"Franks was, I think, a native of New York, afterwards Major Franks of the American army, and aide-de-camp of Arnold at West Point. His curious testimony to Mrs. Arnold's innocence of all complicity in her husband's treason may be found in the privately printed preface to the Shippen Papers. His sister, to whom Hyrne makes such a complimentary allusion, was without doubt Becky T., the witty friend and correspondent of General Charles Lee (see his Memoirs). She afterwards married a General Johnston of the British army. Their father, David Franks, was a wealthy Jew of high social position. He married, I think, a Delancey, and although his oldest son was brought up, according to marriage stipulation, in the Hebrew faith, his daughters made distinguished matches in Christian families. Miss N(ancy) Bond became the second wife of General John Cadwalader of the army of the Revolution. P. Smith was Peter Smith of South Carolina, his wife a daughter of Henry Middleton, holding for some months the presidency of Congress after the death of Peyton Randolph in 1776; succeeded in his chair by John Hancock, and in his place as delegate by his son Arthur Middleton. William Henry Drayton filled all sorts of public places in South Carolina, and was a good deal satirized in the Tory lampoons of the day. See the privately printed poems of the Rev. Dr. Odell. His memoirs were afterwards printed in two volumes octavo. He was not of Drayton Hall (as I have recently seen stated), nor the ancestor of Colonel William Drayton, distinguished in the army of 1812, and afterwards in Congress, perhaps the last Federalist there. Gadsden was of course Christopher Gadsden, afterwards in Congress, and governor of South Carolina. I commit the letter and my annotations to your care to present to our Society, and use them as you please. Believe me, with very sincere regards, J. FRANCIS FISHER. Dr. PEABODY announced the Memoir of the late Alvan Lamson, D.D., as ready for publication; and Prof. PARSONS, through Mr. Deane, the Memoir of the late Charles G. Loring, LL.D. 33 MEMOIR OF ALVAN LAMSON, D.D. BY ANDREW P. PEABODY. ALVAN LAMSON, the son of John and Hannah (Ayres) Lamson, was born in Weston, Mass., Nov. 18, 1792. He was fitted for college at Phillips Academy, Andover, and was graduated at Harvard College in 1814. He held a high rank in his class, and was even at that early age distinguished for maturity of mind and character. Of the esteem in which he was held it may be ample proof that he was chosen, on graduating, to the office of tutor in Bowdoin College, then in its infancy, and, while waiting for permanent endowments, seeking to sustain itself in being by the infusion from year to year of the best young life which Harvard could furnish for its nourishment. He afterward studied theology at the Cambridge Divinity School, being a member of its first regularly organized class. He was licensed to preach in 1817, and on Oct. 29, 1818, was ordained as pastor of the First Church in Dedham. In 1825 he was married to Frances Fidelia Ward, daughter of the Hon. Artemas Ward. In 1837 he received the degree of S.T.D. from Harvard University. For nearly forty years he continued at his post, in the quiet, diligent, and faithful discharge of his office, and with uninterrupted health. Then came a season of prolonged illness and disablement, the causes of which eluded medical skill, but from which he was partially restored by rest and European travel. On returning to his work, he found himself no longer adequate to the |