SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON.--EXPLORATIONS FOR A LOCATION. ADVICE OF ENGLISH
TRUSTEES.
Mr. Wheelock was in friendly correspondence, for several years, with
Sir William Johnson, the distinguished Indian agent and
superintendent, who resided in the province of New York, near the Six
Nations. Through his agency, the famous Mohawk, Joseph Brant, was sent
to Mr. Wheelock's school. After enjoying some opportunities for an
estimate of his abilities and character, Mr. Wheelock speaks of him in
highly complimentary terms, as a gentleman, "whose understanding and
influence in Indian affairs, is, I suppose, greater than any other
man's, and to whose indefatigable and successful labors to settle and
secure a peace with the several tribes, who have been at war with us,
our land and nation are under God chiefly indebted."
In September, 1762, Mr. Wheelock writes to Sir William: "I understand
that some of our people are about to settle on a new purchase on
Susquehannah river. It may be a door may open for my design on that
purchase." He also intimates that he desires to set up the school in
his neighborhood. This plan does not meet Sir William's approval, but
in January, 1763, Mr. Wheelock addresses him again, saying: "Gov.
Wentworth has offered a tract of land in the western part of the
province of New Hampshire which he is now settling, for the use of the
school if we will fix it there, and there has been some talk of fixing
it in one of the new townships in the province of the Massachusetts
which lie upon New York line near Albany. I much want to consult your
Honor in the affair." Mr. Wheelock's confidence in his friend having
been strengthened by the receipt of several cordial letters, and
other circumstances, he writes to him, July 4, 1766: "I apprehend you
are able above any man in this land to serve the grand design in
view," desiring to "act in every step" agreeable to his mind, and
informing him that he has sent his son, with Dr. Pomeroy, to confer
with him about a location for the school. He also refers to "arguments
offered to carry it into the Southern governments." But Mr. Johnson
did not see fit to invite the settlement of the school in the
neighborhood of the Six Nations, deeming it unwise, apparently, to
encourage a movement which might be regarded by them as an invasion of
their territory, especially if they were asked to give lands to the
school. This decision virtually determined the location. If Mr.
Wheelock could not follow his old neighbors and friends to the
westward, and plant himself beside the great Indian Confederacy, he
must turn his attention to the northward, where other neighbors and
friends were settling within easy reach of the far-extended Indian
tribes of Canada. Other localities, as we shall see hereafter,
presented some inducements, but they were all of minor importance.
Hence, when his agents returned from Great Britain placing the
long-desired funds for the accomplishment of his purposes in his
hands, we may well imagine that Mr. Wheelock gladly turned toward that
worthy magistrate, who had already shown "a willing heart," for more
aid.
In the meantime, Mr. Wheelock was giving the matter of a location his
most earnest and careful attention. In a letter to Mr. Whitefield,
dated September 4, 1766, he says: "We cannot get land enough on Hudson
river." Nor has he any more hope of success on the Mohawk. "Large
offers have been made in the new settlements on Connecticut river. It
is likely that near twenty thousand acres would be given in their
several towns." After stating that "Col. Willard" has made generous
offers of lands, "on Sugar river," he says: "that location would be
the most inviting of any part of that country. Samuel Stevens, Esq.,
offers two thousand acres to have it at No. 4. Col. Chandler offers
two thousand acres in the centre of the town of Chester, opposite to
No. 4, nine miles from the River. The situation of Wyoming, on
Susquehannah river, is very convenient."[16] A few months later,
General Schuyler earnestly advocated the claims of Albany as a
favorable location.
[16] See Appendix.
But Mr. Wheelock's friends were very unwilling that he should leave
Connecticut. Windham and Hebron[17] made earnest efforts to obtain the
school. We quote from Lebanon parish records:
[17] See Appendix.
"At a legal and full meeting of the Inhabitants, legal voters of the
second society in Lebanon [now Columbia], in Connecticut, held in said
society on the 29th day of June, Anno Domini 1767, We made choice of
Mr. James Pinneo to be moderator of said meeting, and passed the
following votes, _nemine contradicente_:
"1. That we desire the Indian Charity School now under the care of the
Rev. Mr. Eleazar Wheelock, may be fixed to continue in this society:
provided it may consist with the interest and prosperity of said
School.
"2. That as we have a large and convenient house for public and divine
Worship, we will accommodate the members of said school with such
convenient seats in said house as we shall be able.
