Founding Father - Benjamin Franklin

 by

        M. Richard Maxson.

      Benjamin Franklin was truly a Renaissance man. He was was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and political philosopher. He was among the leading intellectuals of his time, both here and abroad. He is one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and the first United States Postmaster General. As a scientist, he was a major figure in the American Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. As an inventor, he is known for many inventions including the lightning rod, bifocals, and the Franklin stove, among others. He founded many civic organizations, including the Library Company, Philadelphia's first fire department, and the University of Pennsylvania.

      A brilliant inventor, publisher, politician, and ambassador, the founding father wore many different hats in his lifetime. There are many factoids about the man on the $100 bill. We all know that on June 10, 1752, Benjamin Franklin flew a kite during a thunderstorm to demonstrate the connection between lightning and electricity but there are some more obscure facts that perhaps have been overlooked.

      He never patented any of his inventions. Despite being a prolific inventor, he never patented an invention. Franklin could have received monetary credit for all of the remarkable ideas of his lifetime, and yet he never sought a patent for any of his inventions. According to PBS, it was against his belief system. Franklin quipped, "As we benefit from the inventions of others, we should be glad to share our own... freely and gladly." A few of his amazing inventions include the lightning rod, bifocals, swim fins, and the Franklin stove, among other inventions.

      He created the first volunteer fire department in the U.S. Franklin did a lot to help others, including creating the first volunteer fire department in the United States. He believed that fire prevention methods needed improvement and even published many articles about the subject for the Pennsylvania Gazette. As a result, in 1736, the Union Fire Company was created and was even playfully dubbed as Benjamin Franklin’s Bucket Brigade.

      He was the only Founding Father to sign all four documents the U.S. used to gain independence. It's no secret that Benjamin Franklin is one of the country's founding fathers, but he was the only one to sign all four documents used to gain independence from Britain: the Declaration of Independence in 1776, the Treaty of Alliance with France in 1778, the Treaty of Paris in 1783, and the US Constitution in 1787.To top that off, Franklin was also the oldest signer of the Declaration of Independence, having added his "John Hancock" at the age of 70.

      Benjamin Franklin is a member of The Hall of Fame For Swimmers. Franklin's love of swimming started when he was a child growing up in Boston. A set of hand paddles was one of his first inventions, which he used to travel on the Charles River. A friend even noticed his swimming skills in the 1720s and proposed that Franklin open a swimming school. He did not, but he remained an outspoken advocate for children learning to swim. He later received an honorary induction into the International Swimming Hall of Fame.

      Sadly, his son was a supporter of the British along with the two children he had with his wife, Deborah Read. Franklin also fathered an illegitimate son named William around 1730. The two were once close friends and partners—William helped Franklin with his famous kite experiment—but they later had a major falling out over the American Revolution. William was a Tory who strongly supported Great Britain. William Franklin ultimately ended up in a colonial prison for being against the war for independence and later moved to England. The two never spoke again.

      Franklin earned the title of "The First American" for his early and indefatigable campaigning for colonial unity, initially as an author and spokesman in London for several colonies. As the first United States Ambassador to France, he exemplified the emerging American nation. Franklin was foundational in defining the American ethos as a marriage of the practical values of thrift, hard work, education, community spirit, self-governing institutions, and opposition to authoritarianism both political and religious, with the scientific and tolerant values of the Enlightenment. American historian Henry Steele Commager, "In Franklin could be merged the virtues of Puritanism without its defects, the illumination of the Enlightenment without its heat." This made Franklin "the most accomplished American of his age and the most influential in inventing the type of society America would become. As our country’s values melt away it is good to reflect on our history before they change the narrative.