This Week's Story
click here to play audioBen becomes a printing entrepreneur, choses a wife, and brainstorms changes for Philadelphia.
This Week’s Story relives American history and the Bible through brief inspiring stories presented on mp3 audio recordings and text for reading.
Huhh, yes! A possible solution! part three
In his twenties Ben Franklin made a good impression on potential customers. People saw the long hours he worked. He did not splash money around for people to see. He dressed plainly. No one saw him idling his time. He wanted people to trust his work ethic and integrity.
Ben developed challenges and bargains for doing everything possible to improve his printing business. He became a pioneer for opening doors for communication. No phones or computers had been invented, but he imaginatively used advertising, printed pamphlets, newspapers, and books to capture audiences.
He started a club of ten young men, the Junto, meaning a discussion group. The participants were creative brain-stormers, a social group, with ideas for self-improvement and business, like a junior chamber of commerce. They developed projects, not get-rich scams, for their city, Philadelphia.
The members of Junto, at Franklin’s suggestion, organized the first circulating library in America. Citizens could borrow books for ten
shillings a year, which might be $2.50 in silver. That money was used to buy more books from England.
Franklin commented that Americans “were observed by strangers to be better informed…than people of the same rank generally are in other countries.” People in the eastern 13 Colonies came from many countries and there were many native Americans.
As Ben’s business grew, he decided that he should marry. “I should have a wife with a dowry. She will help me to finish paying the debt on my printing shop.”
He chose Deborah Read. Earlier they had wanted to marry, but Deborah’s mother had told them, “You are too young to marry!” Then on a business trip to London Ben wrote that he might be there a long time. Before he returned Deborah married a man who deserted her and went to the West Indies. Supposedly he died there, but there was no proof of his death.
Ben returned to America and he and Deborah married. There was no dowry; but their unofficial marriage lasted forty-five years. Deborah was attractive, but not pretty. She was strong, a hard worker, and hot-tempered. Franklin paid little attention to her outbursts. She had little interest in Franklin’s skills or passions, except for their home and print shop. She had no formal schooling, and could scarcely read or write.
They shared love for their three children. The first child, William, became the last Royal Governor of New Jersey. Though his father was a strategic leader in the formation of the United States, William was ironically a British Loyalist. Another son died at age four. A daughter Sarah received a good education and was socially adept and capable. She directed approximately 2,000 women as the leader of a patriotic organization that helped supply money and clothing for the American Continental Army soldiers during the American Revolution.
Benjamin’s first love was his newspaper and this venture led to adventures and influence.
Join us soon with Benjamin Franklin. Todd Warren, Barbara Steiner, and I, Carlos Gamez will be returning.
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