Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to George Whitefield, 1764 August 7
7 August 1764[1764-08-07]
ms number764457
[note (type: abstract): Wheelock writes that Occom is to be sent on a mission to the distant tribes, but that money is needed to finance the trip. He also updates Whitefield on various new students.][note (type: handwriting): Handwriting is not Wheelock's. It is formal, clear and legible; however, letter case is occasionally difficult to decipher.][note (type: paper): Single sheet is in good-to-fair condition, with light-to-moderate staining, creasing and wear. Light repairs have been made to the central crease.][note (type: ink): Brown.][note (type: noteworthy): This document is likely a copy.]EventsBuilding of Occom’s house
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
Lebanon[place0122.ocp]
[Auguſt | August]AuguſtAugust
[7:th | 7th]7:th7th 1764[1764-08-07].
My dear Sir,
I have [loſt | lost]loſtlost no Time [ſince | since]ſincesince I received our [Commiſsion | commission]Commiſsioncommission to prepare for [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Occom[pers0030.ocp]'s [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmission. Last Friday Evening I received the Vote of the London [Commiſsioners | Commissioners]CommiſsionersCommissioners in [Boſton | Boston]BoſtonBoston[org0095.ocp]
[diſcharging | discharging]diſchargingdischarging
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Occom[pers0030.ocp] from their Service. On Saturday Morning I [ſent | sent]ſentsent out to [deſire | desire]deſiredesire the
Committee[org0034.ocp]
[& | and]&and
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Occom[pers0030.ocp] to meet on Monday (i.e [Yeſterday | yesterday]Yeſterdayyesterday) when in Compliance with my [Propoſal | proposal]Propoſalproposal they unanimously agreed to [ſend | send]ſendsend
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Occom[pers0030.ocp] as [ſoon | soon]ſoonsoon as may be into the Mohawk[org0062.ocp] Country[place0142.ocp] to teach [& | and]&and preach as he [ſhall | shall]ſhallshall have Opportunity as he [purſues | pursues]purſuespursues his Journey to Lake Ontario[place0118.ocp] or further
[till | 'til]till'til he meets General [Johnſon | Johnson]JohnſonJohnson[pers0292.ocp] on his Return from Detroit[place0060.ocp], and before the Indians with him from [diſtant | distant]diſtantdistant Tribes [ſhall | shall]ſhallshall
[diſperſe | disperse]diſperſedisperse, in order to make them an Offer of [Miſsionaries | missionaries]Miſsionariesmissionaries
[& | and]&and
[School Maſters | schoolmasters]School Maſtersschoolmasters in the [moſt | most]moſtmost
[ſtriking | striking]ſtrikingstriking convincing [& | and]&and inviting Manner, for we apprehend that the Countenance of the Mohawks[org0062.ocp], Oneidas[org0075.ocp],
[Tuſcaroraes | Tuscaroras]TuſcaroraesTuscaroras[org0104.ocp], [& | and]&and
[ſuch | such]ſuchsuch as are more knowing [& | and]&and accquainted with the Affair together with [Genl | Gen.]GenlGen.
[Johnſon | Johnson]JohnſonJohnson[pers0292.ocp]'s Approbation [& | and]&and Recommendation will be ^[above] the^the
[moſt | most]moſtmost likely means to invite
[& | and]&and move others to make it the Object of their Attention. I [alſo | also]alſoalso
[propoſe | propose]propoſepropose
he [ſhall | shall]ſhallshall there recommend this School[org0098.ocp]
[& | and]&and the [Deſign | design]Deſigndesign of it, [& | and]&and procure a Number of likely Boys [& | and]&and Girls from Tribes as remote as may be for it.
We have [alſo | also]alſoalso concluded to [ſend | send]ſendsend
David Fowler[pers0155.ocp] the [ſenior | senior]ſeniorsenior Youth in this School[org0098.ocp] to accompany him
in this Journey.
