Joseph Fish, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1771 January 30. John Shattock, letter, to Joseph Fish, 1770 December 30. Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to Alexander Moubray, 1771 October 15.
30 January 1771[1771-01-30]
ms number771130
[note (type: abstract): Multi-sectioned letter: Fish, writing to Wheelock, encloses a copy of a letter written by Shattock about his son John’s death, and asks Wheelock to pass on the news to people in Scotland and England. Wheelock writes to Alexander Moubray in Edinburgh.][note (type: handwriting): The first two sections of the letters, written by Fish, are formal and clear. The third section, authored by Wheelock, is not in Wheelock's hand; it is also formal and clear. The trailer is in Wheelock's hand. Several uncrossed t’s have been corrected by the transcriber.][note (type: paper): Large sheet folded in half to make four pages is in fair condition, with light-to-moderate creasing, staining and wear. Tearing leads to some loss of text.][note (type: ink): Brown-black.][note (type: signature): There are three different signatures; however, the only one presumably in the hand of the actual author is that of Fish.]
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
A few days after the Date of John Shattock[pers0798.ocp]s Letter to me, (on this Sheet, the Other Side,) I [receivd | received]receivdreceived it; with a [Postſcript | postscript]Postſcriptpostscript, earnestly requesting me to Send you a Copy corrected, with to the [Revd | Rev.]RevdRev.
[Doctr | Dr.]DoctrDr.
Wheelock[pers0036.ocp], with a view
that, if it came in the Doctors way, he might communicat[illegible]e an [Acc.t | account]Acc.taccount of John[pers0661.ocp]s
Death to [Mr | Mr.]MrMr.
[Mebury | Moubray]MeburyMoubray[pers0699.ocp] in [Edingborouh | Edinburgh]EdingborouhEdinburgh[place0066.ocp]
[& | and]&and to [Mr | Mr.]MrMr.
Cummin[pers0690.ocp] in London[place0128.ocp]. — Accordingly, to Oblige my Friend
^[left] x [illegible][guess (ivys): [Mr | Mr.]MrMr.
[ſhattok | Shattock]ſhattokShattock[pers0798.ocp]][Mr | Mr.]MrMr.
[ſhattok | Shattock]ſhattokShattock[pers0798.ocp]/^x [illegible][guess (ivys): [Mr | Mr.]MrMr.
[ſhattok | Shattock]ſhattokShattock[pers0798.ocp]][Mr | Mr.]MrMr.
[ſhattok | Shattock]ſhattokShattock[pers0798.ocp]/
John
^[above] x^x, I have [transcribd | transcribed]transcribdtranscribed his Letter, Verbatim, excepting a very few
words, to help [y.e | the]y.ethe
[Senſe | sense]Senſesense a little. —
This young Man [whoſe | whose]whoſewhose death we Speak of, was a very Serious, honest, [faithfull | faithful]faithfullfaithful man, as I have [reaſon | reason]reaſonreason to think. I [employd | employed]employdemployed him 4 months a Schoolmaster to [y.e | the]y.ethe Indian Children at Stonington[place0226.ocp],
in the [Honle | Honourable]HonleHonourable
[Commiſsiones | Commission's]CommiſsionesCommission's[org0034.ocp] Service: and he greatly recommended [himſelf | himself]himſelfhimself, as a master, to me [& | and]&and the Indians. But he began to [languiſh | languish]languiſhlanguish, with the [Conſumption | consumption]Conſumptionconsumption, (of which he died,) before he left us. — As to his religious
Sentiments, touching the [illegible][guess (ivys): [outwd | outward]outwdoutward][outwd | outward]outwdoutward Form of [worſhip | worship]worſhipworship, I [suppoſe | suppose]suppoſesuppose they were Something of the Separate way: but his
life was very Short, after his [publick | public]publickpublic, [profeſsion | profession]profeſsionprofession — He might have seen [Cauſe | cause]Cauſecause to correct Somethings, had he [livd | lived]livdlived: but as above, I verily believe him to be Sincere [& | and]&and honest hearted.
