Theophilus Chamberlain, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1766 November 12

Author Chamberlain, Theophilus[pers0009.ocp]

12 November 1766[1766-11-12]

Call Number766612.1

[note (type: abstract): Chamberlain writes of improvements in the mission among the Mohawks.][note (type: handwriting): Handwriting is small, yet formal and clear. Letter case and punctuation, especially comma vs. period, is frequently difficult to discern. The trailer is in an unknown hand.][note (type: paper): Large sheet folded into four pages is in good condition, with light staining, creasing and wear.][note (type: ink): Brown-black.]
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
[Rev,d | Rev.]Rev,dRev. and worthy
I received your favour of the [21st | 21st]21st21st of October[1766-10-21] some
days ago. Hope my [above] LetterLetter of the Same Month will [releave | relieve]releaverelieve you from
some of that Pain which I know you [muſt | must]muſtmust have felt from the
Thoughts that all your Endeavours to [inſtruct | instruct]inſtructinstruct and reform the
mohawks[org0062.ocp] would certainly Prove [insucſeſsfull | unsuccessful]insucſeſsfullunsuccessful. In Addition
to what you will learn from that Letter I add with great [Pleaſure | pleasure]Pleaſurepleasure
that the two Schools under the [Inſtruction | instruction]Inſtructioninstruction of [M,r | Mr.]M,rMr. [Johnſon | Johnson]JohnſonJohnson[pers0879.ocp] and
[illegible] Jacob Fowler[pers0018.ocp] have [increaſd | increased]increaſdincreased to four or five and forty and since
[moſseſ,s | Moses']moſseſ,sMoses'[pers0677.ocp] [arival | arrival]arivalarrival we set up a third which though small at [Preſent | present]Preſentpresent
will I hope when we have Time to collect the Children have
fifteen or Sixteen Children without any [diminition | diminution]diminitiondiminution of the other
school here which will still [increaſe | increase]increaſeincrease. [Laſt | Last]LaſtLast Sabbath the [Houſe | house]Houſehouse
where we now meet though the [largeſt | largest]largeſtlargest in the [Caſtle | Castle]CaſtleCastle, was so
[crouded | crowded]croudedcrowded that some of the People were obliged to return [out doors | outdoors]out doorsoutdoors,
and the Numbers of [thoſe | those]thoſethose who will attend is [Daly | Daily]DalyDaily [increaſing | increasing]increaſingincreasing, except
that the Indians are now [illegible]many of them on the Hunt and others
every day [joyning | joining]joyningjoining them. I know Sir that you are now
expecting me home. I know upon what Information you
came to a [conctluſion | conclusion]conctluſionconclusion that it was [beſt | best]beſtbest to leave the Mohawks[org0062.ocp], and
hope and expect that when you hear of the [preſent | present]preſentpresent State of
Affairs here you will say [tis | it is]tisit is [beſt | best]beſtbest by all Means to improve
the favorable Minute. And in confidence of this only, I have
some Weeks ago concluded not to return [till | 'til]till'til Spring [unleſs | unless]unleſsunless I
receive [abſolute | absolute]abſoluteabsolute Orders for it. I Long for [suceſs | success]suceſssuccess and however
I may have been thought to be cold, [careleſs | careless]careleſscareless, and negligent
in [proſecuting | prosecuting]proſecutingprosecuting your [Miſsion | mission]Miſsionmission I have the [Pleaſure | pleasure]Pleaſurepleasure of knowing
that I have [spard | spared]spardspared no Pains and neglected no Step to make
the Affair succeed [unleſs | unless]unleſsunless it is when I have thought that
making [Propoſals | proposals]Propoſalsproposals or altering [Diſpoſitions | dispositions]Diſpoſitionsdispositions Made would be [eſ‐
teemd | es‐
teemed]
eſ‐
teemd
es‐
teemed
affirming. I have [Rev,d | Rev.]Rev,dRev. sir [venturded | ventured]venturdedventured to give my
Judgment upon [mr | Mr.]mrMr. [ Johnſons | Johnson] JohnſonsJohnson[pers0879.ocp]s [Deſire | desire]Deſiredesire with regard to his stay
‐ing at fort Hunter[place0078.ocp] this Winter. He told me [twas | it was]twasit was expect‐
ed that, if he came home this fall he should return next
Spring. It [appeard | appeared]appeardappeared to me that it would be more to his ad‐
vantage [bothe | both]botheboth in [reſpect | respect]reſpectrespect to his learning the Indian Language
and making [Proficency | proficiency]Proficencyproficiency in his other studies, to spend the whole
year here and the succeeding year there, than to [devide | divide]devidedivide the
[above] twotwo years into four Parts, and so leave the Indians [juſt | just]juſtjust as he has
