Jeanne... I AM SO GLAD you posted the letter to Benjamin FRANKLIN letter.. now I am going to post one from my 3rd gr grandmother... she never put a year.. she did date it 24 Sep... we have tried to figure out when she wrote this.. and the letter you posted re Benjamin Franklin, makes me think she wrote this letter about the same time period. It is in her hand writing, and there are no periods or comma's... Well, I think there is one or two periods.... you'll see what I mean. There are a few words I can't figure out what they are........ but for the most part I can read it. Charlestown, Chester county, PA Sep ye 15th Dear Children and grandchildren it give me great pleasure to hear so particular from you after many an anxous thought concerning you we have great reason to be thankful to a kind providence we have enjoyed health sometimes but the appictions and changes in my family has left such an impression on me i hope through divine assistance i may be prepared and resigned to meet what awaits me and to say with the psalmist it is good for me i have been aflicted it was alarming last summer sickness and deaths on every side bu twe were preserved from either this summer has been healthy except some few cases. your uncle Jeames son Davis had been thirteen months in the army on Crany ? island got his discharge after an absence of many years from his fathers make it his [..road?] to see them intending to go home to his family he had married a young woman in Virginia named Poly WILSON has a son and a daughter on his way tohis fathers he was taken sick 21 days before he reached there died 10 days after he came it is the first death in their family since they were married the effects of the war in regard of the militia has been distant till now my three sons i may say are under marching orders of fineable and a man that lives in the house on the [....] place is drafted but they think the allien law will excempt him. Davis and a number of his neighbors marched last Thursday they are not yet at old Chester John went there to day Mordecai equiped himself for the troopo last spring i expect he will start this week if there is occasion Davis is elected an officer under the new militia law i hope he may come home when that takes place he apeared determinded to see you this fall but now we know nothing about it we must hope for the best and until the event it will be very agreeable to me to leave my family nearer together but the war seems to occupy peoples attention in case we were to sell and [....] it would create business enough for peaceable times if it is not alowed us to have the comfort of each others company in this world of trouble and tribulation let us endeavour to be proud in the way of our duty be contented and thankful for the number of merceys we enjoy in hopes of meeting in a better kingdom [....] are what we are promised while we are in this world and if we are enable to see the hand it will suport us to bear the rod for it [scribbled out] Isaac Davis did not write to you will speak of Mrs howel she had had bad health at times ever since she buried her husband i have not seen her very lately but am told her disorderers and she aprears to lose hopes of geting it removed i have not seen your aunt betsy some time your uncle methuselah and betsy boys and letticia was at Davids burying our aunt was as well as usual our family is so scattered to day that i don't know how i shall [....] my scribble to george and he fear when you get it youl be at a los to read it i have been so long out of the practice of writing i hope you will embrase every ooportunity of writing to us we never were so long without hearing from you it gave a concerning and unpleasant thought i shall econclude with my best wishes for you all through time and eternityh and remain your ever afectionate mother. signed Mary ADAMS addressed to Joshua DAVIS [found out later this is a son-in-law & my line] Alexander THOMPSON found later this is a son-in-law] Lettice THOMPSON [found later this is her daughter] Hannah DAVIS [found later this is her daughter..and my line] ~~~~~~~ Whatcha think... sounds like it could be in that same time frame doesn't it? Just a note here... We have had this letter for.. well forever... and we didn't know who these people were she talked about.. I have learned from these wonderful Rootsweb lists.. who she was, She was Mary DAVIS ADAMS her parents were David DAVIS and her mother was Lettice TREVILLIAM...I have been able to identify some of the people she spoke about..not all of them, but a lot of them.. I still don't know who Mrs HOWELL was... Mary's husband John 5) ADAMS died 1809 at Charlestown, Chester, Pennsylvania... Mary made a saddle blanket of blue with red roses on it, and rode her roan pony to New York to visit her daughters Hannah DAVIS and Lettice THOMPSON... by that time she had a third daughter who had married in Chester county and moved to Springport Cayuga, New York near her sisters.. Mary came back home and packed all she had and again rode to Springport.. this time she went with a caravan.. taking her belongings. She lived with her daughers until her death 12 Aug 1822.. The saddle blanket and saddle were still in the family 50 years ago!! Mary's husband was 5th generation from Henry 1) ADAMS of Braintree... learned that