1From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 5 July 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress; copy: Pierpont Morgan Library This famous letter was unquestionably not sent. The positive evidence is that the original remained with Franklin’s papers. The negative evidence is that Strahan later gave no sign that he had received such a blast: when he responded on September 6 to a letter, now lost, from Franklin two days after this one, and when he wrote again on...
2From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 3 October 1775 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Public Record Office Since my Arrival here I have received Four Letters from you, the last dated August 2. all filled with your Reasonings and Persuasions, and Arguments and Intimidations on the Dispute between Britain and America, which are very well written, and if you have shewn them to your Friends the Ministers, I dare say, they have done you Credit. In Answer I can only say that I...
3From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, [4 February 1777] (Franklin Papers)
Extract: Henry E. Huntington Library Mrs. Hall and her Sons, whom you enquire after, were well when I left Philadelphia. I was too much employed while there to be often with them; but I heard that their Trade goes on as successfully as ever. Quoted in Strahan to Mrs. Hall, April 7, 1778. She is identified above, XVII , 101 n. Strahan gave the place and date in quoting these sentences, which...
4From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan: Two Versions, 24 January 1780 (Franklin Papers)
(I) Two AL (drafts): American Philosophical Society; (II) ALS : Pierpont Morgan Library; AL (draft): American Philosophical Society Your intelligent Friend has I think been misinformed. It does not seem to me at all probable, that Propositions of Peace are coming to England from America. You began the War, and it belongs to you to propose putting an End to it, which you will do when you think...
5From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 4 December 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library; copy: Library of Congress Not remembring precisely the Address of Mrs Strange, I beg leave to request you would forward the Enclos’d to her, which I receiv’d under my Cover from America. I formerly sent you from Philadelphia part of an Edition of Tully on Old Age, to be sold in London; and you put the Books, if I remember right, into the Hands of Mr Becket for...
6From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 29 July 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Mrs. Arthur Loeb, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1955) Whom I shall probably never have the Pleasure of seeing again: You some time since recommended Miss Beckwith to me; I in consequence recommended her to my Children in Philadelphia: the enclos’d will give you some Information of her present Situation. I hope you & yours continue well, as does Your affectionate Friend & humble Servant...