"3. That the following letter be presented to the Rev. Mr. Eleazar
Wheelock, by Messrs. Israel Woodward, James Pinneo, and Asahel Clark,
Jun., in the name and behalf of this society; and that they desire him
to transmit a copy of the same, with the votes foregoing, to the Right
Honorable the Earl of Dartmouth, and the rest of those Honorable and
Worthy Gentlemen in England who have condescended to patronize said
school; and to whom the establishment of the same is committed.
"The Inhabitants of the Second Society in Lebanon in Connecticut to
the Rev. Mr. Eleazar Wheelock, Pastor of said Society.
"Rev. and ever dear Pastor,--As you are witness to our past care and
concern for the success of your most pious and charitable undertaking
in favor of the poor perishing Indians on this continent, we are
confident you will not be displeased at our addressing you on this
occasion; but that you would rather think it strange if we should
altogether hold our peace at such a time as this; when we understand
it is still in doubt both with yourself and friends where to fix your
school; whether at Albany or more remote among the Indian tribes, in
this society where it was first planted, or in some other part of this
colony proposed for its accommodation.
"We have some of us heard most of the arguments offered for its
removal, and however plausible they appear we are not at all convinced
of their force, or that it is expedient, everything considered, it
should be removed, nor do we think we have great reason to fear the
event, only we would not be wanting as to our duty in giving such
hints in favor of its continuance here as naturally and easily occur
to our minds, for we have that confidence in you and the friends of
the design, that you will not be easily carried away with appearances:
but will critically observe the secret springs of those generous
offers, made in one place and another, (some of which are beyond what
we can pretend to,) whether some prospect of private emolument be not
at the bottom; or whether they will finally prove more kind to your
pious institution as such considered, (whatever their pretenses may
be,) than they have been or at present appear to be to the Redeemer's
Kingdom in general. We trust this institution, so well calculated to
the advancement of its interest, will flourish best among the
Redeemer's friends; and although with respect to ourselves we have
little to boast as to friendship to our divine Redeemer or his
interest, yet this we are sure of, that he has been very kind to us,
in times past, and we trust has made you the instrument of much good
to us, and to lay a foundation for it to succeeding generations; we
humbly hope God has been preparing an habitation for himself here, and
has said of it, this is my resting place, here will I dwell forever,
(not because they deserved it,) but because I have desired it, and
where God is pleased to dwell, under his influence your institution
(which we trust is of Him) may expect to live and thrive. We desire it
may be considered that this is its birth place, here it was kindly
received, and nourished when no other door was set open to it--here it
found friends when almost friendless, yea when despised and contemned
abroad--its friends are now increased here as well as elsewhere, and
although by reason of our poverty and the hardness of the times, our
subscriptions are small compared with what some others may boast,
being at present but about L810 lawful money, yet there are here some
other privileges which we think very valuable and serviceable to the
design, viz. 400 acres of very fertile and good land, about forty
acres of which are under improvement, and the remainder well set with
choice timber and fuel, and is suitably proportioned for the various
branches of Husbandry which will much accommodate the design as said
land is situated within about half a mile of our Meeting House, and
may be purchased for fifty shillings lawful money per acre. There is
also several other small parcels of land suitably situate for building
places for the use of the school to be sold at a reasonable rate. We
have also a beautiful building place for said school within a few rods
of said meeting house, adjacent to which is a large and pleasant
Green: and we are confident that wood, provisions, and clothing, etc.,
which will be necessary for the school, may be had here not only now,
but in future years, at as low a rate as in any place in the colony,
or in any other place where it has been proposed to settle your
school. These privileges, we think, are valuable and worthy your
consideration, and also of those honourable and worthy gentlemen in
England to whom you have committed the decision of the affair, and
from the friendly disposition which has so many years past and does
still reign in our breasts towards it, we think it may be presumed we
shall from time to time be ready to minister to its support as
occasion shall require and our circumstances permit. We take the
liberty further to observe that such has hitherto been the peace and
good order (greatly through your instrumentality), obtaining among us
that the members of your school have all along been as free from
temptations to any vicious courses or danger of fatal error as perhaps
might be expected they would be on any spot of this universally
polluted globe.
