Joseph Johnson, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1768, May 2
2 May 1768[1768-04-02]
ms number768302
[note (type: abstract): Johnson writes of his progress among the Oneidas, and that the more distant tribes visited by Ralph Wheelock do not seem anxious for missionaries. He also mentions various Moor's students.][note (type: handwriting): Handwriting is small, though mostly clear and legible.][note (type: paper): One large sheet folded in half to make four pages is in fair condition, with moderate creasing, staining and wear. A large tear on two recto/verso appears to result in no loss of text.][note (type: ink): Black-brown.][note (type: noteworthy): The identity of Hannah's brother, mentioned on one recto, is uncertain, and so he has been left untagged. However, he is possibly William[pers0763.ocp]. On two verso, an editor, likely 19th-century, has written "IndMis, +" below the trailer. This note has not been included in the transcription.][note (type: signature): The signature is abbreviated after the body of the letter, yet complete after postscript.]
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
I take this Opportunity to [Enform | inform]Enforminform you that by the ^[above] kind and^kind and Indulge^[above] n^nt providence of God I am well and would hope that by the [ſame | same]ſamesame
[goodneſs | goodness]goodneſsgoodness you [ſtill | still]ſtillstill Enjoy your [Valuble | valuable]Valublevaluable
Health. — I have, not as yet heard any News from [Onondage | Onondaga]OnondageOnondaga[place0180.ocp] about what they have determined in Embracing the [Goſpel | Gospel]GoſpelGospel but the Other day Couple of young Women came from there and
[Enformed | informed]Enformedinformed us that no man-kind was at home, not So much as the great man; but were all
gone a hunting. it looks very [diſcourage‐‐ing | discouraging]diſcourage‐‐ingdiscouraging at [preſent | present]preſentpresent
[amongſt | amongst]amongſtamongst the Back‐nations I fear that they are too much overcome by french
principles:([illegible][guess (h-dawnd): or]or
[reather | rather]reatherrather fast in the [divils | devils]divilsdevils
cluches) yet I wonder not, that they dont Embrace the [Goſpel | Gospel]GoſpelGospel — they have [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch good Examples from the Germans or Dutch and [Chuſe | choose]Chuſechoose to go to heaven in that way in which they can gratify their vicious
and [deviliſh | devilish]deviliſhdevilish Inclinations. They hear that they [muſt | must]muſtmust not get drunk if they Embrace the [Goſple | Gospel]GoſpleGospel which your [ſon | son]ſonson[pers0578.ocp] offered to them; which gos goes hard [againſt | against]againſtagainst their deep Rooted Appetites but if they continue as they are, they can get
drunk and [practiſe | practice]practiſepractice all manner of Evil and at [laſt | last]laſtlast Expe^[above] c^ct to Enter the long [houſe | house]houſehouse which [the | they]thethey call heaven
[Some where | somewhere]Some wheresomewhere towards the [ſouth | south]ſouthsouth, where [the | they]thethey will be free f[illegible]rom all pain and have
nothing to [Exerciſe | exercise]Exerciſeexercise their minds — this is the Heaven which the
french [friers | friars]friersfriars have [promiſed | promised]promiſedpromised them. the Indians in general [ſay | say]ſaysay that it is vain and talk very [discourageing | discouraging]discourageingdiscouraging and [ſay | say]ſaysay that you need not look for them no more; their [be haviour | behaviour]be haviourbehaviour
[Shews | shows]Shewsshows Enough that they have [Refuſed | refused]Refuſedrefused. I have Begun my [ſchool | school]ſchoolschool the [laſt | last]laſtlast week, and the [Onidasſ | Oneidas]OnidasſOneidas[org0075.ocp]
[illegible: [guess (h-dawnd): [ſeem | seem]ſeemseem][ſeem | seem]ſeemseem] Seem very much to have their minds [ſhuttered | shuttered]ſhutteredshuttered and in a [Ruffel. | ruffle]Ruffel.ruffle the great men who are hounoured with the care over the
Indians I fear have greatly Erred in [ſome | some]ſomesome things and let too much of their Cloven foot appear. I had [propoſed | proposed]propoſedproposed coming down next week (but nNathan[pers0127.ocp] comes in my Room) and bring down Hannah[pers0244.ocp]
