AL : University of Pennsylvania Library <March 22, [1771–74 ]: a note in the third person, in Polly Hewson’s hand. Reminds Franklin that he has promised to dine with them next Thursday.> The Hewsons were married in July, 1770, and he died suddenly in May, 1774. The invitation could have been in any March between those dates, and according to our practice we are assigning it to the earliest...
2To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Hewson, 22 October 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society My Mother hopes you receiv’d a Letter from Mr. Collinson, for she desir’d him to write to you one evening about a Bill which he told her was not accepted. The enclos’d are all that came since you heard last from us. Mr. Strahan presents his Respects to you and begs the Favour of your Company at Dinner next Tuesday to meet Sir John Pringle and some body...
3To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Hewson, 6 July 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society As I had the pleasure of receiving your Letter I am bound to answer it. My Mother I must tell you went off last friday week, took our little Boy with her and left Mr. Hewson the care of her House. The first thing he did was pulling down a part of it in order to turn it to his own purpose, and advantage we hope. This Demolition cannot affect you, who ar...
4To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Hewson, 2 November 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society My Mother orders me to set down to answer all your Hows . The Hewsons young and old are well and thank you for your kind Enquiry. Your Dolly is well. I had a Letter from her to day from Bromley. Lady Barwell is well. Josiah when we heard of him, and Sally, and Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, I met them last Week at Barwell’s. All well. My Mother herself is grown...
5To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Hewson, [late October? 1771] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society My Mother desires me to tell you that there are two Letters from New York and one from Philadelphia and three Packets of News Papers but she is afraid to send them as you have not receiv’d that Mr. Hewson sent you. I write in great Haste. We are all well. Yours affectionately The note might at first glance be dated at any time when BF was away from London...
6To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Hewson, 31 October 1771 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Welcome! my dear and honour’d Friend! Welcome once more to our Island! The Wind may blow now without making our Hearts ake. You were constantly in our Thoughts during the late stormy Weather. I have pray’d for you at Midnight when I have been suckling my little Boy and heard the Window Sashes rattle. I thank God you are safe. The same merciful Being has...
7To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Stevenson, [December 1769] (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society NB Dr Franklin to whom these verses Verses which accompanied her Christmas gift to BF .
8To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Stevenson, 1 September 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Adinell S. Hewson, Bryn Mawr, Pa. (1957) Welcome to England my dear, my honour’d Friend! Just as I began a Letter to my Mother I receiv’d the News of your Arrival. I have the same Confidence in my Parent that the Iskimaux Woman had in hers, for if my Mother did not know “I always speak Truth” I could not venture to say what she might be apt to doubt. I confess she has some Reason to...
9To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Stevenson, 26 September 1768: phonetic spelling and transcription (Franklin Papers)
Transcribed from ALS (draft with all but the final sentence in phonetic spelling): American Philosophical Society Yi i have transkr yi ib’d iur Alfabet &c. huit sh yi i th ink m yi it bi a v s yi rvis tu dh
10To Benjamin Franklin from Mary Stevenson, 15 May 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received a letter from Kensington to day by which I learn that my aunt will not come to Bromley to fetch me, therefore I must go home by way of Craven Street next monday. Now if it will be convenient to you to come hither on sunday or monday you will give a great deal of pleasure to several persons by doing it and I shall have a more agreeable journey to...