1. No previous letter from Boylston has been found, but William, or Guillaume, Taylor had served as John Hancock's secretary while he was president of the congress. He had sailed from Boston for France on 26 July 1778, bearing packets from the congress for the Commissioners and possibly also letters to JA from AA (PCC, No. 79, I, f. 236–237; No. 37, f. 119; Adams Family Correspondence , 3:59 – , 62). That Boylston wrote regarding him seems to indicate that the vessel on {p. 341} which he sailed was captured. Except for a letter of reference by the Commissioners dated 18 Dec. 1778 (LbC, Adams Papers), no previous reference to Taylor has been found in the Commissioners' correspondence.

2. Undoubtedly Benjamin Franklin; see Boylston's letter of 6 Feb. (below).

3. John Boylston was a first cousin of JA's mother. He had gone to England in 1771 and, despite indications that in 1778 he considered returning to America, remained there until his death in 1795. For additional information on Boylston, particularly his sympathy for the American cause, see Adams Family Correspondence , 4:201.