11From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 11 December 1745 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Pennsylvania Hospital; also duplicate: New York Public Library (Berg) While the War continues I find it will not answer to send for any considerable Quantities of Books; for that Business, as well as others grows duller daily, and People are unwilling to give the advanc’d Prices we are now obliged to put on Books, by the excessive Charges of Insurance &c. So at present I only send for a...
12From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 22 December 1745 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library (Berg) The above is a Copy of what I wrote you per Mesnard who sailed about 10 Days ago from this Port. This goes per Capt. Hargrave, who is soon to sail from Maryland. Enclos’d I send you a Bill for £15.7.1, which I hope will be readily paid. Enclos’d is also a Letter to Mr. Collinson, containing an Order for Books for the Library, which when you deliver you will...
13From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 26 April 1746 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : University of Pennsylvania Library; also duplicate: Boston Public Library I have had no Line from [you] since that dated June 1745, which, with your equal Silence to our Friends Hall and Read, made me apprehend that Death had depriv’d me of the Pleasure I promis’d myself in our growing Friendship: But Lieut. Grung writing in February last that you and your Family were well, convinces me...
14From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 22 May 1746 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society; also duplicates: New York Public Library and Pierpont Morgan Library This is only to enclose a third Bill, for £15.0.0 Sterling the first and second of which went from this Port directly and from Annapolis: And to desire you to send me two setts of Popple’s Mapps of N. America one bound the other in Sheets, they are for our Assembly; they also want the...
15From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 25 September 1746 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (2): Western Reserve Historical Society and Pierpont Morgan Library; also duplicate: Yale University Library Your Favours of Feb. 11. and May 1. are come to hand. Mesnard arrived safe this Morning, and I suppose I shall have the Trunks out in a Day or two. Our other Ships Lisle and Houston not yet come, but daily expected. I am much oblig’d to you for your ready Compliance with my...
16From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 1 January 1747 (Franklin Papers)
Duplicate: Yale University Library This is only to enclose a Bill of Exchange for £25 Sterling, and to wish you and good Mrs. Strahan, with your Children &c. many happy new Years. Mr. Hall continues well. We shall both write largely per Seymour. This via New York. I am, &c.
17From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 4 January 1747 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Mrs. Thomas S. Gates, Philadelphia (1957); also duplicate: Yale University Library I wrote a Line to you some days since, via New York, enclosing a Bill of £25 Sterling; the second in a Copy by some other Vessel from that Port; the third you have herein, together with a Bill of £60 Sterling, which I hope will be duly honour’d. My Wife wrote to you per Mesnard for 6 Nelson’s Justice, 6...
18From Benjamin Franklin to [William Strahan?], 1 May 1747 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute, Utica, N.Y. (1955) This is only to cover a Bill of Exchange for Eleven Pounds 2 s. 2½ d. Sterl. drawn on Richd. Atkinson of Colthouse by Wm. Satterthwaite, and to inform you that we are all well, as I hope this will find you and yours. I am Your most humble Servant This via New York. Copy with first Bill and Letter of Advice via Boston by the Mermaid...
19From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 1 June 1747 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Mr. Hall will acquaint you of the Footing we are about to go upon &c. &c. I have only time to acquaint you, that I have sent you several Bills lately, and will speedily remit you whatever shall be due to you after the Receipt of the Parcel of Books some time since wrote for. My best Respects to Mrs. Strahan and Wishes of Happiness to you and all Yours, in...
20From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 29 July 1747 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from The Atlantic Monthly , LXI (1888), 26. Your Favours of March 18 and April 1 are come to Hand with all the Books, &c. mentioned in the invoice, in good Order, and am much obliged to you for your ready Compliance with all my Requests. I believe I could have got Subscriptions for 20 Sets of the Universal History, and perhaps more, but unluckily a Ship from Ireland...
21From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 28 November 1747 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your Favour of June 11. per Capt. Tiffin, with the Books, &c. all in good Order. Mr. Parks, who drew the Bill on Guidart & Sons, is surpriz’d at their Protesting it, they having, as he says, large Effects of his in their Hands: He will speedily renew that Bill. Enclos’d I send you a Bill on Xr. Kilby Esqr, for £19.7.1½ Sterling, which I hope will...
22From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 4 February 1748 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Huntington Library Enclos’d is a second Bill for £19 7 s. 1½ d. Sterling. The first I sent you some time since. Mr. Hall will write, tho’ neither of us have much Time, the Vessel hurrying away for fear of the Ice. I shall soon send you more Bills. With my best Respects to Mrs. Strahan, in which my Dame joins, and hearty Wishes for the Welfare of you and yours, I am, Dear Sir, Your...
23From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 19 October 1748 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Pierpont Morgan Library I receiv’d your Favour of April 25, with the Maps, &c. I am glad the Polybius did not come, and hope you will not have sent it when this reaches your Hands; it was intended for my Son, who was then in the Army, and seemed bent on a military Life; but as Peace cuts off his Prospect of Advancement in that Way, he will apply himself to other Business. Enclos’d I send...
24From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 23 November 1748 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Buffalo Historical Society I have just Time to acquaint you that yours per Cowie is this moment come to hand, with Mr. Read’s Account &c. I shall use my best Endeavours to get your Money, and am not without Hopes of Succeeding. I wrote you the 19th past, and sent a Power with the first of the enclos’d Certificates, which I hope will get safe to hand. You may depend on having the Ballance...
25From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 9 January 1749 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library This just serves to cover a Bill of Exchange for £8 8 s. o d. Sterling, and to let you know we are all well. It goes via New York, our River being full of Ice. I shall write you largely per our next Vessel, particularly about Mr. Read’s Affair. I wrote to you per our two last Vessels. The Post just going, cannot add but that I am Dear Sir, Your obliged Friend and...
