To Benjamin Franklin from Richard Bache, 16 February 1779
From Richard Bache
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Philadelphia February 16, 1779
Dear Sir
I wrote you a few Lines this day by Major West3 a particular Friend of mine— Count Mumford4 does me the honor to take charge of this— I beg leave to introduce him to your acquaintance & civilities— I have formed a commercial connection with Mr. John Shee of this place, under the firm of Bache & Shee, I shall esteem it as a particular favor, your recommending us to some good houses in France in the Commercial line;— by some safe conveyance I purpose troubling you with our circular Letter.5 The Family is well— Sally joins me in love to you & Ben— I am Dear sir Your affectionate son
Rich: Bache
Dr. Franklin
Addressed: His Excelly. / Dr. Benjamin Franklin / Minister Plenipotentiary at the Court of / Versailles
Notation: Philada & Boston
3. William West, Jr. (d. 1795), was commissioned as a captain in the third Pa. battalion on Jan. 5, 1776. Captured at the Battle of Fort Washington on Nov. 16, he was paroled about eight months later. See John B. Linn and William H. Egle, Pennsylvania in the War of the Revolution . . . (2 vols., Harrisburg, 1880), I, 107, and Alexander Graydon, Memoirs of His Own Time . . ., ed. John S. Littell, (Philadelphia, 1846), p. 274. For his later career see Paul A. W. Wallace, “Historic Hope Lodge,” PMHB, LXXXVI (1962), 131–8.
4. Count Montfort.
5. John Shee was a prominent Philadelphia merchant who came to America in the early 1740’s. He had a distinguished record during the Revolution, serving in the third Pa. battalion with William West, Jr. An important member of the Society of the Cincinnati, he later held several government positions. See W. A. Newman Dorland, “The Second Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry,” PMHB, XLIX (1925), 184–6. The house of Bache and Shee apparently engaged in dry-goods commerce, and the circular announcing the firm’s establishment was sent with RB’s letter of April 7, 1779 (APS).