Joseph Johnson, letter, to Eleazar Wheelock, 1775 February 14

Author Johnson, Joseph[pers0288.ocp]

14 February 1775[1775-02-14]

Call Number775164

[note (type: abstract): Johnson asks Wheelock to recommend him to John Rodgers so that the latter can petition for donations on Johnson’s behalf.][note (type: handwriting): Handwriting is somewhat scratchy, though largely clear and legible. Letter case is occasionally difficult to decipher.][note (type: paper): Large single sheet is in fair conditon, with moderate-to-heavy creasing, staining and wear. There is no loss of text, though the condition of the paper occasionally renders it difficult to distinguish between punctuation and spotting.][note (type: ink): Brown-black.][note (type: noteworthy): Some of the contents of this letter are similar to those in manuscript 775165. The trailer is written in Wheelock's hand, as are some random notes in the right-hand margin of one verso.]
Persistent Identifier
[Opener]

My kind and worthy Benefactor
with humility, Love and
Gratitude I sit [my ſelf | myself]my ſelfmyself down to write few lines to you my
[Hondd | Honoured]HonddHonoured Patron. (and with much [hast | haste]hasthaste. —) I [recieved | received]recievedreceived your kind
Letter, dated January [23,d | 23rd]23,d23rd[1775-01-23] last evening by the hand of [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr.
[R. | Ralph]R.Ralph [Pomery | Pomeroy]PomeryPomeroy[pers0433.ocp]
. for which I give you my hearty thanks, I had
thought that your worthy [Perſon | person]Perſonperson had not [deſigned | designed]deſigneddesigned to write to me.
or that you had heard [ſomething | something]ſomethingsomething, and did not [ſee | see]ſeesee it in your
way to help me. and I was greatly dejected, and [almoſt | almost]almoſtalmost [diſ­
­couraged | dis
couraged]
diſ­
­couraged
dis
couraged
. but the Lord in whom I trust, whom I fear, Love,
and [purpoſe | purpose]purpoſepurpose to Serve all my days, hath been [pleaſed | pleased]pleaſedpleased to [mani­
­feſt | mani
fest]
mani­
­feſt
mani
fest
his approbation, (towards the Noble Undertaking, in
which [cauſe | cause]cauſecause, I have given up my all, to bring [above] itit about,) in his
[provoiding | providing]provoidingproviding for my relief in a [wonderfull | wonderful]wonderfullwonderful manner, even when
I was in the greatest straits and [almoſt | almost]almoſtalmost in [Deſpair | despair]Deſpairdespair. — and
[Bleſsed | blessed]Bleſsedblessed be the Name of the God of [Iſrael | Israel]IſraelIsrael, who hath never
been found [Unfaithfull | unfaithful]Unfaithfullunfaithful, or unkind. who will provide for
[thoſe | those]thoſethose that doth really depend upon his Divine Beneficence.
[Revd | Rev.]RevdRev., [& | and]&and kind Sir; I have been to New York[place0308.ocp], and the Lord
hath [raiſed | raised]raiſedraised up, for me good Christian friends. — I was
in the City[place0308.ocp] 15, Days. and I preached there three [diffi­
­rent | diffe
rent]
diffi­
­rent
diffe
rent
DTimes. and a Collection was [propoſed | proposed]propoſedproposed for my relief
and Encouragement two [Diffirent | different]Diffirentdifferent times. and there was a
very honorable Collection made, worthy of the Generous, and
Noble Spirit, of the Wealthy Inhabitants of that renowned
City[place0308.ocp]
. for which [kindneſs | kindness]kindneſskindness I [bleſs | bless]bleſsbless the Lord daily. —
I had Sufficient Collected for me, to discharge all my
debts, and [alſo | also]alſoalso to [purchaſe | purchase]purchaſepurchase [above] thingsthings [neceſsary | necessary]neceſsarynecessary for my [preſent | present]preſentpresent [Sub­
­ſiſtance | sub
sistance]
Sub­
­ſiſtance
sub
sistance
. namely little [proviſion | provision]proviſionprovision. — I did not go to New
[­york | York]­york York[place0308.ocp]
[untill | until]untilluntil I was quite discouraged waiting for the
[anſwer | answer]anſweranswers to the Letter I [ſent | sent]ſentsent to your worthy [perſon | person]perſonperson. —
I believe that I [ſhall | shall]ſhallshall have encouragement, the [enſuing | ensuing]enſuingensuing year
or [Seaſon | season]Seaſonseason, from the Board of New York, or Philadelphia[org0102.ocp], I am
not certain howe[illegible]ver, the [Revd | Rev.]RevdRev. [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. Rodgers. D.D.[pers0640.ocp] [illegible][guess (cassandrah): in]inA [Pracher | preacher]Pracherpreacher
in the [Preſbeterian | Presbyterian]PreſbeterianPresbyterian [above] old Southold South Meeting [houſe | house]houſehouse[place0302.ocp] is a Member of that
Honorable Board[org0102.ocp], who is remarkably friendly. to whom
I humbly, and [earneſtly | earnestly]earneſtlyearnestly, [deſire | desire]deſiredesire you would write [ſoon | soon]ſoonsoon
as [poſsible | possible]poſsiblepossible, if your worthy [Perſon | person]Perſonperson can recommend me. to
him, and make him believe that you think that I am worthy [above] of noticeof notice
[illegible][guess (cassandrah): or]orand [deſerving | deserving]deſervingdeserving of Encouragement, I [ſhould | should]ſhouldshould be [illegible]Exceeding
glad. he believes Me to be worthy[above] [Deſerving | deserving]Deſervingdeserving[Deſerving | deserving]Deſervingdeserving of Encouragement. I
preached for him three times. and he was very [deſireous | desirous]deſireousdesirous
of helping me. but he thought proper, that [ſomething | something]ſomethingsomething
Should be had from thee: a Recommendation. — he [ſeems | seems]ſeemsseems
to think if proper Steps be taken. he can obtain for my
help, [illegible][guess (cassandrah): ob]ob Encouragement — fifty Pound Sterling Per Annum.
befriend me, if you [ſee | see]ſeesee it in your way. —

