1To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 28 June 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote you last Week; since which Nothing new has occurr’d, worth communicating save a [paper?] publish’d by Chattin, that has made a great Noise here; one of which I inclose for your Perusal. It has given great Pleasure to many, and only [angered?] those, as I can learn, whose Approbation of it would be a Condemnation of their own Conduct. There are many...
2To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 12 July 1753 (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society On Sunday last, about 45 Minutes after 3 in the Morning, a Dwelling House, one of a continued Row on the West Side of Second-Street in this Town, was struck by Lightning, but, being at that Time untenanted, no Person was hurt. About 6 aClock the same Morning, I went to take a View thereof, and at that Time made some Notes of the Course which I observ’d the...
3William Franklin to Timothy Horsfield, 21 June 1756 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Capt. Orndt having informed the Commissioners, that there are a Number of the Province Arms at Bethlehem, under your Care, which he thinks are better than those belonging to his Company; they have given him Leave to take his Choice of those Arms, and directed him to return as many of those he now has, in the Room of those he shall take. I am Sir your humble...
4William Franklin to Elizabeth Graeme, 7 April 1757 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Morristown National Historical Park At this time William Franklin appears to have been deeply in love with Elizabeth Graeme of Philadelphia. Seven of his letters written to her between his leaving Philadelphia with his father and their sailing from New York survive, and one written after they reached England. Those which give information about his father’s movements and activities not...
5William Franklin to Elizabeth Graeme, 12 May 1757 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am this Moment return’d from an Excursion of four or five Days in the Jerseys. The Mail is made up and the Post just upon his Departure. I detain him just to acknowledge the Receipt of two Letters from you, which I have not Time to read thro’. This is all that I can possibly say at present; your Regard imagine the rest, for Your truely affectionate In a...
6William Franklin to Elizabeth Graeme, 2 June 1757 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library By one Accident or other we are still in N. York. But I know not how to complain of my Detention; for has it not afforded me the Pleasure of another Letter from my Betsy. A Letter for which I cannot be enough thankful. I must answer it in short; the Time of our Departure being now positively fix’d to this Afternoon. The Name of our Pacquet is, The General Wall ,...
7William Franklin to Elizabeth Graeme, 17 July 1757 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library I have now the Pleasure to inform my dearest Betsy that her Franklin is safely arriv’d in England about two Hours ago, after a Passage of 27 Days. I am so much hurried in getting our Things ashore, and enquiring for Horses and Carriages for transporting us up to London, that I have not Leisure to give you any of the Particulars of our Voyage. I design to do it...
8William Franklin to the Printer of The Citizen, 16 September 1757 (Franklin Papers)
I. Printed in The Gentleman’s Magazine , XXVII (September 1757), 417–18. II. Printed in The London Chronicle: or, Universal Evening Post , No. 113, Sept. 17–20, 1757, pp. 275–6. Soon after beginning his negotiations with the Proprietors, Franklin became convinced that they “were repeatedly publishing scandalous and malicious Falshoods against the Assembly and People of Pennsylvania” in the...
9William Franklin to Elizabeth Graeme, 9 December 1757 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Harvard College Library (Sparks) No Doubt you must be much surpriz’d at so many Vessels arriving at different Parts of America from England, without so much as a single Line from the Man who has so often, and so warmly professed himself your Friend and Admirer. The Thoughts, the Suspicions, that must naturally arise in your Breast on this Occasion, my Imagination pictures in such strong...
10To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 3 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I miss’d writing on Friday and Yesterday no Post went from hence, otherwise I should before have acknowledgd the Receipt of your Favour of the 30th. Ulto. Mr. Jackson is prevented from setting off from here so soon as he intended by reason of the matrimonial Affair he mentioned to us not being quite settled. He says he has Letters from the Parties almost...
11William Franklin to Peter Schuyler, 19 June 1759 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Morristown National Historical Park If I am found among the last in congratulating Col. Schuyler and my Country on his Release from Canada, my Distance must be my Apology. It cannot methinks be attributed to a Want of Regard for either, when ’tis recollected that for the Sake of the latter I last War serv’d as an Officer in its Service, and my Esteem for the former prompted me to become...
12William Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 16 June 1760 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I wrote you a few Lines on Saturday last to go per the Pacquet, in which I mention’d a Pamphlet wrote by my Father in Answer to the Remarks on the Letter to Two Great Men. I could not send you one by that Opportunity, but as Capt. Monk has inform’d my Father that he is just upon the Point of sailing to America, and will take Charge of any Thing we may have to...
13William Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 26 August 1760 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library The Mail was made up and sent for Falmouth on Saturday last, so that whether this may reach you by that Conveyance is uncertain. But as I imagine you must all be extremely anxious about the Fate of your very important Acts, and glad to know of every Thing relative to them from time to time, I have scribbled over as fast as possibly I could, two Papers which have...
14William Franklin to Sarah Franklin, 10 October 1761 (Franklin Papers)
Copy (incomplete): American Philosophical Society In the summer of 1761 Franklin took his customary annual trip for health and pleasure. This time, instead of traveling in Great Britain, he made his first visit to the Continent, journeying through the Austrian Netherlands and the Dutch Republic (now Belgium and the Netherlands). This letter gives the only extensive surviving account of the...
15To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 7 September 1765 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office Having just heard that there is a Vessel to sail for Bristol Tomorrow Morning from Philadelphia, I embrace the Opportunity to send you a Copy of a Letter I this Week receiv’d from Mr. Coxe, with my Answer, and a Letter from our Speaker to the Speaker of Massachusets Bay. Mr. Coxe never consulted me on his Resignation, but on the contrary told me about 10 Days ago...
