WHM: Deborah Read
As a teenager in Philadelphia, Deborah Read caught the eye of young Benjamin Franklin. While he wanted to marry, her mother did not trust him to return from an upcoming trip to England, so she suggested they wait until his return. The young apprentice printmaker soon forgot about his engagement, as Deborah’s mother predicted, so Deborah was married off to John Rogers, a man who proved to be an even worse choice. When John disappeared to the West Indies and was rumored dead, poor Deborah was stuck legally married to the man.
Benjamin returned two years later and once again saw Deborah. Though she was unable to legally marry, the pair lived as if married from 1730 until her death in 1774. She agreed to raise his illegitimate son William as her own (scholars still disagree on the identity of his mother). The couple had two children of their own, a son named Francis, who died at 4, and a daughter named Sally, who lived to give the pair seven grandchildren.
Not only did Deborah take care of the home, she contributed greatly to her husband’s print shop and newspaper business. She kept the books, aided in real estate investments, and was key in the expansion of the business. It was her idea to start offering groceries and household goods at the shop, which increased sales and led to its overall financial success. When her husband was the postmaster for the colonies, Deborah chipped in there, too.
Once the pair had become wealthy due to their successful business and real estate holdings, Benjamin retired (at 42!) to spend his time concentrating on scientific experiments and in public affairs. He became famous, which meant he spent time traveling abroad. While he was gone, she was still responsible for the postal service. Benjamin granted her power of attorney to conduct business while he traveled, a power not typically granted to females during this time in history. Deborah also helped to coordinate scientific correspondence between her husband and his contacts. She refused to travel across the Atlantic, so her husband notoriously found other female company for himself there while he looked after his work back at home– for five years.
He left for London again, supposedly to return by the end of summer. However, he would be abroad for more than a decade, and she would not live to see his return. When he was there, he tried to convince the government not to enact what would become known as the Stamp Act (a tax placed on printed items). When it passed and the colonists rioted, they attacked the Franklin home, which Deborah prevented from destruction in his absence. Additionally, she had been left the project of overseeing the construction of a new family home!
After suffering a strike, her health declined, and she died in December 1774, finally bringing her husband home to manage all of the business she had taken care of while he was gone.
If you would like to read more about Deborah or the women who helped make our country, I highly recommend Founding Mothers by Cokie Roberts, available here. This is an affiliate link; thank you for supporting my work.