Chapter 37

This chapter examines Franklin's early career as a printer and journalist in Philadelphia, focusing on his establishment of the Pennsylvania Gazette, creation of Poor Richard's Almanack, and development of his distinctive public voice through essays and satire. It also covers his personal life during this period, including his relationship with Deborah Read and their family.

Franklin established himself as Philadelphia's leading printer after acquiring the Pennsylvania Gazette in 1729, transforming it from a struggling publication into an influential newspaper. He pioneered a journalistic approach that combined serious civic commentary with humor and satire, publishing essays on diverse topics including paper currency, the duties of printers, drunkenness, and marriage. His essay "A Modest Enquiry into the Nature and Necessity of a Paper Currency" (1729) demonstrated economic thinking and helped establish his credibility. Franklin adopted various pseudonyms for his contributions—including the witty "Busy-Body" series—to create entertaining commentary on Philadelphia life while maintaining editorial distance. In 1732, he launched Poor Richard's Almanack under the fictional identity of "Poor Richard Saunders," a persona that proved enormously popular and became his most recognizable creation. The almanack's blend of practical information, proverbs, and satirical observations sold thousands of copies annually and remained in publication for twenty-five years. Franklin's sayings, many drawn from classical sources and contemporary writers, became embedded in American culture and moral instruction. Beyond publishing, Franklin married Deborah Read (whom he had courted years earlier) and became a family man, though the exact chronology of his son William's birth remains uncertain. He also founded the Junto, a club for mutual improvement that reflected his belief in self-education and civic engagement. Religiously, Franklin moved away from his Puritan upbringing toward Enlightenment deism, emphasizing practical morality and good works over doctrinal adherence, a shift that troubled his more orthodox family members.