Cecily Zamora
In September 1730, Benjamin Franklin entered into a common-law marriage with Deborah Read, who is often referred to as Deborah Franklin. Deborah had previously been married to a man named John Rogers, who abandoned her and disappeared, leaving her unable to obtain a divorce. Deborah and Benjamin had two children together, Francis and Sarah, and raised Benjamin's illegitimate son, William, in their household.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Deborah Read Franklin |
| Birth | c. 1708 |
| Birthplace | Birmingham, England (some sources state Philadelphia) |
| Parents | John and Sarah Read, a well-respected Quaker couple |
| Siblings | John, James, and Frances Read |
| Immigration | Immigrated to British America in 1711, settling in Philadelphia |
| Marriage | Common-law wife of Benjamin Franklin from September 1, 1730, until her death in 1774 |
| Previous Marriage | John Rogers, a British carpenter or potter |
| Children with Benjamin Franklin | Francis Folger Franklin (born in October 1732, died of smallpox in 1736); Sarah "Sally" Franklin (born in 1743) |
| Step-Children | William Franklin (illegitimate son of Benjamin Franklin, born around 1730, raised by Deborah as her own) |
| Health Issues | Suffered from poor health, depression, and a series of strokes that impaired her speech and memory |
| Death | December 19, 1774, from a stroke |
| Burial | Buried next to Benjamin Franklin in the cemetery of Christ Church, Philadelphia |
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What You'll Learn
Deborah Read's first husband
Deborah Read Franklin, the common-law wife of Benjamin Franklin, was first married to a British man named John Rogers. Deborah Read and Benjamin Franklin first met in October 1723 when she was around 15 years old and he was 17. A romance soon blossomed, and Franklin proposed marriage in 1724. However, Read's mother, Sarah, objected to the match, citing Franklin's impending trip to London and financial instability. Following the postponement of their marriage plans, Franklin travelled to England and ended the relationship.
Upon his arrival in London, Franklin became stranded after Sir William Keith failed to follow through on his promises of financial support. Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, Read's mother persuaded her to marry John Rogers, who has been described as either a carpenter or a potter. Read and Rogers married on 5 August 1725 at Christ Church in Philadelphia. Unfortunately, the marriage was short-lived and tumultuous. Rogers was reportedly "sweet-talking" but unable to hold a job, and he accumulated significant debt before and after their marriage.
Just four months into the marriage, Read learned from a friend of Rogers that he had another wife in his native England. Devastated by this revelation, Read left Rogers and refused to acknowledge him as her husband. During their separation, Rogers squandered Read's dowry, incurred further debt, and used their marriage for his own schemes. In December 1727, Rogers stole a slave and disappeared. Unconfirmed reports placed him in the British West Indies, where he allegedly died in a fight.
When Franklin returned to Philadelphia in October 1727, he and Read rekindled their relationship. Despite considering her marriage to Rogers over, Read could not legally remarry. In 1730, Franklin publicly acknowledged his illegitimate son, William, and the couple entered into a common-law marriage on 1 September 1730, raising his son together. They had two children together: Francis Folger Franklin, born in October 1732, and Sarah "Sally" Franklin, born in 1743.
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Benjamin Franklin's illegitimate son
Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, had an illegitimate son named William Franklin. Born on February 22, 1730, William's mother's identity remains unknown. Franklin publicly acknowledged his son in 1730 and raised him in his household. William enjoyed a close relationship with his father as a young man, even assisting him with his famous kite experiment in 1752.
William Franklin was educated in Philadelphia and later studied law in London in the early 1760s. He fathered an illegitimate son himself, named William Temple Franklin, born on February 22, 1760. William Temple Franklin was raised by a foster family. Benjamin Franklin developed a deep affection for his grandson, who shared his political views and served as his personal secretary.
As an adult, William Franklin became a Loyalist to the British crown during the American Revolution, causing a rift in his relationship with his father, who supported American independence. William's Loyalist activities, including his role in the Asgill Affair, led to his exile from the United States. Despite attempts at reconciliation, Benjamin Franklin never fully forgave his son for his betrayal.
William Franklin's life stands in contrast to his father's legacy as a founding father, highlighting the complexities within Benjamin Franklin's personal life and the impact of his choices on future generations of his family.
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Read and Franklin's courtship
Benjamin Franklin first met Deborah Read in October 1723. Franklin, then 17, had just moved to Philadelphia from Boston in search of employment as a printer. Read was around 15 at the time. Franklin was unable to find accommodation near his job, so Read's father allowed him to rent a room in the family home. A romance soon blossomed, and in 1724, Franklin proposed marriage. Read's mother, Sarah, did not consent to the marriage, citing Franklin's impending trip to London and financial instability.
