Rebecca Franks

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rebecca_Franks

Rebecca Franks (1760 – September 1823) was a prominent member of loyalist society in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania during the American Revolution.

She was born in New York about 1760, the daughter and youngest child of David Franks, a businessman, and the sister of Abigail (1745–1798), the wife of Andrew Hamilton (son of the noted attorney of the same name and proprietor of "The Woodlands"), and the niece of Phila Franks, who married Oliver De Lancey an American loyalist politician and a Major General during the American War of Independence.

During the War of Independence, she, like her father, sided with Great Britain, and during the British occupation of Philadelphia in 1778 she took part in the "Mischianza," a celebrated, elaborate fête given in honor of departing British General Sir William Howe, and at which Major John André presided. "The Times, a Poem by Camilio Querno, Poet Laureate of the Congress," a loyalist composition, has been attributed to her. Her literary ability, as well as her vivacity and wit, were well known; she carried on a correspondence with prominent men, and General Charles Lee of the

Continental army addressed to her a letter that attracted much attention, being published in the magazines of the day.

In 1782 in New York, she married Lieutenant-Colonel (later General) Henry Johnson, G.C.B., and moved to Bath, England. Johnson distinguished himself by an act of gallantry in one of the outbreaks of rebellion in Ireland, and received the honor of knighthood, whereupon Rebecca became Lady Johnson. They had two sons, one of whom was killed at the Battle of Waterloo. She remained in Bath until her death in September 1823.

• the Franks family came from a long line of successful Sephardic Jews.

A story of their dealings in the Revolution is told in Cha. 13 of Loyalist Mosaic by Joan McGee; Dundurn Press, Toronto (1984)

"Her descendants were the Johnsons of Bath, who served by tradition as officers of the British Army. Of her nine grandsons, with the exception of one who became an Episcopal clergyman, all became Army oficers, numbering three generals, one major genreal, one lieut. general, two colonels, and one captain.