Jacob Johnson, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1768 October 10
10 October 1768[1768-10-10]
Call Number768560.2
[note (type: abstract): Johnson writes that a number of wealthy men have come to the congress and are enticing the Indians into selling their lands. Johnson has been going among the Indians trying to keep them from selling.][note (type: handwriting): Informal handwriting is occasionally difficult to decipher.][note (type: paper): Large sheet folded in half to make four pages is in good-to-fair condition, with moderate creasing, staining and wear.][note (type: ink): Brown-black.][note (type: signature): The signature is abbreviated.]
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
I have been at [Onoida | Oneida]OnoidaOneida[place0179.ocp]
[Caſtle | Castle]CaſtleCastle—nowhere—
—Have waited on [ſr w.m | Sir William]ſr w.mSir William[pers0292.ocp] [& | and]&and other gentlemen—
—of which I cannot now write— But [onely | only]onelyonly
[aſſure | assure]aſſureassure you that things are in a [moſt | most]moſtmost critical
[Scituation | situation]Scituationsituation yea wear a very [threatning | threatening]threatningthreatening [aſpect | aspect]aſpectaspect
However [Speciouſly | speciously]Speciouſlyspeciously [coverd | covered]coverdcovered [& | and]&and [conceald | concealed]concealdconcealed— the
Sum of the matter is—"that antecedent to [aſcer‐
taining | ascer‐
taining]aſcer‐
tainingascer‐
taining the Boundaries [& | and]&and Lines [betwix | between]betwixbetween the [Indn | Indian]IndnIndian
[& | and]&and British claims a number of Great [& | and]&and wealthy
[Genteelmen | gentlemen]Genteelmengentlemen from New York[place0166.ocp] [Penſylvania | Pennsylvania]PenſylvaniaPennsylvania[place0185.ocp] [Jerſey | Jersey]JerſeyJersey[place0163.ocp] [& | and]&and
[Virginea | Virginia]VirgineaVirginia[place0236.ocp] Have brought a Great sum of Gold [& | and]&and
[ſilver | silver]ſilversilver with numbers of Bat[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): eaus]eaus[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): oas]oas of Blankets [& | and]&and
other goods in order to decoy [& | and]&and prevail with the
[Onoida | Oneida]OnoidaOneida[org0075.ocp] [& | and]&and other [Indns | Indians]IndnsIndians to [ſell | sell]ſellsell their Lands from
Fort [ſtanwix | Stanwix]ſtanwixStanwix[place0081.ocp] to the [Lakes Ontairo | Lake Ontario]Lakes OntairoLake Ontario[place0118.ocp] [&c | etc.]&cetc. thence
in a Line down to the [alleganey | Allegheny]alleganeyAllegheny Ohio[place0002.ocp] [ſo | so]ſoso down
to[illegible] or near to Fort Pitt[place0080.ocp]
[&c | etc.]&cetc. the which if they
[accompliſh | accomplish]accompliſhaccomplish as you sir [muſt | must]muſtmust know the Principal
[deſign | design]deſigndesign or [deſigns | designs]deſignsdesigns of this Project [ſo | so]ſoso [muſt | must]muſtmust know what
will be the event as to your School[org0098.ocp]s [& | and]&and [above] [deſigns | designs]deſignsdesigns of[deſigns | designs]deſignsdesigns of [prope‐
gation | propa‐
gation]prope‐
gationpropa‐
gation of the Gospel among the [Ind[above] nsns | Indians]Ind[above] nsnsIndians— Being
[Senſible | sensible]Senſiblesensible of this ([tho' | though]tho'though kept as a profound Secret by
the Projectors [& | and]&and managers of it) we have more
privately [conſulted | consulted]conſultedconsulted the Two [Caſtles | Castles]CaſtlesCastles of the [onoidas | Oneidas]onoidasOneidas[org0075.ocp]
