Eleazar Wheelock, letter, to John Trumbull, 1775 August 28

The repeated accots we have had in the public prints and other ways of Endeavors used by the Kings party to induce the Negroes in the Southern Colonies to an Inſurrection, perſuaded me to give you the Trouble of the following Lines which you may improve as you Shall think proper, and if they may be any way useful my highest hopes are anſwered and Shall account myſelf well rewarded.

Soon after I came in to this wilderneſs a mulatto young man who was born of an Engliſh mother whoſe name was Watts and called this Son Caleb [gap: blotted_out] came to me greatly desiring an Education he lived with his Grandfather Watts Several years and was then bound out to a hard Maſter & was Educated after the Manner of a Slave, was never taught to read 'till he was about 20 years old when it pleaſed a Sovereign God to impreſs his Mind with a Senſe of the Reality & importance of things revealed, by which he was made to deſire the Benefit of reading the Scriptures, and by his Judging had advanced So far as to be able to read Some parts of the Bible with underſtanding when he came to me — he earneſtly deſired I would take him under my Patronage on any terms conſiſt with his gratifying his thirſt for Knowledge. I was well pleaſed with the accot he gave of his religious Exerciſes & Sentiments, and not knowing that W.t might be in the womb of Providence for him or by him I allowed him to Tarry the firſt year or two he nearly payed the Expenses I was at for him. and though I had no Fund for the Education of Such a one I was so much pleaſed with his Diſpoſition and Conduct that I concluded to suffer him to purſue his Studies at my own Riſque 'till providence Should point out Something further, and as he is very Black for one of half Blood, I did not know but providence might open a Door for his hopefulneſs in Some of the Weſt India Islands his Genius is about middling, his Prudence, modeſty, and Simplicity are great great and his Appreciation Steady . he has got a pritty Good underſtanding of Grammar, has read about 6 Books of the AEnids in Virgil & About as Many Orations in Tilley. also the 4 Evangeliſts in Greek. but think Yt it not So neceſsary for his purpoſe to make him a great living &c I allowed him to turn his Studies to such things as might be Subſeirvent to a more Speedy usefulness. he has Studied Rhetoric, Logick, Geography Ethics, and several good authors in Divinity & has acquired a good understanding & is well Eſtablished in ye grt Ds of or Relign — he has been Examined and Judged to be qualified to edify Negroes & perſons of low character. And I know of no man more likely to diſsuade thoſ Slaves from such villanies, or detect & expoſe any plans formed by them for such a purpoſe than he, if he Should be properly introduced & incouraged by their Maſters. nor one on whoſe Fidelity they may more Safely rely — If you shall think this him deserving your thought & worthy to be communicated you have full Liberty. but however that may be, pleaſe be aſsured that I am with much Affection & Esteem