4581To George Washington from Robert Stewart, 18 January 1763 (Washington Papers)
Two Days ago I arrived here, after a tedious Journey render’d doubly disagreeable by the excessive badness of the Roads & the extreme rigour of the weather, I was detain’d three Days at the River Susquhana, which was fill’d with such quantitys of driving Ice, as to make it impracticable for Boats; it at length shut up and I at some risque cross’d upon the Ice. On my arrival at this place I...
4582Pennsylvania Assembly Committee: Report on the Laws, [19 January 1763] (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1762–1763 (Philadelphia, 1763), p. 13. Throughout Franklin’s absence in England he had been re-elected to the Assembly from the city of Philadelphia every October. When the House met on Jan. 10, 1763, he appeared to take his place for the first time in about five and three-quarters years, and at once resumed an active part in...
4583From Thomas Jefferson to John Page, 20 January 1763 (Jefferson Papers)
I have been thinking this half hour how to begin my letter and cannot for my soul make it out. I wish to the Lord one could write a letter without any beginning for I am sure it allways puzzles me more than all the rest of it. And to tell you the plain truth I have not a syllable to write to you about. For I do not conceive that any thing can happen in my world which you would give a curse to...
4584Agreement with Christopher Hardwick, 22 January 1763 (Washington Papers)
Articles of Agreement made and Indented this Twenty Second day of January In the year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven hundred and Sixty three between George Washington of Fairfax County and Colony of Virginia Esqr. of the one part and Christopher Hardwick of the County of Frederick and colony aforesaid Planter of the other part Witnesseth that the said George Washington is hereby obliged to...
4585From Benjamin Franklin to Catharine Greene, 23 January 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I received with great Pleasure my Dear Friend’s Favour of December 20. as it inform’d me that you and yours are all well. Mrs. Franklin admits of your Apology for dropping the Correspondence with her, and allows your Reasons to be good; but hopes when you have more Leisure it may be renew’d. She joins with me in congratulating you on your present happy...
4586[February 1763] (Adams Papers)
Last Thurdsday afternoon, rode to Germantown, and there stayed at my friend Cs. till the last Night. Four Nights, and four days. Those 2 families well deserve the Character they hold of friendly, sensible, and Social. The Men, Women and Children, are all sensible and obliging. Mem. The notable Anecdote of Coll. Josa. Quincy. The Hydrostatical Experiment. And the other of Mrs. Lincoln, equally...
4587Boston Feby. 1763. (Adams Papers)
This day learned that the Caucas Clubb meets at certain Times in the Garret of Tom Daws, the Adjutant of the Boston Regiment. He has a large House, and he has a moveable Partition in his Garrett, which he takes down and the whole Clubb meets in one Room. There they smoke tobacco till you cannot see from one End of the Garrett to the other. There they drink Phlip I suppose, and there they...
4588Feb. (Adams Papers)
This Action of Trover is an Innovation, one of the new and subtle Inventions in Derogation of the Common Law, that my Lord Coke has treated with so much righteous severity. It is in its Effects and Consequences subversive of all real Actions. It will destroy one of the strongest securities of our landed Property, the Rule that all real Titles shall be tryed in the County where the Land lies....
4589Prout’s “Bill in Chancery”: Suffolk Superior Court, Boston, February 1763 (Adams Papers)
Humbly petitioning showeth Timothy Prout of Scarborough in the county of Cumberland Esqr. 1. That well and true it is that the said Timothy on the said tenth of December A.D. 1753 became bound unto the said Christopher Minot in the sum of two hundred pounds lawfull money of this province conditioned to pay the sum of one hundred pounds like money with lawfull interest on or before the tenth of...
4590Draft of a Letter to All Young Gentlemen on the Evils of Factionalism, February 1763 (Adams Papers)
Braintree, February 1763. Printed: JA, Diary and Autobiography Diary and Autobiography of John Adams , ed. L. H. Butterfield and others, Cambridge, 1961; 4 vols. , 1:242–243 . Incomplete and evidently not published contemporaneously, this satirical fragment anticipates one of the themes developed in JA ’s newspaper pieces signed “Humphry Ploughjogger”; see the following entry . Printed : ( JA,...
