Benjamin Franklin Papers

To Benjamin Franklin from Esther Smith, 4 September 1780

From Esther Smith8

ALS: American Philosophical Society

London the 4 Septr. 1780

Sir.

I intreat you to Pardon the liberty I have taken in Addressing you, and Beg your Patience, while I explain the reason of my Temerity. I have a worthy Husband, a Resolve Smith who has the Happiness of being employed in the Service of his Country in the Civil line of Life. His dwelling at Philadelphia, from whom I can get no intelligence although I have wrote by many ways. But I have now an opportunity by a Gentleman on whom I can depend to deliver this, if he should be so happy as to be admitted to the Honor of an Interview. If it is not too great a Favor would be very Thankful you would be pleased to forward the inclosed.

I am with the greatest Respect Sir Your most Obedient Humble Servant

Esther Smith

Notation: Esther Smith. London sept. 4. 80

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

8Her identity eludes us. We have made some revisions to her punctuation and capitalization: we have altered periods after “Husband” and “Philadelphia” to commas and introduced capital letters to two words that follow periods, “His” and “But”.

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