Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/193

 FRANKLIN

FRANKLIN

to become a printer, and when twelve years old signed indeiitiu'es to James to serve until be was twent}" j'ears old and to receive journeyman's wages the last year. He had at this time ad- vanced in reading, his books including " Pil- grim's Progress, " Plutarch's Lives," Burton's "Historical Collection," DeFoe's "Essays on Projects " and Mather's " Essaj's To Do Good. He made rapid progress in the printing office and increased the scope of his reading, having access to the library of Matthew Adams. He improved liis literary style from reading and practising, his main help being the third volume of " The Spectator," which he owTied. He adopted a vegetable diet when sixteen years old which de- creased his living expenses, and these savings were expended for books including "Locke on the Human Understanding," " Art of Thinking '' ('Port-Royal Logic ' ), an arithmetic, an English grammar .and a geometry. He soon gave up his vegetable diet, and in 1731, when James Franklin began to print the Xew England Coiirirr, the third newspaper in Boston and the fourth in America, Benjamin found agreeable out-door work in carrying the papers to customers. He became a frequent although anonymous contributor to its columns and the approval with which his arti- cles were met caused an unpleasant misunder- standing between the brothers. James began to exact unreasonable tasks from Benjamin whose refusals to obey were punished by severe beat- ings. The colonial assembly about this time pro- hibited James Franklin from publishing the paper, by reason of an offensive article, the au- thor of which the editor refused, after a month's imprisonment, to disclose. Benjamin's indent- ure of apprenticeship was then cancelled and he became the editor and publisher. After a few months the brothers again disagi'eed and Benja- min left the office. Not being able to obtain work in Boston on account of the hostility of his brother, he sold some of his books and with the funds so obtained took passage in a sloop for New York, which port he reached in three days. He applied for work to William Bradford, the only printer in that city, and was directed by liim to his son's office in Philadelphia. Pa. He took a .sloop to Perth Amboy, walked to Burlington, N.J., where he took another boat which he helped to row to Philadelphia, arriving at the foot of Market street early on Sunday morning. He attended a Quaker meeting after regaling himself with three rolls, spent the night on the boat, and on Monday morning presented himself to Mr. Bradford, who gave him partial employment. He made many friends in Philadelphia, including Sir William Keith, the provincial governor, who proposed to aid him in establishing a printing office of his own. He was eighteen

years old at this time, and made the journey to Boston to get some financial aid from his father. This was withheld, with the advice that he should wait until he reached his majority when his savings might enable him better to help himself. He returned to Philadelphia, and the governor agreed to furnish the money for him to go to London and purchase an outfit. He sailed on the ship Annis and reached London where he expected to find his letters of credit in the mail bags. After vainly waiting months for an explanation from the governor, he secured work with Palmer, a famous printer, with whom he remained a year, and then worked for six months with Watts, who conducted a larger office. While in London he led a rather gay life, spent all his earnings, and made the acquaintance of some celebrated authors. He then engaged as a clerk to Thomas Denham, a Quaker niercliant of Philadelphia, for £50 per year, and set sail with him for home. They arrived in Philadelphia, Oct. 11, 1726, and soon after both fell ill. Mr. Denham died, and his store was taken by execu- tors which left Franklin free to return to his trade. He worked for a time for an old em- ployer. Mr. Keimer, and then formed a partner- ship with Meredith, whom he subsequently bought out, and with money furnished by William Coleman and Robert Grace, began business for himself. This new ven- ture was made a secret part nership which was dissolved July 14, 1730. and first made known May 11, 1732, after Franklin had paid his debt to the other partners in full. He was married, Sept. 1, 1730, to Deborah Read, at whose father's house he had found lodgings on first arriving in Philadelphia. During Franklin's absence in London, she had been married to a worthless fellow, who after deserting her had died in the West Indies about 1728. The jear previous to his marriage he had secured the ownership of the Pcnnsnlrania Gazette which his original style of editing made at once popular and it became a valuable property. He was a founder and an original member of the Junta club, organized for mutual improvement. Eacli mem- ber was to propose in turn queries on points in morals, philosophy or politics to be discussed by all, and once in three months each was to read an essay of "his own %vriting on any subject he pleased. Thomas Godfrey, mathematician; Nicholas Scull, surveyor; William Mangridge,