of being [killd | killed]killdkilled
[tho’ | though]tho’though the Indians had
[promiſed | promised]promiſedpromised him if
^[above] in [caſe | case]caſecase^in [caſe | case]caſecase a war [ſhould | should]ſhouldshould break out, they would [ſend | send]ſendsend him under a Sufficient Guard, down as far as the [Engliſh | English]EngliſhEnglish Settlemen^[above] ts^ts
But there was Something good in his Letter viz that theree
were [ſome | some]ſomesome
[viſible | visible]viſiblevisible good Effects of his Labours among them [laſt | last]laſtlast year, [& | and]&and
[eſpecially | especially]eſpeciallyespecially a Reformation ^[above] among them^among them as to their Drinking.
My School[org0098.ocp] is in a [flouriſhing | flourishing]flouriſhingflourishing State [thro’ | through]thro’through the great Mercy of God, I have 19. in Number ^[above] viz^viz
15 males and 4 females. ^[above] and [ye | the]yethe
[moſt | most]moſtmost of [ym | them]ymthem
[appr | appear]apprappear quite likely^and [ye | the]yethe
[moſt | most]moſtmost of [ym | them]ymthem
[appr | appear]apprappear quite likely
[& | and]&and hope I Shall have Several well fitted for Interpreters ^[above] and [Miſsionaries | missionaries]Miſsionariesmissionaries^and [Miſsionaries | missionaries]Miſsionariesmissionaries in due Time I have been favoured with the [beſt | best]beſtbest of [Maſters | masters]Maſtersmasters
[ſucceſsively | successively]ſucceſsivelysuccessively for Some years.
I have received the Bell which you Sent and and it is
[decenlly | decently]decenllydecently
[left] Letter to [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Whitefield[pers0038.ocp][Sept.r | September]Sept.rSeptember 16. 1762.[1762-09-16]
Letter to [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Whitefield[pers0038.ocp][Sept.r | September]Sept.rSeptember 16. 1762.[1762-09-16]
decently hung on the House which I have
devoted to the Service. and we now [feal | feel]fealfeel the Benefit of it. we can now keep hours with but little Trouble. I
hope in Gods Time it will be used to call together a little black [Aſsembly | assembly]Aſsemblyassembly to hear you preach [Chriſt | Christ]ChriſtChrist. —
A Small Council of [Miniſters | ministers]Miniſtersministers has been [lalely | lately]lalelylately
[calld | called]calldcalled to examine [Saml | Samuel]SamlSamuel
[Aſhpo | Ashpo]AſhpoAshpo[pers0002.ocp]. an Indian of whom I once wrote you, and they were So far [Satiſfied | satisfied]Satiſfiedsatisfied
[& | and]&and
[pleaſed | pleased]pleaſedpleased with him as that they [adviſed | advised]adviſedadvised to his being fitted as fast as may be for a [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmission. and accordingly I expect him ^[above] to [ye | the]yethe
School[org0098.ocp]^to [ye | the]yethe
School[org0098.ocp] this week at this School[org0098.ocp]. Several others I expect here [ſoon | soon]ſoonsoon. and my Hope for their Support is only in him [whoſe | whose]whoſewhose the Earth is and the [fullneſs | fullness]fullneſsfullness thereof, and who has the hearts of all in his Hands.
The ^[above] general [Aſsembly | assembly]Aſsemblyassembly of the^general [Aſsembly | assembly]Aſsemblyassembly of the Province of the [Maſsachuſetts | Massachussetts]MaſsachuſettsMassachussetts Bay[org0046.ocp], [laſt | last]laſtlast
^[above] Fall^Fall
year voted me the use of a Legacy of [ſir | Sir]ſirSir Peter Warren[pers0559.ocp] of about £750. Sterling, ^[above] [w.c | which]w.cwhich he^[w.c | which]w.cwhich he left in their Hands for the Education of the Youth of the
Six Nations[org0090.ocp]. but I [underſtand | understand]underſtandunderstand
^[above] by [Doct.r | Dr.]Doct.rDr. Chauncy[pers0118.ocp] that^by [Doct.r | Dr.]Doct.rDr. Chauncy[pers0118.ocp] that the new [form’d | formed]form’dformed
Society in, [& | and]&and about Bos‐ -ton[org0011.ocp]
[deſign | design]deſigndesign if they can to get it into their Hands as [ſoon | soon]ſoonsoon as my year’s improvement of it is Expired.
^[inline] also^also
His Majesties [Councel | Counsel]CouncelCounsel[org0056.ocp] and House of [Repreſentatives | Representatives]RepreſentativesRepresentatives in the Province of New [Hamſheir | Hampshire]HamſheirHampshire[place0160.ocp]. have voted to the use of this
School[org0098.ocp] £50. Sterling [pr | per]prper annum for five years [Succeſsively | successively]Succeſsivelysuccessively. but there was not Time for the
Governour[pers0799.ocp] to [Conſider | consider]Conſiderconsider of the act before he prorogued
the [aſsembly | assembly]aſsemblyassembly[org0056.ocp] and So it is not yet Signed.
and who known to what a [heighlh | height]heighlhheight this may [ariſe | arise]ariſearise from low and [deſpicable | despicable]deſpicabledespicable Begin[illegible][guess (mjc): in]ings, and
what Glory may redown to the great Redeemer thereby. to God alone be all the
Glory.