4591Cash Accounts, February 1763 (Washington Papers)
Cash Feby 15— To Ditto [cash] of Captn Posey £26. 0.0 To Ditto of Do on Acct Captn Hanson Marshall 4. 0.0 Contra Feby 15— By Doctr [James] Lauries Acct in full: none since Jany 32.10.0 18— By taking up a stray horse 0.15.0 22— By Mrs Washington 40/—Gave Servts 2/6 2. 2.6 28— By 1 Hat of my Bror Chs Washington 2. 0.0
4592Braintree Feby. 1st. 1763. Tuesday. (Adams Papers)
Last Thurdsday afternoon, rode to Germantown, and there stayed at my friend Cs. till the last Night. Four Nights, and four days. Those 2 families well deserve the Character they hold of friendly, sensible, and Social. The Men, Women and Children, are all sensible and obliging. Mem. The notable Anecdote of Coll. Josa. Quincy. The Hydrostatical Experiment. And the other of Mrs. Lincoln, equally...
4593Feb. 5th. 1763. (Adams Papers)
Memorabilia of this Week. The Bar agreed upon these 4 Rules. 1st. That the Clerk call the Plain tiff, and if any Body answer, except the Plaintiff or some sworn Attorney, his Power be demanded, and no general Power in such Case be admitted. 2dly. That no Attorneys Fee be taxed for the future where the Declaration was not drawn by the Plaintiff himself, or some sworn Attorney. 3dly. That no...
4594From Benjamin Franklin to Isaac Norris; Pennsylvania Assembly Committee of Accounts: Report, 9, 15, and 19 February 1763 (Franklin Papers)
I. Draft: American Philosophical Society. II. ALS : Historical Society of Pennsylvania. III. Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1762–1763 (Philadelphia, 1763), pp. 28–9. On Feb. 9, 1763, Franklin drafted a letter to serve as preface to a statement of his expenses as agent of the Assembly in England (Document I). After considering the draft, however, he must have...
4595Pennsylvania Assembly Committee: Report on the Dock, [9 February 1763] (Franklin Papers)
Printed in Votes and Proceedings of the House of Representatives , 1762–1763 (Philadelphia, 1763), p. 23. “A Remonstrance and Petition from divers Inhabitants” of Philadelphia was presented to the Assembly, Jan. 24, 1763, complaining, among other things, that the public dock or creek in the southern part of the city was “in a great Measure useless, and in its present Condition a Recepticle for...
4596Feby. 10th. 1763. (Adams Papers)
Belcher v. Hunt. This is an Action of Trover, for converting shingles to Hunts Use. The shingles were cutt upon Land which Jonathan White claims and has possessed for 20 Years. There is a Question to be determined by the Court previously to the Tryal of his Action, vizt. whether a Title to Land can be given in Evidence, in the Tryal of these Actions of Trover. Multa conceduntur per Obliquum...
4597Feby. 11th. 1763. (Adams Papers)
Probate of Mr. Edwards’s Will, Coram Governor and Council. John Edwards, one of the Heirs at Law of Samuel Edwards, appealed from the Decree of the Judge of Probate, 1st. because said Saml. at the Execution of said Writing and long after was not, nor for a long time before had been of a sound and disposing Mind and Memory, but was non Compos. Quaere. What is an Insanity, in Law? that...
4598John Adams to Abigail Smith, 14 February 1763 (Adams Papers)
Accidents are often more Friendly to us, than our own Prudence.—I intended to have been at Weymouth Yesterday, but a storm prevented.—Cruel, Yet perhaps blessed storm!—Cruel for detaining me from so much friendly, social Company, and perhaps blessed to you, or me or both, for keeping me at my Distance. For every experimental Phylosopher knows, that the steel and the Magnet or the Glass and...
4599Peter Jay to James Jay, 15 February 1763 (Jay Papers)
My last was the 15 ult o ., and have since received your letters of the 30 Sept., 5 Octob: & 6 Nov r . last. hearing so frequently from you is indeed a very great Satisfaction to us, and the more so, as it shews you are very sensible to our affection for you, and the pleasure it must consequently give us, it would be still greater if we could hear that your own affairs do answ r , at least in...
