Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to William Johnson, 1767 August 19
19 August 1767[1767-08-19]
Call Number767469.2
[note (type: abstract): Wheelock writes on behalf of the Narragansett Indians, who are losing their lands, and requests to know whether the reports of missionaries arriving from Europe are true.][note (type: handwriting): Formal handwriting is not Wheelock's. It is clear and legible.][note (type: paper): Large sheet folded in half to make four pages is in fair condition, with light-to-moderate staining, creasing and wear. There is preservation work along the heavy vertical crease.][note (type: noteworthy): "HAVEMEYER COLLECTION" is typewritten across the top of one recto. As is marked on two recto, this document is a copy. A note in pencil has been added to the top left of two recto; this note has not been included in the transcription. There is some scratch writing in an unknown hand on two verso beneath the address.]
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
Lebanon[place0122.ocp]
[Aug..t | August]Aug..tAugust
[19..th | 19th]19..th19th 1767[1767-08-19]
Sir
May it [pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease your Excellency.
Sir
May it [pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease your Excellency.
The enclosed came directed to my care
while I was on a journey; by which means it [fail'd | failed]fail'dfailed of an earlier convey‐
-ance. And with respect to the context of it, I would only beg leave, at the
desire of some [concern'd | concerned]concern'dconcerned, to certify you, that the [Rev.d | Rev.]Rev.dRev. [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Fish[pers0015.ocp] is, so far as I
know, [univerſally | universally]univerſallyuniversally [eſteem'd | esteemed]eſteem'desteemed, a gentleman of Integrity and good Ability.
And accordingly the [Repreſentation | Representation]RepreſentationRepresentation he has made of the Case of the
poor suffering Indians at [Narraganſet | Narragansett]NarraganſetNarragansett[org0066.ocp], is to be relied upon, as being
faithfully [& | and]&and impartially done
while I was on a journey; by which means it [fail'd | failed]fail'dfailed of an earlier convey‐
-ance. And with respect to the context of it, I would only beg leave, at the
desire of some [concern'd | concerned]concern'dconcerned, to certify you, that the [Rev.d | Rev.]Rev.dRev. [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Fish[pers0015.ocp] is, so far as I
know, [univerſally | universally]univerſallyuniversally [eſteem'd | esteemed]eſteem'desteemed, a gentleman of Integrity and good Ability.
And accordingly the [Repreſentation | Representation]RepreſentationRepresentation he has made of the Case of the
poor suffering Indians at [Narraganſet | Narragansett]NarraganſetNarragansett[org0066.ocp], is to be relied upon, as being
faithfully [& | and]&and impartially done
And I would [alſo | also]alſoalso at their [earneſt | earnest]earneſtearnest
[deſire | desire]deſiredesire join my earnest Request in
Behalf of that poor people, that your Excellency would [pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease take their
[pityeous | piteous]pityeouspiteous Case into your [Conſideration | Consideration]ConſiderationConsideration, and if [their | there]theirthere be any way of relief
for them (which under God they expect chiefly, or only by your [Inter‐
‐poſition | inter‐
position]Inter‐
‐poſitioninter‐
position) that something effectual may be done to prevent that
total ruin which otherwise, according to all human probabilities,
is very speedily to be expected— They have bid the [faireſt | fairest]faireſtfairest to
be built up, and become a people, of any party of Indians
I know of in New England[place0158.ocp]— and now just as they have got
well engaged in cultivating their Lands, and begin to know
the worth of them, by [taſting | tasting]taſtingtasting the sweets of a civilized Life,
their best farms are slipping from under them, one after
another (as they [expreſs | express]expreſsexpress it) with much [expence | expense]expenceexpense of Labour
[& | and]&and money [alſo | also]alſoalso, which they have [beſtow'd | bestowed]beſtow'dbestowed to subdue them.
And they have [reaſon | reason]reaſonreason to expect in a very little Time, they
shall have none left, [unleſs | unless]unleſsunless something effectual be speedily
done for their Help. The [pitteous | piteous]pitteouspiteous complaints of this poor people
are truly such, as I make no doubt, [ſir | sir]ſirsir, would greatly move
your Excellency's [Compaſsions | Compassions]CompaſsionsCompassions towards them, could you hear
them
them,could you hear them; but
your well known Care, [Fidility | Fidelity]FidilityFidelity, and
[Reſolution | Resolution]ReſolutionResolution, prevent all [occaſion | occasion]occaſionoccasion to enlarge on this Head—
Behalf of that poor people, that your Excellency would [pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease take their
[pit
for them (which under God they expect chiefly, or only by your [Inter‐
‐poſition | inter‐
position]Inter‐
‐poſitioninter‐
position) that something effectual may be done to prevent that
total ruin which otherwise, according to all human probabilities,
is very speedily to be expected— They have bid the [faireſt | fairest]faireſtfairest to
be built up, and become a people, of any party of Indians
I know of in New England[place0158.ocp]— and now just as they have got
well engaged in cultivating their Lands, and begin to know
the worth of them, by [taſting | tasting]taſtingtasting the sweets of a civilized Life,
their best farms are slipping from under them, one after
another (as they [expreſs | express]expreſsexpress it) with much [expence | expense]expenceexpense of Labour
[& | and]&and money [alſo | also]alſoalso, which they have [beſtow'd | bestowed]beſtow'dbestowed to subdue them.
