1From Benjamin Franklin to Sarah Franklin Bache, 29 January 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): American Philosophical Society I received your agreable Letters of Oct. 11. and Nov. 5. I met with Mr. Bache at Preston, where I staid two or three Days, being very kindly entertained by his Mother and Sisters, whom I lik’d much. He came to town with me, and is now going home to you. I have advis’d him to settle down to Business in Philadelphia where he will always be...
2From Benjamin Franklin to Sarah Bache, 6 April 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress I received your pleasing Letter of Jan. 5. I am glad you have undertaken the Care of the Housekeeping, as it will be an Ease to your Mother, especially if you can manage to her Approbation; that may perhaps be at first a Difficulty. It will be of Use to you if you get a Habit of keeping exact Accounts; and it will be some Satisfaction to me to see...
3From Benjamin Franklin to Richard and Sarah Bache, 31 March 1778 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New York Public Library; AL (draft): Library of Congress His Excellency, M. Gerard, who does me the Honour to take Charge of this Letter, goes Minister from this Court to the Congress. He is a Friend to your Country and to your Father, which gives him a double Claim to your Civilities, and to every Kindness in your Power to show him. It is so long since I have heard from you, and there...
4From Benjamin Franklin to Sarah Bache, 3 June 1779 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William Temple Franklin, The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin, LL.D. F.R.S. &c . … (2nd. ed.; 2 vols., London, 1817), I , 42–5 I have before me your letters of Oct. 22, and Jan. 17th: they are the only ones I received from you in the course of eighteen months. If you knew how happy your letters make me, and considered how many miscarry, I think you would write...
5From Benjamin Franklin to Sarah Bache, 16 March 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your kind Letters of Sept. 14. and 25th. You mention the Silk being in a Box with Squirrel Skins, but it is come to hand without them or the Box. Perhaps they were spoilt by the Salt Water & thrown away; for the Silk is much damag’d and not at all fit to be presented as you propose. Indeed I wonder how having yourself scarce Shoes to your Feet,...
6From Benjamin Franklin to Sarah Bache, 27 June 1780[–12 August 1780] (Franklin Papers)
LS : Mrs. Martin M. Kendig, Chicago, Illinois (1955) I received your pleasing Letters of Nov. 14. Mr. aston whom you recommended to me has been here, and I treated him with the Civilities you desired. I was glad to hear that William, Betsy & Louis, tho’ the two latter are yet Strangers to me, were all well & lively. Will was always lively. Tell me what Improvement he makes in his Learning. He...
7From Benjamin Franklin to Sarah and Richard Bache, [4 October 1780] (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from the Union Art Galleries Sales Catalogue (February 27, 1934), p. 28. I received yours of March 29 by the Nephew of Mr. Gerard; of April 29 by Mrs. Foulk and Fox; of May 2 & July 22. I continue in health, notwithstanding the omission of my yearly Journies, which I have never been able to take since my being in France; being confined necessarily by the Business; but I have a large...
8From Benjamin Franklin to Richard and Sarah Bache, 14 May 1781 (Franklin Papers)
Incomplete AL (draft): Library of Congress; incomplete AL : American Philosophical Society; incomplete ALS : Princeton University Library; incomplete copy and partial ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I received your pleasing Letters of Jan. 14. & 16. and one since of the 30th of March with the Newspapers. They gave me great Pleasure, as they inform’d of your Health and that of your...
9From Benjamin Franklin to Richard and Sarah Bache, 5 November 1781 (Franklin Papers)
ALS (draft): Library of Congress Enclos’d I send you some late Letters of Ben’s to me, by which you will learn his Welfare. I have agreed to take here an American’s Bill for 100£ Sterling lent him. I shall send it to you when I receive it, and I desire you to lay it out for me in a Share of the Bank. I am well, and shall soon write to you more fully. I have ordered Casks of the best Claret to...
10From Benjamin Franklin to Richard and Sarah Bache, 19 January 1782 (Franklin Papers)
Copies: American Philosophical Society, Library of Congress, Historical Society of Princeton This will be deliver’d you by Mr John Vaughan, son of a worthy friend of mine & a very amiable good young man. He has been some years in France & Spain Studying the two languages & acquiring commercial knowledge. His Establishmt. in America has ever been the Intention of his parents as well as his...
11From Benjamin Franklin to Sarah and Richard Bache, 26 June 1782 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have only time to write a few Lines. I am well, and your Son was well about 10 Days ago. He is not in the Town of Geneva, where the Government is at present in Disorder; but is at the Master’s Country-House, a few Miles distant where he goes on with his Studies. Let me know in your next what his Age is, which I have forgotten.— I send enclos’d some of his...
12From Benjamin Franklin to Richard and Sarah Bache, 27 July 1783 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library; press copy of ALS : American Philosophical Society I have received lately several Letters from you, which gave me a great deal of Pleasure, as they inform’d me of your Welfare and that of the Children. Being inform’d that Benny had been ill of a Fever, and that he was dejected & pin’d at being so long absent from his Relations, I sent for him to come to me during...
13From Benjamin Franklin to Sarah Bache, 26 January 1784 (Franklin Papers)
Transcript, AL (draft), and press copy of LS : Library of Congress Franklin had been aware of the Society of the Cincinnati since at least mid-December, when Pierre-Charles L’Enfant arrived in Paris to deliver George Washington’s letters and begin the work of establishing a French branch. A week after L’Enfant’s arrival, however, Franklin still knew nothing specific about the organization and...