To Benjamin Franklin from Deborah Franklin, 31 August 1769
From Deborah Franklin
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Auguste the 31 1769
My Deareste Child
I have but time to tell you that yister day our Dear littel Boy was Caireyed to Christe Church and was baptised by the Name of Benj Franklin. His Unkill and Ante stood for him Mr. Banton as procksey for you and I was well aneuef to stand for my selef.7 I have the pleshuer to tell you that Salley is thank to god as well as we have resen to expeckte her to be and is in a way of makeing a fine nuerse. I thinke it wold be plesed to see houghe much plesher Billey takes in him and thinkes he is a verey fine child he is. I am much hurreyed at this time but this I muste to say. Mr. Petter proformed his offis8 he was so verey kind to cole on us and saw Salley and is verey kinde to her. Mr. Beach had a fine tortol cume in but Sundays we dresed it to diner. The pason from Burlinton came with them.9 Mr. Wharton the father1 dined with us Mr. Banton and pason Petters. One Jentelman of Mr. Beaches maid the whole companey. Everey one semed much plesed and the younk Jentelman behaved verey well and gives everey bodey hapey that have seen him. I am in hope to write by the nexte Packit. Mr. Brenmer is a passaig[er] as is Capt. Elvess and his son is on Bord all so2 the two Elves have seen your son and is to tell you aboute him. I donte say as it wold not be thoute possbel he is a fine lim[b]ed child but is verey spair and dilicat some thinke he is darke eyes sume sez blaik eyed but thay is verey prittey. He is verey good and quiet and if it shold plees god to spair him I think much in pleshuer of him. Be so kind as to give my love to good mrs. Stephenson and to Polley to Mr. and Mrs. Strahan to Mr. and Mrs. Weste Capte. Orrey Mr. Gombes.3 I beleve all our children will write but thay air oute to dine to gather and tomorrow we air to dine tomorrow with Mr. Hopkinson4 if I am well aneuef to dine abrod. So I write today leste I not write to morrow you will see hough in Conneckted staet I write. Have or had you seen Mr. Foxcrofte I hope he is well supose you have seen the Commet that is seen in this plase.5 I have not seen it but our children have seen it. I am your afeckshonet wife
D Franklin
I shold a told you that he was dresed in his christening sute and looked verey well in them and will thanke you for them
[In Sally Bache’s Hand:] Mama desires me to tell you that yesterday, she was well enough to dine abroad with us at Mr. F: Hopkinsons——and that yesterday also she recd. a few Lines from you by Capt. Keys, and that she knew nothing of Capt. Osborns sailing.
Addressed: To / Benjamin Franklin Esqr.
7. Sally’s first child and BF’s first legitimate grandchild, Benjamin Franklin Bache, had been born on Aug. 12, 1769, and hence was not yet three weeks old. In addition to DF the godparents were WF and his wife (see the next document) and, as BF’s surrogate, John Baynton of Baynton, Wharton & Morgan, for whom see above, VII, 37 n; XII, 272, 274. DF was still weak from her illness of the previous winter, for which see Thomas Bond to BF above, June 7, and DF to BF below, Nov. 20–7.
8. For the Rev. Richard Peters, rector of Christ Church, see above, III, 187 n.
9. I.e., with WF and his wife. The “pason” was the Rev. Jonathan Odell, for whom see WF to BF above, March 2, and XIII, 508 n.
1. For Joseph Wharton, Sr., head of the Wharton clan and BF’s “good old true Friend,” see above, XI, 451 n.
2. For James Bremner, the music teacher, see above, XII, 64 n. His companions were probably Capt. Henry Elwes, of the 22nd Regiment of foot, and Henry Elwes, Jr., “of North America,” who died in London in 1773. See Worthington C. Ford, comp., British Officers Serving in America, 1754–1774 (Boston, 1894), pp. 5, 36; Gent. Mag., XLIII (1773), 622. Capt. Elwes landed at Plymouth in October; see his letter to BF below, Oct. 22.
3. The Strahans and Wests and Capt. Lewis Ourry have appeared too often to need introduction. Mr. “Gombes” was Thomas Coombe, Jr., who had gone to England to receive Anglican ordination; see above, XV, 53 n.
4. Francis Hopkinson, who had returned from London two years before. See above, XII, 125 n; XIV, 227.
5. See BF to John Canton above, Aug. 25.