got a Little smattering of their Language which he says him[above] selfself
he can retain only by staying longer [amongſt | amongst]amongſtamongst them. Then
I was fully [perſuaded | persuaded]perſuadedpersuaded that his continuing at fort Hunter[place0078.ocp] this
Winter was the only way to maintain and [eſtabliſh | establish]eſtabliſhestablish a school
there. To put [ither | either]ithereither of the Indian Lads (who by the way are
both wanted at this [Caſtle | Castle]CaſtleCastle[place0026.ocp]) there where I cant be with them
more than once in three or four Weeks, and where the Indians
declare they will throw the whole up if the [School-maſter | schoolmaster]School-maſterschoolmaster is
now [changd | changed]changdchanged, would be the means of ruining and that perhaps
beyond [Repare | repair]Reparerepair, a School upon which as much depends in
the Opinion of Gentlemen who are [beſt | best]beſtbest acquainted with
the Indians in [theſe | these]theſethese Parts, as any school in the six Nation[org0090.ocp]
Country. and the Indians are in all [theſe | these]theſethese [Caſtles | Castles]CaſtlesCastles offended with
the [Propoſal | proposal]Propoſalproposal of keeping Schools only in the summer. —
I hope to obtain an Interpreter this Winter without much
[Expence | expense]Expenceexpense. the Indians are [alowd | allowed]alowdallowed a [Blackſmith | blacksmith]Blackſmithblacksmith for the
next six Months. [M,r | Mr.]M,rMr. Spencer[pers0510.ocp] is appointed to serve in
that Place. Sir [Will,m | William]Will,mWilliam[pers0292.ocp] was up this W[illegible]eek to settle that
and some other Affairs with the Indians. He was at my
Lodgings [above] on Monday Eveningon Monday Evening and invited me to dine with him the next day.
I went and knowing his [Buſineſs | business]Buſineſsbusiness (which I found out by the
little Indian I [underſtant | understand]underſtantunderstand) took a favorable [Oppertunity | opportunity]Oppertunityopportunity
and put in a Petition [yt | that]ytthat in Spencer[pers0510.ocp]s Service for the
Indians his [Hon.r | Honour]Hon.rHonour would [pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease to [includ | include]includinclude interpreting
which might be done without [Increaſe | increase]Increaſeincrease of [Coſt | cost]Coſtcost to him,
or [Diſadvantage | disadvantage]Diſadvantagedisadvantage to [M,r | Mr.]M,rMr. Spencer[pers0510.ocp]. The [Requeſt | request]Requeſtrequest was too
[reaſonable | reasonable]reaſonablereasonable to be denied, and met with so favourable a
Reception that his [hon,r | honour]hon,rhonour [promiſd | promised]promiſdpromised to mention it in his
[Inſtructions | instructions]Inſtructionsinstructions to Spencer[pers0510.ocp] [wh | which]whwhich he would give out the
next day.
 Your Supply [Rev,d | Reverend]Rev,dReverend by [Moſses | Moses]MoſsesMoses[pers0677.ocp] came very [seaſonably | seasonably]seaſonablyseasonably
as I had then [leſs | less]leſsless [then | than]thenthan two dollars and was in debt for [myſf | myself]myſfmyself
the [School-maſters | schoolmasters]School-maſtersschoolmasters and Interpreter near [30,£ | £30]30,££30 [Law. | lawful]Law.lawful money, hav
‐ing made some [Proviſion | provision]Proviſionprovision for my own and Jacob[pers0018.ocp]s stay here over
the Winter. My Credit here will I fear be ruined by neglecting
the [Chriſtian | Christian]ChriſtianChristian Rule to owe no man [any thing | anything]any thinganything but to Love.
If you judge [Rev,d | Rev.]Rev,dRev. Sir that my Conduct is such as merits appro
‐bation, cannot Doubt but you will support me here to
my [satiſfaction | satisfaction]satiſfactionsatisfaction; and if you judge [otherwiſe | otherwise]otherwiſeotherwise, I beg it
as the [higheſt | highest]higheſthighest favour of a Patron to tell me plainly wherein
I [miſconduct | misconduct]miſconductmisconduct, that I may have [Oppertunety | opportunity]Oppertunetyopportunity to clear
[ myſelf | myself] myſelfmyself, to reform or to [reſign | resign]reſignresign my [Commiſſion | commission]Commiſſioncommission.
In the [Mean Time | meantime]Mean Timemeantime Sir, give my Duty to
Madam[pers0577.ocp], my [kindeſt | kindest]kindeſtkindest Compliments to all
your family and Love to the School[org0098.ocp], and
be [aſsurd | assured]aſsurdassured that [unconſcious | unconscious]unconſciousunconscious of Neglect
I [chearfully | cheerfully]chearfullycheerfully [Subſcribe | subscribe]Subſcribesubscribe [Myſelf | myself]Myſelfmyself
[Rev,d | Rev.]Rev,dRev. and Worthy Sir

