The Americanization of Benjamin Franklin Read online

  medallion in Sevres ware, 176

  Pensilvania, 48, 95

  Charles Willson Peale, 213, 214

  pseudonyms of, 14, 21, 47, 84, 115, 228, 251n14

  Josiah Wedgwood, 140, 141

  “Rules and Maxims for Promoting

  Benjamin Wilson, 87, 87

  Matrimonial Happiness,” 34

  —as postmaster

  “Rules by Which a Great Empire May Be

  of Continental Congress government, 154,

  Reduced to a Small One,” 145

  224-25

  Silence Dogood essays, 21-22

  as deputy postmaster of American colonies,

  “Sketch of the Services of B. Franklin to the

  72, 97, 98, 133, 161, 22^25

  United States,” 223-24

  of Philadelphia, 53

  See also Autobiography; Poor Richard’s Almanack;

  —relations with women other than Deborah

  Way to Wealth, The

  Adams on Frenchwomen and, 209

  Franklin, Deborah Read (wife)

  Anne-Louise de Harancourt Brillon de Jouy,

  children of, 52

  192, 208

  death of, 133, 150

  in London in, 1724-1726, 29

  engagement to Franklin, 27

  proposal to Anne-Catherine Helvetius, 208-9

  Franklin lodges with father of, 24

  —as scientist and inventor

  on Franklin’s arrival in Philadelphia, 23

  electrical experiments of, 11, 61-66, 86, 172

  Franklin seeming to have forgotten, 154

  in French Royal Academy of Sciences, 172,

  and Franklin’s London sojourn of1724-1726,

  258n21

  29, 30-31

  inventions of, 3, 45, 213

  and Franklin’s mission to Great Britain of

  kite experiment, 64, 160, 258n13

  1757-1762, 83, 85, 87, 88-91

  —social status of

  and Franklin’s mission to Great Britain of

  becomes gentleman, 55-61

  1764—1775, 104, 131-33

  on becoming gentleman, 49-51

  and Franklin’s postal inspection tours, 98

  coat of arms of, 57

  marriage to Franklin, 32-34

  as Freemason, 43-44, 179

  marriage to John Rogers, 32

  as of the middling sort, 42, 46-49

  and new house on Market Street, 98, 111, 154

  portrait of, 89

  Franklin Society, 246

  relatives in England, 91

  Frederick II (Prussia), 145

  and Stamp Act violence, 111

  Freemasonry, 43-44, 179, 282n86

  Franklin, Francis (Franky) (son), 52, 256n94

  French, John, 46

  Franklin, James (brother), 19, 20, 21-22, 45

  French and Indian (Seven Years) War, 78-81, 105,

  Franklin, Josiah (father), 17

  188

  Franklin, Sarah (Sally) (daughter)

  French Royal Academy of Sciences, 172,

  birth of, 52

  258n21

  at Franklin’s deathbed, 229, 230

  and Franklin’s mission to Great Britain of

  Gage, Thomas, 153, 160

  1757-1762, 83, 85, 89, 90

  Gaines, Hugh, 41

  marriage of, 131-32

  Galloway, Joseph

  son of, 170

  and Franklin on his hazardous situation, 148

  Polly Stevenson contrasted with, 132

  and Franklin on Wilkesite riots, 129

  Franklin, Temple (grandson)

  as Franklin’s ally in Pennsylvania, 82, 99, 100,

  Abigail Adams on, 277n98

  101

  edition of Franklin’s works of, 235, 241

  and Franklin’s papers, 202

  Franklin attempts to arrange marriage for,

  and Hutchinson letters affair, 147

  207-8

  as loyalist, 82, 162, 209

  Franklin attempts to secure position for,

  Garrick, David, 85

  210-12,222

  General Magazine, The, 47

  with Franklin in Philadelphia, 153

  General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen of

  and Franklin’s break with his son, 163

  New York, 235-36

  at Franklin’s deathbed, 229

  gentlemen

  with Franklin’s mission to France, 170, 193, 222

  and commoners, 35-41, 46-47, 253n51

  Franklin’s papers left to, 235

  Defoe on, 40, 51

  on Franklin’s reputation, 221

  Franklin becomes gentleman, 55-61

  as illegitimate, 139, 153, 271n2

  Franklin on becoming gentleman, 49-51

  in West’s Treaty of Paris, 199

  Franklin’s resentment of, 47

  Franklin, William (son)

