Document: Letter from Thomas Wheeler to the English settlers at Gravesend

Holding Institution

Document ID

NYSA_A1809-78_V06_0090

Description

Letter. Thomas Wheeler (to the English settlers at Gravesend), advising them of an intended attack by the Indians on the Dutch settled in the English towns on Long Island and New England, whom he advises to remove to their own countrymen for safety.

Document Date

1655-09-27

Document Date (Date Type)

1655-09-27

Document Type

Letter

Minutes

Document Type Unlinked

Letter

Full Resolution Image

Download, 100MB+ (Right-Click)

Translation

Westchester, 27 th September 1655

Respected friends after my Respects presented unto you I am sensible of your feares & it is not without grounds I feare to use the Best, meanes as is in my power shall not be wantinge in mee to you for your preservation to speake with the Indians wee know not how the bearer hereof can further informe you But if you send a messenger about saterday with your mijnde I Thincke our saggamaker[1] will be hear but if you doe not, my true indeaver shall be used for your safetye and my weake advise to you at present iff you intend your preservation & alsoe the Duth that are amongst iff they meane to save theyre lives there must be meanes used for them to retoume to theyr owne contriemen for safeguard for this I fully understand that the Indians will pick them out of every English towne upon the Band & in New England it is a trouble to our saggamacker that there is soe many duth with you. for feare the should wrong you in killing of them. Soe desiring the Lord to protect you I Rest.

Was subscribed Tho: Wieler

The Indians intend noe wrong to the English if they assist no the Duth with men and provision.

On 12 October 1655 the foregoing was collated in our presence, the underwritten, and found to agree with the original (being in the hands of the deputies from the magistrates of Gravesande: Will. Willekens, and Willem Bouwns) dated and signed as above. Ady ut supra.

[ J we the undersigned attest:

Wille BonneThis is the V9 mark ofWill. Willekens made himself

P. StuyvesantLaMontagneCor: van Tienhove[2]

Translation Superscripts

[1]: English version of Dutch sackemacker, sachem, sagamore, or Indian leader; also used as a title for colonial leaders, such as Stuyvesant, when communicating with Indians.
[2]: This note appears only in engrossed version in NYCM, 7:87.

References

From the collections of the New York State Archives, Albany, New York. https://www.archives.nysed.gov/

Translation link see: http://iarchives.nysed.gov/xtf/view?docId=tei/A1809/NYSA_A1809-78_V06_0090.xml

Published bound volume is also available: Translation: Scott, K., & Stryker-Rodda, K. (Ed.). New York Historical Manuscripts: Dutch, Vol. 4, Council Minutes, 1638-1649 (A. Van Laer, Trans.). Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc.: 1974.

Copyright to the published bound volume is held by the Holland Society of New York.
A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.