To Benjamin Franklin from Sarah Bache, 14 November 1779
From Sarah Bache
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Philadelphia Novr. 14 1779
Dear & Honoured Sir
My Friend and neighbour Mrs Wistar8 has been to request Mr Bache would write a few lines to introduce Mr. Ashton9 to you, as he is not at home I take that liberty, Mr Ashton has been in partnership with Mr John Gibson,1 and bears the Character of a very worthy good man, it will not be long before he will return and I hope will bring us the pleasing accounts of your continuing well, Mr Bache William Betty Luois2 and myself are all well; the latter is a very little Fellow but the livelyest I ever saw of his age, he is just five weeks old, Mrs Jay will tell you how well and hearty I am. I should certainly have wrote by her, but heard she was to stay a day longer— I am with the truest afection Your dutifull daughter
Sarah Bache
Addressed: His Excellency / Dr Benjamin Franklin / Minister Plenipotentiary from the / United States of No. America at the Court of / Versailles / Mr. George Ashton3
8. Lowry Jones Wister (1742–1804), wife of Daniel Wister, a Market Street merchant: XII, 277n; XX, 187n; Kathryn Zabelle Derounian, ed., The Journal and Occasional Writings of Sarah Wister (Rutherford, N.J., London, and Toronto, 1987), pp. 17, 22.
9. The Wisters’ Quaker clerk: Townsend Ward, “The Germantown Road and Its Associations,” PMHB, V (1881), p. 389. When he came to Passy BF “treated him with the Civilities” Sarah Bache had desired: BF to Sarah Bache, June 27–Aug. 12, 1780 (Mrs. Martin H. Kendig, Chicago, 1955).
1. Probably the former mayor of the city (XVI, 116n), although it is possible she could be referring to the famous Indian trader of the same name (DAB).
2. Her husband also had trouble spelling Louis’ name: XXX, 551.
3. The records of the APS list another letter by Sarah Bache, of which only the address sheet and the following description survive: “Wrote a few days ago by Mr. Ashton; sent packet of newspapers by M. Gerard; now sends more by Mr. Solykoffer. Mentions her children, Willy, Betty and the baby, Mr. Bache, and Temple. ALS. l p.” On April 7, 1780, Jean Conrad Zollickoffer (XXV, 61n) informed BF of his arrival in Bordeaux and that he had brought letters from Sarah Bache and Michael Hillegas. APS.