Gideon Hawley, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1763 January 27
27 January 1763[1763-01-27]
Call Number763127
[note (type: abstract): Hawley writes to tell of Occom's lack of tact in dealing with the Oneidas.][note (type: handwriting): Handwriting is small, but mostly clear and legible, with some additions and deletions.][note (type: paper): Single large sheet is in good condition, with moderate creasing and staining.][note (type: ink): Black-brown.][note (type: signature): Signature is abbreviated.]EventsOccom’s First Mission to the Oneidas
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
Your favours of [18th | 18th]18th18th
[Octr | October]OctrOctober
[& | and]&and
[21st | 21st]21st21st
[Novr | November]NovrNovember[1762-11-21][1762-10-18] came safe [& | and]&and di
rect, for which I humbly [& | and]&and heartily thank you. I should have
been glad enough to have heard from you before, but did not
take it illy that you did not write, [suppoſing | supposing]suppoſingsupposing you had other
[buſineſs | business]buſineſsbusiness, and other correspondents, that it was of more impor
tance for you to attend to: besides I live so much out
of the way, that it is very Difficult to get a [paſssage | passage]paſssagepassage for a
letter that is direct [& | and]&and safe. In regard to the [viſit | visit]viſitvisit I sincerely
[deſigned | designed]deſigneddesigned you before now, it has been unvoidably delayed by
such overtures in providence,which
[above] asas at [preſent | present]preſentpresent it is [needleſs | needless]needleſsneedless
for me to relate — [Altho | although]Althoalthough all my relatives, and many of my
[beſt | best]beſtbest friends are in Connecticut[place0048.ocp], I have not been able,
without neglect of more important duties, which could not be
[dispenſed | dispensed]dispenſeddispensed with, to [viſit | visit]viſitvisit them since October 1758[1758-10] —
rect, for which I humbly [& | and]&and heartily thank you. I should have
been glad enough to have heard from you before, but did not
take it illy that you did not write, [suppoſing | supposing]suppoſingsupposing you had other
[buſineſs | business]buſineſsbusiness, and other correspondents, that it was of more impor
tance for you to attend to: besides I live so much out
of the way, that it is very Difficult to get a [paſssage | passage]paſssagepassage for a
letter that is direct [& | and]&and safe. In regard to the [viſit | visit]viſitvisit I sincerely
[deſigned | designed]deſigneddesigned you before now, it has been unvoidably delayed by
such overtures in providence,
for me to relate — [Altho | although]Althoalthough all my relatives, and many of my
[beſt | best]beſtbest friends are in Connecticut[place0048.ocp], I have not been able,
without neglect of more important duties, which could not be
[dispenſed | dispensed]dispenſeddispensed with, to [viſit | visit]viſitvisit them since October 1758[1758-10] —
In regard to [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Occom[pers0030.ocp], it is with singular [pleaſure | pleasure]pleaſurepleasure that I
view him as an [orniment | ornament]ornimentornament to his nation and to [chriſtianity | christianity]chriſtianitychristianity,
and am very sorry I never had the [happineſs | happiness]happineſshappiness of being
acquainted with him. We were in the country of the Six Na
tions[org0090.ocp] the fall before [laſt | last]laſtlast at the same time, but such were the
duties of our [miſsion | mission]miſsionmission, being straitened for time [& | and]&and having a
great deal to do, that we were [seperated | separated]seperatedseparated by the distance of
an hundred miles or near it. However, tarrying in the Coun
try, as I went after he did, when he was come off [& | and]&and [seing | seeing]seingseeing
many of the [Onoydas | Oneidas]OnoydasOneidas[org0075.ocp] in my peregrinations, it being the
[seaſon | season]seaſonseason of their going to their hunting places, I had an [Opper
tunity | oppor
tunity]Opper
tunityoppor
tunity of being [adviſed | advised]adviſedadvised of his preaching, conduct [& | and]&and [above] thethe rec[illegible]eption
he met with, among them; which were quite equal to what
one could expect. and what I communicated, [& | and]&and [deſired | desired]deſireddesired my friend
to write you, concern some what, in his preaching that was