[Closer]
your [faithfull | faithful]faithfullfaithful servant in the Lord
Theophilus Chamberlain[pers0009.ocp]

[right]
[Rev.d | Rev.]Rev.dRev. [Theoph.s | Theophilus]Theoph.sTheophilus Chamberlain[pers0009.ocp]’s
Letter [Nov.r | November]Nov.rNovember [12,,th | 12th]12,,th12th 1766[1766-11-12]

[Rev.d | Rev.]Rev.dRev. [Theoph.s | Theophilus]Theoph.sTheophilus Chamberlain[pers0009.ocp]’s
Letter [Nov.r | November]Nov.rNovember [12,,th | 12th]12,,th12th 1766[1766-11-12]


To [Rvd | Rev.]RvdRev. [E. | Eleazar]E.Eleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
Document Summary

People identified in this document:

id Text in document Role in header Authorized Name
pers0879.ocp M, r Mr. Johnſon Johnson mentioned Johnson, Samuel
pers0018.ocp Jacob Fowler mentioned Fowler, Jacob
pers0677.ocp moſseſ, s Moses' mentioned Moses
pers0879.ocp mr Mr. Johnſons Johnson mentioned Johnson, Samuel
pers0510.ocp M, r Mr. Spencer mentioned Spencer
pers0292.ocp Sir Will, m William mentioned Johnson, William
pers0510.ocp Spencer mentioned Spencer
pers0510.ocp M, r Mr. Spencer mentioned Spencer
pers0677.ocp Moſses Moses mentioned Moses
pers0018.ocp Jacob mentioned Fowler, Jacob
pers0577.ocp Madam mentioned Wheelock, Mary (née Brinsmead)
pers0009.ocp Theophilus Chamberlain writer Chamberlain, Theophilus
pers0009.ocp Rev. d Rev. Theoph. s Theophilus Chamberlain writer Chamberlain, Theophilus
pers0036.ocp Rv d Rev. E. Eleazar Wheelock recipient Wheelock, Eleazar

