Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to Dennys DeBerdt, 1762 December 18

AuthorWheelock, Eleazar[pers0036.ocp]

18 December 1762[1762-12-18]

Call Number762668.1

[note (type: abstract): Wheelock discusses, among other things, the states of various missions, and the progress of the Indian Charity School.][note (type: handwriting): Informal handwriting is small, crowded and occasionally difficult to decipher.][note (type: paper): Large single sheet is in fair-to-poor condition, with moderate-to-heavy staining, creasing and wear that leads to a minor loss of text.][note (type: ink): Black.][note (type: noteworthy): Given the informality of the hand, the number of additions and deletions, and the lack of an address, this document is likely a draft.]

EventsOccom’s Second Mission to the Oneidas

Persistent Identifier
[Opener]

My very dear Sir.
Yours, of July 28.[1761-07-28] [refreſhed | refreshed]refreſhedrefreshed me much
I [above] heartilyheartily [regrett | regret]regrettregret the [loſs | loss]loſsloss you have [Suſtained | sustained]Suſtainedsustained by [above] the Death ofthe Death of your worthy
godly [& | and]&and Skillful [Paſtor | pastor]Paſtorpastor. may the Lord of the [Harveſt | harvest]Harveſtharvest
provide Guides for his people who Shall be zealous
and Skillful to promote [above] and defendand defend his Sinking Cause in the world.
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Occom[pers0030.ocp] returned from his [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmission Some Time
ago, I [hant | haven't]hanthaven't had opportunity to see him Since. he was
[ſoon | soon]ſoonsoon Sent by the [Preſbytery | Presbytery]PreſbyteryPresbytery to preach to an [Engliſh | English]EngliſhEnglish
Settlement on [Hudſons | Hudsons]HudſonsHudsons River[place0172.ocp] about 60 or 80 miles
above [N. | New]N.New York[place0308.ocp] where [gd | God]gdGod has of late in a very [won‐
‐derful | won‐
derful]
won‐
‐derful
won‐
derful
manner received his work. he [returnd | returned]returndreturned from
his [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmission [ſooner | sooner]ſoonersooner than he intended, on [acco.t | account]acco.taccount of the
[preſent | present]preſentpresent Ruffle [above] whichwhich [y.e | the]y.ethe [Onoydas | Oneidas]OnoydasOneidas[org0075.ocp] are in, being [ingaged | engaged]ingagedengaged in
a war with Some of the Nations back of them, and on
[acco.t | account]acco.taccount of their [extream | extreme]extreamextreme Poverty they having nothing to
live upon but what they get by [fiſhing | fishing]fiſhingfishing fowling [& | and]&and hunting
an untimely [froſt | frost]froſtfrost [above] havinghaving cut of their Corn [laſt | last]laſtlast year. he had no
way to come at them to preach to them but [above] byby only illegible
followed them from Place to Place in their Hunts, and by
poor living [above] [tho | though]thothough they were as kind to him as they [cod | could]codcould be[tho | though]thothough they were as kind to him as they [cod | could]codcould be [& | and]&and [eſpecially | especially]eſpeciallyespecially by lying upon the [wett | wet]wettwet ground his
old [Rumatic | rheumatic]Rumaticrheumatic [Diſorders | disorders]Diſordersdisorders returned [&c | etc.]&cetc. [above] ## he [deſigns | designs]deſignsdesigns (I hear)
to [viſit | visit]viſitvisit them again in the Spring.
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Forbes[pers0195.ocp] who the [Scotiſh | Scottish]ScotiſhScottish [Com̅iſs.rs | Comissioners]Com̅iſs.rsComissioners in [Boſton | Boston]BoſtonBoston[org0011.ocp] sent
