Benjamin Franklin Papers
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To Benjamin Franklin from Jacob Spicer, 20 September 1742

From Jacob Spicer6

ALS: American Philosophical Society

Mr. Franklin,

Cape May Sepr. 20th. 1742

Sir,

The difficulty I have Labour’d under Some time in the management of my Fathers affairs, for want of giving publick notice, Obliges me to desire you would Insert the advertisement Inclos’d,7 and for defraying the Charge thereof, I have also Inclos’d Five Shillings, if I mistake not the usual Sum that is Generally given for Services of that Kind, But if in Case it is not Sufficient then I will pay the whole of your demand; unto you or your Order upon the first Notice.

Mr. Flower8 Inform’d me he had agreed with you for your Gazette for one year on our Joint account, Whereof I have Received Several, and if the usual advance be behind unpaid, Let me know it and that shall be discharg’d also. I am Your Humble Servant

Jacob Spicer

Addressed: To  Mr. Benjn. Franklin Printer  In Philadelphia  These

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

6Jacob Spicer (1716–1765), wealthy merchant of Cape May, N.J.; member of the Assembly, 1744–65; contractor for provisioning troops in the French and Indian War. With Aaron Learning he compiled and edited The Grants, Concessions, and Original Constitutions of ... New Jersey, 1758. Susan S. Meech and Susan B. Meech, History of the Descendants of Peter Spicer (priv. printed, 1911), pp. 15–16; I N.J. Arch., XXIV, 625. Spicer’s miscellaneous notes of household affairs are in I N.J. Hist. Soc. Proc., III (1849), 103–4, 193–8. His remarkable ante-nuptial agreement with his second wife, Mrs. Deborah Leaming, is printed in PMHB, XXVI (1902), 404–6.

7The advertisement summoned those with claims against, or debts to, the estate of Major Jacob Spicer (1668–1741), to present their claims or make payment. Pa. Gaz., Oct. 7, 1742, and following weeks. Major Spicer was a member of the New Jersey Assembly, surrogate, and justice of the peace for Cape May. I N.J. Arch., XIX, 393 n; 2 N.J. Hist. Soc. Proc., XIII (1894–95), 50–3; Meech and Meech, History of the Descendants of Peter Spicer, pp. 13–15.

8Possibly Samuel Flower.

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