16To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 13 November 1765 (Franklin Papers)
AL (incomplete): American Philosophical Society Mr. James Logan has just called upon me, to let me know that there is a Vessel sails Tomorrow for Liverpool, and that he returns to Philadelphia early in the Morning in hopes of being in Time to write by her. Had I known anything of this Vessel’s being to sail before, I should have wrote you a long Letter, as I have a great deal to communicate...
17To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 17 December 1765 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Public Record Office You will probably have heard before this reaches you of the Return of Col. Croghan, and the Success he every where met with in his Negotiations with the Indians. Frequent Attempts (some of them very expensive) had been before fruitlessly made by the Military to take Possession of the Illinois. And tho’ that valuable Country has of Right belonged to us ever since the...
18To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, [May? 1767] (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society This communication in the handwriting of William Franklin, but without salutation, date, or signature, exactly fills both sides of a single sheet of paper. Because it deals with a confidential and delicate matter and concludes the last manuscript line with the admonition “Do burn this,” it seems highly likely that William sent it to his father enclosed in...
19To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 16 May 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have this Moment heard of Mr. Francis’s being to embark To morrow Morning for England. His unfortunate Connection with Mr. Hagen, a considerable Merchant in London, who has lately fail’d is the Occasion of his sudden Departure. The Distress which must be necessarily brought on him and his Family, in case Hagens’s Affairs should prove as bad as...
20To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 10 June 1767 (Franklin Papers)
AL (incomplete): American Philosophical Society I have before me your two Favours of March 19, and April 11, which came by the Pacquet. Your Remarks on the Report of the Board of Trade have been printed, and never any thing met with more general Approbation. Even the Proprietary Party are warm in its Praises. Alexr: Houston, I am told, has acknowledg’d that he did not believe that all the...
21To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 22 August 1767 (Franklin Papers)
AL (fragments) and LS (incomplete): American Philosophical Society Since my last I am favor’d with [yours] of May 20, per Mr. Odell, May 23d. per Packet, and [June?] 6, per Gilbert. The second came to hand but [ torn ] Yesterday above a Week after the [last?]. From the little [ remainder of page missing .] The Assembly of New Jersey have made Prov[ision] for supplying the King’s Troops with...
22To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 23 October 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote to you Yesterday in a Hurry on hearing that the Packet was to sail from New York Tomorrow but my Letter got over to Bristol too late for the Post, who it seems missed his Tuesday’s Stage and did not get into Philadelphia till Wednesday, and the Postmaster kept him till Thursday Morning and then dispatch’d him early, whereas in common he is not...
23To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 3 November 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I must beg Leave to recommend the Bearer, Daniel Coxe, Esqr; of Trenton, to your Civilities and good Offices; and desire you would introduce him to Mr. Jackson, and such other of our Friends as you think may any ways contribute to make his Stay in London either advantageous or agreeable. I am, Honoured Sir, Your ever dutiful Son, Daniel Coxe ( c .1739–1826)...
24To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 22 January 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote to you Yesterday, when I acquainted you that I had not receiv’d any Letters from you by the Pacquet, the Bag being either lost or not forwarded by the last Post, but he has since return’d and I have this Moment the Pleasure of receiving yours of Octr. 9. and Novr. 13; the last enclos’d in a Cover dated Novr. 17. I have but just Time to mention this,...
25To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 10 May 1768 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I receiv’d your Favors of Jany. 9, 29, Feby. 13, and Mar. 13. I think I before acknowledg’d the Receipt of the Remainder of the Postscript of Decr. 19. It is not in my Power to give such particular Answers to them as I could wish, being now busily engag’d with the Assembly, who are just on the Point of Rising. Besides I am in doubt whether this will find...
26To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, [c. 2 January 1769] (Franklin Papers)
ALS (incomplete): American Philosophical Society Many of your Friends, as well as myself, would be glad to have such a Bust of you. Pray what would be the Expence? That of Lord Halifax, I am told, was not cut in Marble first, but made of Clay, and from that the Casts in Plaister of Paris was made. I am often ask’d for your Prints by your old Friends and Acquaintance, and I have given among...
27To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, [31 January 1769] (Franklin Papers)
ALS (perhaps incomplete): American Philosophical Society The last Packet, which left England about the Middle of Novr. brought no Letter from you, that I can hear of, except one to the Committee of Correspondence. I imagine your Time must be almost wholly engross’d in attending on the publick Business at this important Crisis, and in writing for the Press. I see a Number of Pieces in the...
28To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 2 March 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society The Mail which [left?] England in December is arriv’d, but I have not [heard?] from you, nor had I one by the November Mail. I apprehend that it must be owing either to the Letters being detain’d at the Post Office in London, or else to their being intercepted by some impertinently curious Person between New-York and here. At first I was apprehensive that...
29To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 11 May 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society A few Days ago I was favoured with your Letter of the 20th. of March by Capt. Creighton. The Packet which left England the 7th. of March is since arrived, but I had no Letter by her from any one. I suppose (tho’ you do not mention it) that you have wrote to me before relative to the Letters I sent you by the January Mail; perhaps by Sparks who is not yet...
30To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 1 September 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I came to Town with Betsy on Monday last in order to stand for my little Nephew. He is not so fat and lusty as some Children at his Time are, but he is altogether a pretty little Fellow, and improves in his Looks every Day. Mr. Baynton stood as Proxy for you and named him Benjn Franklin, and my Mother and Betsy were the God Mothers. I did not know that...