4171From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 12 April 1759 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Calling here just now, I find a Bag not taken away, and as my Letters are gone or going, part by the Ships now at Portsmouth and part per Packet to be dispatch’d on Saturday, I write this Line to let you know we are well, and that you may not be uneasy at not having one Letter by this Ship. Now I think on’t; there was a Trunk sent last year by the...
4172From Benjamin Franklin to David Hall, 8 April 1759 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia I have yours of Novr. 20. Decr. 5 and 8, and Jany. 18, with a Postscript of Feb. 5. Your prudent Conduct in my Absence, with regard to the Parties, as well as in every other respect, gives me great Satisfaction. If I do not correspond so fully and punctually with you as you expected, consider the Situation and Business I am in, the...
4173From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, [c. 7 April 1759] (Franklin Papers)
LS (incomplete): American Philosophical Society [ First part missing ] By the same I shall write to dear Precious, Cousin Debby, and some other Friends. I have now only to let you know what I have sent in these Ships. There are two or 3 Boxes; Mr. Neate shipt them, but I know not on board which Ship, as he has not sent me the Bills of Lading. They were shipt on board [the] Cornelia Capt. Smith...
4174From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 7 April 1759 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Yale University Library Mr. Galloway I have your Favours of November 18 and February 9. Since my last our old Agent Mr. Patridge is deceas’d. You see something of my Friend Mr. Jackson in his Opinion and private Paper of Advice on our Affairs, which I last year transmitted to you. He is a Gentleman of considerable Fortune, and no Man in England has a greater Regard for the Colonies. He...
4175From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas Holme, 27 March 1759 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I received your Favour of the 17th. Instant, with the Accounts, which are clear and satisfactory. And as you are so kind as to offer any farther Service in this Affair, may I take the Freedom to request you would make and send me a Draft of such a Discharge for me to sign, as will be proper and satisfactory to Mr. Fisher? If the Money could be paid by...
4176From Benjamin Franklin to Isaac Norris, 19 March 1759 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Yale University Library This unusually full and explicit letter describes more clearly than virtually any other contemporary document the attitude of leading members of the ministry on some of the constitutional questions which were to become increasingly important in the relations between the colonies and the mother country during the next fifteen or sixteen years. In the light of what...
4177From Benjamin Franklin to Israel Pemberton, 19 March 1759 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Boston Public Library I received your Favour of December 11, and January 19. By those Ships you will receive some of the printed Enquiries, to which Post’s first Journal is added, which being more generally interesting, occasions the other to go into more Hands and be more read. Extracts of your and Mr. Thomson’s Letters are also added to make the Thing more compleat. Mr. Hall has Orders...
4178Preface to Dr. Heberden’s Pamphlet on Inoculation, 16 February 1759 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in [William Heberden], Some Account of the Success of Inoculation for the Small-Pox in England and America. Together with Plain Instructions, By which any Person may be enabled to perform the Operation, and conduct the Patient through the Distemper . London: Printed by W. Strahan, M,DCC,LIX. (Historical Society of Pennsylvania) Since at least 1730, Franklin had advocated inoculation...
4179Petition to the King in Council, [2 February 1759] (Franklin Papers)
I. Draft: American Philosophical Society. II. Copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania; also two additional copies: Historical Society of Pennsylvania During the Indian conference at Easton in November 1756, the Delaware chieftain Teedyuscung, dramatically accused the Proprietors of having defrauded his people of lands in northeastern Pennsylvania. Governor Denny promptly relayed this charge...
4180Comments on Hoadly and Wilson’s Electrical Pamphlet, 28 January 1759 (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society; italicized text summarized from Dr. [Benjamin] Hoadly and Mr. [Benjamin] Wilson, Observations on a Series of Electrical Experiments (London, 1756). (Yale University Library) In August 1756 Benjamin Hoadly and Benjamin Wilson, English electrical experimenters, published a 76-page pamphlet entitled Observations on a Series of Electrical Experiments . In it...
