Harvard University. Corporation. Records of Grants for Work among the Indians, 1720-1812. Letter from Oliver Peabody, Jr. to the Harvard Corporation, April 2, 1752. UAI 20.720 Box 1, Folder 9, Harvard University Archives.

To the {Reverend} and {Honorable} the Corporation of Harvard College

Gentlemen

Since God having in his holy Providence taken from us my Father, your late Missionary at Natick by Death, it is incumbent upon me at the Desire & in the behalf of his Heirs to present this Memorial to you, which humbly sheweth.

That my Father was sent to Natick in the year 1722 by the {Honorable} the Commissioners, for the Propragation of ye Gospel among ye Indians in {New} England & the Corporation of {Harvard} College with what (he judg'd) an assurance from the Gentlemen then in office, (especially of the Corporation, agreeable to their Votes on April 28 1712) of a decent Maintainance proportionate to ye Difficulty & Importance of the Service, for carrying on ye Work of the Gospel Ministry there. Accordingly, in Expectation of at least as good if not a better Support than the Gentlemen in ye Ministry in his Neighbourhood, he undertook, & under many Discouragements & Difficulties carried on ye Work of ye Ministry at Natick, Notwithstanding he had repeated invitations, to settle in the Ministry elsewhere with a prospect of considerable private Advantage; and from Time to Time was at no small expe[page torn; text missing] in relieving many of his Indian Parishioners, in their Poverty & Distresses. And Nothwithstanding ye Encouragement he had of a comfortable support his steady adherence to the Interest of Religion among the Indians; and all his unavoidable expenses; yet for ye space of near Twenty Years past, he had not, as a Missionary, a Salary equal to ye necessary expenses of his Family; nay at a Moderate Computation scarcely enough to support it with comfortable Food & Drink, exclusive of any Cloathing as I believe cannot but appear, from what has been annually voted him, as a Salary. And his Annual Support has been so slender, that Notwithstanding his Industry & Fatigues in ye Management of his Farm; and all that he has receiv'd from his English Parishioners, & the Generosity of his private Friends; He was Obliged not only to sell a considerable part of ye Lands given him as a settlement by ye Indians; but also to involve his Estate in a Debt of Five or Six hundred pounds (Old {Tenor}) in order to defray the Necessary Expenses of his Family -- It is true indeed that my Fathers Farm has been of late years somewhat profitable to him, & that he could not have Subsisted his Family upon his Salary without it: Nevertheless the Neat profits of that was but small by reason of ye price of Labour; but supposing his profits therefrom ever so great; yet I must beg leave to say, I cannot see why that should be a Reason for his not having a support adequate to his services -- Moreover. Suffer me Gentlemen, to Desire you to consider, whether during

the Space of Many Years my Father did not sustain an Annual Loss in the salary voted him, by reason of the Depreciation of our Medium of Trade --

Furthermore. I ask Leave to say, That my Fathers Expenses were greatly enhansed in the latter part of his Life, by his frequent bodily Indispositions; & by supplying his Desk when not able to preach. And especially by his last Sickness & long Confinement; and by the Entertainment of the Gentlemen by whom his Desk was in part supplied during his last illness. And further, the Charges of his Funeral have necessarily added considerably to ye before mentioned Debts, which charges his English Parishioners will not defray (as is customary in most other Parishes in the like case) inasmuch as they esteemed my Father to be an Indian Missionary.

Wherefore, in consideration of these Things, altho I gratefully acknowledge all the Favours my Father received from the Corporation; yet in behalf of my Fathers Heirs, I humbly ask some allowance out of your Treasury, & such an one as shall be Thought fit & Equitable, upon ye consideration of this Memorial; which I prefer relying on your Goodness; & I the rather depend upon your Favourable reception of it, since the {Honorable} Commissioners have made us a Grant upon my offering to them a Petition of the like Tenour.

In the behalf of my Fathers Heirs I subscribe Gentlemen Your Most Obedient {Servant} and Humble Petitioner.

Oliver Peabody.

Roxbury April 2d 1752.

Consider'd & answer'd. {February} 7. 1753. Lib. 7 fol. 19.

Mr. Peabody [?] his Letter to the Corporation April 2d 1752

Mr. Peabody's Petition

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