—Have waited on [ſr w.m | Sir William]ſr w.mSir William[pers0292.ocp] [& | and]&and other gentlemen—
—of which I cannot now write— But [onely | only]onelyonly
[aſſure | assure]aſſureassure you that things are in a [moſt | most]moſtmost critical
[Scituation | situation]Scituationsituation yea wear a very [threatning | threatening]threatningthreatening [aſpect | aspect]aſpectaspect
However [Speciouſly | speciously]Speciouſlyspeciously [coverd | covered]coverdcovered [& | and]&and [conceald | concealed]concealdconcealed— the
Sum of the matter is—"that antecedent to [aſcer‐
taining | ascer‐
taining]aſcer‐
tainingascer‐
taining the Boundaries [& | and]&and Lines [betwix | between]betwixbetween the [Indn | Indian]IndnIndian
[& | and]&and British claims a number of Great [& | and]&and wealthy
[Genteelmen | gentlemen]Genteelmengentlemen from New York[place0166.ocp] [Penſylvania | Pennsylvania]PenſylvaniaPennsylvania[place0185.ocp] [Jerſey | Jersey]JerſeyJersey[place0163.ocp] [& | and]&and
[Virginea | Virginia]VirgineaVirginia[place0236.ocp] Have brought a Great sum of Gold [& | and]&and
[ſilver | silver]ſilversilver with numbers of Bat
other goods in order to decoy [& | and]&and prevail with the
[Onoida | Oneida]OnoidaOneida[org0075.ocp] [& | and]&and other [Indns | Indians]IndnsIndians to [ſell | sell]ſellsell their Lands from
Fort [ſtanwix | Stanwix]ſtanwixStanwix[place0081.ocp] to the [Lakes Ontairo | Lake Ontario]Lakes OntairoLake Ontario[place0118.ocp] [&c | etc.]&cetc. thence
in a Line down to the [alleganey | Allegheny]alleganeyAllegheny Ohio[place0002.ocp] [ſo | so]ſoso down
to
[accompliſh | accomplish]accompliſhaccomplish as you sir [muſt | must]muſtmust know the Principal
[deſign | design]deſigndesign or [deſigns | designs]deſignsdesigns of this Project [ſo | so]ſoso [muſt | must]muſtmust know what
will be the event as to your School[org0098.ocp]s [& | and]&and [above] [deſigns | designs]deſignsdesigns of[deſigns | designs]deſignsdesigns of [prope‐
gation | propa‐
gation]prope‐
gationpropa‐
gation of the Gospel among the [Ind[above] nsns | Indians]Ind[above] nsnsIndians— Being
[Senſible | sensible]Senſiblesensible of this ([tho' | though]tho'though kept as a profound Secret by
the Projectors [& | and]&and managers of it) we have more
privately [conſulted | consulted]conſultedconsulted the Two [Caſtles | Castles]CaſtlesCastles of the [onoidas | Oneidas]onoidasOneidas[org0075.ocp]
in order to [aprize | apprise]aprizeapprise them of this [deſign | design]deſigndesign
[& | and]&and if [poſsible | possible]poſsiblepossible to
fix them in an [unchangible | unchangeable]unchangibleunchangeable [reſolution | resolution]reſolutionresolution [& | and]&and determina‐
tion upon no [conſideration | consideration]conſiderationconsideration to part with their
Lands but Hold them as their Birth Rights the
great Parent of all things has given them [with all | withal]with allwithal
[ſhewing | showing]ſhewingshowing them the [moſt | most]moſtmost dangerous [conſequences | consequences]conſequencesconsequences [& | and]&and
with many arguments from fact as well as [Reaſon | reason]Reaſonreason
—But y[illegible]et after all we are not
without a
great deal of fear the [Ind.ns | Indians]Ind.nsIndians will be overcome
[& | and]&and made a [ſacrifice | sacrifice]ſacrificesacrifice to the ambition [& | and]&and avarice of
[theſe | these]theſethese great Head plotters [& | and]&and Heart Haters of the
Spread of the pure Gospel of [Jeſus | Jesus]JeſusJesus [chriſt | Christ]chriſtChrist—upon
