232

PAPERS RELATING TO THE SIX NATIONS.

associates) in learning the Language of such Tribes, as they may likely serve, as Missionaries &School Masters, when they have compleated their Learning. The Disposal of them is now submittedto your Wisdom, and Prudence . M 1 Kirtland seems inclined to take McCluer to Onoyada with him ;But whether the learning of that Language will be of such Consequence as that it will be worth hisspending his Time for it, Your Excellency is best able to judge.

I have thought it might be best for Joseph Johnson, who is a Mohegan, 1 and is too young to havethe government of a school, to be employed, as an Usher under David Fowler, whose school, I under-stand, will likely be big enough for two masters.

Jacob 2 who is Brother to David, and tlio’ but 16. years old, I apprehend is endowed with Prudence & Discretion sufficient to conduct (and is well accomplished to instruct) a School .

I would also propose to your Excellency Whether it will be best for Hezekiah [Calvin] to takethe School which Joseph Woolley left at Onohoquagee, as I hear M r Brown determines to defeat hisDesign of settling at Fort Hunter.

But I need not be particular as the Bearers are fully knowing to whatever I should otherwise haveneed to inform you of • in this affair. And also as the Rev d M 1 ' Pomeroy & my son, are appointed(and yesterday sat out via New-York ) to w T ait upon you for your advice respecting the place to fixupon, and build for this School. They will also be able to acquaint you with the favourable Recep-tion, Mess rs Whittaker & Occum, & the Design they Recommend, meet with at Home ; and theProspect I have of any Favour I can reasonably desire from the Board of Trade, if only the Placefor the School w r as once determined, and as I would act in every step agreable to your mind, for Iapprehend you are able above any man in this Land to serve the grand Design in view. What seemsto be wanting at Home, at present, is only to know the place to fix it. And I purpose to mentionseveral, with such Recommendations, Incouragements &c as shall be respectively given them, andleave it with Gentlemen at Home to determine which of the number it shall be.

You will please to weigh the Arguments offerd by M r C. J. Smith to carry it into the SouthernGovernments, a rough Draft of which I have sent by my son.

William (Major as we call him for distinction sake) is a very good Genius, and capable of makinga very likely man ; but his Pride and the Violence of his Temper have sometimes rendered himtroublesome ; and obliged me to use severity with him, of which my son can inform you perhapsa Line or Message from You might be of Special service to him. I ordered him to write a few lines(which I inclose) as a Specimen He complained, and you will see, not without Reason, that his Inkw r as bad. I am heartily sorry to add to the great weight of Care, & Crowd of Business you arecontinually in; and rely only upon your Goodness and the nature and importance of the things Iwrite, for Pardon, for this Trouble. That God may restore your Health, Support you under allyour Labours, and long lengthen out your important life, is the earnest Prayer of him who begsleave to subscribe, with most Sincere Duty and Esteem.

Your Excellency’s Obedient and very Humble Servant

Sir William Johnson Baron 4 . Eleazar. Wheelock.

1 Joseph Johnson was born near Norwich about the year 1750. His father served near Lake George in 1757. At theage of 15, Joseph became a schoolmaster as above stated, and was so employed for two years. He fell off, however, fromthis life of regularity afterwards, and went on a whaling voyage. Returning in 1771, he fell sick at his native place, whichcircumstance had such an effect on him, that he became quite religious. He was afterwards licensed to preach among the SixNations, and was very faithful to the American cause during the revolution. It is said that he was not inferior to SamsonOccum as a Preacher. Allen. See also Wheelock’s Narrative , 1775

2 Jacob Fowler, a Montauk Indian was born in 1750. He was approved as a Teacher in 1765, and taught for several yearsafter among the Six Nations and N. E. tribes. Things, however, did not go well with him, and in 1774, he returned as ateacher to Dr. Wheelock’s School , where he prepared himself for holy orders, previous to moving into the Oneida countrywith Sampson Occum. Wheelock