1From John Adams to Jonathan Williams, 8 November 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have received your obliging Favour of the 27 of October, and am very much obliged to you for the Trouble you have taken, in sending me the Rum. I have not yet received it, but as soon as it comes, I will send a Dozen to Dr. Bancroft and a Dozen to Mr. Alexander as you desire: But I must decline accepting the Remainder as a Present, for obvious Reasons, one among others is that there is no...
2From John Adams to Jonathan Williams, 11 March 1813 (Adams Papers)
I have, just now received your favour of the 6th. Who, pray, has injured the Character of Commodore John Paul Jones? and in what manner? It would give me Pleasure to furnish any Evidence in my Power in vindication of his Character against any Injury: but I have no recollection of any Acknowledgement of Jones himself, that his Surname was Paul, though I remember that the English Publications...
3From John Adams to Jonathan Williams, 21 November 1778 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Favour of the 12 and yesterday, the Rum was brought here consisting of forty Eight Bottles. Two I Suppose had been used to wet the Whistle of the Porters. I paid Seventy five Livres and the Man was or pretended to be wroth that I gave him no more. Mr. Alexander Shall have his Dozen and his Packet and Dr. Bancroft, his. I beg of you to draw upon me for the Cost of the Rum...
4From John Adams to Jonathan Williams, 30 April 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have, this day recieved your favour of the 25th., which gave me the first Intimation I had of your Intentions for Home. I am glad to learn that Captain Snelling delivered the Letters to you. I will endeavour to Send Some more, by Captain Jones or Some other Safe hand: but are you not Suspicious of your Passage? Be Sure to keep with your Convoy: for my own part I hardly see a Possibility of...
5From John Adams to Jonathan Williams, 9 September 1778 (Adams Papers)
Your Favour of the 3d I duely received and am very much obliged to you for the Trouble you have taken in Writing to my dear Mrs. Adams, and in sending her a few Merchandises to the amount of 229 Livres: 6 s: 9 d which Sum I will immediately pay to Mr. W. T. Franklin as you desire, and I should have been very glad to have paid an additional sum for your Commissions. We are in the Midst of an...
6From John Adams to Jonathan Williams, 15 February 1780 (Adams Papers)
Paris, 15 February 1780. printed : JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams, ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 4:248–249 . John Adams thanked Williams for his letter of 1 Feb. (above) and briefly commented on events in America and the settlement of Williams’ accounts. He applauded Williams’ stated determination to eschew any party spirit,...
7From John Adams to Jonathan Williams, 10 June 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have received yours of 23 of May, and I thank you for the Newspaper it contained. I have received the Resolutions at large, attested by Mr. Thompson, by the Way of Cadiz and another set from London. I pretend not to be Master of the whole system of Congress, nor of all the Facts, and Reasons upon which it is founded. But I think my self sufficiently informed, to give it as my opinion, that...
8The Commissioners to Jonathan Williams, 25 May 1778 (Adams Papers)
Passy, 25 May 1778. printed : JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 4:114–115 . Replying to Williams’ letters of 11 and 18 May (both above), this letter, drafted by Adams, advised Williams that he had no power to act at Brest in regard either to prizes or to American commerce. J. D. Schweighauser was the...
9From John Adams to James Hutchinson, 24 January 1793 (Adams Papers)
I have received the Letter you did me the honour to write me on the twenty Second of this month and I pray you to present to the American Philosophical Society established at Philadelphia for promoting Useful Knowledge, my Thanks for the honour they have done me, by my Election into that Body on the Eighteenth instant. My best acknowledgements are also due to you, Gentlemen for the polite and...
10From John Adams to Jonathan Williams, 14 May 1780 (Adams Papers)
I have received yours of the 9th. I received a Letter signed Jna Williams, as I thought, but it seems it was Jno. Williams. I did not discover my Error, untill after my Answer was gone, when inquiring of Dr. Franklin, I found I must have been mistaken. I have lost, I know not how much, but believe a great deal, in several large Packetts, one from Congress another from the Council of Mass. Bay,...