[Miſsionary | missionary]Miſsionarymissionary to [Onoquagee | Onaquaga]OnoquageeOnaquaga[place0182.ocp], is also [returnd | returned]returndreturned, I hear left
the Indians after he had gathered a [Ch-h | church]Ch-hchurch there he left
the Indians in a great Ruffle, [& | and]&and the children [above] [wc | which]wcwhich[wc | which]wcwhich they had been
attempting to teach [above] [wre | were]wrewere[wre | were]wrewere all [diſperſed | dispersed]diſperſeddispersed with their Pa[gap: hole][guess (h-dawnd): r]rents in their
hunting Rambles. perhaps [D.r | Dr.]D.rDr. Chauncy[pers0118.ocp] will by little
and little receive conviction that he is a little too
confident of the [Succeſs | success]Succeſssuccess of his Plan, and too Sudden and
free in condemning others who have over and over [above] again and againagain and again made
trial of the very [above] samesame Scheme, and the [moſt | most]moſtmost they have got
to [compenſate | compensate]compenſatecompensate their Toil and [Expence | expense]Expenceexpense has been only their
useful point of Knowledge [above] vizviz that [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch a method will not
do yet. may God [above] [graciouſly | graciously]graciouſlygraciously[graciouſly | graciously]graciouſlygraciously direct in the Important Affair, and Save those
who are concerned in it from Falling into Parties and So [obſtructg | obstructing]obſtructgobstructing
and hinder one another.
My School[org0098.ocp] is in a [flourisſhing | flourishing]flourisſhingflourishing state at [preſent | present]preſentpresent. my [Numb.r | number]Numb.rnumber [above] of Charity [ſcholars | scholars]ſcholarsscholarsof Charity [ſcholars | scholars]ſcholarsscholars
is 25. [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Charles Jeffery Smith[pers0500.ocp] of Long Island[place0129.ocp] has lately [refuſed | refused]refuſedrefused
a Class at College for the sake of keeping this Indian School[org0098.ocp] gratis
He [deſigns | designs]deſignsdesigns to Devote [himſelf | himself]himſelfhimself and a plentiful Fortune to the [ſer‐
vice | ser‐
vice]
ſer‐
vice
ser‐
vice
of his Redeemer [above] as a [miſsionary | missionary]miſsionarymissionaryas a [miſsionary | missionary]miſsionarymissionary among the pagans. he has [tho'ts | thoughts]tho'tsthoughts of Taking
an Interpreter for his use from the School, [& | and]&and [ſupport | support]ſupportsupport him with
[himſelf | himself]himſelfhimself at his own [Expence | expense]Expenceexpense. I [eſteem | esteem]eſteemesteem him remarkably [accompliſhed | accomplished]accompliſhedaccomplished
and [turnd | turned]turndturned for [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch a Service. I expect but little real good to be
done among the [ſavages | savages]ſavagessavages by Gay, and [unexperienced | inexperience]unexperiencedinexperience youth, the Lord [above] mercifullymercifully
prevent the [miſcheifs | mischiefs]miſcheifsmischiefs which Such threaten the [Cauſe | cause]Cauſecause. I [informd | informed]informdinformed you [below] SomeSome
[right] # he found nothing more than this [Diſcouraging | discouraging]Diſcouragingdiscouraging among their
and had [reaſon | reason]reaſonreason to think he [ſaw | saw]ſawsaw [ſome | some]ſomesome good Effects of his Labours
among them the [Laſt | last]Laſtlast year
# he found nothing more than this [Diſcouraging | discouraging]Diſcouragingdiscouraging among their
and had [reaſon | reason]reaſonreason to think he [ſaw | saw]ſawsaw [ſome | some]ſomesome good Effects of his Labours
among them the [Laſt | last]Laſtlast year

