Eleazar Wheelock, letter of recommendation for Exeter, 5 November 1765

Theſe Certify that the Bearer, Exeter, negro
man, Servant to the Subſcriber, has Liberty to
Seek him a new Maſter, for himſelf his Wife
and little Daughter about or near two years
old. The Bearer Said Exeter is a well healthy man and as good
a man for Buſsineſs, will do as much and Understanding
it as any man I ever imployed, and underſtands
all parts of Huſbandry work well haſ a fine Reſolution, and is as great
a Stranger to wearieneſs as ever I Saw, and I
had rather have him in my Buſsineſs than any
of his Colour I ever knew; excepting on Account
of the violence of his Natural Temper.
He is honeſt, manly, kind, neighbourly when
out of his Paſsions, and is a fellow of truth
So far as ever I have diſcovered excepting
when in his Paſsions, and at Such Times he will
Lie, and Sometimes Swear. he is about 50
years old. his Wife is about 38. years old and
is Good Temperd and underſtands Women’s Buſsi-
neſs well. The Child is very likely. Who ever will
Give for Said Negroes Sixty Pounds Shall have
them, provided a Criſtian Education be Secured
for the Child, and the Parents be not deprived
of the full Enjoyment of the means of Grace.
or if the Payment be Good I will take Something Leſs.
I have also a Son of his in his 7th year whom I have kept
at School till he is almoſt become a good Reader, with
a Deſign if his Abilities & Diſposition [illegible: as] Shall prove such that I can do do it with Safety, to give him his freedom at y^e. age of
28 years and accomodate him to live in y^e. world, and
take care of his Parents if they Shall need, if any deſire
to purcheſs Sd Boy with his Parents, they may. -