Thoughts on Ben Franklin’s son, William

Thoughts on Ben Franklin’s son, William

William Franklin was born in Philadelphia in 1730. His father was Benjamin Franklin. His mother was unknown. Ben brought William, his illegitimate son, into his home, that same year. Ben and his common-law wife, Deborah Reed, agreed to raise William together. On June 10, 1752, when William was twenty-one, Ben conducted his experiment with a kite, a key, and a lightning bolt, near their home in Philadelphia. In 1757, Ben and William sailed to Lon…