Richard Bache e was a businessman, a marine insurance underwriter, and later served as head of the American Post Office.
Background
He was born on September 12, 1737, in Settle in the West Riding of Yorkshire, England. The family traced its origin to the Middle Ages, one tradition carrying it back to the Norman Conquest. The name was originally Bêche, or de la Bêche (beech), and - according to one statement - the anglicized pronunciation was Beech. Richard was a younger brother of Theophylact Bache. Their parents were William and Mary (Blyckenden) Bache.
Career
In 1765 Richard followed his brother to New York, becoming his business partner. He removed to Philadelphia, made the acquaintance of Benjamin Franklin, and in 1767 married Franklin's daughter Sarah. His firm had an extensive business with foreign lands, including the West Indies and Newfoundland; in addition, Bache issued private insurance policies, as these were the years prior to the formation of regular companies of life insurance. The opening of the war, leading to a divergence of political sentiment between the brothers, caused the dissolution of their partnership, though not the severance of their personal relations.
Bache was a member of the Committee on Non-Importation Agreements, of the Committee of Correspondence, and was on the Board of War. He succeeded his father-in-law, Franklin, as postmaster general, and remained in that office until 1782.
Achievements
Politics
Richard Bache adhered to the Whigs.
Membership
He was a member of Gloucester Fox Hunting Club.
Connections
In 1767 Bache married Sarah Franklin, known as Sally. Bache and Sally had eight children together, including Benjamin Franklin, Louis Franklin and Richard Franklin.