26From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 28 February 1749 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; extract reprinted from Stan V. Henkels, Catalogue No. 906, pt. 2, supplement (October 26, 1904), item 2910. Our Friend Hall goes on exceedingly well: Has lately got a Daughter. Mary, first child of David and Mary Hall, was born Feb. 7, 1749, and died before Sept. 27, 1750. PMHB , XVI (1892), 364; LX (1936), 458.
27From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 29 April 1749 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Pierpont Morgan Library I suppose Mr. Hall will acquaint you that I have settled with him for those Things you sent me that were charg’d in his Invoice. Enclos’d are the following Bills, viz. Richard Graham’s £22. 0. 0 James M’Nab’s 3. 10. 0 Hammond & Co’s 2. 13. 7 Do 8. 8. 0 Do
28From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 3 July 1749 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Bigelow, Works , X , 252–3. I wrote to you very fully per Arthur concerning your affair with Mr. Read, and shall have nothing to add on that subject till I hear further from you. I acquainted you that he had given his bond for the balance due to you, and that I do not look on the debt as desperate. Enclosed I send you several second bills, having sent the firsts...
29From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 23 October 1749 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Bigelow, Works , X , 253–4. I hope before this can reach you your Parliament will have met and ordered payment of what has been so long due on account of the Canada expedition. In the settling our account I will make you a reasonable allowance for the disappointment occasioned by the delay of my son’s bill. J. Read has removed into a house of less rent, which I was...
30From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 2 June 1750 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; facsimiles of ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania and Boston Public Library The Person from whom you had the Power of Attorney to receive a Legacy, was born in Holland, and at first call’d Aletta Crell; but not being Christen’d when the Family came to live among the English in America, she was baptiz’d by the Name of Mary . This Change of Name probably might be unknown to...
31From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 6 December 1750 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I receiv’d your Favour of Augt. 31. per Mesnard, and Copy per Shirley who is just arrived. Mr. Joseph Crellius is gone to Holland and I suppose may call at London before he returns, and settle his Daughter’s Affair. I am sorry there has been so long Delay in this Payment of my Son’s Money; I must contrive some Way to make you Satisfaction. My Son is now...
32From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 4 February 1751 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I wrote you per Capt. Budden, who sail’d the Beginning of December, and sent you a Bill of Exchange on Jonathan Gurnel & Co. for Fifty Pounds, and desired you to send me Viner’s, Bacon’s and Danvers’s Abridgments of the Law, with Wood’s and Coke’s Institutes. I have no Copy of the Letter, and forget whether I added the Compleat Attorney in 6 or 8 Vols. 8vo. the...
33From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 28 June 1751 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library I receiv’d yours of March 26. with the Books per Smith in good Order: And your Account, which agrees with mine except in a Trifle, the Share of the Charges on Ainsworth carried to J. Read’s Account. I am concern’d at your laying so long out of your Money, and must think of some Way of making you Amends. I have wrote to Smith at Antigua to quicken him in...
34From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 19 July 1751 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Bigelow, Works (Federal Edition, 1904), XII , 253. This serves to cover the enclosed and recommend the affair to your care. I have assured the gentlemen concerned that you will serve them as well and cheap as any bookseller in London. They are men of ability, and will be constant customers. We are all well, and join in the most cordial salutations to you, Mrs....
35From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 22 September 1751 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library My Daughter receiv’d her Books all in good Order, and thanks you for your kind Care in sending them. Enclos’d is a second Bill for £20 Sterling. The first went per Mesnard. There is a little Book on the Game of Chess, by Philip Stamma, printed for J. Brindley, 1745. If to be had, please to send it me; with the Remaining Vols. of Viner as fast as they are...
36From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 21 March 1752 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from The Atlantic Monthly , lxi (1888), 29. I wrote to you in the Winter via New York, for a few Books, and sent a 2d Bill of £30 Barbados Currency. The first is enclos’d. I hope it came to Hand Time enough for you to meet with the Gentleman and get the Money. He is Capt. of a Ship, and was to be found in the New England Coffee House, but probably may be gone before you...
37From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 20 June 1752 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I received yours of Jan. 17. with the two Vols. of Viner, in good Order: but the Ship proving leaky, the Water got into the Box containing poor Sally’s Dressing Glass, by which means the Glue being dissolved, the Frame parted, the Glass dropt out and broke to pieces, and the Wood Work is so twisted and cast out of Shape in drying again, that nothing...
38From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 7 August 1752 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Boston Public Library I wrote to you lately per Mesnard, and sent a Bill for £50 Sterling, with a List of Books to be purchased for our Library; a Copy of which I shall send per another Ship that sails in a few Days. This is chiefly to recommend to you Mr. Matthias Harris, a Gentleman of Maryland, and a Friend of mine. As he will be entirely a Stranger in London, your Acquaintance and...
39From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 8 August 1752 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from The Atlantic Monthly , LXI (1888), p. 30. I wrote to you the 20th of June per Mr. Sterling (who I hope is by this Time safe arrived in England) and sent you a Bill of £50 sterling with a List of Books to be procured for our Library. Enclos’d is a Copy, and the 2d Bill. I wrote at the same Time for a Pair of Globes of 6, or 8 Guineas Price; a concave Mirror of 12...
40From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 1 September 1752 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This is only to enclose a second Bill for £20 Sterling, drawn on Alexr Grant Esqr per Mrs. Mary Stevens. I am, Yours affectionately See above, p. 339.