How long was Ben Franklin and Deborah Reed common-law married?
Deborah Reed was Franklin’s common-law wife. Previously married to a husband that ran off, Reed settled into the common-law marriage arrangement with Ben which lasted until her death forty-four years later even though Ben spent very little time at home.
Who was the mother of Ben Franklin’s first son?
| William Franklin | |
|---|---|
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Downes ( m. 1762; died 1777) Mary Johnson d’Evelin ( m. 1788; died 1811) |
| Relations | Francis Folger Franklin (paternal half-brother) Sarah Franklin Bache (paternal half-sister) |
| Children | William Temple Franklin |
| Parent(s) | Benjamin Franklin Deborah Read (stepmother) |
Did Ben Franklin have an illegitimate son?
Franklin, meanwhile, had returned to Philadelphia and fathered an illegitimate son named William, but was also eager to rekindle the relationship with his lost love, Deborah.
What did Deborah Franklin do?
1708 – December 19, 1774) was the common-law wife of Benjamin Franklin, polymath and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States….
| Deborah Read | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1708 Birmingham, England |
| Died | December 19, 1774 (aged 66) Philadelphia, Province of Pennsylvania |
| Resting place | Christ Church Burial Ground |
Who did Ben Franklin marry?
Deborah ReadBenjamin Franklin / Spouse (m. 1730–1774)
Did Benjamin Franklin marry Deborah Read?
On September 1, 1730 Benjamin Franklin married Deborah Read. They entered a common-law agreement which protected them from bigamy if her runaway husband returned. Deborah assisted in the business by folding and stitching pamphlets, tending shop, purchasing old linen rags for paper makers.
Who was William Franklin’s biological mother?
She often referred to her husband as her “dear Child” or “Pappy.” When Franklin spent the years of 1757 to 1762 and 1764 to 1775 in Europe as a representative of the government of Pennsylvania, Deborah Franklin stayed in Philadelphia. She had no wish to cross the ocean.
Was Ben Franklin married twice?
Benjamin Franklin was married once to a woman named Deborah Read. The circumstances surrounding the marriage of Benjamin Franklin are quite interesting.
When did Ben Franklin marry?
September 1, 1730 (Deborah Read)Benjamin Franklin / Wedding date
Who was Benjamin Franklin’s son?
William Franklin
Francis Folger Franklin
Benjamin Franklin/Sons
Who did Benjamin Franklin marry?
Who was Benjamin Franklin’s common law wife?
Deborah Read
On September 1, 1730 Benjamin Franklin married Deborah Read. They entered a common-law agreement which protected them from bigamy if her runaway husband returned.
What did Benjamin Franklin’s wife Deborah do?
Deborah assisted in the business by folding and stitching pamphlets, tending shop, purchasing old linen rags for paper makers. He found her a “good and faithful helpmate”. Around the time they married Franklin took custody of an illegitimate child, William. The name of the mother remains a mystery. The couple had two children.
What happened to Benjamin Franklin’s wife Elizabeth Read?
In 1768, Read suffered the first of a series of strokes that severely impaired her speech and memory. For the remainder of her life, she suffered from poor health and depression. Despite his wife’s condition, Franklin did not return to Philadelphia even though he had completed his diplomatic duties.
Why did Deborah lie about Franklin’s return to her?
But it’s likely that Deborah exaggerated the letter’s romantic aspects because she wanted to believe her husband loved her and would return to her. That February Franklin, newly arrived in London, had predicted that he would be home in “a few Months.” But now he had been gone for 11, with no word on when he would come back.
Did Benjamin Franklin ever marry?
Nearing his mid-20s, Franklin sought to marry, not for love, but rather for society’s sake (via Benjamin Franklin Historical Society). He had dated a woman named Deborah Read, but after Franklin left to go across the ocean to Great Britain, she married a man named Roger Potter.