Franklin travelled to London, intending to end the relationship. However, upon his return to Philadelphia in 1726, he resumed his courtship with Read. In the meantime, Read's mother had persuaded her to marry John Rogers, a British man who worked as either a carpenter or a potter. The marriage took place on 5 August 1725, but it quickly fell apart as Rogers was unable to hold a job and had incurred significant debt. Four months into the marriage, Read left Rogers after learning that he had a wife in his native England. Rogers disappeared in December 1727, and unconfirmed reports suggested that he had died in the British West Indies.
With Rogers out of the picture, Franklin and Read's "mutual affection was revived", and they entered into a common-law marriage on 1 September 1730. They took in Franklin's recently acknowledged illegitimate son, William, and raised him as their own. The couple had two children together: Francis Folger Franklin, born in October 1732, and Sarah "Sally" Franklin, born in 1743.
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Read's second marriage
On September 1, 1730, Benjamin Franklin entered into a common-law marriage with Deborah Read Rogers. Deborah had previously been married to a man named John Rogers, who had abandoned her and disappeared, leaving her unable to obtain a divorce and officially remarry.
Franklin and Deborah Read had first courted before Franklin left for England. During his absence, Deborah's mother persuaded her to marry Rogers, a British man who worked as either a carpenter or a potter. However, the marriage quickly fell apart as Rogers was unable to hold a job and had incurred significant debt. Four months into the marriage, Deborah left Rogers after learning that he already had a wife in his native England.
Upon his return to Philadelphia in 1726, Franklin resumed his courtship with Deborah. In 1730, Franklin publicly acknowledged his illegitimate son, William, and decided to raise him in his household. This decision made his need to find a wife more urgent, as it would have been problematic for him to marry a desirable young woman with a dowry while having an illegitimate child. Deborah, however, was willing to marry him despite these circumstances, and their "mutual affection was revived."
Franklin and Deborah established their common-law marriage on September 1, 1730, and took in his illegitimate son, raising him as their own. The couple had two children together: a son, Francis Folger Franklin, born in October 1732, and a daughter, Sarah "Sally" Franklin, born in 1743. Deborah suffered from poor health and depression later in her life, and she passed away in 1774 from a stroke.
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Franklin's return to Philadelphia
Benjamin Franklin first arrived in Philadelphia at the age of 17, after running away from an apprenticeship with his brother in Boston. He moved to the city in search of employment as a printer. After a brief stop in Burlington, he headed to Philadelphia, where he visited a bakery and attended a Quaker meeting.
Franklin's early years in Philadelphia were marked by his work in various printing shops and his association with the Quaker community. He also established himself as a publisher, becoming the owner of the "Pennsylvania Gazette" in 1728. During this period, he became acquainted with Deborah Read, whom he would later marry.
In 1724, Franklin proposed marriage to Read, but her mother, Sarah, objected due to Franklin's planned trip to London and financial instability. Franklin travelled to London, intending to end the relationship, and became stranded there after his patron failed to provide financial support. During Franklin's absence, Read's mother persuaded her to marry John Rogers, a British man. However, this marriage quickly fell apart when it was discovered that Rogers had a wife in England and had incurred significant debt.
Franklin returned to Philadelphia in 1726 and resumed his relationship with Read. They established a common-law marriage on September 1, 1730, and raised Franklin's recently acknowledged illegitimate son, William, in their household. Franklin's return to Philadelphia marked a period of personal and professional growth for him. He continued to work as a printer and publisher, using his publications as a platform for social commentary and reform. He also joined the local Masonic lodge and became a grand master in 1734, reflecting his rising prominence in Pennsylvania.
Franklin's later years in Philadelphia were marked by his diplomatic duties and extended trips to Europe, which kept him away from his wife for extended periods. In 1762, he returned to Philadelphia and tried to persuade Read to accompany him to Europe, but she refused. Franklin returned to Europe in 1764 and remained there for the next ten years. Read's health declined during their separation, and she wrote to Franklin in 1769, expressing her distressed state due to his prolonged absence. Franklin finally returned to Philadelphia in 1785, greeted by his family and Judge Thomas McKean upon his homecoming.
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Frequently asked questions
Deborah Read Rogers became Benjamin Franklin's common-law wife on 1 September 1730.
Deborah Read Rogers agreed to marry Benjamin Franklin because he had acknowledged his illegitimate son, William, and needed a wife. Deborah Read Rogers was one of the few women who would agree to marry a man with a "bastard infant son".
Deborah Read Rogers' first husband, John Rogers, abandoned her and disappeared in 1727. He had incurred a large amount of debt and was a "sweet-talker" who could not hold a job.
