From Benjamin Franklin to John and Thomas Leverett, 11 March 1755
To John and Thomas Leverett7
ALS: Yale University Library
Philada. March 11. 1755
Sir
Mrs. Franklin is confident that she sent 20 Reams of the Paper I order’d for you, but has no Bill of Lading for it, and has forgot the Captain’s Name. Please to enquire of Mr. Williams,8 whether it came to him. If not perhaps it was sent per Dole, and Mr. Williams can tell where he usually stores the Goods he leaves in Boston. Lest you should be under any Disappointment, I have this Day shipt you 13 Reams more of the same sort9 in the Care of my Kinsman Mr. North,1 which I hope will come safe to hand. It is the finest I have in the House, but if it will not do, give it to Mr. Williams, and I shall soon be able to send some finer. I am, Sir, Your humble Servant
B Franklin
13 Reams at 11s. 6d. per Ream is —————— £7 9s. 6d. Pensilvania Money
Boston January 25th Received of John and Thomas Leverett Seven pounds Nine shillings and Six pence in full for the above Thirteen Reams paper per Mr. Franklins Letter to me to receive the above Sum for his use and for which I am to be accountable to him for.
per Jona. Williams
7. John (1728–1777) and Thomas (1730–1778) Leverett, Boston merchants, grandsons of the bookseller Nicholas Buttolph (d. 1737), were themselves booksellers, stationers, and binders, and issued a few publications over their own imprint. George E. Littlefield, Early Boston Booksellers (Boston, 1900), p. 163; Charles E. Leverett, A Memoir, Biographical and Genealogical, of Sir John Leverett, Knight … and of the Family Generally (Boston, 1856), pp. 153–6, 159.
8. Jonathan Williams, Sr., a Boston merchant, husband of BF’s niece Grace Harris (C.5.3).
9. For this account, see Eddy, Ledger “D,” p. 78.
1. Not identified, but probably one of Deborah Franklin’s relatives: in 1758 BF visited members of Deborah’s family in Birmingham, England, among them Joshua North and his nephew John, who was also a nephew of the John North who had migrated to Pennsylvania. PMHB, VIII (1884), 403, 405–6.