[& | and]&and
Catarine[pers0113.ocp] to your [ſchool | school]ſchoolschool and are Obliged to come before [illegible]the
time your [ſon | son]ſonson[pers0578.ocp]
[appointd | appointed]appointdappointed and for [theſe | these]theſethese
[Reaſons | reasons]Reaſonsreasons. [1.t | 1st.]1.t1st. that they are quite [Uneaſy | uneasy]Uneaſyuneasy to come down to your [ſchool | school]ſchoolschool[org0098.ocp]
[aſ | as]aſas
[ſoon | soon]ſoonsoon as [poſsible | possible]poſsiblepossible and could by no means wait [till | 'til]till'til
Thomas[pers0643.ocp] and the [reſt | rest]reſtrest of the Indians came down
[2.d | 2nd.]2.d2nd. is that they have [ſuſpected | suspected]ſuſpectedsuspected
[ſome | some]ſomesome Danger that they cant wait and that is, they are [affraid | afraid]affraidafraid of being Bewitched if [the | they]thethey
[ſtay | stay]ſtaystay — and they [ſay | say]ſaysay if they dont come down to your [ſchool | school]ſchoolschool[org0098.ocp] they
[muſt | must]muſtmust go [ſome | some]ſomesome where [Elſe | else]Elſeelse. hannah[pers0244.ocp],
brother and [ſeveral | several]ſeveralseveral others are
[thretned | threatened]thretnedthreatened, [like w[illegible]iſe | likewise]like w[illegible]iſelikewise
the queen[pers0619.ocp], and I was [adviſed | advised]adviſedadvised to go [of | off]ofoff with them S[illegible]oon as could be, but the
state of things at [preſent | present]preſentpresent I thought I — Would not ^[above] Suffer^Suffer
for which [Reaſon | reason]Reaſonreason
Nathan[pers0127.ocp] comes down. and other [reaſons | reasons]reaſonsreasons his defect [& | and]&and
[Uncapableneſs | incapableness]Uncapableneſsincapableness of [carriing | carrying]carriingcarrying on the [buſsineſs | business]buſsineſsbusiness which he is [intruſted | entrusted]intruſtedentrusted with. and many other which he can better acquaint than I can.
We Expect one of the French [Miniſters | ministers]Miniſtersministers here this [ſeaſon | season]ſeaſonseason — for which [Reaſon | reason]Reaſonreason I dont love to leave the Indians — — I have nothing [ſtrange | strange]ſtrangestrange to Acquaint you at [preſent | present]preſentpresent I [ſhall | shall]ſhallshall go with the Indians next week to their [illegible][guess (cassandrah): hunt]hunt (as all My [ſcholars | scholars]ſcholarsscholars will go) I have only five Scholars at [priſent | present]priſentpresent and the [Oldeſt | oldest]Oldeſtoldest is 10 years of age hardly worth [ſtaying | staying]ſtayingstaying for. but according to your Sons[pers0578.ocp]
orders I Stay with them; I dont know when I [ſhall | shall]ſhallshall come down to make a [ſhort | short]ſhortshort
[vizit | visit]vizitvisit; I Seem to be [Intirely | entirely]Intirelyentirely Content to be —
[diſpoſed | disposed]diſpoſeddisposed of as Seems [beſt | best]beſtbest in your [ſight | sight]ſightsight. [& | and]&and to be wholly at your —
[diſpoſal | disposal]diſpoſaldisposal. I fare very well at [preſent | present]preſentpresent plenty of [pideons | pigeons]pideonspigeons in our woods. I want to hear from you My Kind Benefactor (I
have^[above] have^have been much troubled in dreams
concerning you of late. I fear you are not well. but this is too much of my Indian
principles.) I feel Sorry about [ſomethings | some things]ſomethingssome things that I did neglect when I was down and have laid with great [wait | weight]waitweight upon my mind Ever [ſince | since]ſincesince; I fear I did not do my duty in not hearing your kind advice of
binding [my ſelf | myself]my ſelfmyself to be the LLords however by Gods Grace
[Aſsisting | assisting]Aſsistingassisting me I Endeavour to keep [my ſelf | myself]my ſelfmyself
[Uproted | uprooted]Uproteduprooted from the world and make his word my Rule of Life. —— no
more at [preſent | present]preſentpresent, but I would [deſire | desire]deſiredesire humbly to recommend
[my ſelf | myself]my ſelfmyself to your [ day ly | daily] day lydaily prayers that he would never [ſuffer | suffer]ſuffersuffer me to Act or do [any thing | anything]any thinganything that will at all [diſgrace | disgrace]diſgracedisgrace the [Cauſe | cause]Cauſecause or the Religion of [Chriſt | Christ]ChriſtChrist. [& | and]&and to keep me humble, keep me from pride and all high thoughts of [my ſelf | myself]my ſelfmyself.