And they have [reaſon | reason]reaſonreason to expect in a very little Time, they
shall have none left, [unleſs | unless]unleſsunless something effectual be speedily
done for their Help. The [pitteous | piteous]pitteouspiteous complaints of this poor people
are truly such, as I make no doubt, [ſir | sir]ſirsir, would greatly move
your Excellency's [Compaſsions | Compassions]CompaſsionsCompassions towards them, could you hear
them
them,
[Reſolution | Resolution]ReſolutionResolution, prevent all [occaſion | occasion]occaſionoccasion to enlarge on this Head—
May it [pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease your Excellency. We had frequent Reports last
winter [& | and]&and spring, from your Quarter, as well as [diverſe | diverse]diverſediverse Hints in
the [publick | public]publickpublic News, that a Number of [Miſsys | Missionaries]MiſsysMissionaries [& | and]&and [schoolmaſters | schoolmasters]schoolmaſtersschoolmasters were daily
expected from Europe[place0070.ocp] to supply the Vacancies in your Vicinity:
on which I wrote your Excellency [deſiring | desiring]deſiringdesiring to be certified of [ ye | the] yethe
truth of the report, and to know your [pleaſure | pleasure]pleaſurepleasure relating thereto:
But I have received no written [anſwer | answer]anſweranswer— and as I have always [eſteem'd | esteemed]eſteem'desteemed
your Countenance [& | and]&and Patronage to be of such Importance, in this
Affair, that I would by no means take one step without your Appro‐
-bation; I have neglected to send either [Miſsionary | Missionary]MiſsionaryMissionary or [School maſter | schoolmaster]School maſterschoolmaster,
this Year, to [thoſe | those]thoſethose places near you, ['till | 'til]'till'til you should [pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease to signify
your [pleaſure | pleasure]pleaſurepleasure in that matter: and I have now sent my son[pers0578.ocp] to
wait upon you with this, [deſiring | desiring]deſiringdesiring you would [pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease to [adviſe | advise]adviſeadvise
me fully, whether you [deſire | desire]deſiredesire the board of [Correſpondants | Correspondents]CorreſpondantsCorrespondents in this
Colony[org0034.ocp] to provide supply of preaching for the parties of
Indians of the six Nations[org0090.ocp] who are willing to hear, and [school‐
-maſters | school‐
masters]school‐
-maſtersschool‐
masters for their Children; and whether your Excellency will
encourage [thoſe | those]thoſethose we shall send, in their [reſpective | respective]reſpectiverespective services,
so long, [& | and]&and so far, as their conduct [& | and]&and Behaviour shall be agreeable to
to their [illegible][guess (h-dawnd): "]"[reſpective | respective]reſpectiverespective Characters [& | and]&and [profeſsions | professions]profeſsionsprofessions?