exceptionable, I thought it was [beſt | best]beſtbest he should hear of; and [yt | that]ytthat
you, being his preceptor, spiritual Father [&c | etc.]&cetc. was the [moſt | most]moſtmost
suitable [perſon | person]perſonperson to [adviſe | advise]adviſeadvise him of it. and the vindication
of himself [illegible: for] the [reaſons | reasons]reaſonsreasons [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. [Accom | Occom]AccomOccom[pers0030.ocp] gives I doubt [above] not arenot are[illegible] just [& | and]&and true,
and I think are satisfactory. A poor man among such a
people without a faithful [& | and]&and [skilful | skillful]skilfulskillful interpreter is to be
pitied. However I would [uſe | use]uſeuse this opportunity to say,
that the [iregularities | irregularities]iregularitiesirregularities in [dreſs | dress]dreſsdress and some other things in the
customs of Indians as they [above] notnot sinful in themselves, it will
rather be commendable in a [miſsionary | missionary]miſsionarymissionary to conform to them
in some [meaſure | measure]meaſuremeasure, than at his [firſt | first]firſtfirst going among them to [ſay | say]ſaysay
much
view him as an [orniment | ornament]ornimentornament to his nation and to [chriſtianity | christianity]chriſtianitychristianity,
and am very sorry I never had the [happineſs | happiness]happineſshappiness of being
acquainted with him. We were in the country of the Six Na
tions[org0090.ocp] the fall before [laſt | last]laſtlast at the same time, but such were the
duties of our [miſsion | mission]miſsionmission, being straitened for time [& | and]&and having a
great deal to do, that we were [seperated | separated]seperatedseparated by the distance of
an hundred miles or near it. However, tarrying in the Coun
try, as I went after he did, when he was come off [& | and]&and [seing | seeing]seingseeing
many of the [Onoydas | Oneidas]OnoydasOneidas[org0075.ocp] in my peregrinations, it being the
[seaſon | season]seaſonseason of their going to their hunting places, I had an [Opper
tunity | oppor
tunity]Opper
tunityoppor
tunity of being [adviſed | advised]adviſedadvised of his preaching, conduct [& | and]&and [above] thethe rec
he met with, among them; which were quite equal to what
one could expect. and what I communicated, [& | and]&and [deſired | desired]deſireddesired my friend
to write you, concern some what, in his preaching that was
exceptionable, I thought it was [beſt | best]beſtbest he should hear of; and [yt | that]ytthat
you, being his preceptor, spiritual Father [&c | etc.]&cetc. was the [moſt | most]moſtmost
suitable [perſon | person]perſonperson to [adviſe | advise]adviſeadvise him of it. and the vindication
of himself [illegible: for] the [reaſons | reasons]reaſonsreasons [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. [Accom | Occom]AccomOccom[pers0030.ocp] gives I doubt [above] not arenot are
and I think are satisfactory. A poor man among such a
people without a faithful [& | and]&and [skilful | skillful]skilfulskillful interpreter is to be
pitied. However I would [uſe | use]uſeuse this opportunity to say,
that the [iregularities | irregularities]iregularitiesirregularities in [dreſs | dress]dreſsdress and some other things in the
customs of Indians as they [above] notnot sinful in themselves, it will
rather be commendable in a [miſsionary | missionary]miſsionarymissionary to conform to them
in some [meaſure | measure]meaſuremeasure, than at his [firſt | first]firſtfirst going among them to [ſay | say]ſaysay
much
much very directly [againſt | against]againſtagainst them. The corruption of human Nature [& | and]&and
the [sinfulneſs | sinfulness]sinfulneſssinfulness of it a [miſsionary | missionary]miſsionarymissionary should [expoſe | expose]expoſeexpose in all [it’s | its]it’sits deformity
as much as [poſsible | possible]poſsiblepossible which will prepare the way for [ye | the]yethe Gospel.
[St | St.]StSt. [Pauls | Paul's]PaulsPaul's [apistles | epistles]apistlesepistles, especially that to the Romans is the [beſt | best]beſtbest
model and guide for a [miſsionary | missionary]miſsionarymissionary.
the [sinfulneſs | sinfulness]sinfulneſssinfulness of it a [miſsionary | missionary]miſsionarymissionary should [expoſe | expose]expoſeexpose in all [it’s | its]it’sits deformity
as much as [poſsible | possible]poſsiblepossible which will prepare the way for [ye | the]yethe Gospel.
