William Franklin - Early Life

Early Life

William Franklin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, then a colony in British America. His exact date of birth is uncertain, but it was likely in 1730. He was the illegitimate son of Benjamin Franklin, a leading figure in the city. While his mother's identity is unknown, evidence suggests she was a "low woman". Confusion exists about William's birth and parentage because Benjamin was secretive about his son's origins. In 1750 Franklin told his own mother that William was nineteen years old, but this may have been an attempt to make the youth appear legitimate.

William was raised by Benjamin Franklin and Deborah Read, his common-law wife; William always called her his mother. There is some speculation that Deborah Read was William's mother, and that because of his parents' common-law relationship, the circumstances of his birth were obscured so as not to be politically harmful to him.