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Smith[pers0497.ocp]
[inform’d | informed]inform’dinformed me that there was Some talk ^[above] in England[place0068.ocp]^in England[place0068.ocp] of collect‐ -ing a Library for [y.e | the]y.ethe use of
^[above] this [ſchool | school]ſchoolschool[org0098.ocp]^this [ſchool | school]ſchoolschool[org0098.ocp] may God incline the Hearts of his people to promote
that [Deſign | design]Deſigndesign. Is there not a Society in
England[place0068.ocp] lately formed with a Special view to
the Printing and
[diſperſing | dispersing]diſperſingdispersing useful Books? I [wiſh | wish]wiſhwish I could be informed ^[above] [perticularly | particularly]perticularlyparticularly^[perticularly | particularly]perticularlyparticularly of it. and if you think fit introduced to a [Corriſpondance | correspondence]Corriſpondancecorrespondence with [ſome | some]ſomesome mem‐ -ber of it. [Miſs | Miss]MiſsMiss. Williams[pers0598.ocp] before She left Wethersfield[place0240.ocp] Sent me a Number of valuable and useful Books to be [diſperſed | dispersed]diſperſeddispersed as I judged [beſt | best]beſtbest among Children ^[above] [&c | etc.]&cetc.^[&c | etc.]&cetc., which I now [suppoſe | suppose]suppoſesuppose might likely come to her from that Society.
I have two [Engliſh | English]EngliſhEnglish youth in my School[org0098.ocp], Charity [Schollars | scholars]Schollarsscholars, fitting
for a [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmission as fast as [poſsible | possible]poſsiblepossible and I yesterday concluded
to take a Lad, Eleazar Swetland[pers0528.ocp] of a
neighbouring [Pariſh | parish]Pariſhparish
who was hopefully converted [laſt | last]laſtlast Spring by the [Bleſsing | blessing]Bleſsingblessing of
God on the preaching of [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Huntington[pers0270.ocp]
[y.e | the]y.ethe School [Maſter | master]Maſtermaster
[laſt | last]laſtlast
year, his experiences are clear his affections appear genuine
and he [ſeems | seems]ſeemsseems to be Truly filled with the Holy Ghost ^[above] his Heart is much [ſet | set]ſetset upon being fitted for [Miſsny | missionary]Miſsnymissionary
[amng | among]amngamong
[illegible]^his Heart is much [ſet | set]ſetset upon being fitted for [Miſsny | missionary]Miſsnymissionary
[amng | among]amngamong
[illegible] I hope his
warmth and Zeal may by the [Bleſsing | blessing]Bleſsingblessing of God be of Special
Service to the School[org0098.ocp].
I have lately been [ſick | sick]ſicksick and [bro.t | brought]bro.tbrought low with a [Dyſsentary | dysentery]Dyſsentarydysentery but through the pure mercy of God am now able to do [ſome | some]ſomesome
[Buſineſs | business]Buſineſsbusiness. pray for your unworthy [B.r | brother]B.rbrother
[&c | etc.]&cetc.
[Closer]
[Eleazr | Eleazar]EleazrEleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
Document Summary
People identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Role in header | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|---|
pers0155.ocp | David | mentioned | Fowler, David |
pers0292.ocp | Gen l Gen. Johnſon Johnson | mentioned | Johnson, William |
pers0030.ocp | M. r Mr. Occom | mentioned | Occom, Samson |
pers0038.ocp | M r Mr. Whitefield | recipient | Whitefield, George |
pers0002.ocp | Sam l Samuel Aſhpo Ashpo | mentioned | Ashpo, Samuel |
pers0559.ocp | ſir Sir Peter Warren | mentioned | Warren, Peter |
pers0118.ocp | Doct. r Dr. Chauncy | mentioned | Chauncy, Charles |
pers0799.ocp | Governour | mentioned | Wentworth, Benning |
pers0497.ocp | M. r Mr. Smith | mentioned | Smith, John |
pers0598.ocp | Miſs Miss . Williams | mentioned | Williams |
pers0528.ocp | Eleazar Swetland | mentioned | Swetland, Eleazar |
pers0270.ocp | M. r Mr. Huntington | mentioned | Huntington |
pers0036.ocp | Eleaz r Eleazar 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 | Onoyada Oneida | Oneida |
place0012.ocp | Black Fort | Black Fort |
place0160.ocp | Province of New Hamſheir Hampshire | New Hampshire |
place0068.ocp | England | England |
place0240.ocp | Wethersfield | Wethersfield |
Organizations identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
org0062.ocp | Mohawks | Mohawk Nation |
org0044.ocp | Farmington Tribe | Farmington Tribe |
org0075.ocp | the OnoyadasOneidas | Oneida Nation |
org0088.ocp | the Senecas | Seneca Nation |
org0098.ocp | My School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
org0098.ocp | School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
org0098.ocp | this School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
org0046.ocp | general Aſsemblyassembly of the Province of the MaſsachuſettsMassachussetts Bay | General Assembly of the Province of the Massachusetts Bay |
org0090.ocp | Six Nations | Six Nations |
org0011.ocp | Society in, &and about Bos‐ -ton | Boston Board of the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge |
org0056.ocp | His Majesties CouncelCounsel | His Majesty Counsell and House of Representatives in the Province of New Hampshire |