4181Poor Richard Improved, 1758 (Franklin Papers)
Poor Richard improved: Being an Almanack and Ephemeris … for the Year of our Lord 1758: … By Richard Saunders, Philom. Philadelphia: Printed and Sold by B. Franklin, and D. Hall. (Yale University Library) This is the twenty-sixth and last almanac in this series which Franklin prepared himself; thereafter David Hall assumed the responsibility. Appropriately, the contents of this almanac make it...
4182Benjamin Franklin and Richard Jackson: Opinion on the Expedition to Fort Duquesne, [November–December 1758] (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Public Record Office, London This undated document was probably written in the latter part of November or in December 1758, or possibly as late as the first two weeks or so of January 1759, although it has previously been assigned to the last half of 1757. No “Winter Expedition” against Fort Duquesne had been undertaken, or even definitely planned, for late 1757 or the first months of...
4183From Benjamin Franklin to the Printer of The London Chronicle, 30 December 1758 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The London Chronicle: or Universal Evening Post , December 28–30, 1758; draft: American Philosophical Society. When people consider the supply of Twelve Millions as necessary for the service of the ensuing year, the greatness of the object astonishes; and they are apt to say, Whence can so vast a sum arise? Can England possibly bear the continuance of a war at so enormous an...
4184From Benjamin Franklin to James Bowdoin, 2 December 1758 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Benjamin Franklin, Experiments and Observations on Electricity (London, 1769), pp. 369–74. The problem of “augmenting the Benefit of Fire” and cutting expenditures for fuel compelled Franklin’s attention throughout his life. The Pennsylvania fireplace represents his earliest and most famous attempt to solve it. A less familiar contrivance, conceived for the same...
4185From Benjamin Franklin to Thomas and Richard Penn, 28 November 1758 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission I yesterday receiv’d a Paper from Mr. Paris, containing your Answer to the Heads of Complaint, wherein I am inform’d that the Proprietaries, “to take off all pretence of Clamour, are very ready to have the annual Income of their Estate enquired into, and are as ready to contribute whatever the said Sum [viz. £5000 by them formerly ordered to...
4186From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 11 November 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote you a long Letter of Sept. 16. and again I wrote to you Oct. 2. since which I have receiv’d your Favour of Augt. 15. You mention its being sent by the Son of our good Friend Dr. Perkins. I have not seen him yet, but shall endeavour to find him out. I hope my Health is now pretty well established by the frequent Journies I have made this Summer, and...
4187From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 21 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have wrote you a long Letter of 3 Sheets per Duncan, and sent also in a large Pacquet directed to you, a great Number of Letters for my Friends. By Bolitho I shall send you some Stuff for Chair Bottoms, and an Iron Oven if I can get it on board. Seal the enclos’d before you forward it. I have this Day got a most violent Cold, but hope it will wear off...
4188From Benjamin Franklin to the Printer of The London Chronicle, 19 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The London Chronicle: or, Universal Evening Post , September 16–19, 1758. Partly on the testimony of Lord Baltimore’s uncle and secretary, Cecilius Calvert, and partly from internal evidence, Verner W. Crane attributed these “Queries” to Franklin. Although he was not officially connected with any group in Maryland, Franklin’s intervention in the disputes of that province is easily...
4189From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 16 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I wrote you a few Lines on the 6th Inst. in which I omitted acknowledging the Receipt of your several Favours of April 17. May 9. and June 16. They all got safe to hand with the several Papers as mention’d; but the Votes, except what related to Smith’s Affair, I have not yet received. No Report has yet been made by the Attorney and Solicitor General, nor any now...
4190From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 16 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I received your Favour of June 17. I wonder you have had no Letter from me since my being in England. I have wrote you at least two and I think a third before this; And, what was next to waiting on you in Person, sent you my Picture. In June last I sent Benny a Trunk of Books and wrote to him. I hope they are come to hand, and that he meets with...
