Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to John Wentworth, 1769 December 5
5 December 1769[1769-12-05]
ms number769655
[note (type: abstract): Wheelock writes that part of the Narragansett Tribe would like to move to a new settlement; he suggests that they might be given a township on the Connecticut River.][note (type: handwriting): The clear, careful handwriting in the body of the letter is not Wheelock's, although the trailers are in Wheelock's hand.][note (type: paper): Single sheet is in good condition, with light staining and wear.][note (type: noteworthy): This document is likely a copy kept by Wheelock for his records. Wheelock also mentions the desire of some Charlestown Narragansetts to resettle in a letter to Occom -- manuscript number 769125. An editor, likely 19th-century, has added the note "respecting Indians" beneath the trailer. This note has not been transcribed.][note (type: signature): Abbreviated signature is not Wheelock's.]
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
May it please Your Excellency.
[Jn.o | John]Jn.oJohn Shattock[pers0661.ocp], an Indian Youth of [y.e | the]y.ethe
Narragansett Tribe[org0066.ocp] in Roh
[Rhodisland | Rhode Island]RhodislandRhode Island[place0196.ocp], who, after he had for some time been a member of my School[org0098.ocp] went with his Brother to England, as agent
for [yir | their]yirtheir Tribe, [& | and]&and is now one of
[y.e | the]y.ethe Council of [y.t | that]y.tthat Tribe, [& | and]&and I [eſteem | esteem]eſteemesteem him to be a man of good [Sence | sense]Sencesense, [& | and]&and Integrity, came to me, last week, at [y.e | the]y.ethe Desire of [y.e | the]y.ethe civilized [& | and]&and
[christani=zed | Christianized]christani=zedChristianized part of [y.t | that]y.tthat Tribe, privately to [enquire | inquire]enquireinquire of me, whether I could by any means direct them where [ya | they]yathey might [purchaſe | purchase]purchaſepurchase a Township of good lands, on [wh | which]whwhich
[y.a | they]y.athey might settle by themselves, [& | and]&and live by Husbandry, [& | and]&and enjoy all [y.e | the]y.ethe Liberties
[& | and]&and Priviliges of English Inhabitants — I mentioned to him [y.e | the]y.ethe Lands yet uncharted (as I supposed) in [y.r | your]y.ryour Province, above [y.e | the]y.ethe new Settle=ments on Connecticut River[place0050.ocp], as being very good, [& | and]&and told him.
[y.o | you]y.oyou had given [y.e | the]y.ethe fullest demonstration of [y.r | your]y.ryour friendship to [y.e | the]y.ethe Indians both in Europe [& | and]&and America; And [y.t | that]y.tthat I doubted not [y.r | your]y.ryour Excellency would be ready to [shew | show]shewshow them any reasonable Favour within [y.r | your]y.ryour Power, [& | and]&and be glad of an opportunity for it — The Young man [seem'd | seemed]seem'dseemed —
^[above] much^much animated [wth | with]wthwith
[y.e | the]y.ethe prospect; [& | and]&and immediately Advised his Constituents of it by a line, [& | and]&and concluded to continue for a while [wth | with]wthwith me [& | and]&and
[persue | pursue]persuepursue his Studies — On his mentioning their desire to me, so many circum=stances appeared, at first view, so inviting [y.t | that]y.tthat I could but think [y.e | the]y.ethe Matter worthy of consideration, viz, whether such a Town of Civilized
Indians in [y.t | that]y.tthat
Town place will not be a Barrier [& | and]&and
[safeg^[above] u^uaard | safeguard]safeg^[above] u^uaardsafeguard to [y.e | the]y.ethe new Settle=ments, if Canada should ever be given
back to [y.e | the]y.ethe French, [& | and]&and
[y.e | the]y.ethe Savages, again moved to invade our Frontiers. — And Whether [y.e | the]y.ethe Example of such a Town of christianized Indians, might not likely have a
happy Influence to credit our Design of Civilizing [y.e | the]y.ethe Tribes back? — And whether such a town may not be a most proper place
for some of [yir | their]yirtheir savage Children to get Instruction in Husbandry, [& | and]&and
[y.e | the]y.ethe other Arts of civilized Life, as well as of [y.e | the]y.ethe first principles of [christanity | Christianity]christanityChristianity? — And as to
[yir | their]yirtheir manner of living be a proper Medium between [y.e | the]y.ethe Savages [& | and]&and
[y.e | the]y.ethe English, [& | and]&and so obviate an Objection [w.h | which]w.hwhich
[y.a | they]y.athey have made sometimes made against [comming | coming]commingcoming into [y.e | the]y.ethe English manner of living ["y.t y.e | "that the]"y.t y.e"that the first step was too high for them." and whether, in a word, [y.u | you]y.uyou might not do much to Credit, [incourage | encourage]incourageencourage
[& | and]&and facilitate, [y.e | the]y.ethe general Design in view
[& | and]&and be well approved, [& | and]&and applauded Abroad? they dont mean nor desig[illegible]^[above] re^re to have [y.e | the]y.ethe Township given them; but to have it upon the same terms [& | and]&and hold it by [y.e | the]y.ethe same Tenure, as if [y.a | they]y.athey were English Inhabitants; [& | and]&and perhaps any
