To Benjamin Franklin from James Parker, 10 September 1768
From James Parker
ALS: American Philosophical Society
Nyork Sept. 10. 1768
Honoured Sir
Tho’ I have not had the Pleasure of one Line from you for many Months past yet I will write a Word or two. Mrs. Franklin I hear expects you in the August Packet, but your Son, who is gone to Albany just now, told me he hardly expected you. I have not heard a Word from my unhappy Son, whether he be dead or alive, tho’ I heard the Vessel he went in arrived some Weeks before the Packet sail’d. It would have been kind had you mentioned any Thing of him, in any of yours, for our Satisfaction, 7 but as it is, we must leave it to Time to inform us. We have only our humble Remembrance of you, whilst I am Your most obliged Servant
James Parker
7. Shortly after arriving in England Samuel Parker had called on BF, and subsequently had tried to get money out of him and Thomas Cumming, the Quaker merchant. See Samuel Parker to BF above, July 1, 1768; James Parker to BF below, Oct. 17, 24, 1768. With these two minor exceptions there is no evidence of contact between BF and James Parker’s ne’er-do-well son.