My loving Patron, I want all help that a poor well
[diſpoſed | disposed]diſpoſeddisposed Creature can [deſire | desire]deſiredesire. I am empty handed. I have
no [purſe | purse]purſepurse neither have I any thing to put in one, if I
had a [purſe | purse]purſepurse. — [nevertheleſs | nevertheless]nevertheleſsnevertheless I will step forward. — and
Stagger not. — I am [Satisfyed | satisfied]Satisfyedsatisfied it is [beſt | best]beſtbest for me to know
and ever bear upon my mind that my [dependance | dependence]dependancedependence is
upon the Lord [a lone | alone]a lonealone. — O that I may ever live like a
poor [Dependant | dependent]Dependantdependent Creature. — having my Eyes, and heart
fixed on the Lord. —
I Shall write to my friends in New York[place0308.ocp] directly.
and I [deſire | desire]deſiredesire again that you would not fail to write for
the Honorable Board[org0102.ocp] of which I made Mention will
[ſet | set]ſetset, or meet together by the first of April[1775-04-01]. when the
[Revd | Rev.]RevdRev. [Doctr | Dr.]DoctrDr. Ro[illegible]dgers[pers0640.ocp] will peti[illegible]tion for me. — and he will
do it with double Courage if he has few lines from you.
I know not the Gentlemans Christian Name. but he
[promiſed | promised]promiſedpromised to write to you, and [deſired | desired]deſireddesired me to write [alſo | also]alſoalso.
but if he has not wrote the [sureſt | surest]sureſtsurest way would be
to Send a Letter to [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. James [Lazly | Lesley]LazlyLesley[pers0326.ocp], my old [Maſter | master]Maſtermaster,
who lives in the City of New York[place0308.ocp]. keeping a School there.
and [incloſe | enclose]incloſeenclose [Doctr | Dr.]DoctrDr. Rodgers[pers0640.ocp]'s Letter [therin | therein]therintherein. be [ſo | so]ſoso good as
to write full, and get as much help for me as ever
you can from that quarter. or from that Board[org0102.ocp] of
which [Mr | Mr.]MrMr. Rodgers[pers0640.ocp] is a Member.. [&c | etc.]&cetc.: —
 I am [pleaſed | pleased]pleaſedpleased to [ſee | see]ſeesee the Indians in [theſe | these]theſethese parts [ſo | so]ſoso
engaged. I believe that there will be upwards of
Sixty young Indian [illegible]men from the Seven Tribes
that will [Sit of | set off]Sit ofset off from hence by the [13th | 13th]13th13th of March
next[1775-03-13]
. to be [deſtinguished | distinguished]deſtinguisheddistinguished as noble Spirited Indians, who
will do their [uttermoſt | uttermost]uttermoſtuttermost to get good, and do good, —
who will [diſtinguish | distinguish]diſtinguishdistinguish [themſelves | themselves]themſelvesthemselves from the [illegible][guess (cassandrah): [lazzy | lazy]lazzylazy][lazzy | lazy]lazzylazy
[Lazzy | lazy]Lazzylazy crew that [refuſes | refuses]refuſesrefuses the good offers made to
them in these Latter Days. — Pray for us. that
we may obtain [bleſsings | blessings]bleſsingsblessings from on high. and that we
might be [bleſsings | blessings]bleſsingsblessings on Earth. [bleſsings | blessings]bleſsingsblessings to one another
and [bleſsings | blessings]bleſsingsblessings to many of our Poor [Weſtern | Western]WeſternWestern Brethren
who are [periſhing | perishing]periſhingperishing for lack of knowledge. O pray for
me in a more particular Manner. that the Lord would
[bleſs | bless]bleſsbless me by implanting his divine fear in my heart
and in giving me true humility and [Stedfaſtneſs | steadfastness]Stedfaſtneſssteadfastness in
the ways of Religion, that he would give me grace
Sufficient for me. [&c | etc.]&cetc.: — I [purpoſe | purpose]purpoſepurpose by divine leave
to be at your [Reſidence | residence]Reſidenceresidence by next Commencement.
with my friend [Joſeph | Joseph]JoſephJoseph [Briant | Brant]BriantBrant[pers0093.ocp].