"Here, dear sir, your school has flourished remarkably. It has grown
apace; from small beginnings how very considerable has it become; an
evidence that the soil and climate suit the institution--if you
transplant it you run a risk of stinting its growth, perhaps of
destroying its very life, or at least of changing its nature and
missing the pious aim you have all along had in view; a danger which
scarce needs to be hinted, as you are sensible it has been the common
fate of institutions of this kind that charitable donations have been
misapplied and perverted to serve purposes very far from or contrary
to those the pious donors had in view; such is the subtilty of the old
serpent that he will turn all our weapons against ourselves if
possible. Aware of this, you have all along appeared to decline and
even detest all such alliances and proposals as were calculated for,
or seemed to promise any private emolument to your self or your
friends. This, we trust, is still your prevailing temper, and rejoice
to hear that your friends and those who are intrusted with the affair
in England are exactly in the same sentiments, happy presage not only
of the continuance of the institution itself but we hope of its
immutability as to place. One thing more we beg leave to mention (not
to tire your patience with the many that occur), viz. if you remove
the school from us, you, at the same time, take away our Minister, the
light of our eyes and joy of our hearts, under whose ministrations we
have sat with great delight; whose labors have been so acceptable, and
we trust profitable, for a long time; must, then, our dear and worthy
Pastor and his pious institution go from us together? Alas, shall we
be deprived of both in one day? We are sensible that we have abused
such privileges and have forfeited them; and at God's bar we plead
guilty--we pray Him to give us repentance and reformation, and to
lengthen out our happy state; we own the justice of God in so heavy
losses, if they must be inflicted; and even in the removal of our
Candlestick out of its place, but we can't bear the thought that you
our Dear Pastor and the dear friends to your pious institution should
become the executioners of such a vengeance. However, we leave the
matter with you, and are with much duty and filial regard, dear sir,
Your very humble servants or rather obedient children.
"By order of said Society, Israel Woodward,
James Pinneo,
Asahel Clark, Jr."
"June 29, 1767."
This interesting document bears the same date with Mr. Wheelock's
Doctorate in Divinity, from the University of Edinburgh.
Dr. Wheelock, appreciating the importance of a better knowledge of the
comparative advantages of the various proposed locations, finally
determined to commission trustworthy agents, to make thorough
explorations. We give his language, in substance:
"Lebanon, Connecticut, July 20, 1768.
"Whereas the number in my Indian Charity School is now, by the
blessing of God, become so large as that it is necessary the place
where to fix it should be speedily determined, and so many and
generous have been the offers made for that purpose by gentlemen of
character and distinction in several neighboring governments, I do,
therefore, hereby authorize and appoint the Rev. Mr. Ebenezer
Cleaveland, of Gloucester, in the province of the Massachusetts Bay,
and my son, Ralph Wheelock (while the Rev. Dr. Whitaker is performing
the like part in Pennsylvania) in my name and stead, to wait upon his
Excellency John Wentworth, Esq., Governor of New Hampshire, and his
associates in office, to know what countenance and encouragement they
will give to accommodate and endow said school, in case it should be
fixed in the western part of that province."
Deep interest in Dr. Wheelock's work being manifested by Rev. Thomas
Allen and others, at Pittsfield; Timothy Woodbridge and others, at
Stockbridge;[18] and Abraham J. Lansing, the founder of
Lansingburg,[19] and many others in that Province, they were also
instructed to extend their explorations to Western Massachusetts and
to New York.
[18] See Appendix.
[19] See Appendix.
The following is the material portion of Mr. Cleaveland's report:
"I waited upon his Excellency John Wentworth, Esq., Governor of New
Hampshire. He appeared very friendly to the design--promised to grant
a township, six miles square, to the use of the school, provided it
should be fixed in that Province, and that he would use his influence
that his Majesty should give the quit-rents to the school, to be free
from charge of fees except for surveying. Esquire Whiting, the Deputy
Surveyor, being present, offered his assistance to look out the
township and survey it, and give the service to the school. His
Excellency the Governor recommended him to me for that purpose (since
which, we found Landaff, a good township, to have forfeited the
charter, of which we advised the Governor, and were informed [that] he
promised to reserve it for the school). After spending a few days on
our way with gentlemen of the lower towns, who appeared universally
desirous that the school should come into that Province, and were
generous in their offers to encourage the same, but proposed their
donations, generally, where their interests in land lay we proceeded
to Plymouth, Romney, and Compton, where Mr. Whiting left me. Five
thousand acres of land were proposed to be given, on condition the
school be fixed in either of these towns. Seventy-five pounds sterling
and twenty thousand feet of boards (besides land) are offered on
condition it should be fixed in Compton. The arguments used for fixing
the school here are--'t is the centre of that province; good and easy
portage by land and water to Portsmouth and Newbury; but twenty-seven
miles further than Connecticut river from the Indians.
