David Wooster (1710-1777) was a General in the Seven Years' War (1756–63), but is most remembered for being an important General in the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Wooster was from a privileged background, educated at Yale University.
He married the President of Yale, Thomas Clap’s daughter.
Wooster was a wealthy merchant, when Wheatley was writing to him in 1773.
At the start of the Revolutionary War Wooster was in charge of the militia in New Haven in Connecticut.
The Continental Congress in 1775 appointed Wooster to be a Brigadier General in the American Revolutionary War.
He worked under the orders of Major General Philip Schuyler (Alexander Hamilton's father in law).
He was involved in the Battle of Quebec and was the Senior Officer in Canada in 1776.
Wooster was a very influential man in Revolutionary New England, and Wheatley remained in contact with his family till at least 1778 (Letter from Phillis Wheatley to Mary Wooster, 15 July 1778).
Wheatley leaves her most detailed description of her trip to London to Wooster.
Letter from Phillis Wheatley to David Wooster, 18 October 1773
“I expect my Books which are published in London in Capt.
Hall, who will be here I believe in 8 or 10 days. I beg the favour
that you would honour the enclos'd Proposals, & use your inte
rest with Gentlemen & Ladies of your acquaintance to subscribe
also, for the more subscribers there are, the more it will be for
my advantage as I am to have half the sale of the Books, This I
am the more solicitous for, as I am now upon my own footing
and whatever I get by this is entirely mine, & it is the Chief I have to
depend upon. I must also request you would desire the Printers
in New Haven, not to reprint that Book, as it will be a great
hurt to me, preventing any further Benefit that I might re
recieve from the Sale of my Copies from England. The price is2/6.dBound or 2/ Sterling Sewed. -- [ . . . ]Should be so ungene-
rous as to reprint them the Genuine Copy may be known, for it
is sign'd in my own handwriting. My dutiful respects attend your
Lady and Children and I am
ever respectfully your oblig'd Hume sert.
Phillis Wheatley”
She was celebrated in this short six week trip to London and treated as a celebrity, but upon arrival home this did not continue.
Her former master's, the Wheatley's, after she was granted freedom from enslavement did not give her any financial assistance.
This letter is very important as it includes a very detailed list of who Wheatley met and what she did in London.
The quote above is important as it reflects Wheatley's need to rely on her network of Bostonians to sell her novel so she can make money and survive.
Wheatley would suffer from poverty in her later life, she was forgotten by Boston and London elites as the Revolutionary War waged on.
The full letter is accessible with this link below! Im very grateful for the Massachusetts Historical Society for allowing me to quote these letters as well as having loads of primary sources and educational information on Wheatley available for free.
Read more on David Wooster here:
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