To Benjamin Franklin from Deborah Franklin, 12 January 1767
From Deborah Franklin
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Jan the 12 1767.
laste nighte Mr. Brown4 Came and asked me if I had any Commans to you I sed I all ways have he sed he shold saile this day by the way of Dublin I Cold a wishe he Coud a Stayde tell the Poste had Cum in as I heard the Packit is Cume in to N Yorke. I am so impashente tell the poste cumes in I send you the 2 bills endorsed by Septeymus Robinson but the Paper will in forme you that he is no more as well as the Mattron [of the] Hospital.5 Salley returnd from Burlinton on thusday laste Billey and Mrs. Franklin air well Salley sends her Duty but Shee is to visit Miss Stedman6 by a pointemente this day so beges to be excused and will write by the Packit as I desire and as I have an old friend Cume to visit me I beg to be excused it is Thomey Bondes wife7 he is well and sente love to us by her. I shall write more fulley by the Packit. I hope to hear that your Salley Franklin is got well my love to good Mrs. Stephenson to our Polley to Mr. and Mrs. Strayne [Strahan]. I have deliver the Bond to young Morris8 and got the order from him now enother is Cum in. So I Conclud as ever your afeck fechshonat wife
D Franklin
Addressed: To / Benjamin Franklin Esqr / in / Craven-Street
4. Ephraim Brown, adopted son of BF’s deceased brother Peter.
5. Pa. Gaz., Jan. 8, 1767, reported the death on the 6th of Septimus Robinson in his 74th year, a former assemblyman, alderman, sheriff, and justice of the Common Pleas. The same issue also reported the death on the 7th of Esther Weed, matron of the Hospital for nearly seven years. The paper paid tribute to Robinson as “A sincere Friend, an Honest Man,” and to the matron for her “Christian Tenderness to the Diseased and Distressed.”
6. Probably Eliza Stedman, who appears often in the correspondence of Elizabeth Graeme Ferguson in PMHB, XXXIX and XLI.
7. Probably Sarah Roberts Bond, wife of BF’s good friend Dr. Thomas Bond (1712–1784).
8. Nothing is known about this transaction.