[ſome | Some]ſomeSome Time ago of the Tour which Friend [Aſhpo | Ashpo]AſhpoAshpo[pers0002.ocp] [above] hadhad made to [Jeningo | Chenango]JeningoChenango[place0110.ocp] and
of the Religious concern Among the Indians[org0058.ocp] [above] therethere [conſequent | consequent]conſequentconsequent thereon and that
a number were hopefully [ſavingly | savingly]ſavinglysavingly converted. There was a very fierce
per[illegible]enting Spirit in the other party which [aroſe | arose]aroſearose to [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch a height [ag.t | against]ag.tagainst
(as I was credibly [informd | informed]informdinformed [laſt | last]laſtlast week) the [chriſtian | Christian]chriſtianChristian Party were [oblig'd | obliged]oblig'dobliged
to withdraw from them and have [ſettled | settled]ſettledsettled in a Town by [themſelve | themselves]themſelvethemselvess
about 60 miles below them on [Seſquaanaa | Susquehanna]SeſquaanaaSusquehanna River[place0206.ocp]. there they use [with
out | with
out]
with
out
with
out
a Bible, and without any that could read it if they had one.
I have taken Friend [Aſpho | Ashpo]AſphoAshpo[pers0002.ocp] into this School[org0098.ocp], and [eſteem | esteem]eſteemesteem him a well
experienced [& | and]&and well [Eſtabliſhed | established]Eſtabliſhedestablished [Chriſtian | Christian]ChriſtianChristian, he is here by the advice of
an [above] [Ecleſ[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): ea]eaſtical | Ecclesiastical]Ecleſ[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): ea]eaſticalEcclesiastical[Ecleſ[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): ea]eaſtical | Ecclesiastical]Ecleſ[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): ea]eaſticalEcclesiastical Council [above] wewe convened [above] [laſt | last]laſtlast [ſummer | summer]ſummersummer[laſt | last]laſtlast [ſummer | summer]ſummersummer to examine [& | and]&and [adviſe | advise]adviſeadvise him. I expect we [ſhall | shall]ſhallshall [ſend | send]ſendsend him
to those Indians next Spring. And our dear [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Smith[pers0497.ocp] of Boston[place0013.ocp] has
[ingaged | engaged]ingagedengaged £20 [Sterlg | Sterling]SterlgSterling towards the [ſupport | support]ſupportsupport of his [miſion | mission]miſionmission provided
it cant be [otherwiſe | otherwise]otherwiſeotherwise done. there is also [above] in this [ſchool | school]ſchoolschool[org0098.ocp]in this [ſchool | school]ſchoolschool[org0098.ocp] a young mohawk, whom
we call Joseph Brant[pers0093.ocp] of a family of distinction among [above] inin that Nation[org0062.ocp]
who has been for [ſome | some]ſomesome time under Religious [impreſsions | impressions]impreſsionsimpressions, and of
late [almoſt | almost]almoſtalmost [perſwades | persuades]perſwadespersuades me to call him a real [ſaint | saint]ſaintsaint he [ſeems | seems]ſeemsseems to
[breath | breathe]breathbreathe the very [ſpirit | spirit]ſpiritspirit of the Gospel. [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Smith[pers0500.ocp] is unwearied in his
Endeavors to promote Religion [& | and]&and learning in this [ſchool | school]ſchoolschool.[org0098.ocp]
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. James [Leſley | Lesley]LeſleyLesley[pers0326.ocp] a Scots Gentleman with whom you have had [ſome | some]ſomesome
acquaintance went out of the [ſchool | school]ſchoolschool to make way for [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. [ſmith | Smith]ſmithSmith[pers0500.ocp] to
keep it gratis and is [above] nownow in [y.e | the]y.ethe [Pariſh | parish]Pariſhparish [ſchool | school]ſchoolschool. I expect when [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. [ſmith | Smith]ſmithSmith[pers0500.ocp]
leaves it [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. [Leſley | Lesley]LeſleyLesley[pers0326.ocp] [wil | will]wilwill take it again.
I have [above] [amidſt | amidst]amidſtamidst a [thouſand | thousand]thouſandthousand avocations[amidſt | amidst]amidſtamidst a [thouſand | thousand]thouſandthousand avocations prepared for the [Preſs | press]Preſspress, [amidſt | amidst]amidſtamidst a thousand avocations a [ſhort | short]ſhortshort
Narrative of this School[org0098.ocp], expect it will be [illegible][illegible][guess (h-dawnd): b]but in a little time
[y.[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): ou]ou | you]y.[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): ou]ouyou [& | and]&and others may expect the Sight of it as [ſoon | soon]ſoonsoon as may be after
it is printed.
If there be anything in this that will gratify good [D.r | Dr.]D.rDr. Giffords[pers0221.ocp]
or [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Savage[pers0465.ocp] [pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease to let them have the [ſight | sight]ſightsight of it. I wrote
each of them [ſometime | some]ſometimesome ago and hope my Letters [hant | haven't]hanthaven't [miſcarried | miscarried]miſcarriedmiscarried
you [& | and]&and they will [eaſily | easily]eaſilyeasily [ſee | see]ſeesee [above] inin what a Hurry I write in
If [D.r | Dr.]D.rDr. [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Whitefield[pers0038.ocp] [hant | hasn't]hanthasn't yet left England [ſalute | salute]ſalutesalute him
[moſt | most]moſtmost heartily in my name. I expect by his to [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Smith[pers0497.ocp] to
[ſee | see]ſeesee hi[gap: tear][guess (h-dawnd): m]m here in a [ſhort | short]ſhortshort time.

