Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to George Whitefield, 1762 September 16

AuthorWheelock, Eleazar[pers0036.ocp]

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]
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:

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 43)
Number of people/places/organizations with unknown keys: 0 (out of 40)
Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: 0 (out of 31)
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): 0 (out of 165)