Places identified in this document:

id Text in document Authorized Name
place0026.ocp Kanajoharry Canajoharie Caſtle Castle Canajoharie
place0078.ocp fort Hunter Fort Hunter
place0026.ocp this Caſtle Castle Canajoharie

Organizations identified in this document:

id Text in document Authorized Name
org0062.ocp mohawks Mohawk Nation
org0062.ocp Mohawks Mohawk Nation
org0090.ocp six Nation Six Nations
org0098.ocp the School Moor’s Indian Charity School

Dates identified in this document:

Standard Form Text
1766-11-12 12,th12th of Nov,mNovember 1766
1766-10-21 21st21st of October
1766-11-12 Nov.rNovember 12,,th12th 1766

Regularized text:

Type Original Regularized
variation Kanajoharry Canajoharie
modernization Caſtle Castle
modernization 12,th 12th
modernization Rev,d Rev.
modernization 21st 21st
variation releave relieve
modernization muſt must
modernization inſtruct instruct
variation insucſeſsfull unsuccessful
modernization Pleaſure pleasure
modernization Inſtruction instruction
modernization M,r Mr.
modernization Johnſon Johnson
variation increaſd increased
variation moſseſ,s Moses'
variation arival arrival
modernization Preſent present
variation diminition diminution
modernization increaſe increase
modernization Laſt Last
modernization Houſe house
modernization largeſt largest
variation crouded crowded
variation out doors outdoors
modernization thoſe those
modernization increaſing increasing
variation joyning joining
modernization conctluſion conclusion
modernization beſt best
modernization preſent present
variation till 'til
modernization unleſs unless
modernization abſolute absolute
variation suceſs success
modernization careleſs careless
modernization proſecuting prosecuting
modernization Miſsion mission
variation spard spared
modernization Propoſals proposals
modernization Diſpoſitions dispositions
variation eſ‐
teemd
es‐
teemed
modernization mr Mr.
modernization Johnſons Johnson
modernization Deſire desire
variation appeard appeared
variation bothe both
modernization reſpect respect
variation Proficency proficiency
variation devide divide
modernization juſt just
modernization amongſt amongst
modernization perſuaded persuaded
modernization eſtabliſh establish
variation ither either
variation School-maſter schoolmaster
variation changd changed
variation Repare repair
modernization theſe these
modernization Caſtles Castles
modernization Propoſal proposal
variation Expence expense
variation alowd allowed
modernization Blackſmith blacksmith
modernization Buſineſs business
variation underſtant understand
variation Oppertunity opportunity
modernization yt that
modernization pleaſe please
variation includ include
modernization Increaſe increase
modernization Coſt cost
modernization Diſadvantage disadvantage
modernization Requeſt request
modernization reaſonable reasonable
variation promiſd promised
modernization Inſtructions instructions
variation Moſses Moses
modernization seaſonably seasonably
modernization leſs less
variation then than
variation School-maſters schoolmasters
modernization 30,£ £30
modernization Proviſion provision
modernization Chriſtian Christian
variation any thing anything
modernization satiſfaction satisfaction
modernization otherwiſe otherwise
modernization higheſt highest
modernization miſconduct misconduct
variation Oppertunety opportunity
modernization myſelf myself
modernization reſign resign
modernization Commiſſion commission
variation Mean Time meantime
modernization kindeſt kindest
variation aſsurd assured
modernization unconſcious unconscious
variation chearfully cheerfully
modernization Subſcribe subscribe
modernization Myſelf myself
variation faithfull faithful
modernization Rev.d Rev.
modernization 12,,th 12th
modernization Rvd Rev.

Expanded abbreviations:

Abbreviation Expansion
Nov,m November
tis it is
twas it was
Will,m William
Hon.r Honour
hon,r honour
wh which
Rev,d Reverend
myſf myself
Law. lawful
Theoph.s Theophilus
Nov.r November
E. 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 24)
Number of people/places/organizations with unknown keys: 0 (out of 23)
Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: 0 (out of 5)
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): 0 (out of 116)