the a whole view of the [Caſe | case]Caſecase
[& | and]&and
[ſtate | state]ſtatestate of things here
(a contract Specimen of which I have given) we
[tho't | thought]tho'tthought [beſt | best]beſtbest to [ſend | send]ſendsend an [expreſs | express]expreſsexpress to you [ſr | sir]ſrsir that you
may know what is doing [& | and]&and politically [moveing | moving]moveingmoving
to be done that you may[illegible][guess (h-dawnd): kn]kn lay it before
the great [Counſeller | counsellor]Counſellercounsellor as we have done in the [beſt | best]beſtbest
manner we could [& | and]&and daily do— As [alſo | also]alſoalso in [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch a
a weighty [& | and]&and [moſt | most]moſtmost concerning affair that you [woud | would]woudwould
if you think expedient Send your [beſt | best]beſtbest [adviſe | advice]adviſeadvice
and that the [Revd | Rev.]RevdRev. Mr kirtland[pers0315.ocp] would come up if his
health will admit [& | and]&and you think [adviſable | advisable]adviſableadvisable—all which
may [poſsibly | possibly]poſsiblypossibly be done before the [concluſion | conclusion]concluſionconclusion of
the [Congreſs | congress]Congreſscongress which will not likely be [deſolvd | dissolved]deſolvddissolved
in 3 or 4 weeks from the date [herof | hereof]herofhereof—
fix them in an [unchangible | unchangeable]unchangibleunchangeable [reſolution | resolution]reſolutionresolution [& | and]&and determina‐
tion upon no [conſideration | consideration]conſiderationconsideration to part with their
Lands but Hold them as their Birth Rights the
great Parent of all things has given them [with all | withal]with allwithal
[ſhewing | showing]ſhewingshowing them the [moſt | most]moſtmost dangerous [conſequences | consequences]conſequencesconsequences [& | and]&and
with many arguments from fact as well as [Reaſon | reason]Reaſonreason
—But y
great deal of fear the [Ind.ns | Indians]Ind.nsIndians will be overcome
[& | and]&and made a [ſacrifice | sacrifice]ſacrificesacrifice to the ambition [& | and]&and avarice of
[theſe | these]theſethese great Head plotters [& | and]&and Heart Haters of the
Spread of the pure Gospel of [Jeſus | Jesus]JeſusJesus [chriſt | Christ]chriſtChrist—upon
(a contract Specimen of which I have given) we
[tho't | thought]tho'tthought [beſt | best]beſtbest to [ſend | send]ſendsend an [expreſs | express]expreſsexpress to you [ſr | sir]ſrsir that you
may know what is doing [& | and]&and politically [moveing | moving]moveingmoving
to be done that you may
the great [Counſeller | counsellor]Counſellercounsellor as we have done in the [beſt | best]beſtbest
manner we could [& | and]&and daily do— As [alſo | also]alſoalso in [ſuch | such]ſuchsuch a
a weighty [& | and]&and [moſt | most]moſtmost concerning affair that you [woud | would]woudwould
if you think expedient Send your [beſt | best]beſtbest [adviſe | advice]adviſeadvice
and that the [Revd | Rev.]RevdRev. Mr kirtland[pers0315.ocp] would come up if his
health will admit [& | and]&and you think [adviſable | advisable]adviſableadvisable—all which
may [poſsibly | possibly]poſsiblypossibly be done before the [concluſion | conclusion]concluſionconclusion of
the [Congreſs | congress]Congreſscongress which will not likely be [deſolvd | dissolved]deſolvddissolved
in 3 or 4 weeks from the date [herof | hereof]herofhereof—
[Closer]
[Postscript]
P. S. [Joſeph | Joseph]JoſephJoseph[pers0288.ocp] may [ſtay | stay]ſtaystay with you (if you think
fit) [till | 'til]till'til further [adviſe | advise]adviſeadvisewe