"From thence I travelled to Cohos, on Connecticut river; the
inhabitants of that new country were universally much engaged to have
the school fixed there, both from a respect to Dr. Wheelock's person
and a regard to the general design; it would be too lengthy to mention
the particular offers that were generously made. Besides what has been
already mentioned, upwards of sixteen thousand acres are already
subscribed, chiefly by gentlemen of the most noted and public
characters in the Province of New Hampshire; and more is subscribing
to have it fixed in the country of Cohos. Besides which, large
subscriptions have been made and are still making which centre in
particular towns, the principal of which and those where I was
advised, and thought proper to take the most particular view, were
Haverhill and Orford. These places are about equally distant from
Portsmouth, ninety-two miles, thirty of which is good water carriage,
the rest may be made a good wagon road. In this new country there are
more than two hundred towns chartered, settled, and about to settle,
and generally of a religious people, which do, and soon will, want
ministers; and they have no college or public seminary of learning for
that purpose in that Province, which want they apprehend may be
supplied by this school without any disadvantage to, or interfering in
the least, with the general design of it. These places are situate
about forty miles nearer to the Six Nations than the place where the
school now is; they are about one hundred miles from Mount Royal and
about sixty from Crown Point; and, perhaps, about sixty from the
Indians at St. Francis, to whom there is water portage by Connecticut
and St. Francis Rivers, except a mile or two; there is also water
carriage from hence by the Lakes and St. Lawrence River, etc., by the
Six Nations and the tribes many hundred miles west, except very small
land carriages. Population in this new country is very rapid, and will
doubtless be much more so if the Doctor should remove there with his
school, and their lands will soon bear a great price. From hence I
went with Mr. John Wright (whom the Doctor sent to accompany me in my
further inquiry) to Hatfield, in the Province of the Massachusetts;
and found gentlemen there universally desirous to have the school
fixed in Berkshire County in the western part of that Province."
This region was visited by them, as well as New York. During the
autumn of 1768, by commission of Dr. Wheelock, Mr. Cleaveland, in
company with Mr. Allen Mather, also attended a large "Congress" of
several Indian tribes, at Fort Stanwix. In his report, after referring
to friendly conference with other chiefs, he says: "I also saw one
from Caghnawaga near Montreal, who desired to know if he could get his
son into Dr. Wheelock's school, and manifested a great desire to send
him. I told him there was talk of the school's going to Cohos. He said
if it should be fixed there, he believed that many of that tribe would
send their children to it."[20] This Canadian chief's statement was
considered, most carefully, by Dr. Wheelock. The proper documents were
forwarded with the least practicable delay to the English Trustees,
and elicited the following response:
[20] See Appendix.
"London, 3d April, 1769.
"Reverend Sir:--Last week we received your letters of the 22d and 23d
December, 1768, and 10th of January, 1769; and being convinced how
necessary it is for the prosperity of your pious institution, as well
as for the peace of your own mind, that a place should be fixed upon
for the future establishment of your school as soon as possible, we
have attentively considered the report of Mr. Ebenezer Cleaveland,
whom you employed to take a view of the several spots proposed for
that purpose, together with the other papers which have now and
heretofore been transmitted to us relative to that matter; and, upon
weighing the several generous offers and proposals that have been made
to you by gentlemen of different governments for the benevolent
purpose of promoting the important design of your institution, and the
reasons that have been offered or have occurred to us in support of
each, we are unanimously of opinion that the most advantageous
situation for carrying on the great purposes of your school, will be
in one of the townships belonging to the District of Cowas, in the
Government of New Hampshire, agreeable to the proposal of Governor
Wentworth and the gentlemen who have generously expressed their
intention of contributing to that design; but whether Haverhill or
Orford may be the most eligible for this purpose, we must leave to
your judgment to determine. According to the best information we can
procure of the state of those towns, we think you may possibly give
the preference to the former, especially if the farm which you mention
as very convenient for an immediate supply of provisions, can be
procured upon reasonable terms.
"We found our opinion, principally, upon this reason, that it appears
to us that Cowas is the most central of the situations that have been
proposed between the Indians of the Six Nations, on the one hand, and
those of St. Francis and of the other tribes to the eastward, on the
other; and that it is not inferior to any of the rest in other
respects. For this reason, we cannot but recommend to you to accept
the offers of Governor Wentworth and the Gentlemen in New Hampshire.
And we heartily pray that the same good Providence which has so
remarkably blessed your undertaking hitherto, may continue to protect
and prosper it in its farther progress, and may prolong your life,
that you may have the satisfaction to see it fixed upon such a plan as
may afford a reasonable hope of answering all the good purposes you
have in view.
"We are, Reverend Sir,
"Your most obedient servants,
Dartmouth,
S. S. Smythe,
Samuel Roffey,
John Thornton,
Daniel West,
Charles Hardy,
Samuel Savage,
Jos. Robarts,
Robert Keen."
"Received August 10, 1769."