From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 9 March 1773
To Jane Mecom
ALS (letterbook draft): Library of Congress
London, March 9. 1773
Dear Sister
I received your kind Letter of Dec. 30. and rejoice to find you were well. I may possibly have the greater Pleasure of seeing you before the Year is out[?]. I have desired Cousin Williams to give you the Money he may recover from Hall.6 I would only mention to you, that when I was in Boston in 1754[?], Brother John then living, an old Man whose Name I have forgotten, apply’d to me with a Bond of our Father’s of about 15 or 17 Pound if I remember right, desiring I would pay it, which I declin’d with this Answer, that as I had never receiv’d any thing from the Estate, I did not think my self oblig’d to pay any of the Debts. But I had another Reason, which was that I thought the Care of those Matters belong’d more properly to my Brother. If you know that Person, I wish you would now out of Hall’s Money pay that Debt; for I remember his Mildness on the Occasion, with some Regard.7 My Love to Jenny, I am ever, Your affectionate Brother
B Franklin
I have not yet seen Capt. Jenkins, but will enquire him out when I next go to the City.8
6. See the following document.
7. John Franklin (C.8), a tallow-chandler and soap-maker, had been postmaster of Boston. Jane’s reply to this letter, if she sent one, has been lost; hence we do not know whether she could trace the innominate old man, but we certainly cannot.
8. For Seth Jenkins, their relative, see Jonathan Williams to BF above, Feb. 15.