BENJAMIN FRANKLIN DIES:April 17, 1790

On April 17, 1790, American statesman, printer, scientist, and writer Benjamin Franklin dies in Philadelphia at age 84.

Born in Boston in 1706, Franklin became at 12 years old an apprentice to his half brother James, a printer and publisher. He learned the printing trade and in 1723 went to Philadelphia to work after a dispute with his brother. After a sojourn in London, he started a printing and publishing press with a friend in 1728. In 1729, the company won a contract to publish Pennsylvania's paper currency and also began publishing the Pennsylvania Gazette, which was regarded as one of the better colonial newspapers. From 1732 to 1757, he wrote and published Poor Richard's Almanack, an instructive and humorous periodical in which Franklin coined such practical American proverbs as "God helps those who help themselves" and "Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."

As his own wealth and prestige grew, Franklin took on greater civic responsibilities in Philadelphia and helped establish the city's first circulating library, police force, volunteer fire company, and an academy that became the University of Pennsylvania. From 1737 to 1753, he was postmaster of Philadelphia and during this time also served as a clerk of the Pennsylvania legislature. In 1753, he became deputy postmaster general, in charge of mail in all the northern colonies.

Deeply interesting in science and technology, he invented the Franklin stove, which is still manufactured today, and bifocal eyeglasses, among other practical inventions. In 1748, he turned his printing business over to his partner so he would have more time for his experiments. The phenomenon of electricity fascinated him, and in a dramatic experiment he flew a kite in a thunderstorm to prove that lightning is an electrical discharge. He later invented the lightning-rod.

We were fortunate to have both Benjamin Franklin and Alexander Hamilton as founding fathers. Neither was ever president, Hamilton because he wasn’t eligible and Franklin, not sure why he wasn’t. He was highly valued as an advisor to our early presidents.

Benjamin was one of the smartest founding fathers. He only had a couple of years of formal schooling but was well educated in those years and learned more on his own. Many students now are illiterate and inumerate but Franklin in two years was reading English and translating Latin. He had many useful inventions, including bifocals and the Franklin stove and he even invented ways to print paper money (new to the colonies) in a way that twarted counterfeiters.

When Franklin died he left IIRC about $2,000 to both Boston and Philadelphia to provide loans to young men to start their own businesses. Philadelphia apparently spent the money on other things but I think Boston still has that loan program.

Hamilton, unfortunately, had some kind of musical written about him. It has overshadowed the tremendous contributions he made to our country, especial its banking and financial system. Look on the stock market for the listing BK. Bank of New York was founded by Hamilton in 1784. That bank is still in existence with the same original Stock Market call letters.

He was one of the most extraordinary human beings the world has ever known. Born into the family of a Boston candle maker, Benjamin Franklin became the most famous American of his time. He helped found a new nation and defined the American character. Writer, inventor, diplomat, businessman, musician, scientist, humorist, civic leader, international celebrity . . . genius!

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