Benjamin franklins wife and children

Have you ever wondered what happened to the children of Benjamin Franklin?

Benjamin franklins wife and children

While it was a tragedy that his youngest son, Francis, died of a smallpox infection when he was only four years old, the rest of Franklin&#;s children went on to live long and prosperous lives. His son, William, was the last royal governor of New Jersey, and his daughter, Sarah, was a noted leader for women in the pro-independence movement in Philadelphia.

William Franklin

William Franklin () was the acknowledged illegitimate son of Benjamin Franklin, born before Benjamin&#;s common-law marriage with Deborah Read.

His mother&#;s identity is unknown even until now because Benjamin was secretive about his birth. William was raised alongside his half-sister, Sarah.

When he was about 16 years old, William joined the provincial troops and served in the Albany expedition during King George&#;s War, earning the rank of captain in , just a year later.

In , William went to London to study law at the Honourable