From Benjamin Franklin to Catharine Greene, 6 June 1763
To Catharine Greene
ALS: Mary A. Benjamin, New York City (1962); copy: American Philosophical Society
Philada. June 6. 1763
Dear Katy
On my Return from Virginia lately, I found your agreable Favour of April 24.7 by which I had the Pleasure of learning that you and Mr. Greene and your little ones were well.8 Your Invitation is extreamly obliging, and certainly I could not have forgiven myself if I had pass’d thro’ New England without calling to see you, and enjoying the Pleasure of finding you in the happy Situation I us’d to wish for you and advise you to. You desire to know the time I expect to be your way. In so long a Journey one cannot be exact to a Day or a Week. I can only tell you, that I purpose setting out tomorrow; and having Business to do, and Friends to see in several Places, I suppose it may be near the End of the Month before I reach your Government.9 My Thanks to Mr. Green and you for your kind Congratulations on my Son’s Promotion and Marriage. All Happiness attend you both, in which good Wish my Wife joins, and my Children would join if they were here, but they are all in the Jerseys. I am, as ever, dear Katy, with the sincerest Esteem Your affectionate Friend and humble Servant
B Franklin
7. Not found.
8. For Caty’s husband and family, see above, pp. 154 n, 191 n.
9. BF visited the Greenes at Warwick, R.I., on his way to Boston in the early part of July; see above, p. 278 n.
1. Caty’s sister Anna married Samuel Ward, who had been governor of R.I., 1762–63; see above, p. 154 n.
2. BF repeated this anecdote in his Autobiog. (APS-Yale edit.), p. 254.