Benjamin Franklin was born on January 17, 1607 to Josiah and Abiah Folger Franklin. He was just one of seventeen children, his mother was his father’s second wife. He was the youngest of ten boys.
All of his brother’s were educated in a trade but he was seen as a prodigy. For a short while he was able to attend the Latin School where he flourished. Initially his father had high intentions for him. It had been planned that he would attend the Latin school in preparation for Harvard and later an education in the ministry. After his first year he was pulled out of The Latin School because his father had realized he would not be able to afford the expensive education he had planned for him. He returned to public school which only taught math and reading. At the age of ten he entered his fathers’ candle making business. Later he was assigned to intern for his step-brother James in his printing company.
Benjamin Franklin had three children. His oldest son William was illegitimate but was raised by his common law wife Deborah Read Franklin as their own. His second son, Francis was born in 1732 but died at the age of 4 from small pox. Their daughter Sarah often called Sally was born in 1743. After the death of his wife Deborah, the elderly Ben lived with his daughter Sarah's family. Sarah nursed him as his health weakened. Finally, Ben died peacefully in his sleep on April 17, 1790. He was 84 years old.His funeral in Philadelphia attracted the largest crowd of mourners ever known. An estimated 20,000 people crowded around the Christ Church Burial Ground where he was buried beside his wife Deborah Read Rogers Franklin who had died sixteen years before him.
Benjamin Franklin was an extraordinarily interesting individual and was a main ingredient in the founding of our great county.