To Benjamin Franklin from John Whitehurst, 23 April 1765
From John Whitehurst4
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Derby 23 April 1765
Sir
It gave me great pleasure to hear of Your safe Arrival in England. As I flatter’d my self with hopes of the very great pleasure of seeing You once more, and of hearing your family, and the governers are well. I am extremely obliged to You Sir, for the civilities, You were pleas’d to shew Mr. Tunicliff,5 and can only reward You by requesting a second favour from You, viz.
The bearer, Mr. Paschall,6 is going to reside at Hallifax in Nova Scotia, and is greatly at a loss how to get some Cash remited theither; I have therefore taken the liberty of recommending him to Your advice, believing Sir, You are more able to do it than any other person, as well as more willing to do acts of good Nature to those who stand in Need of ’em.
I had the pleasure of hearing by Mr. Cust7 that You was well, but that You intended leaving soon. If any thing unforeseen, interfere with that resolusion, and you should have leasure from business a short time before Your departure; Mr. Tissington8 and I shoud think our Selves very happy in waiting of You for an hour or two in Town. I am Sir Your most Obedient Servant
John Whitehurst
P.S. I am this Moment alarmd with the disagreeable News of a Governer being lost, Suppos’d to be Your son, and shall be very unhappy till I hear a better account.9
4. For John Whitehurst, horologer and instrument maker, see above, IX, 42 n; X, 70–1, 226–30.
5. John Tunnicliff, a Derbyshire farmer who had been in America in 1763 and whom BF had helped in his efforts to buy a large piece of land on which to settle with his family; above, X, 227, 296, 300.
6. Not identified.
7. Probably Peregrine Cust, member of a London firm of linen drapers, M.P. for Bishop’s Castle, Shropshire; brother of Sir John Cust, the speaker. Namier and Brooke, House of Commons, II, 291–2.
8. For Anthony Tissington, whose nomination to the Royal Society in 1766 BF supported, see above, VIII, 358; IX, 42 n.
9. The exact nature of this rumor has not been determined. London Chron., May 4–7, 1765, stated, however, that “There is no foundation for the report of a certain American Governor having been recalled.” A year earlier there had been rumors that WF and his wife had been lost at sea during their stormy voyage to America, but these had been contradicted in London Chron., April 25–29, 1764. Arthur Dobbs, governor of North Carolina, died in late March 1765, but this news did not reach London until early June. London Chron., June 4–6, 1765.