And if [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. C. J. Smith[pers0500.ocp] were within our Reach we [ſhould | should]ſhouldshould
[preſs | press]preſspress him hard to take the Journey with them. And we yet hope he is not
[ſo | so]ſoso far on his [deſigned | designed]deſigneddesigned Tour to the Southward, but that he may [ſeaſo‐nably | seaso‐nably]ſeaſo‐nablyseaso‐nably hear of it [& | and]&and be inclined to go.
And this we have done only on the Credit of the great Redeemer
without a Farthing in our Hands to [ſupport | support]ſupportsupport it, not doubting but by your Means, or [ſome | some]ſomesome other Way it will be [ſupported | supported]ſupportedsupported if he [ſees | sees]ſeessees it to be [beſt | best]beſtbest. they will need about £20. lawful Money.
And as [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Occom[pers0030.ocp] has received Nothing for his Support [ſince | since]ſincesince he came to Mohegan[place0143.ocp], [& | and]&and could not attend on this [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmission without
[ſecuring | securing]ſecuringsecuring Labour about his Building [& | and]&and ingathering for the Winter, I have this Day given Bonds to pay the [neceſsary | necessary]neceſsarynecessary Labourers which he [ſhall | shall]ſhallshall employ in his [Abſences | absences]Abſencesabsences.
I have lately admitted to this School[org0098.ocp]
in order to be fitted for a [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmission with others next Spring, [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Titus Smith[pers0503.ocp] of Hadley[place0093.ocp] of about 30 Years old who has [finiſhed | finished]finiſhedfinished his Learning at Yale College[org0107.ocp], [& | and]&and expects the Honours of it next Month. He is a Man
of eminent Piety, a good Scholar, [& | and]&and
[conſiderably | considerably]conſiderablyconsiderably
[uſed | used]uſedused to Indians, having been in [ſeveral | several]ſeveralseveral Campaigns to the Northward.
I have [alſo | also]alſoalso another (one Chamberlain[pers0009.ocp] of the [ſame | same]ſamesame Town) in my Eye, who is about 26 Years old, and of the [ſame | same]ſamesame Character. He is [juſt | just]juſtjust
[entring | entering]entringentering his [laſt | last]laſtlast Year at Yale College[org0107.ocp]. He was taken
Captive by the Indians when Fort William Henry[place0082.ocp]
was taken
[& | and]&and continued a Year in Captivity.
My [Proſpects | prospects]Proſpectsprospects are daily [increaſing | increasing]increaſingincreasing. It looks as [tho' | though]tho'though God had been laying out for this [Deſign | design]Deſigndesign for many Years [paſt | past]paſtpast. and I [truſt | trust]truſttrust in him that he will not [forſake | forsake]forſakeforsake it.
I [han't | haven't]han'thaven't yet obtained a [Blackſmith | blacksmith]Blackſmithblacksmith to my Mind, but have one in View who I hope will [anſwer | answer]anſweranswer my [Purpoſe | purpose]Purpoſepurpose. And I am more [& | and]&and more [perſwaded | persuaded]perſwadedpersuaded of the Expediency of [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch a Device, and that Nothing will likely more recommend our [Miſsionaries | missionaries]Miſsionariesmissionaries and
[School Maſters | schoolmasters]School Maſtersschoolmasters to remote Nations than this Trade —
The [Succeſs | success]Succeſssuccess of Sir William[pers0292.ocp]'s Tour hitherto [marvellously | marvelously]marvellouslymarvelously
[in‐creaſes | in‐creases]in‐creaſesin‐creases our [Proſpects | prospects]Proſpectsprospects. How [ſweet | sweet]ſweetsweet it is, my dear Sir, to live upon God, [& | and]&and
[ſee | see]ſeesee him performing all to our Hand while we are Nothing
[& | and]&and have Nothing that is good of our own. How [ſweets | sweet is]ſweetssweet is the Doctrine of God's Grace. I long to be a [Chriſtian | Christian]ChriſtianChristian.
You have my [beſt | best]beſtbest
[wiſhes | wishes]wiſheswishes
[& | and]&and Prayers that your Health may be [reſtored | restored]reſtoredrestored, [& | and]&and your Life [& | and]&and
[usefulneſs | usefulness]usefulneſsusefulness long continued.