[St | St.]StSt. [Pauls | Paul's]PaulsPaul's [apistles | epistles]apistlesepistles, especially that to the Romans is the [beſt | best]beſtbest
model and guide for a [miſsionary | missionary]miſsionarymissionary.
In regard to your School[org0098.ocp] is gives me very great
satisfaction
to hear of its [proſperity | prosperity]proſperityprosperity and I [wiſh | wish]wiſhwish that it may [floriſh | flourish]floriſhflourish
and that it may [anſwer | answer]anſweranswer even beyond your expecta -
tions the great [& | and]&and good ends of its foundation. your
second letter gives me great concern [becauſe | because]becauſebecause you appear
to be afraid of your schools being a party affair, which
I pray God to prevent — you and I shall find, Sir,
the more we have to do with the world, that by [reaſon | reason]reaſonreason of the
[jealouſy | jealousy]jealouſyjealousy which is [inseperable | inseparable]inseperableinseparable from corrupt nature it will
be [impoſsible | impossible]impoſsibleimpossible for any [conſiderable | considerable]conſiderableconsiderable number to hold an ad-
vantageous confederacy for any length of time in any
affair. And we [muſt | must]muſtmust be content with dragging along the
[moſt | most]moſtmost generous affairs not only without the [aſsiſtance | assistance]aſsiſtanceassistance of many
of whom we might [juſtly | justly]juſtlyjustly expect it, but [againſt | against]againſtagainst the [oppo
ſition | oppo
sition]oppo
ſitionoppo
sition of some, who are real friends to [ye | the]yethe true [intireſt | interest]intireſtinterest of
religion, [becauſe | because]becauſebecause they can’t agree with us as to the me-
thods of promoting it. Indeed, Sir, we need much of that
charity which believeth all things, Loveth all things [& | and]&and en-
dureth all things.
to hear of its [proſperity | prosperity]proſperityprosperity and I [wiſh | wish]wiſhwish that it may [floriſh | flourish]floriſhflourish
and that it may [anſwer | answer]anſweranswer even beyond your expecta -
tions the great [& | and]&and good ends of its foundation. your
second letter gives me great concern [becauſe | because]becauſebecause you appear
to be afraid of your schools being a party affair, which
I pray God to prevent — you and I shall find, Sir,
the more we have to do with the world, that by [reaſon | reason]reaſonreason of the
[jealouſy | jealousy]jealouſyjealousy which is [inseperable | inseparable]inseperableinseparable from corrupt nature it will
be [impoſsible | impossible]impoſsibleimpossible for any [conſiderable | considerable]conſiderableconsiderable number to hold an ad-
vantageous confederacy for any length of time in any
affair. And we [muſt | must]muſtmust be content with dragging along the
[moſt | most]moſtmost generous affairs not only without the [aſsiſtance | assistance]aſsiſtanceassistance of many
of whom we might [juſtly | justly]juſtlyjustly expect it, but [againſt | against]againſtagainst the [oppo
ſition | oppo
sition]oppo
ſitionoppo
sition of some, who are real friends to [ye | the]yethe true [intireſt | interest]intireſtinterest of
religion, [becauſe | because]becauſebecause they can’t agree with us as to the me-
thods of promoting it. Indeed, Sir, we need much of that
charity which believeth all things, Loveth all things [& | and]&and en-
dureth all things.