  as Freemasons, 43

  Adams on, 95, 265n87

  George III, 93-94, 104, 122, 155, 160, 186

  arrest and imprisonment of, 162, 167

  Gerard, Marguerite, 176

  Autobiography addressed to, 139

  Gerry, Elbridge, 211

  on British mission with Franklin, 82-83, 85, 87,

  Goldsmith, Oliver, 85

  90, 161

  Grace, Robert, 42

  as clerk of Pennsylvania Assembly, 68, 94

  Grafton, Augustus Henry Fitzroy, Duke of,

  education of, 83

  133-34

  Franklin breaks with over Revolution, 160-63

  Grand Ohio (Walpole) Company, 135-36

  Franklin indulging, 52

  Great Britain

  and Franklin on Wilkes, 128

  Bute, 86, 94, 107, 122, 263n87

  and Franklin’s meeting with Christian VII, 131

  commonwealth theory of empire, 123

  Franklin takes into his house, 34

  conspiracies seen on both sides of Atlantic,

  as gentleman, 83, 139

  126-29

  illegitimate son of, 139, 153, 271n2

  constitution of, 165

  on landed empire in West, 81

  English arrogance regarding colonies, 113-15

  legal training of, 82

  Franklin hopes for position in government,

  portrait of, 161

  133-35, 138, 148

  as royal governor of New Jersey, 94-95, 104,

  Franklin’s ambivalence about England’s

  122,162, 263n87

  relation to America, 124-26

  as royalist, 161, 193, 209, 211

  Franklin’s dedication to empire, 10-11, 12,

  and Walpole (Grand Ohio) Company scheme,

  91-97, 159

  135

  Franklin’s last efforts to save empire, 147-51

  Franklin, William Temple (grandson). See

  Franklin’s mission of 1757-1762, 82-97

  Franklin, Temple

  Franklin’s mission of 1764-1775, 104-51

  Great Britain (continued)