[Closer]
pray, pray for Your poor Brother [& | and]&and Fellow Servant
[Postscript]
PS Love to [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Wright[pers0614.ocp]
[Trailer]
I have ordered the Bearer, my Pupil, [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr.
[Kirtland | Kirkland]KirtlandKirkland[pers0315.ocp] to follow you as far as Philadelphia[place0186.ocp] if he don't overtake you [ſooner | sooner]ſoonersooner. By him you may be informed of the [ſtate | state]ſtatestate of my School[org0098.ocp] Family [&c | etc.]&cetc. — No Time
[muſt | must]muſtmust be [loſt | lost]loſtlost in fitting [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Occom[pers0030.ocp] for his journey — And by [Mr | Mr.]MrMr.
[Kirtland | Kirkland]KirtlandKirkland[pers0315.ocp] you [muſt | must]muſtmust
[ſend | send]ſendsend directly back to me if there [ſhall | shall]ſhallshall be [Occaſion | occasion]Occaſionoccasion for it
[& | and]&and no other Opportunity [preſenting | presenting]preſentingpresenting. Give my Love to the Friends in Philadelphia[place0186.ocp]
[&c | etc.]&cetc. (and if you think [beſt | best]beſtbest) tell them I [earneſtly | earnestly]earneſtlyearnestly beg of them an Alms for [Chriſt | Christ]ChriſtChrist He is hungry, [ſick | sick]ſicksick, in [Priſon | prison]Priſonprison, naked [& | and]&and barefoot; or rather his [Neceſs‐ities | necess‐ities]Neceſs‐itiesnecess‐ities are greater than [theſe | these]theſethese, for his Heart is infinitely [ſet | set]ſetset upon
[accompliſhing | accomplishing]accompliſhingaccomplishing a [Deſign | design]Deſigndesign which has already [coſt | cost]coſtcost him his Life, than which nothing can more loudly call for their
Liberality. Yours ut ante
[EW | Eleazar Wheelock]EWEleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp].
[Revd | Rev.]RevdRev.
George Whitefield[pers0038.ocp] To [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Whitefield[pers0038.ocp]
August [7th | 7th]7th7th 1764.[1764-08-07]
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 |
pers0292.ocp | General Johnſon Johnson | mentioned | Johnson, William |
pers0292.ocp | Gen l Gen. Johnſon Johnson | mentioned | Johnson, William |
pers0155.ocp | David Fowler | mentioned | Fowler, David |
pers0500.ocp | M. r Mr. C. J. Smith | mentioned | Smith, Charles Jeffery |
pers0503.ocp | M. r Mr. Titus Smith | mentioned | Smith, Titus |
pers0009.ocp | Chamberlain | mentioned | Chamberlain, Theophilus |
pers0292.ocp | Sir William | mentioned | Johnson, William |
pers0614.ocp | M r Mr. Wright | mentioned | Wright |
pers0315.ocp | M. r Mr. Kirtland Kirkland | mentioned | Kirkland, Samuel |
pers0030.ocp | M r Mr. Occom | mentioned | Occom, Samson |
pers0315.ocp | M r Mr. Kirtland Kirkland | mentioned | Kirkland, Samuel |
pers0036.ocp | EW Eleazar Wheelock | writer | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0038.ocp | George Whitefield | recipient | Whitefield, George |
pers0038.ocp | M. r Mr. Whitefield | recipient | Whitefield, George |
Places identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
place0122.ocp | Lebanon | Lebanon |
place0142.ocp | Mohawk Country | Mohawk Country |
place0118.ocp | Lake Ontario | Lake Ontario |
place0060.ocp | Detroit | Detroit |
place0143.ocp | Mohegan | Mohegan |
place0093.ocp | Hadley | Hadley |
place0082.ocp | Fort William Henry | Fort William Henry |
place0186.ocp | Philadelphia | Philadelphia |
Organizations identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
org0095.ocp | London CommiſsionersCommissioners in BoſtonBoston | The Company for Propagation of the Gospel in New England and the parts adjacent in America |
org0034.ocp | Committee | Connecticut Board of Correspondents of the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge |
org0062.ocp | Mohawk | Mohawk Nation |
org0062.ocp | Mohawks | Mohawk Nation |
org0075.ocp | Oneidas | Oneida Nation |
org0104.ocp | TuſcaroraesTuscaroras | Tuscarora Nation |