[Closer]
I am your humble
Pupil, and real [wellwiſher | well wisher]wellwiſherwell wisher
in great [haſt | haste]haſthaste. —
[Joſeph | Joseph]JoſephJoseph [Johnſon | Johnson]JohnſonJohnson[pers0288.ocp]. —
[Trailer]
[right] [Fr. | From]Fr.From [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. [Jos. | Joseph]Jos.Joseph [Johnſon | Johnson]JohnſonJohnson[pers0288.ocp][Fr. | From]Fr.From [M.r | Mr.]M.rMr. [Jos. | Joseph]Jos.Joseph [Johnſon | Johnson]JohnſonJohnson[pers0288.ocp]
 [right] [Feb.y | February]Feb.yFebruary 17. 1775[1775-02-17].[Feb.y | February]Feb.yFebruary 17. 1775[1775-02-17].
[right] 25 Dollars £7,,10,25 Dollars £7,,10,
[right] 4 Crowns — 1,, 6,, 84 Crowns — 1,, 6,, 8
 [right] 11..611..6

[below] To the [Revd | Rev.]RevdRev. [Eleazer | Eleazar]EleazerEleazar Wheelock, D.D.[pers0036.ocp]To the [Revd | Rev.]RevdRev. [Eleazer | Eleazar]EleazerEleazar Wheelock, D.D.[pers0036.ocp]
 [below] and [Preſident | President]PreſidentPresident of Dartmouth College[org0037.ocp]. —and [Preſident | President]PreſidentPresident of Dartmouth College[org0037.ocp]. —
Document Summary

People identified in this document:

id Text in document Role in header Authorized Name
pers0433.ocp M. r Mr. R. Ralph Pomery Pomeroy mentioned Pomeroy, Ralph
pers0640.ocp Rev d Rev. M. r Mr. Rodgers. D.D. mentioned Rodgers
pers0640.ocp Rev d Rev. Doct r Dr. Ro dgers mentioned Rodgers
pers0326.ocp M. r Mr. James Lazly Lesley mentioned Lesley, James
pers0640.ocp Doct r Dr. Rodgers mentioned Rodgers
pers0640.ocp M r Mr. Rodgers mentioned Rodgers
pers0093.ocp Joſeph Joseph Briant Brant mentioned Brant, Joseph
pers0288.ocp Joſeph Joseph Johnſon Johnson writer Johnson, Joseph
pers0288.ocp M. r Mr. Jos. Joseph Johnſon Johnson writer Johnson, Joseph
pers0036.ocp Rev d Rev. Eleazer Eleazar Wheelock, D.D. recipient Wheelock, Eleazar

