1To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 28 June 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I wrote you last Week; since which Nothing new has occurr’d, worth communicating save a [paper?] publish’d by Chattin, that has made a great Noise here; one of which I inclose for your Perusal. It has given great Pleasure to many, and only [angered?] those, as I can learn, whose Approbation of it would be a Condemnation of their own Conduct. There are many...
2To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 12 July 1753 (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society On Sunday last, about 45 Minutes after 3 in the Morning, a Dwelling House, one of a continued Row on the West Side of Second-Street in this Town, was struck by Lightning, but, being at that Time untenanted, no Person was hurt. About 6 aClock the same Morning, I went to take a View thereof, and at that Time made some Notes of the Course which I observ’d the...
3From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 23 July 1753 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I am pleas’d to learn by yours of the 12th that you have taken a circumstantial Account of the Appearances at Trumbles’s House, which you think sufficient to establish my new Hypothesis of the Direction of Lightning. Mr. Kinnersley has sent me a Pane of the Glass with a Letter in which he mentions his Suspicions that the Stroke was upwards. I now write him...
4From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 14 October 1754 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Yale University Library I have yours of the 4th Inst. and find the Election has turn’d out as I expected. I am glad Rutherford has refus’d to undertake the Stage; for I did not like your proposing it to him. I admire Mr. Colden was so unready; I thought every thing had been fully explain’d to him. Poor Mr. Hunter is relaps’d into his last Summer Fever; and has kept his Bed these 8 Days,...
5To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 3 September 1758 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society I miss’d writing on Friday and Yesterday no Post went from hence, otherwise I should before have acknowledgd the Receipt of your Favour of the 30th. Ulto. Mr. Jackson is prevented from setting off from here so soon as he intended by reason of the matrimonial Affair he mentioned to us not being quite settled. He says he has Letters from the Parties almost...
6From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 26 July 1765 (Franklin Papers)
Extract: reprinted from Collections of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, 1 (1853), 126. Franklin’s letter is known only by this extract quoted in a letter from William Franklin to Charles Thomson, October 3, 1765. The New Jersey governor introduced the passage in these words: “As a farther proof that my father had no hand in the Stamp Act, I will give you an extract of a letter I...
7To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 7 September 1765 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : Public Record Office Having just heard that there is a Vessel to sail for Bristol Tomorrow Morning from Philadelphia, I embrace the Opportunity to send you a Copy of a Letter I this Week receiv’d from Mr. Coxe, with my Answer, and a Letter from our Speaker to the Speaker of Massachusets Bay. Mr. Coxe never consulted me on his Resignation, but on the contrary told me about 10 Days ago...
8From Benjamin Franklin to William Franklin, 9 November 1765 (Franklin Papers)
Extract: Historical Society of Pennsylvania Mr. Cooper, Secretary of the Treasury, is our old Acquaintance, and expresses a hearty Friendship for us both. Enclosed I send you his Billet proposing to make me acquainted with Lord Rockingham. I dine with his Lordship To-morrow. I had a long Audience on Wednesday with Lord Dartmouth. He was highly recommended to me by Lords Grantham and...
9To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 13 November 1765 (Franklin Papers)
AL (incomplete): American Philosophical Society Mr. James Logan has just called upon me, to let me know that there is a Vessel sails Tomorrow for Liverpool, and that he returns to Philadelphia early in the Morning in hopes of being in Time to write by her. Had I known anything of this Vessel’s being to sail before, I should have wrote you a long Letter, as I have a great deal to communicate...
10To Benjamin Franklin from William Franklin, 17 December 1765 (Franklin Papers)
LS : Public Record Office You will probably have heard before this reaches you of the Return of Col. Croghan, and the Success he every where met with in his Negotiations with the Indians. Frequent Attempts (some of them very expensive) had been before fruitlessly made by the Military to take Possession of the Illinois. And tho’ that valuable Country has of Right belonged to us ever since the...