[Closer]
I am Dear Sir, with the [moſt | most]moſtmost [ſincere | sincere]ſinceresincere [Reſpect | respect]Reſpectrespect
 Yours in the [Deareſt | dearest]Deareſtdearest Bond,

Eleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
[Postscript]
P.S. my School[org0098.ocp] hues
Day by Day [und.r | under]und.runder God only
and the charities of Gods people
without any [ſettled | settled]ſettledsettled fund for
its [ſupport | support]ſupportsupport and God is my
only Refuge.

[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Dennys DeBerdt[pers0014.ocp]

[left] Letter to [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. DeBerdt[pers0014.ocp].Letter to [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. DeBerdt[pers0014.ocp].
 [left] [Dec.r | December]Dec.rDecember 18. 1762.[1762-12-18][Dec.r | December]Dec.rDecember 18. 1762.[1762-12-18]
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
pers0195.ocp M. r Mr. Forbes mentioned Forbes
pers0118.ocp D. r Dr. Chauncy mentioned Chauncy, Charles
pers0500.ocp M. r Mr. Charles Jeffery Smith mentioned Smith, Charles Jeffery
pers0002.ocp Friend Aſhpo Ashpo mentioned Ashpo, Samuel
pers0002.ocp Friend Aſpho Ashpo mentioned Ashpo, Samuel
pers0497.ocp M. r Mr. Smith mentioned Smith, John
pers0093.ocp Joseph Brant mentioned Brant, Joseph
pers0326.ocp M. r Mr. James Leſley Lesley mentioned Lesley, James
pers0500.ocp M. r Mr. ſmith Smith mentioned Smith, Charles Jeffery
pers0326.ocp M r Mr. Leſley Lesley mentioned Lesley, James
pers0221.ocp D. r Dr. Giffords mentioned mentioned Gifford, Andrew
pers0465.ocp M. r Mr. Savage mentioned Savage, Samuel
pers0038.ocp D. r Dr. M. r Mr. Whitefield mentioned Whitefield, George
pers0036.ocp Eleazar Wheelock writer Wheelock, Eleazar
pers0014.ocp M. r Mr. Dennys DeBerdt recipient DeBerdt, Dennys
pers0014.ocp M. r Mr. DeBerdt recipient DeBerdt, Dennys

Places identified in this document:

id Text in document Authorized Name
place0122.ocp Lebanon Lebanon
place0172.ocp Hudſons Hudsons River Hudson River
place0308.ocp N. New York New York City
place0182.ocp Onoquagee Onaquaga Onaquaga
place0129.ocp Long Island Long Island
place0110.ocp Jeningo Chenango Chenango
place0206.ocp Seſquaana a Susquehanna River Susquehanna River
place0013.ocp Boston Boston

Organizations identified in this document:

id Text in document Authorized Name
org0075.ocp OnoydasOneidas Oneida Nation
org0011.ocp ScotiſhScottish Com̅iſs.rsComissioners in BoſtonBoston Boston Board of the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge
org0098.ocp My School Moor’s Indian Charity School
org0098.ocp this Indian School Moor’s Indian Charity School
org0058.ocp Indians Jeningo Oneidas
org0098.ocp this School Moor’s Indian Charity School
org0098.ocp this ſchoolschool Moor’s Indian Charity School
org0062.ocp that Nation Mohawk Nation
org0098.ocp this ſchoolschool. Moor’s Indian Charity School
org0098.ocp my School Moor’s Indian Charity School

Dates identified in this document:

Standard Form Text
1762-12-18 Decem.rDecember 18. 1762
1761-07-28 July 28.
1762-12-18 Dec.rDecember 18. 1762.