Places identified in this document:

id Text in document Authorized Name
place0143.ocp Mohegan Mohegan
place0308.ocp New York New York City
place0308.ocp the City New York City
place0308.ocp that renowned City New York City
place0308.ocp New ­york York New York City
place0302.ocp old South Meeting houſe house Old South Meeting House
place0308.ocp City of New York New York City

Organizations identified in this document:

id Text in document Authorized Name
org0102.ocp Board of New York, or Philadelphia Synod of New York and Philadelphia
org0102.ocp Honorable Board Synod of New York and Philadelphia
org0102.ocp that Board Synod of New York and Philadelphia
org0037.ocp Dartmouth College Dartmouth College

Dates identified in this document:

Standard Form Text
1775-02-14 February 14th.14th AD 1775
1775-01-23 January 23,d23rd
1775-04-01 first of April
1775-03-13 13th13th of March next
1775-02-17 Feb.yFebruary 17. 1775

Regularized text:

Type Original Regularized
modernization 14th. 14th
variation my ſelf myself
variation hast haste
variation recieved received
modernization 23,d 23rd
modernization M.r Mr.
variation Pomery Pomeroy
modernization Perſon person
modernization deſigned designed
modernization ſomething something
modernization ſee see
modernization almoſt almost
modernization diſ­
­couraged
dis
couraged
modernization purpoſe purpose
modernization pleaſed pleased
modernization mani­
­feſt
mani
fest
modernization cauſe cause
variation provoiding providing
variation wonderfull wonderful
modernization Deſpair despair
modernization Bleſsed blessed
modernization Iſrael Israel
variation Unfaithfull unfaithful
modernization thoſe those
modernization Revd Rev.
modernization raiſed raised
variation diffi­
­rent
diffe
rent
modernization propoſed proposed
variation Diffirent different
modernization kindneſs kindness
modernization bleſs bless
modernization alſo also
modernization purchaſe purchase
modernization neceſsary necessary
modernization preſent present
modernization Sub­
­ſiſtance
sub
sistance
modernization proviſion provision
variation ­york York
variation untill until
modernization anſwer answer
modernization ſent sent
modernization perſon person
modernization ſhall shall
modernization enſuing ensuing
modernization Seaſon season
variation Pracher preacher
variation Preſbeterian Presbyterian
modernization houſe house
modernization earneſtly earnestly
modernization deſire desire
modernization ſoon soon
modernization poſsible possible
modernization deſerving deserving
modernization ſhould should
modernization Deſerving deserving
variation deſireous desirous
modernization ſeems seems
modernization diſpoſed disposed
modernization purſe purse
modernization nevertheleſs nevertheless
variation Satisfyed satisfied
modernization beſt best
variation dependance dependence
variation a lone alone
variation Dependant dependent
modernization ſet set
modernization Doctr Dr.
modernization promiſed promised
modernization deſired desired
modernization sureſt surest
variation Lazly Lesley
modernization Maſter master
variation incloſe enclose
variation therin therein
modernization ſo so
modernization Mr Mr.
modernization &c etc.
modernization theſe these
variation Sit of set off
modernization 13th 13th
variation deſtinguished distinguished
modernization uttermoſt uttermost
modernization diſtinguish distinguish
modernization themſelves themselves
variation lazzy lazy
variation Lazzy lazy
modernization refuſes refuses
modernization bleſsings blessings
modernization Weſtern Western
modernization periſhing perishing
variation Stedfaſtneſs steadfastness
modernization Reſidence residence
modernization Joſeph Joseph
variation Briant Brant
variation wellwiſher well wisher
variation haſt haste
modernization Johnſon Johnson
variation Eleazer Eleazar
modernization Preſident President

Expanded abbreviations:

Abbreviation Expansion
Hondd Honoured
R. Ralph
& and
Fr. From
Jos. Joseph
Feb.y February

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 26)
Number of people/places/organizations with unknown keys: 0 (out of 23)
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Mixed case attribute values in header (potential error): 0 (out of 108)