201I Sing My Plain Country Joan, 1742 (Franklin Papers)
MS : American Philosophical Society There can be little doubt that Franklin composed these verses to his wife. They are assigned to him in two different anecdotes, which, though the incidents described are separated by forty years, are not inconsistent. The first, from the family of Franklin’s friend John Bard, relates how, at a meeting of some club, possibly the Junto, someone jokingly took...
202Extracts from the Gazette, 1742 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , January 6 to December 30, 1742. [ Advertisement ] Eben aus der Presse gekommen, Authentische Relation von dem Anlass, Fortgang und Schlusse der am 1sten und 2ten Januarii Anno 1741, 2. in Germantown gehaltenen. Versammlung einiger Arbeiter derer meisten Christlichen Religionen und vieler vor sich selbst Gott-dienenden Christen-Menschen in Pennsylvania;...
203Articles of Agreement with James Parker, 20 February 1742 (Franklin Papers)
ADS : American Philosophical Society Articles of Agreement indented made the twentieth Day of February in the year of our Lord, One Thousand seven Hundred and Forty-One, Between Benjamin Franklin, of the City of Philadelphia in the Province of Pennsylvania Printer, of the One Part, and James Parker of the said City, Printer, of the other Part: Whereas the said Benjamin Franklin, and James...
204Library Company: Acceptance of the Charter, 3 May 1742 (Franklin Papers)
DS : Haverford College Library The increasing property of the Library Company suggested that the time had come to incorporate it. On June 21, 1739, Rev. Richard Peters informed the Directors that the Proprietor was willing to grant a charter, and he proposed to have one drafted for their perusal. “This Discourse of Mr. Peters’s was very pleasing to the Directors present,” the minutes noted....
205Directors of Library Company to Proprietors and Reply, July 1742 (Franklin Papers)
ADS (address) and draft (reply): Historical Society of Pennsylvania; also MS Minute Book (address): Library Company of Pennsylvania. The charter having been accepted, the Directors of the Library Company on May 10 named Franklin, Thomas Hopkinson, and William Coleman to prepare an address of thanks to the Proprietors. On June 14 a draft was presented, read, and approved; but apparently it was...
206To Benjamin Franklin from Jacob Spicer, 20 September 1742 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society 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, 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...
207Card to the Public, 23 September 1742 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , September 23, 1742. It being asserted in a printed Paper, directed to the Freeholders of Pennsylvania , that the Assembly had concealed the State of the publick Accounts from the People, by artfully deferring the Publication of their Minutes, in order to prevent a Detection of some suppos’d Mismanagement of the publick Money; I think I owe this Justice to...
208Receipt Book, 1742–64 (Franklin Papers)
MS Record Book: American Philosophical Society As a man of affairs who frequently made large cash payments, Franklin kept a book for receipts, in which he or the creditor would write out a form of acknowledgment which the creditor would sign on receiving payment. He used this book from 1742 until 1757, when he went abroad; his wife kept it until his return in 1762, when he himself resumed it....
209Poor Richard, 1743 (Franklin Papers)
Poor Richard, 1743. An Almanack For the Year of Christ 1743 ,... By Richard Saunders, Philom. Philadelphia: Printed and sold by B. Franklin, at the New Printing-Office near the Market. (Yale University Library) Because I would have every Man make Advantage of the Blessings of Providence, and few are acquainted with the Method of making Wine of the Grapes which grow wild in our Woods, I do here...
210Extracts from the Gazette, 1743 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The Pennsylvania Gazette , January 4 to December 29, 1743. On Wednesday the 5th Instant, about Two in the Morning, a Fire broke out in Water-Street, at the Blockmaker’s Shop, near the Rose and Crown; and the Chief Buildings thereabouts being Wood, it presently got to such a Head, that tho’ no Industry was wanting, it could not be mastered till 6 or 7 Dwelling Houses, besides Stores,...