Benjamin Franklin Papers
Documents filtered by: Author="Franklin, William" AND Recipient="Franklin, Benjamin" AND Period="Colonial" AND Period="Colonial" AND Correspondent="Franklin, Benjamin"
sorted by: date (ascending)
Permanent link for this document:
https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Franklin/01-16-02-0107

To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 1 September 1769

From William Franklin

ALS: American Philosophical Society

Philade. Septr. 1, 1769

Honoured Father

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.6

I did not know that Friend7 was to sail so soon or I should have wrote to you and Mr. Wharton before I left Home. Here it is not in my Power for I am not a Minute without Interruption, and am put under such a Course of Eating and Drinking that I am not able to do any Thing else.

I had the Pleasure of receiving your Letter of the 28th. of June per Capt. Keays.8 It was delivered to Mr. Galloway at Chester who brought it up last Night. I cannot answer any Part of it now, as I am in doubt whether this will be in Time; the Passengers being to leave Town this Morning; but I shall write soon. I sent you lately a Bill of Mr. Odell’s for £25 Sterling9 and shall send you the 2d. by the next Packet.

Betsy wants a Pair of handsome fashionable Stone or Paste Buckles, and I shall be obliged to you if you would purchase a Pair and send them by the first safe Opportunity. She joins in Duty with, Honored Sir, Your ever affectionate and dutiful Son

Wm. Franklin

Neither the July Packet, nor Jefferies1 yet arriv’d.

Addressed: To / Benjamin Franklin, Esqr. / Depy. Postmaster General / of N. America &c / Craven Street / London / per Favor / of Mr. Bremner2

Endorsed: Wm. Franklin

[Note numbering follows the Franklin Papers source.]

6See the preceding document.

7Captain James Friend of the Carolina, whose clearance for London was announced in the Pa. Chron., Aug. 28–Sept. 4, 1769.

8W. Keais of the Nancy and Sukey; loc. cit. BF’s letter has not survived.

9For the Rev. Jonathan Odell see the preceding document. His bill was drawn on the treasurer of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel: “Memoranda” (vol. LXVII, no. 11), APS.

1James Jeffries of the snow Britannia, who arrived soon afterward: Pa. Chron., Sept. 4–11, 1769.

2See the preceding document.

Index Entries