To Benjamin Franklin from Matthew Ridley, 6 May 1782
From Matthew Ridley
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Hotel d’Vauban May 6h: 1782.
Sir
Monsieur Midy de la Grainerais of Rouen5 being desirous of seeing you to ask some Questions relative to a deed of a Mr. Shaffre’s for Lands in Pensylvania, has begd of me to give him a Letter to you for the purpose.—6 I have told him I doubted much your power of giving him any Information: but he still wishes to see you—
Monsieur de la Grainerais has been introduced to me as a person of strict Honor & considerable Fortune—
I have the Honor to be Sir Your most Obed sert
Matt: Ridley
Addressed: A Son Excellence / Son Excellence B. Franklin Esq / a / Passy
Notation: Ridley May 6. 1782.
5. Most likely Auguste-Louis-Eugène Midy de la Grainerais, a member of an important outfitter-merchant family established at Rouen since the beginning of the century: Pierre Dardel, Commerce, industrie et navigation à Rouen et au Havre au XVIIIème siècle (Rouen, 1966), pp. 148, 208. A summary of this letter in Ridley’s letterbook specified that he was with “La Maison Midy frères” (Mass. Hist. Soc.).
6. In October, 1781, the unfortunate John Shaffer had persuaded BF to certify the form of this deed, which he was trying to use as security for his release from prison: XXXV, 531–2, 588–9, and passim.