William Franklin was Benjamin’s first child and his only son to survive into adulthood. His exact birthday is unknown, as is the identity of his mother, but he was born sometime around 1730 ...

Franklin married Deborah Read, but it was not a fairytale ending. They lost their son, Francis, to smallpox, and Benjamin lived with the guilt of not having him inoculated. This caused a strain in ...

Of the "Founding Fathers," Benjamin Franklin alone signed the three pivotal ... mourned the loss of its favorite son and paid him unprecedented public tributes. Adams, then vice president, watched ...