any proposal more favourable, would occasion
Jealousies in some who have been wont to ^[above] be^be
[imposd | imposed]imposdimposed upon. [y.t yre | that there]y.t yrethat there was some secret snare laid for them — I [tho't | thought]tho'tthought proper to Advise [y.r | your]y.ryour Excellency of [y.e | the]y.ethe matter, [& | and]&and if [y.o | you]y.oyou should think favourably of it, [& | and]&and find [y.t y.a | that they]y.t y.athat they may be [Accomodated | accommodated]Accomodatedaccommodated
[agreable | agreeable]agreableagreeable to [yir | their]yirtheir mind, [wth | with]wthwith good Lands, near some fishing place, please to let me know [y.r | your]y.ryour
[Excellencys | Excellency's]ExcellencysExcellency's pleasure therein by a Line; [& | and]&and
[y.t | that]y.tthat
[w.thout | without]w.thoutwithout
[y.e | the]y.ethe publication of it, as [y.a | they]y.athey apprehend [yir | their]yirtheir way will likely be [embarraſs=ed | embarrassed]embarraſs=edembarrassed if it should be known before [y.e | the]y.ethe
[ſeſsions | sessions]ſeſsionssessions of [y.e | the]y.ethe General [Aſsemb=ly | Assembly]Aſsemb=lyAssembly of [y.t | that]y.tthat
[Coloney | Colony]ColoneyColony in [Febry | February]FebryFebruary next; to which [y.a | they]y.athey design to petition for Liberty to Sell [yir | their]yirtheir Lands — I [ſubmitt | submit]ſubmittsubmit the whole to
[y.r | your]y.ryour Excellencys superior wisdom, [& | and]&and will rely upon [y.r | your]y.ryour — pardon if I have been too officious, Since I can [aſsure | assure]aſsureassure
[y.r | your]y.ryour Excellency, with how much Affection and Esteem.
[Closer]
I am
Your Excellency's
most Obedient, and
most Humble [ſervant | servant]ſervantservant
[Eleaz.r | Eleazar]Eleaz.rEleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
[Trailer]
[Lettr | Letter]LettrLetter to [Gov.r | Governor]Gov.rGovernor Wentworth[pers0567.ocp]
[Dec.r | December]Dec.rDecember 5. 1769.[1769-12-05]
John Wentworth [Esq.r | Esq.]Esq.rEsq.
[Gov.r | Gov.]Gov.rGov. of New [Hamſhire | Hampshire]HamſhireHampshire[place0160.ocp][pers0567.ocp]
Document Summary
People identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Role in header | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|---|
pers0661.ocp | Jn. o John Shattock | mentioned | Shattock, John Jr. |
pers0036.ocp | Eleaz. r Eleazar Wheelock | writer | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0567.ocp | Gov. r Governor Wentworth | recipient | Wentworth, John |
pers0567.ocp | John Wentworth Esq. r Esq. Gov. r Gov. of New Hamſhire Hampshire | recipient | Wentworth, John |
Places identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
place0122.ocp | Lebanon | Lebanon |
place0196.ocp | Rhodisland Rhode Island | Rhode Island |
place0050.ocp | Connecticut River | Connecticut River |
place0160.ocp | New Hamſhire Hampshire | New Hampshire |
Organizations identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
org0066.ocp | Narragansett Tribe | Narragansett Tribe |
org0098.ocp | my School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
Dates identified in this document:
Standard Form | Text |
---|---|
1769-12-05 | Dece.rDecember 5.th5th 1769 |
1769-12-05 | Dec.rDecember 5. 1769. |
Regularized text:
Type | Original | Regularized |
---|---|---|
modernization | 5.th | 5th |
modernization | ſir. | Sir. |
modernization | y.e | the |
variation | Rhodisland | Rhode Island |
modernization | yir | their |
modernization | y.t | that |
modernization | eſteem | esteem |
variation | Sence | sense |
variation | christani=zed | Christianized |
variation | enquire | inquire |
modernization | ya | they |
modernization | purchaſe | purchase |
modernization | y.a | they |
variation | shew | show |
variation | persue | pursue |
variation | safeg^[above] u^uaard | safeguard |
variation | christanity | Christianity |
variation | comming | coming |
modernization | "y.t y.e | "that the |
variation | incourage | encourage |
variation | imposd | imposed |
modernization | y.t yre | that there |
modernization | y.t y.a | that they |
variation | Accomodated | accommodated |
variation | agreable | agreeable |
modernization | Excellencys | Excellency's |
modernization | embarraſs=ed | embarrassed |
modernization | ſeſsions | sessions |
modernization | Aſsemb=ly | Assembly |
variation | Coloney | Colony |
variation | ſubmitt | submit |
modernization | aſsure | assure |
modernization | ſervant | servant |
modernization | Esq.r | Esq. |
modernization | Gov.r | Gov. |
variation | Hamſhire | Hampshire |
Expanded abbreviations:
Abbreviation | Expansion |
---|---|
Dece.r | December |
Jn.o | John |
& | and |
wh | which |
y.r | your |
y.o | you |
seem'd | seemed |
wth | with |
w.h | which |
y.u | you |
tho't | thought |
w.thout | without |
Febry | February |
Eleaz.r | Eleazar |
Lettr | Letter |
Gov.r | Governor |
Dec.r | December |
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 89) |
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Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): | 0 (out of 101) |