4571II. To Jonathan Sewall, 1763 (Adams Papers)
For so I must call you, tho your late Behaviour, in Point of Ill Nature, and Jealousy, has savoured too much of the Instigations of the Devil. Jonathan, thou art become, an Artful Designing fellow.—Cunning, left handed, crooked Wisdom, is the highest Excellence thou canst aspire justly pretend to.—Had I but known this, three Years agone, I would have seen thee, gizzarded eer I would have...
4572Benjamin Franklin and John Foxcroft: Tables of Rates of Postage, [1763] (Franklin Papers)
Broadside: New Jersey Historical Society Franklin and Foxcroft prepared this broadside for prominent display in every American post office. While it is undated, its use of the rate structure prescribed by the parliamentary act of 1710 indicates that it must have been drawn up before word of the new act of 1765 reached the colonies, and it seems probable that the two deputy postmasters general...
4573Nathaniel Evans: Verses Addressed to Benjamin Franklin, 1763 (Franklin Papers)
Printed in The London Chronicle , August 31–September 3, 1765; also printed (with modifications) in Nathaniel Evans, Poems on Several Occasions, with Some Other Compositions (Philadelphia, 1772), pp. 108–9. Precisely when Evans composed these verses cannot be established, but there seems to be no reason to disregard the statement in the subheading of the London Chronicle printing in 1765 that...
4574To Benjamin Franklin from Peter Franklin, [1763?] (Franklin Papers)
AL (incomplete): American Philosophical Society These Comes to Inform you that I got Home well In three Days after my Departure From you; I Have not met aney Good Opertunity to Send for that money, desire youd Imbrace the first Good One that you Have. I would Beg one Favour that youd go to the Post Office and Enqur whether there was a Letter for me, In the Time in that Time that I was In...
4575To Benjamin Franklin from Margaret Stevenson, [1763?] (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society This is the earliest surviving letter to Franklin from his London land-lady. The handwriting and spelling explain why she said in a later letter that “writing to me is an oddieus taske,” and why relatively few letters from her exist. Comparing her letters and Deborah Franklin’s on the one hand with those of their daughters on the other suggests that a...
4576Timothy Folger: Petition to Sir Jeffery Amherst, [1763] (Franklin Papers)
Draft: American Philosophical Society The end of the war with France aroused great interest in possible new settlements not only in the West but also in the region to the northeast, particularly in Nova Scotia and the Island of St. John in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, now Prince Edward Island. It was natural that these maritime lands should seem especially attractive to the people of southeastern...
4577Memorandum List of Quitrents, 1763 (Washington Papers)
A List of Lands on which Quit-Rents became due at Michaelmas 1763 In Fairfax County Mt Vernon 2126 Acres bot of [Sampson] Darrell 500 of [William] Clifton 1806 [George] Brent 238 Wm Ashford 135 George Ashford 135 Simon Pearson 178 5118 Frederick taken up
4578To John Jay from Peter Jay, early 1763 (Jay Papers)
You may read my Letter that covers this, to your Aunts Depeyster & Chambers, to prevent any exceptions at what we propose abo t . Peter, and let them act therein as they think best— Make my Complim ts . to Doct r . Johnson and tell him that I’m very sorry for M r . Punderson’s & the Peoples disappointm ts :, and ^ that ^ I wish it mayn’t prove unfortun te
4579Cash Accounts, January 1763 (Washington Papers)
Cash Jany 3— To Cash for Salt 7/6—Do for 2 Bushls 10/ £ 0.17. 6 17— To Balle Acct of Mr Saml Johnston 4.13.11 1/2 23— To Mr [Daniel] French for Smiths Work 0.10. 0 25— To Cash stopped in my hands for Security agt Milky Pearson’s Claim of Dower 60. 0. 0 25— To Cash of Mr Humphrey Peake 11. 2. 7 Contra By Cash paid Vale Crawford—Balle Acct 7. 7. 2 3/4 Jany 7—
4580To Benjamin Franklin from Elizabeth Henmarsh: Deed, 1 January 1763 (Franklin Papers)
Copy: Department of Records, Recorder of Deeds, City of Philadelphia January 1, 1763 Abstract: In consideration of £100, Elizabeth Henmarsh of Philadelphia, widow, grants and sells to Benjamin Franklin a lot of land in Philadelphia, 16 ft. wide, north and south, and 73 ft. deep, bounded east by Sixth Street, south and west by lands of Isaac Zane, and north by land granted by Zane to James...
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...