His [illegible]Dying Exhortation to his
Father,"To be [faithfull | faithful]faithfullfaithful to "Souls," may need Explanation; in that, by it, Strangers might
think his Father a minister of [ye | the]yethe Gospel, or, at [leaſt | least]leaſtleast, a public Teacher: whereas he is only one that takes Liberty, in the
Indian way, to exhort frequently, [& | and]&and has sometimes gone out to hold meetings [&c | etc.]&cetc.: when it might be much better, [& | and]&and more proper, for him [& | and]&and many others, if they were more Swift to hear [& | and]&and Slow to Speak.
But My Dear Sir,
Which way shall [theſe | these]theſethese Lines reach you? Where will they find you? How is it with you [& | and]&and
your Dear wife[pers0577.ocp]
[& | and]&and Children, in your new world? Can I hope ever to See you again, while [travelling | traveling]travellingtraveling
[thro' | through]thro'through this weary land? I ardently long for an Interview. [illegible] Pray write me, if tis but Six Lines — Twill be
as good news from a far
Country. — I have neither Time nor room now to Say
more, than that my only Child, [Daugh.r | daughter]Daugh.rdaughter Noyes[pers0700.ocp]
[& | and]&and her 3 Sons all she has living, are with us This [Wenter | winter]Wenterwinter — In a [meaſure | measure]meaſuremeasure of Health—
[Closer]
My Dear Love to you [& | and]&and your Dear Ones— Sincerely yours
Joseph
Fish[pers0015.ocp]
[Opener]
I now acquaint you, that on [y.e | the]y.ethe
[21.st | 21st]21.st21st Instant[1770-12-21], my Son John[pers0661.ocp] departed this Life, about 4 o'Clock in [y.e | the]y.ethe morning.— A heavy Stroke from [y.e | the]y.ethe Divine hand! however, I have [Conſolation | consolation]Conſolationconsolation mingled with my Sorrow,— I'm not left to mourn as one that mourns
without hope.
[illegible] He departed in the Triumphs of faith. So that I
have no [reaſon | reason]reaſonreason but to think, that my [Loſs | loss]Loſsloss is his gain. — He was buried decently on [y.e | the]y.ethe
[22.d | 22nd]22.d22nd[1770-12-22] —
His last words were as follows — After [enquiring | inquiring]enquiringinquiring the time of Night, he Said, "I have but a few minutes "to Stay with
you. Death has [loſt | lost]loſtlost its Sting, [& | and]&and the Grave "its Victory — Father, hold out to the end — Be [faithfull | faithful]faithfullfaithful "to Souls — be [faithfull | faithful]faithfullfaithful unto Death." — His Speech by this time [faild | failed]faildfailed, So that I [underſtood | understood]underſtoodunderstood no more he Said. —
In his [Sickneſs | sickness]Sickneſssickness he often [expreſsd | expressed]expreſsdexpressed great [kindneſs | kindness]kindneſskindness for his Instructors, and held [himſelf | himself]himſelfhimself under the Strongest Obligations of Gratitude, to
the Divine hand, as the efficient
[cauſe | cause]cauſecause, and to the [Revd | Rev.]RevdRev.
[Doctr | Dr.]DoctrDr.
Wheelock[pers0036.ocp], as the
principal Instrument of his acquaintance with Gods
word and was very [deſirous | desirous]deſirousdesirous to See him, in the time of his [Illneſs | illness]Illneſsillness, and I should have sent for the Doctor, had not the Distance been too
great.—
God has [bleſs'd | blessed]bleſs'dblessed me with Twelve Children, and has [calld | called]calldcalled Nine of them out of the world. I have no [reaſon | reason]reaſonreason to think but they are all at [reſt | rest]reſtrest,— Six of them dying in their Infancy.— My son Peter[pers1566.ocp] was 25 years old, — a [Profeſsor | professor]Profeſsorprofessor, and, in a judgement of Charity, [gap: hole][guess (h-dawnd): a real]a real Saint. Tobias[pers0476.ocp] was 26 years of age,
when he departed this Life. He was educated at Doctor Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]s School[org0098.ocp], and was a man
remarkable for piety.— John[pers0661.ocp], whom we
have just parted with, was in his [24.th | 24th]24.th24th year. —
[Closer]
Kind Sir, your most [humble | humble]humblehumble
[Serv.t | servant]Serv.tservant
John Shattock[pers0798.ocp]
[Trailer]
Copy — [Joſeph | Joseph]JoſephJoseph
[Fiſh | Fish]FiſhFish[pers0015.ocp] —
[Opener]
A few days ago I [rec.d | received]rec.dreceived a Letter from the [Rev.d | Rev.]Rev.dRev.