winter [& | and]&and spring, from your Quarter, as well as [diverſe | diverse]diverſediverse Hints in
the [publick | public]publickpublic News, that a Number of [Miſsys | Missionaries]MiſsysMissionaries [& | and]&and [schoolmaſters | schoolmasters]schoolmaſtersschoolmasters were daily
expected from Europe[place0070.ocp] to supply the Vacancies in your Vicinity:
on which I wrote your Excellency [deſiring | desiring]deſiringdesiring to be certified of [ ye | the] yethe
truth of the report, and to know your [pleaſure | pleasure]pleaſurepleasure relating thereto:
But I have received no written [anſwer | answer]anſweranswer— and as I have always [eſteem'd | esteemed]eſteem'desteemed
your Countenance [& | and]&and Patronage to be of such Importance, in this
Affair, that I would by no means take one step without your Appro‐
-bation; I have neglected to send either [Miſsionary | Missionary]MiſsionaryMissionary or [School maſter | schoolmaster]School maſterschoolmaster,
this Year, to [thoſe | those]thoſethose places near you, ['till | 'til]'till'til you should [pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease to signify
your [pleaſure | pleasure]pleaſurepleasure in that matter: and I have now sent my son[pers0578.ocp] to
wait upon you with this, [deſiring | desiring]deſiringdesiring you would [pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease to [adviſe | advise]adviſeadvise
me fully, whether you [deſire | desire]deſiredesire the board of [Correſpondants | Correspondents]CorreſpondantsCorrespondents in this
Colony[org0034.ocp] to provide supply of preaching for the parties of
Indians of the six Nations[org0090.ocp] who are willing to hear, and [school‐
-maſters | school‐
masters]school‐
-maſtersschool‐
masters for their Children; and whether your Excellency will
encourage [thoſe | those]thoſethose we shall send, in their [reſpective | respective]reſpectiverespective services,
so long, [& | and]&and so far, as their conduct [& | and]&and Behaviour shall be agreeable to
to their [illegible][guess (h-dawnd): "]"[reſpective | respective]reſpectiverespective Characters [& | and]&and [profeſsion
Your Excellency is not [unſenſable | unsensible]unſenſableunsensible that the infant Institu‐
-tion[org0098.ocp] under my care, is now, by the [bleſsing | blessing]bleſsingblessing of [H[illegible]eaven | Heaven]H[illegible]eavenHeaven, much
[encreaſed | increased]encreaſedincreased, [& | and]&and become [reſpectable | respectable]reſpectablerespectable at home [& | and]&and abroad; and is [honour'd | honoured]honour'dhonoured
with the patronage of [Gentleman[above] enen | gentlemen]Gentleman[above] enengentlemen of Character, and great worth
in England[place0068.ocp], who have accepted the Trust of, and become
Guarantees to the [publick | public]publickpublic, for the fund collected in Europe[place0070.ocp], for
the use [& | and]&and support of it; (of which Trust[org0103.ocp] the Right [hon.ble | honourable]hon.blehonourable the Earl
of Dartmouth[pers0153.ocp] is appointed [preſident | president]preſidentpresident) whose Characters, [& | and]&and
influence are such, that I would by no means, have a step
taken which may not have their Approbation. And I should
be very sorry, if, by any means, party names, and circum‐
-stantial [differances | differences]differancesdifferences in matters of Religion. should so operate,
as to retard or prevent the [progreſs | progress]progreſsprogress, [& | and]&and [succeſs | success]succeſssuccess of the general
Design in View—
[pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease
[pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease, [ſir | sir]ſirsir, to let me know your Mind, and [adviſe | advise]adviſeadvise me, as
fully as shall be needful to determine my conduct
in this matter. and [pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease, sir, to be [aſsured | assured]aſsuredassured that you
shall always be served with humility, and the [greateſt | greatest]greateſtgreatest
[chearfulneſs | cheerfulness]chearfulneſscheerfulness, in [any thing | anything]any thinganything that comes within the
Power of
-tion[org0098.ocp] under my care, is now, by the [bleſsing | blessing]bleſsingblessing of [H
[encreaſed | increased]encreaſedincreased, [& | and]&and become [reſpectable | respectable]reſpectablerespectable at home [& | and]&and abroad; and is [honour'd | honoured]honour'dhonoured
with the patronage of [Gentlem
in England[place0068.ocp], who have accepted the Trust of, and become
Guarantees to the [publick | public]publickpublic, for the fund collected in Europe[place0070.ocp], for
the use [& | and]&and support of it; (of which Trust[org0103.ocp] the Right [hon.ble | honourable]hon.blehonourable the Earl
of Dartmouth[pers0153.ocp] is appointed [preſident | president]preſidentpresident) whose Characters, [& | and]&and
influence are such, that I would by no means, have a step
taken which may not have their Approbation. And I should
be very sorry, if, by any means, party names, and circum‐
-stantial [differances | differences]differancesdifferences in matters of Religion. should so operate,
as to retard or prevent the [progreſs | progress]progreſsprogress, [& | and]&and [succeſs | success]succeſssuccess of the general
Design in View—
[pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease
[pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease, [ſir | sir]ſirsir, to let me know your Mind, and [adviſe | advise]adviſeadvise me, as
fully as shall be needful to determine my conduct
in this matter. and [pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease, sir, to be [aſsured | assured]aſsuredassured that you