4600From Benjamin Franklin to Jane Mecom, 21 February 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I have now the Pleasure of acquainting you that my Son and Daughter are safely arriv’d at my House, and both very well. They present their Duty to Brother Mecom and you. He sets out for his Government on Wednesday. I am greatly to blame for not sending the enclos’d sooner. It was wrote by your Sister several Weeks since, and given to me to be forwarded. I...
4601From Benjamin Franklin to [Philip Ludwell], 22 February 1763 (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society I received your kind Congratulations on my Son’s Promotion with great Pleasure, and thank you cordially for your good Wishes concerning him. I have great Hopes of his doing well, as I know he has good Principles and good Dispositions. I congratulate you on the glorious Peace we have made, the most advantageous to Great Britain, in my Opinion, of any our...
4602From Benjamin Franklin to William Strahan, 23 February 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Pierpont Morgan Library I have only time to write one Line by this Conveyance, just to congratulate you on the glorious Peace you have made, the most advantageous for the British Nation in my Opinion, of any your Annals have recorded. The Places you have left or restor’d to the French I look upon to be so much in our Power in Case of a future War, as to be so many Hostages or Pledges of...
4603From Benjamin Franklin to Deborah Franklin, 24 February 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society We din’d at Bristol, and got here last Night in good time; the River was hard and firm, and we got well over. Sir John Sinclair came to us and very obligingly offer’d his Chariot and four for the rest of the Journey. This Morning we set out for Brunswic. The Thing I wanted to mention to you, but forgot, was; that in the Hurry of our Arrival from Chester I...
4604From Benjamin Franklin to Cadwallader Colden, 26 February 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : New-York Historical Society; draft (incomplete): American Philosophical Society Your Favour of the 14th. Instant, I met on the Road in my Journey to this Place with my Son, who joins with me in Thanks for your good Wishes relating to his Administration here. I thank you also for your kind Endeavours in obtaining the Discharge of William Forrester, who is accordingly discharged. I condole...
4605[March 1763] (Washington Papers)
Brought to D. Run Plantn. 3 of my Stray Steers. 2. Seven young Pigs at R[iver] Side Qr. 6. Eight Do. at Muddy hole. 9. By this lost 3 of my Sheep viz. a Ram & two young Ewes. 10. Brot. a strayed Heifer of mine to Rivr. Side Qr.
4606[Diary entry: March 1763] (Washington Papers)
Brought to D. Run Plantn. 3 of my Stray Steers.
4607Cash Accounts, March 1763 (Washington Papers)
Cash Mar. 7— To Ditto of Mr [Charles] Green £10. 0.0 14— To Ditto of Mr Bell for Cart Wheels 5. 0.0 16— To Robt Alexander for Balle of Bond 3. 0.0 26— To Mr [Thomas Hanson] Marshall for Balle of Acct from C: [John] Posey 5.15.7 1/2 Contra Mar: 5— By 706 Bushl Oyster shells @18/ 6. 7.0 By Saml Moxley for Wheat 11.11.4
4608March [1763?] (Washington Papers)
2d. Planted 3 French Walnuts & 8 English Walnuts in new Garden. Note the French Walnuts next the Schoolhouse & 8 steps asundr. This undated fragment from PHi : Gratz Collection is from one of the early diaries, possibly 1763. 7. Sowed 50 pints of Clover Seed & 20 pints of Timothy at the Mill. 17. Began to Sow at Muddy hole and on 20. Finished—Sowing 59 Bushels—Oats. Note John Alton had sowed...
4609To Benjamin Franklin from John Mills, 2 March 1763 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Our worthy Friend, Mr. Small, is so kind as to undertake to convey to you and to Dr. Eliot, the first Volume of my Husbandry, which is at length finished at the Press, where the second Volume is now half done. But I have, unfortunately, a most dilatory, as well slovenly Printer to deal with, as you will perceive too plainly by his egregious and repeated...
4610[Diary entry: 2 March 1763] (Washington Papers)
2. Seven young Pigs at R[iver] Side Qr.