1From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Rhoads, 26 January 1756 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from The Historical Magazine , 2d series, I (May 1867), 284–5. I am extreamly oblig’d by your kind Concern express’d for my Safety and Welfare. We march’d hither with the greatest Caution, thro’ some passes, however, in the Mountains, that were very dangerous, if the Enemy had oppos’d and we had been careless. Hitherto God has bless’d and preserved us. We have built one...
2From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Rhoads, 8 July 1765 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I have before me your Favour of May 20th. wherein you mention that you had not heard from me, which I, a little wonder at, as I wrote to you the 14th. of February, and find that Letters to some other Friends of the same date were got to hand. I congratulate you on Your Retirement, and your being able to divert yourself with farming; ’tis an inexhaustible...
3From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Rhoads, 26 June 1770 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania It is a long time since I had the Pleasure of hearing from you directly. Mrs. Franklin has indeed now and then acquainted me of your Welfare, which I am always glad to hear of. It is, I fear, partly, if not altogether, my Fault that our Correspondence has not been regularly continued. One thing only I am sure of; that it has been from no want of Regard...
4From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Rhoads, 10 February 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I received your kind Favour of Nov. 9. and am glad to hear of the Welfare of you and yours. Mentioning to a Friend of mine, Mr. Wooller, an Engineer, your Idea of Paint and Sand, to make Roofs durable and safer from Fire (which I hope you will try, as I think it very likely to succeed) he communicated to me an Account of a new Method of Covering, in the...
5To Benjamin Franklin from Samuel Rhoads, 3 May 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I receiv’d thy kind Favour of Feb: 10 and am much oblig’d by the several usefull papers Pamphlets and Samples contain’d therein. Thy Friend Wooller has taken much Pains in explaining the Method of making our Houses secure from Fire—which I hope will be of great Service—we are much oblig’d to him. I have given several little Bitts of the Lime Stone to some...
6To Benjamin Franklin from Samuel Rhoads, 30 May 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Loxly going early in the Morning to Morrow for London, gives me the Opertunity of Acknowledging thy Favour per Falconer, which with several Canal Papers and Pamphlets came safe to Hand, and I hope will be usefull as I find the Reports of the great Engineers, Smeaton Brindly &ct concerning the Scotch Canal, contain a great deal of Instruction to us...
7From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Rhoads, 22 August 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library; letterbook draft: American Philosophical Society I think I before acknowledg’d your Favour of Feb. 29. I have since received that of May 30. I am glad my Canal Papers were agreable to you. If any Work of that kind is set on foot in America, I think it would be saving Money to engage by a handsome Salary an Engineer from hence who has been accustomed to such...
8To Benjamin Franklin from Samuel Rhoads, 29 October 1773 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Library of Congress Inclos’d are the Votes of the present Assembly. What happen’d last year I doubt not the Speaker has Communicated; this year they sat but a short time, chose their Officers and adjourn’d. Some Domestick Affairs of the Speakers call’d him out of Town Imiediately after he left the Chair; the Committee of Correspondance I presume will not meet till he returns. I have...
9From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Rhoads, 5 January 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania I received your Favours of Oct. 29 and 31, inclosing the Votes, for which I thank you. I am much obliged to the Assembly for the repeated Marks of their Confidence in me. The Great Officers of State having generally been in the Country, no public Business of consequence has for some time been transacted here. But the Parliament meets next Week, when all...
10From Benjamin Franklin to Samuel Rhoads, 30 June 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I send you herewith a few Pamphlets which I request you to distribute among the Committee and others as you may think proper. The Considerations are said to be by Lord Camden, the Speech by the Bishop of St. Asaph, both my good Friends. I hope soon for the Pleasure of finding you and yours well and happy; and am ever Yours affectionately Addressed: To /...