Deborah Read

Deborah Read
Deborah Read

Deborah Read Franklin circa 1759
Born February 14, 1708(1708-02-14)
Died December 24, 1774(1774-12-24) (aged 66)
Spouse Benjamin Franklin

Deborah Read Franklin (February 14, 1708 – December 24, 1774) was the spouse of Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, and a prominent inventor, printer, thinker, and revolutionary.

Contents

Life Before Second Marriage

Franklin proposed to fifteen-year-old Read in 1724 when he was seventeen years old, but her mother would not consent to the marriage, citing Franklin's pending trip to England and financial instability. While Franklin was away in England, having been stranded there by Sir William Keith's failure to follow through on promises of support, Read married John Rogers, who fled soon after. Because of this, Benjamin and Deborah were not free to marry formally. John Rogers disappeared into history, after spending Deborah's dowry, incurring much debt, and using the marriage to further his own schemes. Shortly after John Rogers was found and stabbed to death.

Marriage to Benjamin Franklin

When Franklin returned, he and Deborah began a common-law marriage in 1730. They had two children together: Francis Folger Franklin[1] (October 20, 1732 - November 21, 1736), who died of smallpox at age four, and Sarah Franklin Bache (September 11, 1743 – October 5, 1808), called Sally. Together they also raised William Franklin, Franklin's illegitimate son and future Colonial Governor of New Jersey.

Later life

Benjamin Franklin did not leave London to visit Deborah even after she wrote to him in November 1769 saying her illness was due to “dissatisfied distress” because of his prolonged absence.[2] She did not accompany him on his frequent trips to Europe due to a fear of ocean travel. In spite of their separations, they remained loyal and supportive partners on to another for half a century. In the late 1760s and early 1770s, Deborah suffered a series of strokes that slurred her speech and memory.

Death

Deborah Read Franklin died of a stroke on December 24, 1774, while Benjamin was on an extended trip to England.

References

  1. ^ Francis Folger Franklin
  2. ^ November 1769 Letter from Deborah Read to Benjamin Franklin, franklinpapers.org

External links



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Deborah Read — Deborah Franklin Deborah Read Franklin (14 février 1708– 24 décembre 1774) est la femme du penseur, révolutionnaire et homme d État Benjamin Franklin. Sommaire 1 Jeunesse et famille 2 Épouse et mère …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Read (surname) — Read is a surname of English origins, its most likely derivation is from the Anglo Saxon (Old English) term for the colour red. The English town of Reading on the River Thames derives its name from a very early English tribal or community group… …   Wikipedia

  • Deborah Franklin — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Franklin. Portrait de Deborah Franklin Deborah Read Franklin (14 février 1708– 24 décembre 17 …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Deborah A. Miranda — Deborah Miranda Born Los Angeles, California Education Ph.D., English Alma mater University of Washington Occupation poet, professor …   Wikipedia

  • Deborah L. Cook — Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Incumbent Assumed office 2003 …   Wikipedia

  • Deborah Sampson — Statue of Deborah Samson at Sharon, Massachusetts public library, She served in the Revolution as Robert Shurtlieff of Uxbridge, Massachusetts Born December 17, 1760(1760 12 17) …   Wikipedia

  • Deborah Thomas — (born 9 November 1977), is a British politician and currently the Conservative Party Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the constituency of Twickenham. Personal life Deborah was born in Kew to a Jewish, Indian mother from Kerala and a Welsh… …   Wikipedia

  • Deborah Norville — Norville at the Metropolitan Opera opening in 2008. Born August 8, 1958 (1958 08 08) (age 53) Dalton, Georgia, U.S …   Wikipedia

  • Deborah Porter — Deborah Z. Porter Born 1958 Cleveland, Ohio, USA Residence Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA Nationality …   Wikipedia

  • Deborah Wiles — (born May 7, 1953, Mobile, Alabama, USA) is an award winning children s book author.[1] Her second novel, Each Little Bird That Sings, was a 2005 National Book Award finalist. Contents 1 Personal life 2 Works …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”