Profile of the Day: Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
On this day in 1732, Benjamin Franklin’s Poor Richard’s Almanack was published for the first time. The almanac was published annually for 25 years and became one of colonial America’s most popular publications.
Remembered as one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, Franklin was also a successful inventor, printer, and writer.
He used the pseudonym Richard Saunders to publish the popular almanac, which was composed of a calendar, weather forecasts, poems, proverbs, puzzles, astrological information, practical advice, and more. Most of the material was taken from a wide variety of sources. It sold about 10,000 copies a year and brought Franklin much financial success and popularity.
Many of the proverbs and adages printed in the almanac continue to survive in the present-day American culture.
Explore Benjamin Franklin’s family tree on Geni and share how you’re related!
View Benjamin Franklin’s Geni Profile
Images: Library of Congress
Genealogy Discussions
Genealogy Projects
Popular Genealogy Profiles
Surnames
The Geni Blog
The World Family Tree