To Benjamin Franklin from Catharine Greene, 5 December 1782
From Catharine Greene
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Warwick Decbr. the 5th 1782
My Very Dear Friend
Have been favord with your letter by Count Segar, which he forwarded from Philadelphia3 he Came to Providence with the Army we Sent for him but was gone to Newport4 on his Return to Providence Ray5 was at home and waited on him he Sat a day to Come with Count Rhoshambow but it was a heavy Rain for three days, after that the first Coll went to Boston and he Said it was imposible to Come, for they are extreem attentive to there Duty— Yr Curious friend went to Providence to See the Novelty—and Sent for the Count to See her was Very much Pleasd with him and lamented not haveing an oppertunity of a farther acquantance and Shewing him every Civility in our Power he Says his Wife6 Visits you and Plays Chex but yr So Galant you Never beat her the officers Say; they are the happiest Couple in France Pray my Regards to her being one of her Spoues admirer he is So Sensible Sociable and Polite but all this you know— Yr Dear Sister is gone to Boston to Spend the Winter She grows infirm Mrs. Greenes7 Death and not haveing a letter from you a long time makes her low Spirited I Comfort her all I Can Remembering her of your Six Reasons in a former letter8 our family are all well and Joyn me in the tenderest Regards and Best Wishes for yr health and happiness Ray is at College learning as fast as he Can that he may Come to France when he Comes out of Colege he has enterd his 3d year he is Spoke highly of by the Presedent9 and Tutors hope he will make a good man the Count Speaks highly of yr Grandson I want a Peice of Beneys Drawing is he Still at Genevea are you well when do you Come to New England and make all our hearts Glad We long for Peice for the inhabitants of this State are and have been exceedingly Distrest and loosing Most all our Vesels are Very Poor but the French troops have greatly Releavd us from haveing the Militia on the Shore we are greatly indebted to them— Old uncle Tuthill has an Heir in his old age— Thomey lives to Torment Sukey and mrs. Partridg are living but not to there Brothers Children1 this from your affectionate Friend
Caty Greene
Spoues and Daugters2 love you Dearly believe every body does Doctr Franklin
Addressed: Doctr. Franklin
3. BF’s recommendation of the comte de Ségur, son of the marquis: XXXVII, 107.
4. When Rochambeau’s army left Hartford for Providence on Nov. 4, Ségur and the prince de Broglie obtained permission to detour by themselves through New London and Newport. They arrived in Providence after overstaying their leave by several days. Ségur’s regiment subsequently departed for Boston on Dec. 2: Louis-Philippe, comte de Ségur, Mémoires ou souvenirs et anecdotes (3 vols., Paris, 1827), I, 379–85; Rice and Brown, eds., Rochambeau’s Army, II, 192.
5. Her son, a student at Yale College: XXXIV, 218n.
6. Antoinette-Elisabeth-Marie d’Aguesseau (1756–1828), whom Ségur married in 1777: Bodinier, Dictionnaire, under Ségur; Idzerda, Lafayette Papers, I, xliv–xlv.
7. Jane Flagg Greene.
8. See XXXV, 158.
9. Ezra Stiles.
1. The Hubbart siblings—Tuthill, Thomas, Susannah (“Sukey”), and Elizabeth (here Mrs. Partridge)—were BF’s stepnephews and stepnieces. We find no other record of an heir born to Tuthill, and he eventually left his estate to his nieces and nephews: I, lviii–lix; XXXVI, 204n.
2. Husband William and daughters Phebe Ward and Celia Greene: XXXVI, 202n. The Greenes had a third daughter, Anne, who died before 1787: X, 191n; Catharine Greene to BF, Nov. 8, 1787 (APS).