Silas Deane had been trying to get his son Jesse to France since at least the summer of 1777, and became more insistent to his brother Barnabas after learning in October of his wife’s death.8 Barnabas eventually arranged for Jesse to sail from Boston; the two went there together, apparently, and Barnabas discovered that John Adams and his son were on the same ship. He gave his nephew a letter to Adams, whom he urged to care for him as for his own son. “It is needless to mention his Youth and Helplessness, also how much he will be exposed to bad Company and to contract bad Habits, without some friendly Monitor to caution and keep him from associating with the common Hands on board.” Adams was glad to oblige; “this benevolent office is peculiarly agreable to my Temper.”9 The party reached Bordeaux on April 1 and Passy on the 9th. For Silas Deane this was ten days too late: on March 31 he had left for Toulon and home. As far as we can tell he did not know that his son was about to arrive, and neither did Franklin.1 The Doctor accepted his new charge with equanimity; he entered Jesse, as John Adams did Johnny, in Benny Bache’s school at Passy,2 and treated the young man like another grandson.