fit) [till | 'til]till'til further [adviſe | advise]adviſeadvise
we may [herafter | hereafter]herafterhereafter give you an [acc't | account]acc'taccount of the
whole series of things but now [onely | only]onelyonly
hint at them as they are as it were
in [Embroyo | embryo]Embroyoembryo—
whole series of things but now [onely | only]onelyonly
hint at them as they are as it were
in [Embroyo | embryo]Embroyoembryo—
I Shall continue to wait on the [Congreſs | congress]Congreſscongress
[& | and]&and if [oppertunity | opportunity]oppertunityopportunity [preſents | presents]preſentspresents send you further
[& | and]&and if [oppertunity | opportunity]oppertunityopportunity [preſents | presents]preſentspresents send you further
In the mean since we [donot | do not]donotdo not Speak of [theſe | these]theſethese
things openly or let any one know but
[frieds | friends]friedsfriends[illegible][illegible]
Jos.[pers0288.ocp] goes for New [Engld | England]EngldEngland—
oh pray! pray! pray!
as Mr Eliot[pers1752.ocp] [Apoſtle | Apostle]ApoſtleApostle to the [Indns | Indians]IndnsIndians [ſaid | said]ſaidsaid in a
Letter to–
things openly or let any one know but
[frieds | friends]friedsfriends
oh pray! pray! pray!
as Mr Eliot[pers1752.ocp] [Apoſtle | Apostle]ApoſtleApostle to the [Indns | Indians]IndnsIndians [ſaid | said]ſaidsaid in a
Letter to–
[Trailer]
[Rev.d | Rev.]Rev.dRev. Jacob Johnson[pers0287.ocp]'s
[Oct.r | October]Oct.rOctober [10.th | 10th]10.th10th 1768.[1768-10-10]
[Oct.r | October]Oct.rOctober [10.th | 10th]10.th10th 1768.[1768-10-10]
To
the [Revd | Rev.]RevdRev. [Dr | Dr.]DrDr.
[Eleaz.r | Eleazar]Eleaz.rEleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
Lebeanon—[place0122.ocp]
the [Revd | Rev.]RevdRev. [Dr | Dr.]DrDr.
[Eleaz.r | Eleazar]Eleaz.rEleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
Leb
Document Summary
People identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Role in header | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|---|
pers0292.ocp | ſr w. m Sir William | mentioned | Johnson, William |
pers0315.ocp | Mr kirtland | mentioned | Kirkland, Samuel |
pers0287.ocp | J. Jacob Johnſon Johnson | writer | Johnson, Jacob W. |
pers0288.ocp | Joſeph Joseph | mentioned | Johnson, Joseph |
pers0288.ocp | Jos. | mentioned | Johnson, Joseph |
pers1752.ocp | Mr Eliot | mentioned | Eliot, John |
pers0287.ocp | Rev. d Rev. Jacob Johnson | writer | Johnson, Jacob W. |
pers0036.ocp | Eleaz. r Eleazar Wheelock | recipient | Wheelock, Eleazar |
Places identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
place0081.ocp | Fort Stanwix | Fort Stanwix |
place0179.ocp | Onoida Oneida | Oneida |
place0166.ocp | New York | New York |
place0185.ocp | Penſylvania Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania |
place0163.ocp | Jerſey Jersey | New Jersey |
place0236.ocp | Virginea Virginia | Commonwealth of Virginia |
place0081.ocp | Fort ſtanwix Stanwix | Fort Stanwix |
place0118.ocp | Lakes Ontairo Lake Ontario | Lake Ontario |
place0002.ocp | alleganey Allegheny Ohio | Allegheny River |
place0080.ocp | Fort Pitt | Fort Pitt |
place0122.ocp | Leb e anon— | Lebanon |
Organizations identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
org0075.ocp | OnoidaOneida | Oneida Nation |
org0098.ocp | School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
org0075.ocp | onoidasOneidas | Oneida Nation |
Dates identified in this document:
Standard Form | Text |
---|---|
1768-10-10 | Octob.October 10 1768 |
