John Franklin, postmaster of Boston

John Franklin was appointed by Benjamin Franklin as Postmaster of Boston. The British government was organized around families and jobs were regularly handed out to family, their retainers and relatives. More important, Ben Franklin wanted to keep these jobs with people he trusted and who he knew would follow his reformist lead. Earlier postmasters had a habit of sloppy bookkeeping, and pocketing loose change.

John Franklin married a wealthy widow named Elizabeth Hubbard.

from Franklin by William Fleming, 2016

notes

From Franklin Family Researchers United Last Updated: 23 Sep 2012

Will of John Franklin of Suffolk County, Massachusetts

By Ben Franklin, Editor. This John Franklin is the brother of the famous Statesman. Note that many, many persons who claim to be related to the statesman make the claim through this John Franklin. Unfortunately for such claims, John Franklin leaves his estate to his nephews, nieces, stepsons, sisters, etc., with no mention of children or grandchildren, and thus it seems that there were none, or at least none who were alive when his will was written.

Note also that just two days after the original will was written, he added a codicil.

One of the most common false connections through John Franklin is the Surry County, North Carolina line, described and thoroughly debunked in FFRU Volume 6.

John Franklin was born 7 Dec 1690 in Boston, Suffolk County, Massachusetts, son of Josiah Franklin and Abiah Folger. He was a soapmaker and tallow chandler by trade (as was Josiah Franklin, his father), and was appointed deputy postmaster of Boston by his famous brother. He died 30 Jan 1756 in Boston, Massachusetts.

The New England Historic and Genealogical Register, Vol. 11, Jan 1857, pages 18-19 states:

“8. John Franklin, born 7 Dec 1690; died Jan 1756; Married ______ Gooch; had but one son John, lost at sea, a young man grown”

There are numerous words found in this will whose meanings have changed radically in the intervening centuries. A prime example is the term “son-in-law” which was used in a more literal and generic way than it is now, thus it meant any “son” whose relationship was legal rather than by dependency, thus what we now call a step-son would be a “son-in-law”. This relationship designation was common for those times. The “son-in-law” Thomas Hubbart mentioned in this will, was actually a step-son, the son of John’s wife, Elizabeth (Gooch) (Hubbart) Franklin. The daughters-in-law were the wives of his step-sons.

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John Franklin, b. 1690, Ben Franklin's older brother, was married twice. Once to a Mary Gooch in about 1715, and then after she died, he married the widow Elizabeth Gooch Hubbard in 1753. Neither of these women were known as "Mary Elizabeth Gooch" in any historical documents. Mary and Elizabeth Gooch were two different women.

John Franklin, b. 1690, had only one child, a son, John, born in June of 1716, and lost at sea as a young man without issue.