  changes attitude toward Franklin, 139-40

  and Franklin’s mission to France, 184, 185—86,

  on Franklin as London agent of Massachusetts

  190-91

  137-38

  Franklin’s new conception of empire, 120-24

  resignation of, 140

  and Franklin’s vision of future of New World,

  and Walpole (Grand Ohio) Company scheme,

  70-72

  136

  George III, 93-94, 104, 122, 155, 160, 186

  Houdon, Jean-Antoine, 177, 178

  Grafton, 133-34

  Howard, Martin, Jr., 103, 104

  Grenville, 107, 108, 113, 119, 265n21

  Howe, Richard, 149, 162, 166-67

  Hutchinson letters affair, 139-47

  Howe, William, 162, 166, 190

  peace negotiations with, 195, 196, 198-9
9

  Howells, William Dean, 2, 4

  Pitt, 91, 92, 148, 149-50

  Hughes, John, 108, 111, 112-13

  reasons for American rebellion, 201

  Hume, David, 85, 86, 88

  Rockingham, 25, 119, 170, 171

  Humphreys, David, 211, 222

  royal governors, 78, 102, 118

  Hunter, William, 72

  Royal Society, 64, 65, 86, 170, 186

  Hutchinson, Thomas

  after Seven Years War, 105

  and Albany Plan of Union, 10, 75

  Treaty of Paris, 210

  on commoners, 39

  Wilkes, 127-29

  to exile in England, 153

  See also Parliament

  Franklin compared with, 10-11

  Greene, Nathanael, 18

  letters affair, 139-47, 158, 186, 269n93

  Grenville, George, 107, 108, 113, 119, 265n21

  on Otis, 114

  Greuze, Jean-Baptiste, 177, 178

  and Parliamentary representation for colonies,

  Griffin, Cyrus, 222, 223

  116

  and Stamp Act, 107, 109-10, 111

  Haines, T. L., 6

  Halifax, Earl of, 113, 265n21

  Indian influence thesis, 72-73, 259n31

  Hall, David

  Iroquois, 73, 74

  Franklin in partnership with, 54

  Isaacson, Walter, 258n13

  and Franklin on Stamp Act, 108, 112, 121, 125

  Israel Potter (Melville), 6

  moves into Market Street shop, 57

  Izard, Ralph, 188-89, 193-94, 228, 232, 276n81

  and Stamp Act riots, 111

  Hamilton, Alexander

  Jackson, James, 228, 229

  difficulty in identifying with, 2

  Jackson, Richard, 40, 88, 107

  on fame, 11

  James, Abel, 202, 203, 210

  Franklin as older than, 11

  Jarratt, Devereux, 35

  marriage of, 33

  Jay, John

  on opening Constitutional Convention sessions

  and Deane, 189

  with prayer, 220

  on Franklin and New Jersey Assembly, 251n10

  patronage in rise of, 26

  and Franklin on congressional bills, 198

  Hamilton, Andrew, 27

  on Franklin on loyalists, 163

  Harper, James, 240

  and Franklin’s concern about his influence,

  Harrington, James, 39-40

  279n37

  Harry, David, 51

  Franklin’s patriotism questioned by, 210

  Hartley, David, 159

  payment for service abroad, 224

  Harvard College, 21, 65

  in peace negotiations with Britain, 195

  Hawke, David Freeman, 272n13

  in West’s Treaty of Paris, 199

  Hawthorne, Nathaniel, 6

  Jefferson, Thomas

  Hazard, Ebenezer, 224

  as American minister to France, 212

  Helvetius, Anne-Catherine, 208-9

  autobiography of, 14

  Helvetius, Claude-Adrien, 204, 208

  British conspiracies seen by, 127

  Henry, Patrick, 18, 109

  as celebrated abroad, 9

  Hewson, William, 261n64

  commonwealth theory of the empire, 123

  Hillsborough, Lord

  criticism of, 5

  declines to be commissioner to France, 169

  Lee, William, 188-89, 193

  difficulty identifying with, 1

  Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania (Dickinson),

  on Franklin, 212

  100, 123

  on Franklin and Confederation Congress,

  L’Hospital, J. F de, 177, 179

  280n57

  Library Company, 44-45, 47, 55, 63, 213, 230

  Franklin as older than, 11

  lightning, 64

  on Franklin’s reputation in Europe, 212,

  lightning rod, 64, 65, 177, 234

  221,234

  Lining, John, 66

  marriage of, 33

  literacy, 19, 250n7

  and peace negotiations with Britain, 195

  Livingston, Robert R., 183, 195

  Jerome, Chauncey, 243

  Livingston, William, 233

  Johnson, Samuel (clergyman), 103, 257n1

  Locke, John, 41

  Johnson, Dr. Samuel (lexicographer)

  Lodge, Henry Cabot, 1

  on colonists, 114

  London

  as court pensioner to Franklin, 160

  Franklin’s home in, 85, 86, 261n64

  on Franklin as mischief maker, 151

  Franklin’s mission to Great Britain of

  and London, 84, 85

  1757-1762, 84—88

  “mechanic” as defined by, 41

  Franklin’s visit of 1724—1726, 28-30

  Strahan as printer for, 86

  printers in, 31, 52

  Johnson, William Samuel, 232

  Wilkesite riots in, 128

  Junto, 42, 44

  London Chronicle (newspaper), 116 Long Island, battle of, 167

  Kames, Henry Home, Lord, 117

  Loudoun, Lord, 78

  Kant, Immanuel, 65

  Louis XV, 171-72

  Keats, John, 5

  Louis XVI

  Keimer, Samuel, 24, 26, 31, 51

  compensation for ministers abroad, 224

  Keith, William, 24, 26, 28-29

  Franklin’s appearance when received by,

  Kennedy, Archibald, 72, 74

  180-81

  King, Rufus, 232

  Franklin’s image put on chamber pot by, 179,

  kite experiment, 64, 160, 258n13

  274n53

  and French support of Americans, 184, 191,

  labor

  196

  Franklin celebrated as champion of, 235-38

  gift for Franklin, 209

  Franklin on, 39, 45, 197

  Lovell, James, 193

  Franklin on slavery and, 226

  Lyon, Matthew, 236

  gentlemen and commoners distinguished by, 38-40

  Lyon, Patrick, 241-42, 242

  by the middling sort, 42

  McArdell, James, 87, 87

  in myth of American nationhood, 243-46

  McKean, Thomas, 192

  Lafayette, Marquis de, 211

  Maclay, William, 232

  Langford, Paul, 254n61

  Madison, James

  La Rochefoucauld, Francois, Duc de, 174, 179

  difficulty in identifying with, 1-2

  Laurens, Henry, 189, 194, 195, 199

  and doubts about Franklin’s patriotism, 156,

  Laurens, John, 194

  157, 216, 217, 231

  Lawrence, D. H., 7-8, 205, 245

  Franklin as older than, 11

  Lawrence, Thomas, 59

  Mandeville, Bernard, 30

  Leather Apron, 42

  Manning, William, 236

  Lee, Arthur

  Marie-Antoinette, 184

  on Franklin as London agent for

  Martin, David, 125, 126

  Massachusetts, 155-56

  Martinet, Francois, 173

  on Franklin on peace commission, 195

  Massachusetts

  in mission to France, 169, 187, 188, 189

  and Albany Plan of Union, 76

  payment for services abroad, 224

  British sending troops to, 127, 136

  Lee, Richard Henry, 156, 189, 211, 228, 232

  Coercive Acts and, 148

  Massachusetts (continued)

  American exceptionalism, 197

  Constitution of 1780, 193, 219

  conspiracies seen on both sides, 126-29

  Franklin as London agent of, 136—38

  English arrogance regarding, 113-15

  Gage made military governor of, 153

  Fr
ance mistrusted in, 187

  Hutchinson letters affair, 141-47, 269n93

  Franklin on cultural inferiority of, 95-97

  Lexington and Concord, 153

  Franklin on new colonies in West, 81-82, 91

  Stamp Act riot in, 109-10

  Franklin’s ambivalence about England’s

  See also Boston

  relation to, 124-26