Abigaill Franks' letters are among the earliest extant by a woman in colonial New York City. They are also the earliest known letters by a Jewish woman in British America and probably the Western colonies. Thirty-five letters survive, all written to her son Naphtali between 1733 and 1748. These letters represent a rare resource for the study of family life during the colonial period as well as of the life of a lively and articulate woman. In this fascinating book, Edith B. Gelles carefully edits all of Abigaill Franks' letters to make them accessible to modern readers. Gelles'...
Abigaill Franks' letters are among the earliest extant by a woman in colonial New York City. They are also the earliest known letters by a Jewish w...