Regularized text:

Type Original Regularized
modernization refreſhed refreshed
variation regrett regret
modernization loſs loss
modernization Suſtained sustained
modernization Paſtor pastor
modernization Harveſt harvest
modernization M.r Mr.
modernization Miſsion mission
variation hant haven't
modernization ſoon soon
modernization Preſbytery Presbytery
modernization Engliſh English
modernization Hudſons Hudsons
variation won‐
‐derful
won‐
derful
variation returnd returned
modernization ſooner sooner
modernization preſent present
modernization y.e the
variation Onoydas Oneidas
variation ingaged engaged
variation extream extreme
modernization fiſhing fishing
modernization froſt frost
modernization laſt last
variation tho though
modernization eſpecially especially
variation wett wet
variation Rumatic rheumatic
modernization Diſorders disorders
modernization &c etc.
modernization deſigns designs
modernization viſit visit
modernization Scotiſh Scottish
modernization Com̅iſs.rs Comissioners
modernization Boſton Boston
modernization Miſsionary missionary
variation Onoquagee Onaquaga
modernization diſperſed dispersed
modernization D.r Dr.
modernization Succeſs success
modernization moſt most
modernization compenſate compensate
variation Expence expense
modernization ſuch such
modernization graciouſly graciously
modernization flourisſhing flourishing
modernization ſcholars scholars
modernization refuſed refused
modernization himſelf himself
modernization ſer‐
vice
ser‐
vice
modernization miſsionary missionary
modernization ſupport support
modernization eſteem esteem
modernization accompliſhed accomplished
variation turnd turned
modernization ſavages savages
variation unexperienced inexperience
modernization miſcheifs mischiefs
modernization Cauſe cause
variation informd informed
modernization Diſcouraging discouraging
modernization reaſon reason
modernization ſaw saw
modernization ſome some
modernization Laſt last
modernization ſome Some
modernization Aſhpo Ashpo
variation Jeningo Chenango
modernization conſequent consequent
modernization ſavingly savingly
modernization aroſe arose
modernization chriſtian Christian
modernization ſettled settled
modernization themſelve themselves
variation Seſquaanaa Susquehanna
variation with
out
with
out
modernization Aſpho Ashpo
modernization Eſtabliſhed established
modernization Chriſtian Christian
variation Ecleſ[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): ea]eaſtical Ecclesiastical
modernization ſummer summer
modernization adviſe advise
modernization ſhall shall
modernization ſend send
variation Sterlg Sterling
modernization miſion mission
modernization otherwiſe otherwise
modernization ſchool school
modernization impreſsions impressions
modernization almoſt almost
variation perſwades persuades
modernization ſaint saint
modernization ſeems seems
variation breath breathe
modernization ſpirit spirit
modernization Leſley Lesley
modernization ſmith Smith
modernization Pariſh parish
modernization Mr Mr.
variation wil will
modernization amidſt amidst
modernization thouſand thousand
modernization Preſs press
modernization ſhort short
modernization pleaſe please
modernization ſight sight
modernization ſometime some
modernization miſcarried miscarried
modernization eaſily easily
modernization ſee see
variation hant hasn't
modernization ſalute salute
modernization ſincere sincere
modernization Reſpect respect
modernization Deareſt dearest

Expanded abbreviations:

Abbreviation Expansion
Decem.r December
& and
N. New
gd God
acco.t account
cod could
Ch-h church
wc which
wre were
obſtructg obstructing
Numb.r number
tho'ts thoughts
ag.t against
oblig'd obliged
y.[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): ou]ou you
und.r under
Dec.r December

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 43)
Number of people/places/organizations with unknown keys: 0 (out of 39)
Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: 0 (out of 31)
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): 0 (out of 147)