11The Commissioners to Jonathan Williams, 13 April 1778 (Adams Papers)
Passy, 13 April 1778. printed : JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 4:51 . The Commissioners informed Williams, Benjamin Franklin’s greatnephew and American commercial agent at Nantes (see sketch in Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others,...
12The Commissioners to Jonathan Williams, 9 February 1779 (Adams Papers)
We have received your Letters of the 12 Decr. and 23 of January. In the first You propose that We should write to Messrs. Horneca and Fitzeaux to pass the Amount of the Goods you mention to our Debit. In that of 23 of January, you propose that one of the Cases Still remaining in Mr. Schweighausers Hands should be delivered to you, and that We should give orders to Mess. Horneca &c. to replace...
13From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, 25 November 1762 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Mrs. George S. Maywood, Garden City, N.Y. (1955) I thank you for your kind Congratulations on my Arrival and the Promotion of my Son. I am in hopes I shall be able to see Boston the next Spring, and to have the Pleasure of finding you and my other Friends well. I congratulate you on your having such a Number of Sons. You remember the Blessing on him that has his Quiver full of them. My...
14From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, 10 June 1756 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Connecticut Historical Society I am concern’d that I have not for a long time heard any thing of Sister Douse. Pray inform me how she is. Brothers John, Peter and my self, agreed to contribute towards a small Pension for her Support; I should be glad to know whether it is regularly paid. Inclos’d is a Receipt for 30 Reams of Paper. I wrote to you per Morton and refer to that. My Love to...
15From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, 16 October 1755 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I sent you last Week per Capt. Dole 92 Reams of Demi Printing Paper, best, in two Cases, and 98 Ream of brown; which I hope will come safe to hand, and to a good Market. The Printing Paper to be sold at 15 s . and the Brown at 6 s . this Currency, the lowest. My Love to your Wife and Children. I am Your loving Uncle [ Crossed out: ] P.S. I shall order...
16From Benjamin Franklin to [Jonathan Williams], 26 June 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library Inclos’d is a Receipt for some things of mine sent to your Care. I am thus far on my Journey to Boston, and hope now to have soon the Pleasure of seeing you. My Love to your Wife and Children. Tell my Cousin to have his Harpsichord in good Order, for I love Music and shall be pleas’d to hear him. My Daughter too, that comes with me, plays a little, and will be...
17From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, 4 October 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Before I went abroad this last Summer, I left Orders with my Banker to purchase two Tickets for you, and send you the Numbers. Since my Return I understand the Orders were executed. I hope you receiv’d the Banker’s Letter; if not, this will inform you that the Numbers are 33m799 and 33m800. with which I wish you the best Success. I think I mention’d in a...
18From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, 21 April 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Richard B. Duane, Locust, N.J. (1955) I have received yours of the 12th Inst. As to the Mistake I mention’d, I find on Revisal that it was not in your Account but in my Eyes, which mistook one Figure for another. I wrote to you from Burlington that I should pay your Order in favour of Robinson as soon as I return’d to Town, which I accordingly did. The Sum £47 15 s. 4 d. I should be glad...
19From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, 13 April 1763 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from [Jared Sparks, ed.], A Collection of the Familiar Letters and Miscellaneous Papers of Benjamin Franklin (Boston, 1833), pp. 80–1. You may remember, that about ten years since, when I was at Boston, you and my brother sent directions here to attach on Grant’s right to some land here, by virtue of a mortgage given him by one Pitt. Nothing effectual could be done in...
20From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, 7 June 1756 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Chicago Historical Society I send you per Capt. Morton 20 Reams whited Brown Paper, and 10 of blue. Please to acquaint Mr. Langdon of it; I think that is the Gentleman’s Name who wrote to me for some of both Sorts, but I have mislaid his Letter. He wanted it for Packing Sperma-Ceti Candles. The Price of the brown you know; the blue is 1¼ Dollar per Ream. Credit my Account with the Money...