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr.
Fish[pers0015.ocp] of [Stoningtown | Stonington]StoningtownStonington[place0226.ocp] dated [Jan.y | January]Jan.yJanuary 30. 1771[1771-01-30]. [inform.g | informing]inform.ginforming me of the Death of John Shattock[pers0661.ocp]
the Indian who was sick [& | and]&and was [doubtleſs | doubtless]doubtleſsdoubtless savingly converted to Christ at your house. But by what
means [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Fish[pers0015.ocp]'es Letter was so long [delay'd | delayed]delay'ddelayed I cant tell. I [han't | haven't]han'thaven't time to give you the full [Acco.t | account]Acco.taccount he [appear'd | appeared]appear'dappeared to be a real [& | and]&and
^[above] a^a growing Saint I have often heard him speak of your [kindneſs | kindness]kindneſskindness with a Gratitude remarkable for one of that Nation,
before I removed here into this [wilderneſs | wilderness]wilderneſswilderness which is about 200 miles from the Indian town where he died. And as
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Fish[pers0015.ocp] informs me his father expressed a desire that I should
send you the [Acco.t | account]Acco.taccount of his Son's Death, I will transmitcribe the Letter in which he
gives the [Acco.t | account]Acco.taccount of it, to the
[Revd | Rev.]RevdRev.
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Fish[pers0015.ocp]. — see the Letter on foregoing page — //
The foregoing is a true Copy, excepting [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Fish[pers0015.ocp] says he [alter'd | altered]alter'daltered a few words only to mend the [Grammer | grammar]Grammergrammar. The [expreſsion | expression]expreſsionexpression to his father, be faithful to Souls, may need
explanation. [viz.t | viz.]viz.tviz. his father is not a minister as a stranger may naturally think from
that [expreſsion | expression]expreſsionexpression, but a zealous [Christain | Christian]ChristainChristian who is forward to labor
[gap: tear] the good of Souls in a more private way. I esteem the [loſs | loss]loſsloss to
[gap: tear] tribe to be very great, [& | and]&and it seems to spread a [malancholy | melancholy]malancholymelancholy gloom upon the general design that so man[gap: hole][guess (h-dawnd): y]y of the most likely [& | and]&and promising which I have educated are [gap: tear][guess (h-dawnd): re]removed. But God's way is in the Sea. I [order'd | ordered]order'dordered a narrative to be [inclosed | enclosed]inclosedenclosed to you some months ago but fearing it has failed I have
[order'd | ordered]order'dordered the bearer of this to [inclose | enclose]incloseenclose another at Hartford[place0097.ocp] in Connecticut[place0048.ocp]
[& | and]&and direct them to the care of [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr.
[Jon.o | Jonathan]Jon.oJonathan Mason[pers0358.ocp] of Boston[place0013.ocp]. to
whose care you may also direct yours to me. I am here in the [wilderneſs | wilderness]wilderneſswilderness continually [crouded | crowded]croudedcrowded with [busineſs | business]busineſsbusiness. my [proſpects | prospects]proſpectsprospects are very encouraging. God has been with us of a truth. And has caused
much of his [Goodneſs | goodness]Goodneſsgoodness to [paſs | pass]paſspass before us. I have a sweet nest of [Christains | Christians]ChristainsChristians I trust in this [nursary | nursery]nursarynursery, which is
[& | and]&and has been the [soveran | sovereign]soveransovereign solace God has afforded to balance the [malancholy | melancholy]malancholymelancholy things you will read in my narrative.
