From Boyhood to Manhood | Page 7

miles away from them were the Washingtons,
ancestors of George Washington, known as "the father of his country."
The Washingtons were more aristocratic than the Franklins, and
possessed more of the world's wealth and honors. Had they been near
neighbors they would not have associated with the Franklins, as they
belonged to a different guild. Such were the customs of those times.

Thomas Franklin was a lawyer, and "became a considerable man in the
county,--was chief mover of all public-spirited enterprises for the
county or town of Northampton, as well as of his own village, of which
many instances were related of him; and he was much taken notice of
and patronized by Lord Halifax." Benjamin was very ingenious, not
only in his own trade as dyer, but in all other matters his ingenuity
frequently cropped out. He was a prolific writer of poetry, and, when he
died, "he left behind him two quarto volumes of manuscript of his own
poetry, consisting of fugitive pieces addressed to his friends." An early
ancestor, bearing the same Christian name, was imprisoned for a whole
year for writing a piece of poetry reflecting upon the character of some
great man. Note, that he was not incarcerated for writing bad poetry,
but for libelling some one by his verse, though he might have been very
properly punished for writing such stuff as he called poetry. It is
nothing to boast of, that his descendant, Uncle Benjamin, was not sent
to prison for producing "two quarto volumes of his own poetry," as the
reader would believe if compelled to read it.
Dr. Franklin said, in his "Autobiography": "My father married young,
and carried his wife with three children to New England about 1685.
The conventicles [meetings of Dissenters] being at that time forbidden
by law, and frequently disturbed in the meetings, some considerable
men of his acquaintance determined to go to that country, and he was
prevailed with to accompany them thither, where they expected to
enjoy their religion with freedom."
Boston was not then what it is now, and no one living expected that it
would ever become a city of great size and importance. It contained
less than six thousand inhabitants. The bay, with its beautiful islands,
spread out in front, where bears were often seen swimming across it, or
from one island to another. Bear-hunting on Long Wharf was a pastime
to many, and twenty were killed in a week when they were numerous.
In the rear of the town stood the primeval forests, where Red Men and
wild beasts roamed at their pleasure. It is claimed that an Indian or
pioneer might have traveled, at that time, through unbroken forests
from Boston to the Pacific coast, a distance of more than three
thousand miles, except here and there where western prairies stretched
out like an "ocean of land," as lonely and desolate as the forest itself.
That, in two hundred years, and less, sixty millions of people would

dwell upon this vast domain, in cities and towns of surprising wealth
and beauty, was not even thought of in dreams. That Boston would ever
grow into a city of three hundred and fifty thousand inhabitants, with
commerce, trade, wealth, learning, and influence to match, the wildest
enthusiast did not predict. A single fact illustrates the prevailing
opinion of that day, and even later. The town of Boston appointed a
commission to explore the country along Charles River, to learn what
prospects there were for settlers. The commissioners attended to their
duty faithfully, and reported to the town that they had explored ten
miles west, as far as settlers would ever penetrate the forest, and found
the prospects as encouraging as could be expected.
It was to this Boston that Josiah Franklin emigrated in 1685, thinking to
enjoy liberty of conscience, while he supported his growing family by
his trade of dyer. There is no record to show that he was ever sorry he
came. On the other hand, there is much to prove that he always had
occasion to rejoice in the change. Certainly his family, and their
posterity, exerted great influence in building up the nation. Next to
Washington Josiah's son Benjamin ranked in his efforts to secure
American Independence, and all the blessings that followed.

II.
THE FIFTEENTH GIFT.
"The fifteenth!" remarked Josiah Franklin to a relative, as he took the
fifteenth child into his arms. "And a son, too; he must bear the name of
his Uncle Benjamin."
"Then, we are to understand that his name is Benjamin?" answered the
relative, inquiringly.
"Yes, that is his name; his mother and I settled that some time ago, that
the next son should bear the name of my most beloved brother, who, I
hope, will remove to this country before long."
"Well,