In regard to my Indians my influence over them [en-
creaſes | in-
creases]en-
creaſesin-
creases and I see some little fruit, [altho | although]althoalthough but little of my
labour; — they [encreaſe | increase]encreaſeincrease in number since my settlement
— We have[illegible] one of our men, who has been as an
Agent to [ye | the]yethe Court of Great Britain[org0036.ocp] about our lands
and we hope to have our affairs upon a better foot-
ing. I have about Seventy Indian [houſes | houses]houſeshouses [& | and]&and Wigwams
on this tract of Land [beſides | besides]beſidesbesides a dozen or more that be-
long to our meeting that live a little off from it —
creaſes | in-
creases]en-
creaſesin-
creases and I see some little fruit, [altho | although]althoalthough but little of my
labour; — they [encreaſe | increase]encreaſeincrease in number since my settlement
— We have
Agent to [ye | the]yethe Court of Great Britain[org0036.ocp] about our lands
and we hope to have our affairs upon a better foot-
ing. I have about Seventy Indian [houſes | houses]houſeshouses [& | and]&and Wigwams
on this tract of Land [beſides | besides]beſidesbesides a dozen or more that be-
long to our meeting that live a little off from it —
[Closer]
I am, in very great [haſte | haste]haſtehaste
[Revd | Rev.]RevdRev. Sir,
your very Dutiful Son [& | and]&and
Servant in [Chriſt | Christ]ChriſtChrist
[Gidn | Gideon]GidnGideon Hawley[pers0021.ocp]
[Revd | Rev.]RevdRev. Sir,
your very Dutiful Son [& | and]&and
Servant in [Chriſt | Christ]ChriſtChrist
[Gidn | Gideon]GidnGideon Hawley[pers0021.ocp]
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 |
pers0030.ocp | M. r Mr. Accom Occom | mentioned | Occom, Samson |
pers0021.ocp | Gid n Gideon Hawley | writer | Hawley, Gideon |
Places identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
place0133.ocp | Mashpee | Mashpee |
place0048.ocp | Connecticut | Connecticut |
Organizations identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
org0090.ocp | Six Na tions | Six Nations |
org0075.ocp | OnoydasOneidas | Oneida Nation |
org0098.ocp | your School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
org0036.ocp | Court of Great Britain | Court of Great Britain |
Dates identified in this document:
Standard Form | Text |
---|---|
1763-01-27 | 27th27th JanryJanuary 1763. |
1762-10-18 | 18th18th OctrOctober &and 21st21st NovrNovember |
1762-11-21 | 21st21st NovrNovember |
1758-10 | October 1758 |
Regularized text:
Type | Original | Regularized |
---|---|---|
modernization | 27th | 27th |
modernization | Revd | Rev. |
modernization | 18th | 18th |
modernization | 21st | 21st |
modernization | suppoſing | supposing |
modernization | buſineſs | business |
modernization | paſssage | passage |
modernization | viſit | visit |
modernization | deſigned | designed |
modernization | preſent | present |
modernization | needleſs | needless |
variation | Altho | although |
modernization | beſt | best |
modernization | dispenſed | dispensed |
modernization | Mr | Mr. |
modernization | pleaſure | pleasure |
variation | orniment | ornament |
modernization | chriſtianity | christianity |
modernization | happineſs | happiness |
modernization | laſt | last |
modernization | miſsion | mission |
variation | seperated | separated |
variation | seing | seeing |
variation | Onoydas | Oneidas |
modernization | seaſon | season |
variation | Opper tunity |
oppor tunity |
modernization | adviſed | advised |
modernization | deſired | desired |
modernization | yt | that |
modernization | &c | etc. |
modernization | moſt | most |
modernization | perſon | person |
modernization | adviſe | advise |
modernization | reaſons | reasons |
modernization | M.r | Mr. |
variation | Accom | Occom |
variation | skilful | skillful |
modernization | uſe | use |
variation | iregularities | irregularities |
modernization | dreſs | dress |
modernization | miſsionary | missionary |
modernization | meaſure | measure |
modernization | firſt | first |
modernization | ſay | say |
modernization | againſt | against |
modernization | sinfulneſs | sinfulness |
modernization | expoſe | expose |
modernization | poſsible | possible |
modernization | ye | the |
modernization | St | St. |
variation | apistles | epistles |
modernization | proſperity | prosperity |
modernization | wiſh | wish |
variation | floriſh | flourish |
modernization | anſwer | answer |
modernization | becauſe | because |
modernization | reaſon | reason |
modernization | jealouſy | jealousy |
variation | inseperable | inseparable |
modernization | impoſsible | impossible |
modernization | conſiderable | considerable |
modernization | muſt | must |
modernization | aſsiſtance | assistance |
modernization | juſtly | justly |
modernization | oppo ſition |
oppo sition |
variation | intireſt | interest |
variation | en- creaſes |
in- creases |
variation | altho | although |
variation | encreaſe | increase |
modernization | houſes | houses |
modernization | beſides | besides |
modernization | haſte | haste |
modernization | Chriſt | Christ |
Expanded abbreviations:
Abbreviation | Expansion |
---|---|
Janry | January |
& | and |
Hond | Honoured |
Octr | October |
Novr | November |
Gidn | Gideon |
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 18) |
Number of people/places/organizations with unknown keys: | 0 (out of 9) |
Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: | 0 (out of 4) |
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): | 0 (out of 110) |