org0098.ocp | this School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
org0056.ocp | the aſsemblyassembly | His Majesty Counsell and House of Representatives in the Province of New Hampshire |
org0098.ocp | this ſchoolschool | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
org0098.ocp | my School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
org0098.ocp | the School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
Dates identified in this document:
Standard Form | Text |
---|---|
1762-09-16 | 16. Sep.rSeptember 1762. |
1762-09-16 | Sept.rSeptember 16. 1762. |
Regularized text:
Type | Original | Regularized |
---|---|---|
variation | Schollar | scholar |
modernization | laſt | last |
variation | Onoyada | Oneida |
modernization | Suſpicion | suspicion |
modernization | occaſioned | occasioned |
variation | Onoyadas | Oneidas |
modernization | Engliſh | English |
modernization | ſuch | such |
modernization | caſe | case |
variation | chuſe | choose |
modernization | conſent | consent |
modernization | Diſtance | distance |
modernization | Suſpicious | suspicious |
modernization | yt | that |
modernization | ſhould | should |
variation | Joyn | join |
modernization | againſt | against |
modernization | engliſh | English |
variation | till | 'til |
modernization | Maſter | master |
modernization | ſent | sent |
variation | ingagements | engagements |
modernization | releaſed | released |
modernization | Preſent | present |
modernization | Genl | Gen. |
modernization | Johnſon | Johnson |
modernization | Diſtant | distant |
modernization | Buſineſs | business |
modernization | y.t | that |
variation | scarſely | scarcely |
modernization | deſired | desired |
modernization | inſtrumental | instrumental |
modernization | ſend | send |
modernization | ye | the |
modernization | eſteem | esteem |
modernization | anſwer | answer |
modernization | Deſign | design |
modernization | M.r | Mr. |
variation | meloncholly | melancholy |
modernization | Froſt | frost |
modernization | almoſt | almost |
modernization | fiſhing | fishing |
modernization | eſpecially | especially |
modernization | Diſorders | disorders |
variation | Rhumatic | rheumatic |
variation | returnd | returned |
modernization | apprehenſive | apprehensive |
modernization | muſt | must |
variation | befor | before |
variation | killd | killed |
modernization | promiſed | promised |
modernization | ſome | some |
modernization | viſible | visible |
modernization | flouriſhing | flourishing |
modernization | moſt | most |
modernization | ym | them |
modernization | Miſsionaries | missionaries |
modernization | beſt | best |
modernization | Maſters | masters |
modernization | ſucceſsively | successively |
modernization | Mr | Mr. |
variation | feal | feel |
modernization | Aſsembly | assembly |
modernization | Chriſt | Christ |
modernization | Miniſters | ministers |
variation | calld | called |
modernization | Aſhpo | Ashpo |
modernization | Satiſfied | satisfied |
modernization | pleaſed | pleased |
modernization | adviſed | advised |
modernization | Miſsion | mission |
modernization | ſoon | soon |
modernization | whoſe | whose |
modernization | fullneſs | fullness |
modernization | Maſsachuſetts | Massachussetts |
modernization | ſir | Sir |
modernization | underſtand | understand |
modernization | Doct.r | Dr. |
modernization | deſign | design |
variation | Councel | Counsel |
modernization | Repreſentatives | Representatives |
variation | Hamſheir | Hampshire |
modernization | Succeſsively | successively |
modernization | Conſider | consider |
modernization | aſsembly | assembly |
modernization | ariſe | arise |
modernization | deſpicable | despicable |
modernization | y.e | the |
modernization | ſchool | school |
modernization | diſperſing | dispersing |
modernization | wiſh | wish |
variation | perticularly | particularly |
variation | Corriſpondance | correspondence |
modernization | Miſs | Miss |
modernization | diſperſed | dispersed |
modernization | &c | etc. |
modernization | suppoſe | suppose |
variation | Schollars | scholars |
modernization | poſsible | possible |
modernization | Pariſh | parish |
modernization | Bleſsing | blessing |
modernization | ſeems | seems |
modernization | ſet | set |
modernization | ſick | sick |
variation | Dyſsentary | dysentery |
Expanded abbreviations:
Abbreviation | Expansion |
---|---|
Sep.r | September |
Hond | honoured |
bro.t | brought |
wre | were |
acco.t | account |
& | and |
com̅encing | commencing |
sd | said |
havg | having |
tho.’ | though |
tho’ | though |
thro’ | through |
appr | appear |
Sept.r | September |
Saml | Samuel |
w.c | which |
form’d | formed |
pr | per |
inform’d | informed |
Miſsny | missionary |
amng | among |
B.r | brother |
Eleazr | Eleazar |
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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 |
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