Before long, Mrs. Wheatley had about 18 prominent Bostonians who signed a document acknowledging who I was. Among the signers were Thomas Hutchinson, the royal governor of the Massachusetts colony; James Bowdoin, the future governor of Massachusetts; and John Hancock, the future signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Mr. Calef was ready to set sail for England again. Mrs. Wheatley gave him a packet addressed to Mr. Archibald Bell containing documentation that I was the author. It also contained 39 poems along with two prefaces written by Mr. Wheatley and me.

I had some poems containing some pro-independence verses. However, since they were to be published in England, Mrs. Wheatley thought it best not to include them.