1To Benjamin Franklin from Harvard College: Degree of Master of Arts, 25 July 1753 (Franklin Papers)
DS : American Philosophical Society Franklin’s first academic honor was from Harvard. On July 23, 1753, the President and Fellows recommended him to the Overseers for the degree of master of arts, citing his “great Improvements in Philosophic Learning, and particularly with Respect to Electricity, Whereby his Repute hath been greatly advanc’d in the learned World, not only in Great-Britain,...
2To Benjamin Franklin from Harvard College, 4 January 1769 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William C. Lane, “Harvard College and Franklin,” Colonial Society of Massachusetts Publications , X (1907), 236. Voted 4. That the Thanks of this Board be given to Dr. Benja. Franklin for his very acceptable Present, of a fine Bust of that great Assertor of American Liberties, Lord Chatham. The bust was presumably a copy of the only one known from this period, that executed by...
3To Benjamin Franklin from Harvard College, 25 April 1769 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William C. Lane, “Harvard College and Franklin,” Colonial Society of Massachusetts Publications , X (1907), 237. Vote 8. That the Thanks of this Board be given to Dr. Franklin for his many very obliging acts of friendship; particularly for his care in procuring several valuable Instruments for the Apparatus, and that he be desired to continue his kind regards to the College. The...
4To Benjamin Franklin from Harvard College, 22 October 1770 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William C. Lane, “Harvard College and Franklin,” Colonial Society of Massachusetts Publications , X (1907), 237. That the Thanks of this Board be given to Dr. Franklin for his repeated good Services to this College, and particularly in his Care of a valuable achromatic Telescope lately received thro’ his hands: and that Professor Winthrop Transmitt this Vote to Dr. Franklin. For...
5To Benjamin Franklin from Harvard College: Vote of Thanks, 24 June 1771 (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William C. Lane, “Harvard College and Franklin,” Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts , X (1907), 237. At a Meeting of the President and Fellows June 24th 1771. That the Thanks of this Board be given to Dr. Franklin for his kind remembrance of Harvard College expressed in his many friendly Offices and valuable Donations to this Society, particularly in his late...
6To Benjamin Franklin from Harvard College, 16 June 1772: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Reprinted from William C. Lane, “Harvard College and Franklin,” The Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts , X (1907), 238. <June 16, 1772: The President and Fellows vote to extend their thanks to Franklin for the gift of Dr. Priestley’s History and Present State of the Discoveries Relating to Vision, Light, and Colours (London, 1772), and to request Dr. Winthrop to forward a...
7To Benjamin Franklin from Harvard College, 31 May 1774 (Franklin Papers)
AD : American Philosophical Society Dr. Franklin having presented to our Library a French Translation of his Philosophical Works in two Vols 4to a Copy which we receive with particular Pleasure, as it is a Testimony of the Sense Forreigners have of the Merit of those Writings, which must do honor to the Country that gave him Birth; as well as to Every literary Society he is related to. Voted...
8Vote of Thanks from Harvard College, 30 September 1776: résumé (Franklin Papers)
Text in William C. Lane, “Harvard College and Franklin,” Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts , X (1907), 238–9. <Sept. 30, [1776]: The President and Fellows vote their thanks to Franklin for the gift, transmitted by James Bowdoin, of Vattel’s Droit des gens , and ask Bowdoin to present him with a copy of their vote.> See above, Dumas to BF , May 17, 1775, and Bowdoin to BF ,...