51From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 14 July 1759 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your kind Letter of Jany. 31. You are very good in not resenting some Part of my Letter of September 16. which I confess was a little rude; but you fatfolks can’t bear Malice. Our Cousin Fisher and her Husband are both dead since I saw them. She surviv’d him but a few Days. What she had in her Disposal was but little; and it was divided into 7...
52From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 21 May 1757 (Franklin Papers)
MS not found; reprinted from Jared Sparks, ed., A Collection of Familiar Letters and Miscellaneous Pieces of Benjamin Franklin (Boston, 1833), pp. 52–3. I received your kind letter of the 9th instant, in which you acquainted me with some of your late troubles. These are troublesome times to us all; but perhaps you have had more than you should. I am glad to hear that Peter is at a place where...
53From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 26 December 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from The London Magazine, new series, III (1825), 479. Our Cousin, Mr. Williams, left London in June last, on his return to Boston. He carried some goods for you. I hope he arrived safe, though I have no Letter from him. I have since sent him a bill of exchange for your account on Dr. Cooper, and signified my desire that the whole might be put to interest to produce a little annual...
54From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 2 August 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Last Night I received with great Pleasure your kind Letter of July 14. with the most agreable Additions from Mr. and Mrs. Green. God bless those two good ones! The Congress has adjourned this Morning to the 5th of September. I have now upon my Hands the Settling a new General Post Office, and a Treaty to be held with the Indians on the Ohio, besides smaller...
55From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 17 June 1775 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote to you some time since, having heard from one of the Delegates that you were at Warwick, and I supposed it must be with that good Family, so I directed my Letter to you there; I hope you receiv’d it. I have since received your kind Letter of May 14. with one from dear Mrs. Green. I sympathise most sincerely with you and the People of my native Town...
56From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 27 April 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your kind Letter of Jan. 30. Mrs. Stevenson has executed your Order, and sends the Things in a Bandbox directed to you, in the Care of Mr. Jefferies your Neighbour. A new-fashion’d something that was not ready when the Box was pack’d up, is inclos’d in her Letter. I am now grown too old to be ambitious of such a Station as that which you say has...
57From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 24 July 1764 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society It is not in my Power to dispense with an Act of Parliament. To attempt it would hazard my Place. The Privilege of Franking my own Letters is indulg’d to me by the Act; but I have been given to understand that ’tis a Trust, which tis expected I will not violate by covering the Letters of others. Mr. Flag must therefore pay for the Letters you send him; and...
58From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, [June 1748?] (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. 10–15. I received your letter, with one for Benny, and one for Mr. Parker, and also two of Benny’s letters of complaint, which, as you observe, do not amount to much. I should have had a very bad opinion of him, if he had written to you those...
59From Benjamin Franklin to Edward and Jane Mecom, 30 December 1756 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society You will receive this by the Hand of your Son Benjamin, on whose safe Return from the West Indies I sincerely congratulate you. He has settled Accounts with me, and paid the Ballance honourably. He has also clear’d the old Printing House to himself, and sent it to Boston, where he purposes to set up his Business together with Bookselling, which, considering...
60From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 13 April 1772 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your kind Letter by Mrs. Wright, and shall do her all the Service in my Power. I think I wrote to you by Cousin Josiah, who sailed in Acworth last Week, and I hope will get safe home to his Friends. I continue well, and purpose returning this Summer, God willing, and then may hope next Year for the Pleasure of seeing you, as 1773 is my Period for...
61From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 23 February 1769 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have received your kind Letters of Sept. 26. Oct. and Nov. 7. That of Sept. 26. is directed to my Wife, but she sent it to me, I suppose that I might see your Opinion of Mr. Bache: I am glad you approve the Choice they have made. I write a few Lines to Mr. Leadly: I cannot say much on that Subject till I see Mr. Foxcroft, whom I now expect daily. I am...
62From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 23 March 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society A violent Cold which affects my Head and Eyesight, makes it inconvenient to me to write much; yet I would not miss the Opportunity of giving you this Line just to let you know that I am otherwise as usual. I hope you and yours are well, and am ever Your affectionate Brother
63From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 28 July 1774 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received your kind Letters of May the 1st and 18th. I rejoice to hear that you and yours continue in Health; as I do, Thanks to God. The Report you mention that I offer’d to desert my Constituents, and banish myself if I might continue in Place, is an infamous Falshood, as you supposed. And as ridiculous as false, since it implies that I have not...
64From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 15 December 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I thank you for your kind Congratulations on my safe Return. Brother Peter is with me, and very well, except being touch’d a little in his Head with something of the Doctor , of which I hope to cure him. For my own Part, I find myself at present quite clear of Pain, and so have at length left off the cold Bath; there is however still some Weakness in my...
65From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 15 March 1770 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from Jared Sparks, ed., A Collection of the Familiar Letters and Miscellaneous Papers of Benjamin Franklin (Boston, 1833), pp. 123–4. I received your kind little letter of January 3d from Philadelphia. I am glad your visit thither proves agreeable to you. Since your family is so much reduced, I do not see why you might not as well continue there, if you like the place equally with...
66From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 24 December 1767 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have received yours of Oct. 23. and condole with you most affectionately in the Affliction you must have suffered by the Loss of so valuable and so amiable a Child. The longer we live we are expos’d to more of these Strokes of Providence: but tho’ we consider them as such, and know it is our Duty to submit to the Divine Will, yet when it comes to our Turn...
67From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 11 November 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote you a long Letter of Sept. 16. and again I wrote to you Oct. 2. since which I have receiv’d your Favour of Augt. 15. You mention its being sent by the Son of our good Friend Dr. Perkins. I have not seen him yet, but shall endeavour to find him out. I hope my Health is now pretty well established by the frequent Journies I have made this Summer, and...
68From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 25 October 1779 (Franklin Papers)
LS : American Philosophical Society; copy: South Carolina Historical Society I received your kind Letter of Feb. 14. the Contents of which gave me a kind of melancholy Satisfaction. The greater Ease you will now enjoy makes some Compensation in my Mind for the uncomfortable Circumstance that brought it about. I hope you will have no more Afflictions of that kind, and that after so long and...