Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to John Thornton, 1771 September 9
9 September 1771[1771-09-09]
ms number771509
[note (type: abstract): Wheelock thanks Thornton for his assistance, describes the buildings and details expenses for the Charity School. He adds his hopes that Occom has reformed and can be of service again.][note (type: handwriting): Formal handwriting is not Wheelock's; it is clear and legible. The trailer appears to be in Wheelock's hand.][note (type: paper): Two small sheets are in good condition, with light staining, creasing and wear.][note (type: ink): Black.][note (type: noteworthy): This document is likely Wheelock's own copy.][note (type: signature): The signature is not Wheelock’s.]
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]
I thank you for your most endearing Letter of April [26th | 26th]26th26th[1771-04-26] which I have now before me, [& | and]&and it is like cold water to a thirsty Soul. I wrote you a hasty
line and
[undigestd | undigested]undigestdundigested Line, by the hand of my Clerk on my receiving it, while the Bearer was
waiting impatiently for it and now the case is nearly the same, the Bearer being
just setting out on his Journey, [& | and]&and gives me no time but to throw out a few hints. I [bleſs | bless]bleſsbless God who has honored you with Ability, [& | and]&and has so largely opened your Heart to serve the cause of the Redeemer
with his Goods which he has committed to your stewardship — I find my
confidence in you in that regard has sensibly alleviated my Burden.
The Buildings which I am finishing are no more than are absolutely [neceſsary | necessary]neceſsarynecessary for the School[org0098.ocp],
[& | and]&and it cant subsist here without them, if I am [suc=ceſsful | successful]suc=ceſsfulsuccessful in my Attempt to get the Number of Indian Youth which I hope for as soon as
the house is finished they with the [Independant | independent]Independantindependent Scholars, I expect will fill the whole [& | and]&and as many Rooms of the private houses which are going forwards
near to it as can be made ready for them
The College or large Building has not been as yet entered upon, but
will likely be [neceſsary | necessary]neceſsarynecessary if God continues his Smiles a few Years, when I hope
[& | and]&and believe a door will be opened to effect it. the [Inde==pendant | independent]Inde==pendantindependent Scholars provide for themselves, [& | and]&and are no
[expence | expense]expenceexpense to the fund, nor any Impediment any way to the first Object i.e. the
Charity Scholars English [& | and]&and Indian
[& | and]&and it cant be without [expence | expense]expenceexpense but the contrary.
provision
^[left] [Esq.r | Esq.]Esq.rEsq. Thornton[pers0541.ocp].^[Esq.r | Esq.]Esq.rEsq. Thornton[pers0541.ocp].
provisions must be made for the
Charity Scholars English
[& | and]&and Indians, [& | and]&and it cant be without [expence | expense]expenceexpense. I am [& | and]&and have been dseeking all [aſsistances | assistances]aſsistancesassistances I can in this matter, but to do it without [expence | expense]expenceexpense to the fund is not [poſsible | possible]poſsiblepossible, nor what I ever expected, and you may depend upon it I shall spend no
more than is absolutely [neceſsary | necessary]neceſsarynecessary for the School[org0098.ocp]. The Saw mill is
finished which will much [leſsen | lessen]leſsenlessen the
[Expence | expense]Expenceexpense of what is yet to do, [& | and]&and will likely afford a pretty income to [ye | the]yethe School[org0098.ocp] besides.
[M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Occom[pers0030.ocp] is now 200 Miles from me. I wrote [laſt | last]laſtlast Winter [& | and]&and again last Spring, [& | and]&and have now desired [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Avery[pers0064.ocp] to make the most prudent Inquiry he could of [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Occom[pers0030.ocp]s moral Character, that I may be advised whither it be
such as that it can consist with the honor of Christ [& | and]&and the reputation of the sacred Character to employ him as a m[Miſsionary | missionary]Miſsionarymissionary, [& | and]&and if so I have wrote [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Occom[pers0030.ocp] that I now do [& | and]&and
^[above] as I^as I always have, stand ready to do all I can to promote his
comfort [& | and]&and
[Usefulneſs | usefulness]Usefulneſsusefulness therein.
He complained in a letter to me of my writing to you only of his fall,
but nothing in his favor. I hope to be able soon to give you a comfortable [Acco.t | account]Acco.taccount of him. The wound he has given the dear Cause is yet
bleeding very great [& | and]&and is yet bleeding.
I believe there is no[illegible][guess (maggiec): w]w talk or Jealousy ^[above] in this Country^in this Country that I
have changed my Religion [tho' | though]tho'though I believe many would rejoice if I should. —
We are [paſsing | passing]paſsingpassing
[thro' | through]thro'through a rough [& | and]&and thorny way,
our
our days work will be done by [& | and]&and by, [& | and]&and I trust we shall rest together where the wicked will cease from
troubling [&c. | etc.]&c.etc. I am with warmest Affection
[Closer]
Your much obliged and very humble Servant
Eleazar Wheelock[pers0036.ocp]
[Trailer]
To [Esq.r | Esq.]Esq.rEsq.
Thornton[pers0541.ocp]
[Sept.r | September]Sept.rSeptember
[9.th | 9th]9.th9th 1771[1771-09-09].
Document Summary
People identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Role in header | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|---|
pers0541.ocp | Esq. r Esq. Thornton | recipient | Thornton, John |
pers0030.ocp | M. r Mr. Occom | mentioned | Occom, Samson |
pers0064.ocp | M. r Mr. Avery | mentioned | Avery, David |
pers0036.ocp | Eleazar Wheelock | writer | Wheelock, Eleazar |
pers0541.ocp | Thornton | recipient | Thornton, John |
Places identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
place0095.ocp | Hanover | Hanover |
place0160.ocp | New Hampshire | New Hampshire |
Organizations identified in this document:
id | Text in document | Authorized Name |
---|---|---|
org0098.ocp | the School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
org0098.ocp | yethe School | Moor’s Indian Charity School |
Dates identified in this document:
Standard Form | Text |
---|---|
1771-09-09 | Sep.tSeptember 9th9th 1771 |
1771-04-26 | April 26th26th |
1771-09-09 | Sept.rSeptember 9.th9th 1771 |
Regularized text:
Type | Original | Regularized |
---|---|---|
modernization | ye | the |
modernization | 9th | 9th |
modernization | 26th | 26th |
variation | undigestd | undigested |
modernization | bleſs | bless |
modernization | neceſsary | necessary |
modernization | suc=ceſsful | successful |
variation | Independant | independent |
variation | Inde==pendant | independent |
variation | expence | expense |
modernization | Esq.r | Esq. |
modernization | aſsistances | assistances |
modernization | poſsible | possible |
modernization | leſsen | lessen |
variation | Expence | expense |
modernization | M.r | Mr. |
modernization | laſt | last |
modernization | Miſsionary | missionary |
modernization | Usefulneſs | usefulness |
modernization | paſsing | passing |
modernization | &c. | etc. |
modernization | 9.th | 9th |
Expanded abbreviations:
Abbreviation | Expansion |
---|---|
Sep.t | September |
& | and |
hon.d | honoured |
Acco.t | account |
tho' | though |
thro' | through |
Sept.r | September |
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 25) |
Number of people/places/organizations with unknown keys: | 0 (out of 12) |
Number of "add" tags with unknown 'place' attributes: | 0 (out of 3) |
Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): | 0 (out of 99) |