Benjamin Franklin

He was born as the 15th of the 17 children of Josiah Franklin, soap and candle maker and his wife, Abiah Folger. From a modest family savings he was sent to Boston Latin School for only two years where he developed a love of reading and writing. Soon he began to work as an apprentice at his brother’s newspaper, the New England Courant where he became acquainted with the printer’s trade. Not allowed to write, he used the pseudonym of a fictional Mrs. Silence Dogood, a wealthy widow, to publish his articles. When his brother found out the secret, he drove him out from the firm.

In 1723 Franklin ran away to Philadelphia, and spent some time in London before returning back to Philadelphia in 1726. He was hired by Thomas Denham, and worked for a while as a bookkeeper and clerk in his trade business. From his savings he established the 'Pennsylvania Gazette', which he edited and which became one of the major newspapers. He sold newspaper franchises in cities outside Philadelphia. He also wrote and published 'Poor Richard's Almanack', an astronomy journal.

By 1748, he earned enough money to retire from business and concentrate on science, inventing and politics. Interestingly, he never patented his potentially lucrative inventions because he believed that they should be easy available for the benefit of the mankind. He also refused to accept a salary for some of his political appointments. Franklin also played an active role in founding of the American Philosophical Society, a subscription library and, in 1751, an academy which later became the University of Pennsylvania.

From 1757 to 1774 he served as the colonial representative for Pennsylvania, Georgia, New Jersey and Massachusetts in London. When the American Revolutionary War started he helped to draft the famous Declaration of Independence and was one of its signers. In 1783, as American ambassador to France, Franklin signed the Treaty of Paris, ending the American War of Independence.

He died in Philadelphia in 1790.