4191From Benjamin Franklin to Charles Norris, 16 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress I received your Favours of May 17. and June 15. and am glad the Books on Husbandry and Gardening got safe to hand. I shall send the others you write for per Bolitho, if I can get them on board. I hope the Crab Apple Trees you have planted will grow, and be propagated in our Country. I do not find that England any where produces Cyder of equal Goodness with what I...
4192From Benjamin Franklin to Isaac Norris: “Separate Notes,” 16 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
AD : Library of Congress Baskerville is printing Newton’s Milton in two Volumes, 8vo. I have inserted your Name in his List of Subscribers, as you mention your Inclination to encourage so deserving an Artist. It is certain that the Government here are inclin’d to resume all the Proprietary Powers, and I make no doubt but upon the first Handle they will do so. I only think they wish for some...
4193From Benjamin Franklin to Hugh Roberts, 16 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania Your kind Letter of June 1. gave me great Pleasure. I thank you for the Concern you express about my Health, which at present seems tolerably confirm’d by my late Journeys into different Parts of the Kingdom, that have been highly entertaining as well as useful to me. Your Visits to my little Family in my Absence are very obliging, and I hope you will...
4194Accounts with Isaac Norris, 15 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
MS account: American Philosophical Society; MS account book: Library Company of Philadelphia During Franklin’s first English residence he carried out numerous financial transactions for Isaac Norris. At his friend’s request he bought and sent to Philadelphia a telescope, several books and pamphlets, medicines, and a surprising number of decanters and other forms of glassware; he advanced money...
4195From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 6 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted in part from Duane, Works , VI , 36–9; in part from The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography , VIII (1884), 403–6; remainder missing. In mine of June 10th, by the Mercury, captain Robinson, I mentioned our having been at Cambridge. We staid there a week, being entertained with great kindness by the principal people, and shown all the curiosities of the place;...
4196From Benjamin Franklin to Joseph Galloway, 6 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I have been much in the Country this summer, travelling over great Part of the Kingdom, partly to recover my Health, and partly to improve and increase Acquaintance among Persons of Influence. Being just come to Town, I find this Ship on the Point of Sailing; so can only now say, that I have receiv’d your Favour of July 28. with the Papers enclos’d which I am very...
4197A Letter from Father Abraham to His Beloved Son, August 1758 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The New-England Magazine , I , no. 1 (August 1758), 20–8. About a year after Franklin’s nephew, Benjamin Mecom, had set up his press in Boston, he launched upon the ambitious plan of publishing a magazine. The first of the three issues (all that ever appeared) of this journal, the New-England Magazine , was dated August 1758. Among its contents are Mecom’s dedication to “a good old...
4198From Benjamin Franklin to Mary Stevenson, 20 August 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society My Son I know intended writing to you this Morning, so as to send per this Days Post; but sundry unexpected Hindrances have prevented him as well as me. He is gone to dine abroad, and I doubt will hardly be able to disengage himself before the Post goes. Therefore, as well as to acknowledge the Receipt of your kind Favour of the 18th. I snatch a Moment from...
4199Gravestone Inscriptions at Ecton and Banbury, [July 1758] (Franklin Papers)
MS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania When Franklin visited Ecton in Northamptonshire and Banbury in Oxfordshire seeking the remains and records of the English Franklins, he had his son copy the gravestone inscriptions of Uncle Thomas Franklin (A.5.2.1) and his wife Eleanor at Ecton, and of Grandfather Thomas Franklin (A.5.2) and his son John at Banbury. The inscriptions, as transcribed by...
4200Genealogical Chart of the Franklin Family, [July 1758] (Franklin Papers)
AD : Historical Society of Pennsylvania Soon after returning to London from his July visit to Ecton and Banbury, Franklin made an elaborate genealogical chart in which he brought together both the information he had gathered on this trip and his own previous knowledge. He drew circles to represent individuals and inserted in each (sometimes spilling over the edges) such vital data as he had...