Jane Mecom to Benjamin Franklin, June 17, 1782

warwick 17 June—1782

My Ever Dear Brother

I wrot to you in october or Novr. Last from Boston to thank you for the grat present I then recd. throw the hands of young cousen Jonathan Williams, 4 with wich I had no Leter from my Dear Brother nor have I recved any of a Later Date than two years ago Last march, 5 since my Return home my time & atention has been fill’d with sickness & Deaths in the Famely in perticular that of my Dear Grandaughter Jenny who Died of a consumption has left three sweat babes won about too months old, a sorrofull Husband & a Distres’d Grand mother 6 I Injoy’d sweat Peace in her Pleasant conversation & grat comfort in her Dutifull & tender atention was Pleased with the hopes of the continuance of it the Remainder of my Life but those comforts are Vanish’d & a care Devovled [devolved] on me that I find my self unequel to that of the children the youngist is at nurs but the other too Require some person more lively & Paitient to watch over them continuealy, my Dear child urged me Earnestly not to Leave them as long as I Live & tho I made her no promis I find the Request to be very Powerfull her Husband is Desierous I should continue with Him & treats me very Respectfully that I have no thoughts of Removeing at Present but circumstances may alter in Time I can’t Expect it to be other ways as he is a young man but my stay in the world may be much shorter, & Life becomes Less Desierable Exept I could find a capasety to be more Usefull which growing Infermities & low spirits Prevent, my Friend Greene Tould me she wrot you soon affter my child Died 7 & I dont doubt she was more Perticular than I can be at Presant for my litle wons are Interupting me Every miniut & it is so hot I am not willing to trust them out of my sight, should not have wrot in such a hurry but at the Request of Gover’r Green in behalf of some Friend who is Prisener in England 8 whome you may do more towards Inlarging than any won Els they call for the Leter & I can add no more but that I wish for the comfort of a leter from you & am under all circumstances your affectionat sister

Jane Mecom

I began this at the Govr’rs but was fetchd home to the funeral of my Gransons Brothers wife 9 who died in the same house with us.

I Inclose the memerandom about the man