Jonathan Williams was born May 26, 1750 in Boston to Jonathan Williams, a patriot of the revolution and a prosperous merchant, and Grace (Harris) Williams, daughter of Benjamin Franklin's sister Anne. Williams traveled to England in 1770 and 1773 to continue his education and to make contacts through his granduncle. By the time he left England in 1776, he had established prosperous business connections in London, but left them to travel to France with Franklin. While in France, Williams worked as a US commercial agent and also studied military science, particularly fortifications. Williams remained in Europe pursuing various business interests until he returned with Franklin to America in 1785. He had married Marianne Alexander, daughter of William Alexander of Edinburgh, Scotland, on October 12, 1779. They eventually moved to Philadelphia, where Williams became an associate judge in the court of common pleas in 1796.

While in Philadelphia, Williams worked with Franklin on his later experiments and gained a reputation as a scientist in his own right. Williams was elected to the APS in 1787 and published results of his observations on temperature and barometrical readings, as well as a paper on sugar production, in the APS Transactions. In 1799 he published a treatise entitled Thermometrical Navigation. His scientific interests brought him to the attention of Thomas Jefferson, who became impressed with Williams' knowledge of fortifications. He was appointed major of the 2nd regiment of artillerists and engineers in the regular army in 1801; later that year he was made inspector of fortifications and commander of the post at West Point.

When the U.S. Military Academy was established in 1802, Williams became its first superintendent, but he resigned in 1803 following a dispute over rank and authority. Jefferson arranged for Williams to return to this post in 1805, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel and chief of engineers and with complete authority over the cadets. He planned and built most of the inner forts in New York harbor, including Fort Columbus, Fort Clinton, and Castle Williams. At the outbreak of the War of 1812, he asked for but was denied the command of Castle Williams, probably due to political differences with the secretary of war, William Eustis. He resigned his post and became brevet brigadier-general of the New York militia. Returning to Philadelphia, he served on a committee to ensure the defense of the Delaware. In his later years, he served as vice-president and corresponding secretary of the APS. He was elected to Congress in 1814, but died before he could take his seat.

The Jonathan Williams Papers consists of 46 letters and documents, written by or two Jonathan Williams Sr. and Jr., dealing primarily with financial and legal matters. The collection includes five letters written by Benjamin Franklin and many of the others are signed by Williams' father-in-law and brother-in-law, William and Robert Alexander.

In spite of the emphasis on business, glimpses of everyday life can occasionally be seen, including Franklin's life, and a real sense of affection can often be felt in William Alexander's letters to his son-in-law. Items of particular note include the April 13, 1801 letter in which William Alexander expresses his reaction to the news of his brother's death; the May 3, 1802 legal document in which Robert Alexander grants Jonathan Williams power of attorney and which bears the wax seal of the state of Kentucky; and the Dec. 29, 1802 letter in which William Alexander describes his attempts to cultivate grapes and his desire to produce wine, and mentions his relationship to his servants.

Provenance

The Williams materials were donated in 1985 by Frederick Roy Sellers of Valley Forge, Penn. The original of the Robert Alexander to Jonathan Williams letter of Dec. 28, 1802 was removed by Mr. Sellers on Aug. 2, 1985.

The miscellaneous Benjamin Franklin-Jonathan Williams Collection (formerly call number B F85.b) was merged into this collection in January 2004. The former call number has been retained in the record below as an indication of provenance.

Preferred citation

Cite as: Jonathan Williams Papers, American Philosophical Society.

Processing information

Catalogued by Alison M. Lewis, May, 2000, addition January 2004 (accn. no. 85-737ms).

Related material

Selected papers of Jonathan Williams, 1771-1813. Film. 1 reel. Film 455. From Indiana University Library. The papers selected for inclusion on this microfilm are those relating to Benjamin Franklin and the APS; they include correspondence among Franklin, William Franklin, Jonathan Williams, Sr., and Jonathan Williams, Jr. (the present figure); also Williams's journal of a trip through England with Benjamin Franklin, Jan Ingenhousz, and John Canton, 1771; also some memoranda and essays by Williams on trade, meteorology, and sugar refining; as well as notes and drawings. A 5-page table of contents is available. The Indiana University Jonathan Williams Papers, held at Lilly Library, contains 7,203 items, from which the above microfilmed items are selected. A five page description of their collection is appended. A considerable number of additional items relating to Williams is located in the APS Archives (including information relating to his research in electricity, meteorology, and sugar) and in the various Franklin collections. Consult the card catalog for a complete listing.

Bibliography

Early American History Note

The Jonathan Williams Papers contain Williams' correspondence, often of a personal nature, from the 1788-1803. This collection adds primary source materials to the H.J. Williams collection, which consists of genealogical material on the Williams family. Jonathan Williams was one of Benjamin Franklin’s nephews. He attained high positions in the United States military and helped found West Point. The bulk of Jonathan Williams’s papers contain letters from William Alexander to Jonathan Williams. Alexander was his father-in-law. Topics discussed include business, legal, and of course family affairs.

Genre(s)

• Family Correspondence
• Legal Records
• Political Correspondence

Personal Name(s)

• Alexander, Robert
• Alexander, William
• Franklin, Benjamin, 1706-1790
• Franklin, William, 1731-1813
• Williams, Jonathan Sr
• Williams, Jonathan.

Subject(s)

• Engineering
• Law
• Military History
• Wine and wine making