1768-10-10 | Oct.rOctober 10.th10th 1768. |
Regularized text:
Type | Original | Regularized |
---|---|---|
variation | Onoida | Oneida |
modernization | Caſtle | Castle |
variation | onely | only |
modernization | aſſure | assure |
modernization | moſt | most |
variation | Scituation | situation |
variation | threatning | threatening |
modernization | aſpect | aspect |
modernization | Speciouſly | speciously |
variation | coverd | covered |
variation | conceald | concealed |
modernization | aſcer‐ taining |
ascer‐ taining |
variation | betwix | between |
variation | Genteelmen | gentlemen |
variation | Penſylvania | Pennsylvania |
modernization | Jerſey | Jersey |
variation | Virginea | Virginia |
modernization | ſilver | silver |
modernization | ſell | sell |
modernization | ſtanwix | Stanwix |
variation | Lakes Ontairo | Lake Ontario |
modernization | &c | etc. |
variation | alleganey | Allegheny |
modernization | ſo | so |
modernization | accompliſh | accomplish |
modernization | muſt | must |
modernization | deſign | design |
modernization | deſigns | designs |
variation | prope‐ gation |
propa‐ gation |
modernization | Senſible | sensible |
modernization | conſulted | consulted |
modernization | Caſtles | Castles |
variation | onoidas | Oneidas |
variation | aprize | apprise |
modernization | poſsible | possible |
variation | unchangible | unchangeable |
modernization | reſolution | resolution |
modernization | conſideration | consideration |
variation | with all | withal |
variation | ſhewing | showing |
modernization | conſequences | consequences |
modernization | Reaſon | reason |
modernization | ſacrifice | sacrifice |
modernization | theſe | these |
modernization | Jeſus | Jesus |
modernization | chriſt | Christ |
modernization | Caſe | case |
modernization | ſtate | state |
modernization | beſt | best |
modernization | ſend | send |
modernization | expreſs | express |
variation | moveing | moving |
variation | Counſeller | counsellor |
modernization | alſo | also |
modernization | ſuch | such |
variation | woud | would |
variation | adviſe | advice |
modernization | Revd | Rev. |
modernization | adviſable | advisable |
modernization | poſsibly | possibly |
modernization | concluſion | conclusion |
modernization | Congreſs | congress |
variation | deſolvd | dissolved |
variation | herof | hereof |
variation | Chriſts | Christ's |
modernization | ſake | sake |
modernization | Cauſe | cause |
modernization | Johnſon | Johnson |
modernization | Joſeph | Joseph |
modernization | ſtay | stay |
variation | till | 'til |
modernization | adviſe | advise |
variation | herafter | hereafter |
variation | Embroyo | embryo |
variation | oppertunity | opportunity |
modernization | preſents | presents |
variation | donot | do not |
variation | frieds | friends |
modernization | Apoſtle | Apostle |
modernization | ſaid | said |
modernization | Rev.d | Rev. |
modernization | 10.th | 10th |
modernization | Dr | Dr. |
Expanded abbreviations:
Abbreviation | Expansion |
---|---|
Octob. | October |
Sr | Sir |
ſr w.m | Sir William |
& | and |
Indn | Indian |
Indns | Indians |
tho' | though |
Ind.ns | Indians |
tho't | thought |
ſr | sir |
ſr yrs | Sir yours |
J. | Jacob |
acc't | account |
Engld | England |
Oct.r | October |
Eleaz.r | Eleazar |
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 22) |
Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: | 0 (out of 2) |
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): | 0 (out of 110) |