21From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, 24 February 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have taken the Liberty to trouble you with a Box put this Day on board the Sloop William Capt. Ephraim Jones, directed for you. In it is a Portmantle and Mail Pillon belonging to Mr. Bernard, your Governor’s Son, which please to send to the Governor’s as soon as it gets to hand: Also a Parcel for Sister Mecom; and some Books on Inoculation, which I should...
22From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, 28 November 1763 (Franklin Papers)
Photostat: Historical Society of Pennsylvania I receiv’d yours acquainting me that the Chair is shipt. It is not yet come to hand, but the Armonica is arrived safe, not a Glass hurt. I am much obliged by your Care of my little Affairs. The House, when repair’d, I would have you let to as good a Tenant and for as good a Rent as you can well get: and let me have the Account of Repairs, that it...
23From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, 24 May 1764 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from [Jared Sparks, ed.,] Familiar Letters and Miscellaneous Papers of Benjamin Franklin; Now for the First Time Published (Boston, 1833), p. 93. The bearer is the Reverend Mr. Rothenbuler, minister of a new Calvinist German Church, lately erected in this city. The congregation is but poor at present, being many of them new comers, and, (like other builders) deceived in...
24From Benjamin Franklin to Jonathan Williams, 3 November 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library The Case of the Armonica came home to Night, and the Spindle with all the rest of the Work seems well done. But on farther Consideration, I think it not worth while to take one of them to London to be fitted with Glasses as we intended. It will be better to send you one compleat from thence, made under my Direction, which I will take care shall be good. The...
25From Alexander Hamilton to Jonathan Williams, [12 September 1792] (Hamilton Papers)
[ Treasury Department, September 12, 1792. The catalogue description of this letter reads: “On a financial matter.” Letter not found. ] LS , sold at Parke-Bernet Galleries, Inc., May 24, 1943, Lot 118. Williams, a native of Boston and a great-nephew of Benjamin Franklin, had been prize agent and commercial agent for Congress at Nantes during the American Revolution. After the adoption of the...
26From Alexander Hamilton to Jonathan Williams, 20 June 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, June 20, 1799. “I have to thank you for your obliging attention to my request in transmitting the translations mentioned in your letter of the 17th. I shall peruse them with an eye to the claim of indulgence, which you prefer, though I am persuaded that you might safely have left them to pursue their fortune upon their intrinsic capital. The army is certainly indebted to you for...
27From Thomas Jefferson to Jonathan Williams, 23 February 1809 (Jefferson Papers)
This will be handed you by mr Beverley Randolph a Cadet, who goes on to take his place under you. he is the son of a friend of mine in Virginia, born to independant expectations, but by the entire reduction of his father’s circumstances, left without any resource but in himself. my concern for the family induces me to sollicit on his behalf your friendly counsel & tutelage on all occasions;...
28From Thomas Jefferson to Jonathan Williams, 14 July 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
A press of business has prevented me from sooner acknoleging the reciept of your favor of June 18. altho’ I do not feel myself entitled to give an opinion on questions to which the members of the new military institution are solely competent, yet being requested by you, I shall frankly express it as my opinion that if you appoint all the members of the legislature to be members of the...
29From Thomas Jefferson to Jonathan Williams, 12 January 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I am again to return the tribute of my thanks for the continued proofs of favor from the American Philosophical society; and I ever do it with sincere gratitude, sensible it is the effect of their good will, and not of any services I have it in my power to render them. I pray you to convey to them these expressions of my dutiful acknolegements; and to accept yourselves thanks for the favorable...
30From Thomas Jefferson to Jonathan Williams, 3 January 1808 (Jefferson Papers)
I have duly recieved your circular letter of Nov. 2. with the copy of the Constitution of the United States military Philosophical society & the amendments proposed to it. and in conformity with your request to say in answer whether I assent or dissent, I hereby declare my assent to them. Accept my salutations & assurances of great esteem & respect. NHi : United States Military Philosophical...