David Franks: Colonial Merchant

4. Commercial Adventures

Four commercial adventures Involvement in the army supply activity did not preclude forays into other business ventures. David Franks had begun selling insurance for ship cargoes in 1757. An interesting series of communications between Franks and a client , Philip Cuyler, recorded the solicitation and purchase of a policy and the subsequent loss of goods that were taken to Louisburg by impressment for the military campaign there. Their value was recovered to Cuyler’s satisfaction , but the process took nine months. Franks got his commission.1 New York residents continued to give him power of attorney to recover funds from people who had left the colony without paying their debts. He advertised regularly the sale of imported goods, and in 1759 added “Carolina tann LEATHER” to his list of wares. Some months later, his ships brought “an assortment of European and India Goods, suitable for this and Fall Season. Also best Rice, Soal [sole] Leather, Beaver, and the very best Sweet Oil” for sale at his store in Water Street.2 Going far afield of these conventional activities, a November 1760 newspaper advertisement offered rewards for the delivery of twenty-nine deserters from “His Majestys First Regiment of Foot, commanded by the Honourable Lieutenant General James St. Clair.” Lieutenant Richard Marshall of the regiment in New York or David Franks of Philadelphia would issue appropriate rewards when the miscreants were properly put in “goal.”3 Names, descriptions, and reward values were given for each man. Franks posted a reward of $800 (Pennsylvania money) in December for the capture of one Myer Levy, recently of New Jersey, who had “absconded” with at least £2,300 belonging to creditors. Nearly a dozen agents, including David and Barnard Gratz, were authorized to issue the reward.4 David Franks 40 Franks had given Barnard the opportunity to contract with the Pennsylvania colonial government to provide silver gifts for Indians attending the Easton treaty sessions in 1758. Franks had purchased the items and given them to Barnard on consignment. A year passed without payment. At Barnard ’s urging, Reverend Richard Peters, secretary of the province, wrote to Richard Hockley, the colony’s receiver general, “I desire Mr. David Franks may be paid instantly the same Ninety five pounds.” Barnard made payment to David’s account the next day.5 From Savannah, Georgia, came a power of attorney from the partnership of John Morel and Thomas Hooper authorizing David to track down Captain Thomas Bruce and collect the remaining £18 of the debt he had incurred with them some months back. Morel and Hooper were trying to dissolve their partnership and needed to clear all outstanding debts so that the division of assets could commence. Back in March 1760, Captain Bruce had been introduced to Barnard Gratz in a letter from his friend Captain Isaac Martin, aboard his sloop Esther, docked at Savannah. In May, Bruce wrote to Barnard describing the “revolt of ye Creek Indians” and the killing of several acquaintances, and announcing his intentions to get away. Bruce’s contact with the Gratz group probably pinpointed his location for Morel and Hooper and made the connection to David logical. That Bruce intended to return to Savannah was probably unknown to them; they just wanted their money so they could dissolve their firm. Whether that debt was ever collected remains a mystery.6 The extended Franks family continued to depend upon David for legal and paralegal services. David’s cousin Henry Benjamin Franks passed away in December 1758; he had named David executor of his will and specified that David and his father should determine the distribution of assets among the surviving mother, brothers, and sisters. David’s deposition regarding the veracity of the will read in part, “being a Jew, Duly sworn on the five Books of Moses.” At this juncture David was thirty-eight years old, had been married to Margaret for fifteen years, and had been attending Anglican services with her all that time—while maintaining his membership in New York’s Shearith Israel. Shortly thereafter, David advertised that individuals should bring their claims against the estate and announced the sale of shop and household goods at Henry’s former home in “Mountholly,” near York, Pennsylvania. Credit was offered to those purchasing “above Twenty Shillings Value.” Beyond the family, numerous out-of-towners became aware of David’s services in debt settlement and employed his services, either alone or in partnership with others, to recover sums of money. One client, Judge [18.117...