1From 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...
2From 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...
3From 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...
4From 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...
5From 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...
6From 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...
7From 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...
8From 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...
9From 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...
10From 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...
11From 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...
12From 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...
13The 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,...
14The 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...
15From 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...
16From 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...
17From 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...
18The 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...
19From 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,...
20From 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...
21From 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,...
22From 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...
23From George Washington to Jonathan Williams, 10 August 1782 (Washington Papers)
I have to acknowledge your favor of the 6th of June, and to thank you for a very handsome pair of Epaulets, presented in your behalf, by Major Franks. I receive them Sir as a testimony of the favourable sentiments you have been pleased to express of me, and am particularly indebted to you for the polite manner in which they are offered. I have the honor to be Sir Yr most obedt Ser vt DLC :...
24From 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...
25From 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...
26From Thomas Jefferson to Jonathan Williams, 3 July 1796 (Jefferson Papers)
I take shame to myself for having so long left unanswered your valuable favor on the subject of the mountains. But in truth I am become lazy as to every thing except agriculture. The preparations for harvest, and the length of the harvest itself which is not yet finished, would have excused the delay however at all times and under all dispositions. I examined with great satisfaction your...
27From 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...
28From Thomas Jefferson to Jonathan Williams, 15 January 1800 (Jefferson Papers)
Th: Jefferson presents his compliments & thanks to mr Williams for the copy of his Thermometrical navigation which he was so kind as to send him. he has read it, as he had done before, in another form , with great satisfaction, and has no doubt it will be of great utility to navigators. Th: J. has for some time wished he could try the thermometer daily in the river near which he lives,...
29From Thomas Jefferson to Jonathan Williams, 25 December 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
I have duly recieved your favor of the 12th. inst. a friend to science in all it’s useful branches, and believing that of the Engineer of great utility, I sincerely approve of the institution of a society for it’s improvement. from the smallness of our establishment, it’s numbers will be small for awhile but it’s pursuits being directly in the line of their profession and entitled to all their...
30From 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...