I write now in utmost haste, have [detain'd | detained]detain'ddetained the Bearer while I do it.
[Closer]
please accept sincerest
[Reſpects | respects]Reſpectsrespects to your=self [& | and]&and
Lady[pers0698.ocp] from Dear [ſir | sir]ſirsir,
Your unknown but [aſsured | assured]aſsuredassured
Friend [& | and]&and humble [Serv.t | servant]Serv.tservant
Eleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
[Trailer]
/Copy/
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Alexander Moubray[pers0699.ocp]
[Trailer]
From [Rev.d | Rev.]Rev.dRev.
[Jos. | Joseph]Jos.Joseph
[Fiſh | Fish]FiſhFish[pers0015.ocp]
[Jany | January]JanyJanuary 30. 1771[1771-01-30].
[Rec.d | received]Rec.dreceived
[Octr | October]OctrOctober 8. 1771[1771-10-08].
To The [Revd | Rev.]RevdRev.
Eleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp] D.D. —
Proesident of Dartmouth [Coll[illegible]edg[illegible]e | College]Coll[illegible]edg[illegible]eCollege[org0037.ocp] In
New Hampshire[place0160.ocp]
Document Summary
People identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Role in header | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|---|
pers0798.ocp | John Shat tock | writer mentioned | Shattock, John Sr. |
pers0036.ocp | Wheelock | recipient writer | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0661.ocp | John | mentioned | Shattock, John Jr. |
pers0699.ocp | M r Mr. Mebury Moubray | recipient | Moubray, Alexander |
pers0690.ocp | M r Mr. Cummin | mentioned | Cummin |
pers0798.ocp | M r Mr. ſhattok Shattock | writer mentioned | Shattock, John Sr. |
pers0577.ocp | your Dear wife | mentioned | Wheelock, Mary (née Brinsmead) |
pers0700.ocp | Daugh. r daughter Noyes | mentioned | Noyes, Mary (née Fish) |
pers0015.ocp | Joseph Fish | writer recipient | Fish, Joseph |
pers1566.ocp | Peter | mentioned | Shattock, Peter |
pers0476.ocp | To bias | mentioned | Shattock, Tobias |
pers0798.ocp | John Shattock | writer mentioned | Shattock, John Sr. |
pers0015.ocp | Joſeph Joseph Fiſh Fish | writer recipient | Fish, Joseph |
pers0015.ocp | Fish | writer recipient | Fish, Joseph |
pers0015.ocp | M. r Mr. Fish | writer recipient | Fish, Joseph |
pers0358.ocp | M. r Mr. Jon. o Jonathan Mason | mentioned | Mason, Jonathan |
pers0698.ocp | Lady | mentioned | Moubray |
pers0036.ocp | Eleazar Wheelock | recipient writer | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0699.ocp | M. r Mr. Alexander Moubray | recipient | Moubray, Alexander |
pers0015.ocp | Jos. Joseph Fiſh Fish | writer recipient | Fish, Joseph |
Places identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
place0226.ocp | Stonington | Stonington |
place0066.ocp | Edingborouh Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
place0128.ocp | London | London |
place0031.ocp | Charlestown | Charlestown |
place0160.ocp | New= Hampshire | New Hampshire |
place0226.ocp | Stoningtown Stonington | Stonington |
place0097.ocp | Hartford | Hartford |
place0048.ocp | Con necticut | Connecticut |
place0013.ocp | Boston | Boston |
place0160.ocp | New Hampshire | New Hampshire |
Organizations identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
org0034.ocp | HonleHonourable CommiſsionesCommission's | Connecticut Board of Correspondents of the Society in Scotland for Propagating Christian Knowledge |
org0098.ocp | School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
org0037.ocp | DartmoDartmouth College | Dartmouth College |
org0037.ocp | Dartmouth ColledgeCollege | Dartmouth College |
Dates identified in this document:
Standard Form | Text |
---|---|
1771-01-30 | Jan.yJanuary 30. 1771 |
1770-12-30 | 30th30th DecrDecember 1770 |
1770-12-21 | 21.st21st Instant |
