Benjamin Franklin’s Parents

Posted on by March 19, 2017

The parents of Benjamin Franklin don’t receive much fanfare, notoriety, or acclaim about the lives they lived. Ben talks a little about them in his Autobiography. One of the things they taught Ben was to obey the commandments of God. As a result, he did honor them. After all, Honor thy Father and Mother is the first commandment with a promise—that your life may be long in the land.

Here’s what Ben wrote in honor of his parents after their death:

“Josiah Franklin
and Abiah, His Wife
Lie here interred
They lived together loving in Wedlock
Fifty-five years
Without an estate of any gainful employment
By constant labour and industry
With God’s blessing
They maintained a large family
Comfortably
And brought up thirteen children
And seven grandchildren
Reputably
From this Instance, Reader
Be encouraged to Diligence in thy Calling
And distrust not Providence
He was a pious and prudent man
She a discreet and virtuous woman
Their youngest son
In filial regard to their Memory
Places this Stone
J.F. born 1655 Died 1744 Aetat (age) 89
A.F. born 1667 Died 1752 Aetat (age) 85 read more

Patrick Henry and Dolley Madison

Posted on by March 18, 2017

We’ve had so much fun discovering fascinating incidents in the life of Dolley Madison, I went on longer than I had originally intended.

Just a few more items of interest. Molly Payne, Dolley’s mother, had a cousin named Patrick Henry. Patrick was a valiant Founding Father in his own right. Patrick had purchased a two story house which he, and the land title, referred to as Scotchtown. Probably because many of the immigrant workers on the nearby tin mines were from Scotland.

This home is where the Henry’s lived when Sallie Henry, Patrick’s first wife, became ill and eventually died. She died about 5 weeks before Patrick gave his immortal speech “Give Me Liberty.” Patrick had to ride horse-back from Scotchtown to Richmond, Virginia, a distance of about 28 miles, (just over a half hour by car—but Patrick went on his horse!) to attend the meeting where this speech was given. read more

More On Dolley and James Madison

Posted on by March 17, 2017

I once asked the kids in that Seniors government High School advanced class “When was the War of 1812?” They thought it was a trick question, and didn’t know at first. Someone finally realized that 1812 was the date of the War of 1812. It was a fun class!

In June of 1812, President Madison was fed up with the British attacks on our ships, and on their violations of the treaty ending the Revolutionary War. He asked Congress to give him a declaration of war. They did. The war had its ups and downs. In 1814 the British Army was marching to Washington, D.C. President Madison felt it was necessary for him to visit the front lines, see the state of things and encourage the soldiers. read more

James and Dolley Madison

Posted on by March 16, 2017

You will remember that Thomas Jefferson was the U.S. President from 1801 to 1809, and he selected James Madison, a fellow Virginian, as his Secretary of State.

But do you recall that Martha Jefferson had died before Tom became President? So Jefferson was a widower in the White House. He asked if James would allow Dolley to occasionally serve as the official hostess for State Dinners and other events at the discretion of the President. James thought that would be a benefit to both of them, and gave his approval. read more

Dolley and James Madison

Posted on by March 15, 2017

John and Dolley Todd were married with two young sons. John was a successful lawyer. In 1793 that terrible yellow fever epidemic struck Philadelphia. Congress itself nearly was driven out of town by the illness.

Dolley fled to the suburbs with her two children, her mother, and three of her siblings, to be safe from the devastation and death caused by the epidemic. John stayed behind in Philadelphia to care for his parents, minister to the sick, and write dozens of wills.

John pressed his luck to far. He was stricken with the disease. Dolley returned to comfort him. He died in her arms, and on that same day, her infant son also passed away. Dolley herself was not well. But she struggled to survive. With the inheritance from her husband and her now deceased parents, Dolley found herself financially taken care of. read more

James and Dolley Madison

Posted on by March 15, 2017

As I led a presentation about U.S. History to an advanced placement senior class at a local high school, I wanted to get a glimpse of what they knew about some of our Founding Fathers. So I asked a few questions. These kids were pretty good—advanced placement after all. But it seemed their general knowledge about U.S. History left something to be desired.

One of the last questions I asked was “what do you know about Dolley Madison?” One young lady raised her hand (they were on their best behavior for my visit to their class) and she said “Didn’t she have something to do with cupcakes?” (She was serious!) read more

Benjamin Franklin and Time

Posted on by March 15, 2017

It’s time to move on Ben! Franklin had so many great ideas. He put many of them to work. He was considered a scientist who was ahead of his time. Speaking of which, time. That created his worst idea.

Well, maybe not the worst. It made sense at the TIME. Ben’s father was a candle maker. Candles were a lot of work, they were relatively epensive, and they were needed everywhere. Ben knew early in his life that he didn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps and be a candle maker. But he did think about candles. read more

Martha Chooses Thomas Jefferson

Posted on by March 12, 2017

After their marriage, Tom and Martha began their trek to the as yet only minimally completed Monticello. They had to travel more than 100 miles without plane, or boat, or automobile. In the cold and on not quite decent roads. (She must have really loved Tom!)

When they finally arrived, Martha got her first view of the partly completed mansion. Well, it wasn’t a mansion yet. They arrived in the midst of a blustery snowstorm. Martha got her first view of her new home. The still small new home clung to the top of a hill and was dark and empty. read more

Thomas Jefferson and Martha

Posted on by March 11, 2017

The love story between Tom and Martha is so beautiful and enduring that it will be difficult to put any feeling into it in these few words. Jefferson was a young lawyer in Virginia, having earned his degree after 5 studious years. He graduated from William and Mary College in Williamsburg. His mentor was William Wythe, one of the signers of Tom’s Declaration of Independence.

Tom was good friends with Patrick Henry and they sometimes socialized together at dances and parties in Williamsburg. They both played the violin—sometimes at these get-togethers. And both were members of the House of Burgesses. read more

Patrick Henry and His Wives

Posted on by March 10, 2017

Did I say wives? Yes. But not at the same time.

At 18 years of age, Patrick married Sarah Shelton in 1754. This was 4 or 5 years earlier than was the custom of the time. He nicknamed her “Sallie.” She was 2 years younger than Patrick. They had kind of grown up together in the same small community. Sallie was a pretty young thing with a beautiful complexion and dark brown eyes.

In talking both sets of parents into consenting to the marriage, Patrick admitted with some embarrassment, that “the passion had raced ahead of the parson!” read more