Robert Treat Paine Papers, Volume 2
I've a Scheme to communicate to you which providence has thrown in my Way, I, would have done it verbally but my Attention to hay & English harvest prevents my Coming to Town at present. My Intention is to Carry on the potters Business in Abington which may be done to great profit. Joseph Bender1 is near out of his Time & offers to settle here under my Auspices. He'll pay for buildg. a Kiln Pay rent for a Shop & make an Assortment of Ware for me for twelve pence old Tenr. per Vessell. I must find Wood Clay & Glaizing. Mr. Palmer Imployed Bender in the same Way bought Clay & Wood at four times the price I must give & Clear'd (Eunice says) an hundred pounds old Tenr. per Kiln at Whole Sale price.
I must take all off for the Term of two three or four years as we agree he having no priviledge to sell a Single Vessell. We can burn about Ten Kilns per Annum. The demand here is Considerable for this kind of Ware146& is very Likely to bring me Custom for other things. I shall want the assistance of a friend the first year; Ten pounds Lawfull money & abt. as much goods will set me agoing.
Pray do something abt. the Distill-house wth. Dwight2 or somebody Else. Fulton3 will take the Land & pay cash. Do.
P.S. Yr. advice in the Potter-affair is what I want much & is the Chief reason of my Writing now so hope for yr. Answr.
To be left at Mr. Wm. Greenleaf's South End."
Possibly John Henry Benner (ca. 1727–1796), one of the Germans brought to Braintree to work in the glassworks at Germantown, of which Palmer and Cranch were among the partners. After the collapse of the glassworks scheme Benner went to Abington and worked as a potter (Abington and the Revolution and Earlier Wars, 82–85).
Not further identified. Possibly Nathaniel Dwight, an innkeeper.
Robert Fulton, a laborer and later a distiller, with whom Greenleaf had land dealings in 1754 (Thwing 1ndex).