1770-12-22 | y.ethe 22.d22nd |
1771-10-15 | Octb.erOctober 15. 1771 |
1771-01-30 | JanyJanuary 30. 1771 |
1771-10-08 | OctrOctober 8. 1771 |
Regularized text:
Type | Original | Regularized |
---|---|---|
modernization | Revd | Rev. |
variation | receivd | received |
modernization | Postſcript | postscript |
modernization | Doctr | Dr. |
modernization | Mr | Mr. |
variation | Mebury | Moubray |
variation | Edingborouh | Edinburgh |
variation | ſhattok | Shattock |
variation | transcribd | transcribed |
modernization | y.e | the |
modernization | Senſe | sense |
modernization | whoſe | whose |
variation | faithfull | faithful |
modernization | reaſon | reason |
variation | employd | employed |
modernization | Commiſsiones | Commission's |
modernization | himſelf | himself |
modernization | languiſh | languish |
modernization | Conſumption | consumption |
modernization | worſhip | worship |
modernization | suppoſe | suppose |
variation | publick | public |
modernization | profeſsion | profession |
modernization | Cauſe | cause |
variation | livd | lived |
modernization | ye | the |
modernization | leaſt | least |
modernization | &c | etc. |
modernization | theſe | these |
variation | travelling | traveling |
modernization | meaſure | measure |
modernization | 30th | 30th |
modernization | 21.st | 21st |
modernization | Conſolation | consolation |
modernization | Loſs | loss |
modernization | 22.d | 22nd |
variation | enquiring | inquiring |
modernization | loſt | lost |
variation | faild | failed |
modernization | underſtood | understood |
modernization | Sickneſs | sickness |
variation | expreſsd | expressed |
modernization | kindneſs | kindness |
modernization | cauſe | cause |
modernization | deſirous | desirous |
modernization | Illneſs | illness |
variation | calld | called |
modernization | reſt | rest |
modernization | Profeſsor | professor |
modernization | 24.th | 24th |
modernization | Joſeph | Joseph |
modernization | Fiſh | Fish |
modernization | ſir | sir |
modernization | Rev.d | Rev. |
modernization | M.r | Mr. |
variation | Stoningtown | Stonington |
modernization | doubtleſs | doubtless |
variation | han't | haven't |
modernization | wilderneſs | wilderness |
variation | Grammer | grammar |
modernization | expreſsion | expression |
modernization | viz.t | viz. |
modernization | loſs | loss |
variation | malancholy | melancholy |
variation | inclosed | enclosed |
variation | inclose | enclose |
variation | crouded | crowded |
modernization | busineſs | business |
modernization | proſpects | prospects |
modernization | Goodneſs | goodness |
modernization | paſs | pass |
variation | nursary | nursery |
variation | soveran | sovereign |
modernization | Reſpects | respects |
modernization | aſsured | assured |
variation | Coll[illegible]edg[illegible]e | College |
Expanded abbreviations:
Abbreviation | Expansion |
---|---|
Jan.y | January |
Acc.t | account |
& | and |
Honle | Honourable |
outwd | outward |
thro' | through |
Daugh.r | daughter |
Decr | December |
bleſs'd | blessed |
humble | humble |
Serv.t | servant |
Dartmo | Dartmouth |
Octb.er | October |
rec.d | received |
inform.g | informing |
delay'd | delayed |
Acco.t | account |
appear'd | appeared |
alter'd | altered |
order'd | ordered |
Jon.o | Jonathan |
detain'd | detained |
Jos. | Joseph |
Jany | January |
Rec.d | received |
Octr | October |
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) |
Number of people/places/organizations with unknown keys: | 0 (out of 44) |
Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: | 0 (out of 3) |
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): | 0 (out of 147) |