Ben Franklin a Touch of Genius
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Ben Franklin was born the tenth son of a soap maker, Josiah Franklin. In all Josiah had 17 children amid two wives. When Ben was 15, his brother had started the third paper to hit Boston called The New England Courant. Ben really wanted to write for the paper but he knew that his older brother James would never let him do that being that he is only an apprentice. Therefore, Ben being the young intellect that he was, started printing letters and sliding them into his brothers printing shop at night. He wrote under the alias Silence Dogood, and provided criticism towards views of the world, and the rights and treatments of women. Sixteen letters had been published until Ben came out and told James that it was his mere apprentice brother writing these reader loved articles. Jamess friends thought Ben was quite gifted but this infuriated James to know that his brother was gaining widespread attention through his alias Silence Dogood. Not before long at all Bens older brother was not at good terms with the Puritan leading family the Mathers. The Mathers supported inoculation, and James along with most people believed that this inoculation was not for the good of the people, and in fact it worsened conditions. James was thrown into prison and Ben was left to run the paper while he was gone. When James returned, he showed his brother no thanks for continuing his business on a positive note. In fact, James “harassed his younger brother and administered beatings from time to time” (The First American, 18). Ben could not take this harsh treatment from his former mentor so he decided to flee to in 1723 to New York.
Ben traveled by boat hoping to find work as a printer in New York but there was none, he continued his journey for work through New Jersey and ended up in Philadelphia where he found work as an apprentice printer for Samuel Keimer. Franklins skill as a writer put him at good terms with the Governor William Keith of Pennsylvania. After Bens brother-in-law showed the governor one of Bens letters the governor was stunned by his mastery of wordplay and sent out to meet this great writer. The governor wanted Ben to start his own printing company, but Bens father would not finance his print shop, so the Governor told Franklin that he would in fact finance the start of his printing company, after Ben journeys to London to setup business connections, and buy supplies for the company. Hence, Franklin set forth on his journey along with a good friend named James Ralph a merchants clerk, not knowing that he would end up spending months doing print work in England because of the governor backing out on his word. A dispute ended the fellowship between Ralph and Franklin and they both went there own ways. While Ben was in London, he was not aware that his childhood sweetheart and very steady girlfriend Deborah Read had married another man. When Franklin arrived back in Philadelphia, he was bound to work in Thomas Denhams shop for one year. During his work as a sales clerk both Denham and Franklin became ill. Franklin had Pleurisy but survived it where on the other Hand Thomas had passed away, relieving Franklin of his debt in his will. Everything thus far seems to be going wrong for Franklin. Eventually Franklin will start his own shop with the help of Meredith Hugh. His business flourished, to the surprise of many who believed three printing companies could not be successful. Ben also ran a bookstore and Deborah ran a “general” store. Ben wanted to complete his goal of owning and operating his own newspaper now.
In 1729, he bought the Pennsylvania Gazette, often printing his own views and opinions in alias. The paper soon became the most prosperous throughout the colonies. In 1733, Franklin started publishing Poor Richards Almanac. Franklin wrote this under the alias “Richard Saunders, a poor man who needed money to take care of his carping wife. What distinguished Franklins almanac were his witty aphorisms and lively writing. Many of the famous phrases associated with Franklin, such