from Rootsweb too!!! I have found cousins who have sent me manuscripts... it is just wonderful what I have learned... now reading the letter re Benjamin Franklin... I think maybe I have learned more. Thanks for listening.. Wilma Fleming Haynes gencon@harborside.com > > It was an original letter/petition written to Benjamin Franklin. I was > actually able to touch the paper/parchment. > > Here goes: > > To Benjamin Franklin Esq. President: And the Supreme Executive Council of the > Common Wealth of Pennsylvania. > > The Remonstrance of a number of the Inhabitants of Chester County on behalf > of themselves & others > Sheweth > That in the month of September Anno Domini 1781 a part of the Militia > inrolled in Co. Bulls Battallion were called, some of whom not in their own > neighbourhood in order to march; but the orders were countermanded and they > permitted to return home after absence of a few hours, however for some of > them, and performed no further Tour, and such of them who were called and did > not appear have been Fined to the amount of Ten Pounds and ten Shillings per > head with an additional sum of Fifteen Shillings on every houndred pounds of > Taxable Property and Occupations: Which Fines are now by virtue of Warrants > Issued by Robert Smith Lieutenant, of the County ? ? collecting. Which we > Conceive to be a heavy & offensive Grievance, and what may excuse for our > Remonstrating against the same for that the Militia Law does does not require > a greater Sum or Fine to be paid than what shall be deemed adequate or > equivalent to the time the Militia were out from home: Yet neverteless this > enormous sum is demanded of all such who did not appear in order to march > except some remittances obtained by some individuals at appeals, > notwithstanding many of them are poor labouring men having little or no other > Subsistence but they earn by their daily labour, and who have Families to > provide for. Others there are who cannot consistent with their religious > principles bear Arms nor pay any Fine for Refusing, it must therefore be > taken from them by distress which will be a considerable addition to their > Suffering. These considerations together with the heavy burden of Taxes > (almost too heavy to bear) on the inhabitants in general, will we hope excuse > for the freedom of this. > Re > > (next page) > Remonstrance, hoping that you will take the same into your Levi(?) our > consideration and grant such relief in the Promises as Justice and Mercy > shall dictate. And your attention shall be duly and gratefully acknowledged > by > > (all hand written) > > Dan Griffiths, Esq. > Jacob Smith > Hazael Thomas > Thos. Willson > John Shanholts > Owen Thomas > ? Wighman > ? Jurey > James John > Eli Evans > Lanvice Tanken > Stephen Jones > Thomas Hamor > William Loyd > Jonah Stephens > William Vance > Davis Slapff > John Knover > Samuel Gookins > ? Morozal > John Stoneback > Thomas Tinkips > Thomas Loyd > William Jenkins > Martin Sheeles > Jacob High > (2nd column) > Joseph Dibrumple > James Hugh > John Reed (X) > Isaac Jones > John Stephens > Hugh Williams > John Loyd > John Williams > Jospeh Davis > Abraham Davis > Thomas Meredith > Evan Evans (X) > frederick Shull > James Everhart > Benjamin Everhart > Samuel Everhart > Jacob Elles > George Jacob > Jacob Nailer > Henry Eli? > David Car? > Thomas Godson > John Miller > Freiderick Tasdewald > Philip Shafer > John House > John Davies ? > ? > Henry Christman > (3rd Column) > Thos. Leighton > Richard Templin > Isaiah Shick > Borick Beholt > John Moore > John Roberts > Jacob McCousig > Thos. Templin > Dean Dampmon > Henry Sink > Jack Winald > James Miller > Abner Evans > Wiliam Evans > Joseph Cunningham > Thos. Shinney > John ? > Joseph Stark > John Filjon > JOhn Horn > Daniel Samuels > William James > Henry Helkery > Mordecai James > Jefse Evans > Owen Evans (X) > Robert Sherwood > Jacob Vance > Thomas Vance > Robert Petty > (3rd page col.1) > Ezekial Thomas > David Roberts > Neal Sammon > Michael McKenna > Hartman Kering > John Kering > Francis Johnson > James Wynn > Eneas McPhillip > Joseph ?willer > Christopher Fidwilber > JOhn Dings > William Adings > John Irwin > Nath. Irwin > William Porter > John Moore > John Root > James Anderson > John Howell > John Graft > Thomas Wynn > Johnathan Wynn > William Sims > James Hemphell > William McVay > Elijah Meredith > John A. Smith > Wm. Reed > Wm. Starratt > George Meliy > William Starrett Junior > James Starrett > John Starrett > ? Cowl > John Finnigan > Thomas Doran > Henry Buckley > Owen Chaney > Johh Eyanfon > Alexander McKee > Warner ? > James Dugan > Gideon Wilson > Jacob Mc? > Borick Bechold, junior > ? Mayzor > Samuel Lewis > Jonthan Samuel > John McCord > Daniel Donring > Thomas ?emple > > Please remember this is my first transcription of this letter and the names > are written in each individual's own hand. If the names appear any clearer, > I'll send updates. If you feel that one of the names might be a > transcription error and you think you know what it is, please email me. Its > always easier to read a name if you think you know what it says. > > Good Luck. > > Jeanne Abrams Polries > > > ==== PACHESTE Mailing List ==== > Check out other counties in PA! > http://libertynet.org/~gencap/pacounties.html > > > >