org0098.ocp | School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
org0107.ocp | Yale College | Yale University |
Dates identified in this document:
Standard Form | Text |
---|---|
1764-08-07 | AuguſtAugust 7:th7th 1764 |
1764-08-07 | August 7th7th 1764. |
Regularized text:
Type | Original | Regularized |
---|---|---|
modernization | Auguſt | August |
modernization | 7:th | 7th |
modernization | loſt | lost |
modernization | ſince | since |
modernization | Commiſsion | commission |
modernization | M.r | Mr. |
modernization | Miſsion | mission |
modernization | Commiſsioners | Commissioners |
modernization | Boſton | Boston |
modernization | diſcharging | discharging |
modernization | ſent | sent |
modernization | deſire | desire |
modernization | Yeſterday | yesterday |
modernization | Propoſal | proposal |
modernization | ſend | send |
modernization | ſoon | soon |
modernization | ſhall | shall |
modernization | purſues | pursues |
variation | till | 'til |
modernization | Johnſon | Johnson |
modernization | diſtant | distant |
modernization | diſperſe | disperse |
modernization | Miſsionaries | missionaries |
variation | School Maſters | schoolmasters |
modernization | moſt | most |
modernization | ſtriking | striking |
modernization | Tuſcaroraes | Tuscaroras |
modernization | ſuch | such |
modernization | Genl | Gen. |
modernization | alſo | also |
modernization | propoſe | propose |
modernization | Deſign | design |
modernization | ſenior | senior |
modernization | ſhould | should |
modernization | preſs | press |
modernization | ſo | so |
modernization | deſigned | designed |
modernization | ſeaſo‐nably | seaso‐nably |
modernization | ſupport | support |
modernization | ſome | some |
modernization | ſupported | supported |
modernization | ſees | sees |
modernization | beſt | best |
modernization | ſecuring | securing |
modernization | neceſsary | necessary |
modernization | Abſences | absences |
modernization | finiſhed | finished |
modernization | conſiderably | considerably |
modernization | uſed | used |
modernization | ſeveral | several |
modernization | ſame | same |
modernization | juſt | just |
variation | entring | entering |
modernization | laſt | last |
modernization | Proſpects | prospects |
modernization | increaſing | increasing |
modernization | paſt | past |
modernization | truſt | trust |
modernization | forſake | forsake |
variation | han't | haven't |
modernization | Blackſmith | blacksmith |
modernization | anſwer | answer |
modernization | Purpoſe | purpose |
variation | perſwaded | persuaded |
modernization | Succeſs | success |
variation | marvellously | marvelously |
modernization | in‐creaſes | in‐creases |
modernization | ſweet | sweet |
modernization | ſee | see |
variation | ſweets | sweet is |
modernization | Chriſtian | Christian |
modernization | wiſhes | wishes |
modernization | reſtored | restored |
modernization | usefulneſs | usefulness |
modernization | Mr | Mr. |
variation | Kirtland | Kirkland |
modernization | ſooner | sooner |
modernization | ſtate | state |
modernization | &c | etc. |
modernization | muſt | must |
modernization | Occaſion | occasion |
modernization | preſenting | presenting |
modernization | earneſtly | earnestly |
modernization | Chriſt | Christ |
modernization | ſick | sick |
modernization | Priſon | prison |
modernization | Neceſs‐ities | necess‐ities |
modernization | theſe | these |
modernization | ſet | set |
modernization | accompliſhing | accomplishing |
modernization | coſt | cost |
modernization | Revd | Rev. |
modernization | 7th | 7th |
Expanded abbreviations:
Abbreviation | Expansion |
---|---|
& | and |
tho' | though |
EW | Eleazar Wheelock |
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 27) |
Number of people/places/organizations with unknown keys: | 0 (out of 40) |
Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: | 0 (out of 1) |
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): | 0 (out of 146) |