[Closer]
is the [day ly | daily]day lydaily prayer of your poor pupil and Humble [ſervant | servant]ſervantservant.
[Joſph | Joseph]JoſphJoseph
[Johnſon | Johnson]JohnſonJohnson[pers0288.ocp].
[Kanoarohare | Kanawalohale]KanoarohareKanawalohale[place0114.ocp]
May [2.d | 2nd.]2.d2nd.
[1768-05-02]
AD 1768[1768-05-02]. —
[Postscript]
PS. [pleaſe | please]pleaſeplease
[ſir | sir]ſirsir to [over look | overlook]over lookoverlook my [haſt | haste]haſthaste, and the many Blunders which I [Soppoſe | suppose]Soppoſesuppose are in this paper. I have no time to write it over or correct it.
dont [Expoſe | expose]Expoſeexpose it. [ſo | so]ſoso I remain your Humble [ſervant | servant]ſervantservant
[Joſeph | Joseph]JoſephJoseph
[Johnſon | Johnson]JohnſonJohnson[pers0288.ocp].
^[below] To —^To —
^[below] [Mr | Mr.]MrMr.
Eleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
D.D.^[Mr | Mr.]MrMr.
Eleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
D.D.
[Trailer]
From [Jos: | Joseph]Jos:Joseph Johnson[pers0288.ocp]
May [2.d | 2nd.]2.d2nd. 1768[1768-05-02]
To. —
The [Revd | Rev.]RevdRev.
[Doctr | Dr.]DoctrDr. Wheelock[pers0036.ocp].
In.
[New-Eng-land | New England]New-Eng-landNew England
[place0158.ocp]
[left] [Pr | Per]PrPer favour of}
Nathan Clap}[pers0127.ocp]
[Pr | Per]PrPer favour of}
Nathan Clap}[pers0127.ocp]
Document Summary
People identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Role in header | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|---|
pers0578.ocp | your ſon son | mentioned | Wheelock, Rodulphus |
pers0127.ocp | Nathan | mentioned | Clap, Nathan |
pers0244.ocp | Hannah | mentioned | Hail, Hannah |
pers0113.ocp | Catarine | mentioned | Catarine |
pers0643.ocp | Thomas | mentioned | Thomas |
pers0244.ocp | hannah | mentioned | Hail, Hannah |
pers0619.ocp | the queen | mentioned | Queen, the |
pers0578.ocp | your Sons | mentioned | Wheelock, Rodulphus |
pers0288.ocp | Joſ ph Joseph Johnſon Johnson | writer | Johnson, Joseph |
pers0288.ocp | Joſeph Joseph Johnſon Johnson | writer | Johnson, Joseph |
pers0036.ocp | Eleazar Wheelock | recipient | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0288.ocp | Jos: Joseph Johnson | writer | Johnson, Joseph |
pers0036.ocp | Rev d Rev. Doct r Dr. Wheelock | recipient | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0127.ocp | Nathan Clap} | mentioned | Clap, Nathan |
Places identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
place0114.ocp | Kanoarohare Kanawalohale | Kanawalohale |
place0180.ocp | Onondage Onondaga | Onondaga |
place0158.ocp | New-Eng-land New England | New England |
Organizations identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
org0075.ocp | OnidasſOneidas | Oneida Nation |
org0098.ocp | your ſchoolschool | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
Dates identified in this document:
Standard Form | Text |
---|---|
1768-05-02 | May 2,d2nd 1768 |
1768-05-02 | May 2.d2nd. |
1768-05-02 | AD 1768 |
1768-05-02 | May 2.d2nd. 1768 |
Regularized text:
Type | Original | Regularized |
---|---|---|
variation | Kanoarohare | Kanawalohale |
modernization | 2,d | 2nd |
modernization | Revd | Rev. |
modernization | Doct.r | Dr. |
variation | Enform | inform |
modernization | ſame | same |
modernization | goodneſs | goodness |
modernization | ſtill | still |
variation | Valuble | valuable |
variation | Onondage | Onondaga |
modernization | Goſpel | Gospel |
variation | Enformed | informed |
variation | diſcourage‐‐ing | discouraging |
modernization | preſent | present |
modernization | amongſt | amongst |
variation | reather | rather |
variation | divils | devils |