shall always be served with humility, and the [greateſt | greatest]greateſtgreatest
[chearfulneſs | cheerfulness]chearfulneſscheerfulness, in [any thing | anything]any thinganything that comes within the
Power of
[Closer]
May it [pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease your Excellency
Your [moſt | most]moſtmost obedient, humble Servant
Eleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
Your [moſt | most]moſtmost obedient, humble Servant
Eleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
[Trailer]
[ſir | sir]ſirsir
[Wm | William]WmWilliam
[Johnſon | Johnson]JohnſonJohnson
[Bar.t | Baronet]Bar.tBaronet[pers0292.ocp]
A Copy
To [S..r | Sir]S..rSir [W..m | William]W..mWilliam Johnson [Bart | Baronet]BartBaronet[pers0292.ocp]
[Augt | August]AugtAugust [19th | 19th]19th19th 1767[1767-08-19]
Copy
[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): PL]PL
Landaff[place0121.ocp]
Landaff[place0121.ocp]
A Copy
To [S..r | Sir]S..rSir [W..m | William]W..mWilliam Johnson [Bart | Baronet]BartBaronet[pers0292.ocp]
[Augt | August]AugtAugust [19th | 19th]19th19th 1767[1767-08-19]
Copy
[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): PL]PL
Landaff[place0121.ocp]
Landaff[place0121.ocp]
Document Summary
People identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Role in header | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|---|
pers0015.ocp | M. r Mr. Fish | mentioned | Fish, Joseph |
pers0578.ocp | my son | mentioned | Wheelock, Rodulphus |
pers0153.ocp | Earl of Dartmouth | mentioned | Legge, William |
pers0036.ocp | Eleazar Wheelock | writer | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0292.ocp | W m William Johnſon Johnson Bar. t Baronet | recipient | Johnson, William |
pers0292.ocp | W.. m William Johnson Bar t Baronet | recipient | Johnson, William |
Places identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
place0122.ocp | Lebanon | Lebanon |
place0158.ocp | New England | New England |
place0070.ocp | Europe | Europe |
place0068.ocp | England | England |
place0121.ocp | Landaff | Landaff |
Organizations identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
org0066.ocp | Indians at NarraganſetNarragansett | Narragansett Tribe |
org0034.ocp | board of CorreſpondantsCorrespondents in this Colony | Connecticut Board of Correspondents of the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge |
org0090.ocp | six Nations | Six Nations |
org0098.ocp | the infant Institu‐-tion | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
org0103.ocp | which Trust | Trust in England |
Dates identified in this document:
Standard Form | Text |
---|---|
1767-08-19 | Aug..tAugust 19..th19th 1767 |
1767-08-19 | AugtAugust 19th19th 1767 |
Regularized text:
Type | Original | Regularized |
---|---|---|
modernization | pleaſe | please |
modernization | M.r | Mr. |
modernization | univerſally | universally |
modernization | eſteem'd | esteemed |
modernization | Repreſentation | Representation |
variation | Narraganſet | Narragansett |
modernization | alſo | also |
modernization | earneſt | earnest |
modernization | deſire | desire |
variation | pit |
piteous |
modernization | Conſideration | Consideration |
variation | their | there |
modernization | Inter‐ ‐poſition |
inter‐ position |
modernization | faireſt | fairest |
modernization | taſting | tasting |
modernization | expreſs | express |
variation | expence | expense |
modernization | beſtow'd | bestowed |
modernization | reaſon | reason |
modernization | unleſs | unless |
variation | pitteous | piteous |
modernization | ſir | sir |
modernization | Compaſsions | Compassions |
variation | Fidility | Fidelity |
modernization | Reſolution | Resolution |
modernization | occaſion | occasion |
modernization | diverſe | diverse |
variation | publick | public |
modernization | Miſsys | Missionaries |
modernization | schoolmaſters | schoolmasters |
modernization | deſiring | desiring |
modernization | ye | the |
modernization | pleaſure | pleasure |
modernization | anſwer | answer |
modernization | Miſsionary | Missionary |
modernization | School maſter | schoolmaster |
modernization | thoſe | those |
variation | 'till | 'til |
modernization | adviſe | advise |
variation | Correſpondants | Correspondents |
modernization | school‐ -maſters |
school‐ masters |
modernization | reſpective | respective |
modernization | profeſsion |
professions |
variation | unſenſable | unsensible |
modernization | bleſsing | blessing |
variation | H |
Heaven |
variation | encreaſed | increased |
modernization | reſpectable | respectable |
variation | Gentlem |
gentlemen |
modernization | preſident | president |
variation | differances | differences |
modernization | progreſs | progress |
modernization | succeſs | success |
modernization | aſsured | assured |
modernization | greateſt | greatest |
modernization | chearfulneſs | cheerfulness |
variation | any thing | anything |
modernization | moſt | most |
modernization | Johnſon | Johnson |
Expanded abbreviations:
Abbreviation | Expansion |
---|---|
Aug..t | August |
19..th | 19th |
fail'd | failed |
concern'd | concerned |
Rev.d | Rev. |
& | and |
honour'd | honoured |
hon.ble | honourable |
Wm | William |
Bar.t | Baronet |
S..r | Sir |
W..m | William |
Bart | Baronet |
Augt | August |
19th | 19th |
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 19) |
Number of people/places/organizations with unknown keys: | 0 (out of 18) |
Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: | 0 (out of 1) |
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): | 0 (out of 121) |