Evening star., 1897-07-31
BESET BY. INDIANS
How Eeazar Whealock Wanted to Re-
locate Dartmouth College.
FEARED TEE PRESENCE OF SAVAGES
The Mohawk Valley Seemed to
Him a Haven of Safety.
AND INTERESTING

To all sons Of old Dartmouth and to all
who make a study Of the history of higher
education In this country. there Is spe-
cial interest In the following letter found
recently by chance in a mass Of papers
that came into the possession Of DR.. Thorn
as Featherstonhaugh Of this city. The let
ter is now for the first time published.
Eleazar Wheelock graduated at Yale In
1913. then studied divinity and afterward
settled In Lebanon, Conn. To exc out his
small salary as preacher, he began to take
privste pupils into his house. Samson Oc-
com, who afterward became the we'll
known preacher and hymnologist. was
among the first Of the Indian converts and
pupils Occom and others went to England
in 1IIG and succeeded in raising 10000 for
educational work among the Indians This
money was placed in the hands of trus-
tees, Of whom Lord Dartmouth was one.
A charter for the college was obtained
from George III. In this charter. Wheelock
was named as founder and president The
college was named for Lord Dartmouth.
In ITO Wheelock removed to Hanover.
N. H, which was then a wilderness, and
with the help of his sons and Indian pu-
pills. began clearing the ground. The hard
ships were great, the whole party dwelling
In booths cf henlock boughs In I'LL the
hrst class Of four graduated. In 1777,
will be seen from the letter. the tribula-
tions Of President WIheelock were very
great.
This letter was found among the papers
of Gen. James Duane, member of the
Continental Congress and first mayor Of
New York CITY, and is addressed to Gen.
Philip Schuyler. who probably forwarded
It to his friend, Gen. Duane, for his con-
sideration. Gen. Duane was an ancestor
of DR.. Featherstonhaugh. The capitaliza-
ton. spelling and punctuation are followed
literally.
DARTMo' COLLEGE 18th Feb. 1777
Much Respected Sir.
YOU Sha @nnde9 n9t Thank ths If at first
smiles smiles and favors of Heavens upon
fancy, and especially since it's settlement
m TINS Country l should now SO soon and
at such time of my life think Of remov-
ing II INTO your vicinity, and give you such
real evidence of my real intention so to do
III God should smile upon the undertaking.
as to be at the trouble and expense of
sending the bearers on purpose to com
municate the design to yourself and other
Gentlemen of Character and influence In
your State for advice, and If you approve
thereon for your direction and encourage
Eent therein.
But when you shall fully be availed of
the many weighty considerations which
have given such a turn to my thoughts 1
am persuaded you will think the matter
worthy your serious attention.
L have indeed seen much of the good
ness of God in making every step I have
taken in the affair hitherto to prosper
since I came to this wholly uncultivated
wilderness where my number of Indian
Children at School has generally been from
fourteen to twenty-one and Of all on char
ity about thirty. My whole number of de-
pendent and independent Students in Col
lege and School has generally been for
several years about an hundred and their
behavior has been from the first to my
good satisfaction with very few excep-
tiens. The generous and catholic Charter
by which the royal Favor so literally en-
dowed 1t. my son can shew you on your
desire. The School Is possesd of about
10000 acres of land, the most of it good.
have built four good Mills beside a num-
Der of houses, barns &c to accommodate
the school. 1 reapt ia acres of English
hay and might with ease have cut as
much more had not the resources for the
expense thereof been cut of by our public
national controversy. The School owns
horses sufficient for the family, and has
4 or 800 acres of land well seeded with
grass and could have fatted hundred
oxen last year If 1 had been able to pur-
chase them. And I think there Is a fair
prospect of fund here as permanent as
the soil for the support of scores of In
dian Children and others on Charity to the
end of time.
l have now two Indian youth in College
one in his last the other in his second year
and eight more Give of which are Canadi-
dNS) HttlHS IOE SOileSe anu all promising.
Their being hero together with that friend
ship which has been cultivated by the mis-
sionaries l have from time to time sent
to visit them, 1 have esteemed the surest
bulwark and so sure a one against any
invasion from the wilderness to lay
waste. that have never yet been disquieted
at all with any apprehensions of danger
from that Quarter: But ever since the
first blockading Of Boston all succours
from beyond the seas have been suspended.
where was about 1900 Ster. collected for
my use. and 1 have been left to scrabble
along hitherto with all the weight Of near
30 on charity, and considerably in debt
for labor and necessary stores for the sup
port of those with myself and private fam
lily. four Tutors and Schoolmaster. beside
the great questionable expense which nv
situation and public Character necessarily
exposes me to, aid thus 1 havs proceeded
till my debt was near 1000 Ster. mostly
OH interest. And in suoh a state of an
archy here, In addition to the general pow
erty of new settlers that have been in no
capacity to collect what Is due to me or
the School. and could see present pros
pect Of paying the Schools debts any other
way than by the sale of the small private
Interest which l left in Connecticut and
accordingly, have sent man for that pur-
pose. which Isy relieve me to the debts
which crowded upon me, but will do but
little towards clothing my naked boys and
necessitous Family which cannot be any
other way done than by money, as we are
yet in no capacity to manufacture cloathing
among ourselves. nor will the produce OF
these lands help In that matter as they
have not yet more than payed the labor
laid out in fencing and perfecting the cul-
tivatior of them.
Under and since the beginning of these
tryalls 1 have received several charitable
assistances. particularly several hundred
pounds from Col John Phillips Esq. of Ex-
eter and 800 dollars two years ago from the
Hon'ble Continental Congress to assist me
In supporting missions to Canada. And 1
may take this opportunity to express my
gratitude to your Honor for an additional
expression of your friendship in recon-
mending my necessity to the charitable
consideration Of said Congress through the
influence Of which they kindly sent me
500 dollars. which assistances are the chief
I have had by charities from abroad, and
though I have often been urged to dis
burden myself by sending the boys home
&c. and turn my attention wholly to my
own private interest till our public Trou-
bles which croud so distinSuishingly hard
upon me shall eEd, yet apprehending the
continuance of these boys here to be OF
such consequence to the public. I cannot
yet he persuaded to that step for relief.
But though l thought proper to let your
honor know my present state and some Of
the necessities Of 1t "a more full and par
ticular account you may have from the
bearer). yet none Of these things discour