modernization | ſuch | such |
variation | Chuſe | choose |
modernization | deviliſh | devilish |
modernization | muſt | must |
variation | Goſple | Gospel |
modernization | ſon | son |
modernization | againſt | against |
variation | practiſe | practice |
modernization | laſt | last |
modernization | houſe | house |
variation | Some where | somewhere |
modernization | ſouth | south |
modernization | Exerciſe | exercise |
variation | friers | friars |
modernization | promiſed | promised |
modernization | ſay | say |
variation | discourageing | discouraging |
variation | be haviour | behaviour |
variation | Shews | shows |
modernization | Refuſed | refused |
modernization | ſchool | school |
variation | Onidasſ | Oneidas |
modernization | ſeem | seem |
modernization | ſhuttered | shuttered |
variation | Ruffel. | ruffle |
modernization | ſome | some |
modernization | propoſed | proposed |
variation | appointd | appointed |
modernization | theſe | these |
modernization | Reaſons | reasons |
modernization | 1.t | 1st. |
modernization | Uneaſy | uneasy |
modernization | aſ | as |
modernization | ſoon | soon |
modernization | poſsible | possible |
variation | till | 'til |
modernization | reſt | rest |
modernization | 2.d | 2nd. |
modernization | ſuſpected | suspected |
variation | affraid | afraid |
modernization | ſtay | stay |
modernization | Elſe | else |
modernization | ſeveral | several |
variation | thretned | threatened |
modernization | like w[illegible]iſe | likewise |
modernization | adviſed | advised |
variation | of | off |
modernization | Reaſon | reason |
modernization | reaſons | reasons |
variation | Uncapableneſs | incapableness |
variation | carriing | carrying |
variation | buſsineſs | business |
variation | intruſted | entrusted |
modernization | Miniſters | ministers |
modernization | ſeaſon | season |
modernization | ſtrange | strange |
modernization | ſhall | shall |
modernization | ſcholars | scholars |
variation | priſent | present |
modernization | Oldeſt | oldest |
modernization | ſtaying | staying |
modernization | ſhort | short |
variation | vizit | visit |
variation | Intirely | entirely |
modernization | diſpoſed | disposed |
modernization | beſt | best |
modernization | ſight | sight |
modernization | diſpoſal | disposal |
variation | pideons | pigeons |
variation | ſomethings | some things |
variation | wait | weight |
modernization | ſince | since |
variation | my ſelf | myself |
modernization | Aſsisting | assisting |
variation | Uproted | uprooted |
modernization | deſire | desire |
variation | day ly | daily |
modernization | ſuffer | suffer |
variation | any thing | anything |
modernization | diſgrace | disgrace |
modernization | Cauſe | cause |
modernization | Chriſt | Christ |
variation | day ly | daily |
modernization | ſervant | servant |
modernization | Johnſon | Johnson |
modernization | pleaſe | please |
modernization | ſir | sir |
variation | over look | overlook |
variation | haſt | haste |
variation | Soppoſe | suppose |
modernization | Expoſe | expose |
modernization | ſo | so |
modernization | Joſeph | Joseph |
modernization | Mr | Mr. |
modernization | Doctr | Dr. |
variation | New-Eng-land | New England |
Expanded abbreviations:
Abbreviation | Expansion |
---|---|
Hond | Honoured |
the | they |
& | and |
Joſph | Joseph |
Jos: | Joseph |
Pr | Per |
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 40) |
Number of people/places/organizations with unknown keys: | 0 (out of 23) |
Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: | 0 (out of 8) |
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): | 0 (out of 123) |