William Temple Franklin, known as Temple Franklin, (February 22, 1760 – May 25, 1823) was an American

diplomat A diplomat (from ; romanization, romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one ...

and real estate speculator who is best known for his involvement with the American diplomatic mission in France during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

. Beginning at the age of 16, he served as secretary to his grandfather

Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin (April 17, 1790) was an American polymath: a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher and Political philosophy, political philosopher.#britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the m ...

, who negotiated and agreed to the Franco-American Alliance. The younger Franklin was also secretary for the American delegation that negotiated United States independence at the Treaty of Paris in 1783. He returned to

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

with his grandfather afterward. Finding his prospects limited in the United States, he later returned to Europe, where he lived mostly in France.

Early life and education

William Temple Franklin, called Temple, was born in 1760, the extramarital (and only) son of

William Franklin William Franklin (22 February 1730 – 17 November 1813) was an American-born attorney, soldier, politician, and colonial administrator. He was the acknowledged extra-marital son of Benjamin Franklin. William Franklin was the last colonial G ...

, notably an extramarital son as well, who fathered him while a law student in London. His mother is unknown, and the infant was placed in foster care. His father William was the extramarital but acknowledged son of

, one of the

Founding Fathers The Founding Fathers of the United States, often simply referred to as the Founding Fathers or the Founders, were a group of late-18th-century American revolutionary leaders who united the Thirteen Colonies, oversaw the War of Independence ...

of the United States, and raised in his household. While there is some speculation that William Temple Franklin's middle name was derived from the fact that he was conceived while his father was studying at the

Middle Temple The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known simply as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court entitled to Call to the bar, call their members to the English Bar as barristers, the others being the Inner Temple (with whi ...

, that seems highly unlikely and uncharacteristically idiosyncratic. Temple was, in fact, born more than a year after his father completed his legal studies and was called to the bar. The more likely answer, in keeping with both 18th-century naming conventions and the political and social connections of both William and Benjamin Franklin, is that Temple was named for Richard Grenville-Temple, 2nd Earl Temple, an ally of the Franklins and a senior member of the British governing ministry when Temple was born. Later in 1762, William married Elizabeth Downes in London, the daughter of a wealthy

Barbados Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...

planter.Schiff p. 377 After passing the bar, he returned to North America, but he continued to pay for the upkeep and later education of Temple. In 1763, with the aid of his father, Benjamin Franklin, William Franklin was appointed as the last colonial governor of

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

and went to North America. He left Temple in foster care. William's position as a Loyalist later put him at odds with his father, and they broke permanently over it. William Franklin was imprisoned during the Revolution and was forced into exile in Britain. Benjamin Franklin learned of his grandson Temple (his only grandson through the male line) on an extended mission in London, when the boy was about four. He became fond of the young boy but at first did not tell him of his full identity. He eventually took over custody, returned with the youth to the United Colonies in 1775, and acknowledged their blood relation. Now a widower, Franklin raised the boy in his household."Editor Claude-Anne Lopez describes her 'life with Benjamin Franklin'"
, ''Yale Bulletin and Calendar,'' Vol. 28, No. 34, 23 June 2000, accessed 4 November 2012

Paris

Temple, as he was generally known, accompanied his grandfather Benjamin Franklin to France in late 1776. From the age of 16, he worked as secretary to the American diplomatic mission during the

American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...

. Benjamin hoped the trip would round out Temple's education. Along with his cousin Benjamin Franklin Bache, Temple was educated further in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

and

Switzerland Switzerland, officially the Swiss Confederation, is a landlocked country located in west-central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the south, France to the west, Germany to the north, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland ...

. A ''bon vivant'', Temple received his highest public appointment as Secretary to the American delegation at the Treaty of Paris in 1782 to 1783 largely through the influence of his grandfather. He never again attained a significant political post in the United States. Benjamin Franklin unsuccessfully lobbied

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

in the hope that Temple would be given a diplomatic post and believed that in time, his grandson would succeed him as Ambassador to France. His appeal was rejected for a variety of reasons, including political opposition to Benjamin Franklin and suspicions about Temple's relations with his

Loyalist Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cr ...

father, who had gone into exile in London.

Thomas Jefferson Thomas Jefferson (, 1743July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the United States Declaration of Indepe ...

commiserated with Temple over his failure to secure a post but wrote a letter to

James Monroe James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American Founding Father of the United States, Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. He was the last Founding Father to serve as presiden ...

that raised questions about the young man's temperament and abilities. During the negotiations for the Treaty of Paris, Temple asked one of the British peace commissioners if something could be done for his father. He noted his father's steadfast defense of the Stamp Act and hoped that the British government might award him a diplomatic post. During 1784, Temple went to

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

and reconciled with his father, lengthened his stay several times, and returned to

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

at the end of the year. In January 1785, Temple received the first

airmail Airmail (or air mail) is a mail transport service branded and sold on the basis of at least one leg of its journey being by air. Airmail items typically arrive more quickly than surface mail, and usually cost more to send. Airmail may be th ...

in history when a letter from his father was brought across the

English Channel The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...

by a hydrogen balloon, flown by

Jean-Pierre Blanchard Jean-Pierre rançoisBlanchard (; 4 July 1753 – 7 March 1809) was a French inventor, best known as a pioneer of gas balloon flight, who distinguished himself in the conquest of the air in a balloon. Notable for his successful hydrogen balloo ...

and

John Jeffries John Jeffries (5 February 1744 – 16 September 1819 using Old Style Dating, 5 February 1745 – 16 September 1819 using New Style) was an American physician, scientist, and military surgeon with the British Army in Nova Scotia and New York du ...

Later life

When Benjamin Franklin relinquished his post and sailed home to the United States in 1785, Temple accompanied him. Temple was elected to the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS) is an American scholarly organization and learned society founded in 1743 in Philadelphia that promotes knowledge in the humanities and natural sciences through research, professional meetings, publicat ...

in 1786. Franklin sent the younger man to see government officials in Philadelphia, to try to recover expenses owed for his time in Paris, but his request was not granted. With his hopes of a diplomatic career at an end, Benjamin Franklin advised Temple to try to develop as a major landowner since many areas of the country were being settled in the rapid postwar development. By that stage, Temple was disillusioned. He said that the United States was driven by factions and that if a foreign power were to attempt to conquer the country, it would certainly be successful. William temple franklin by john trumbull

William temple franklin by john trumbull

After the elder Franklin died in 1790, Temple lived for a while with his father William in

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. In London, he acted as an agent of the American Robert Morris of Philadelphia, a signer of the

Declaration of Independence A declaration of independence is an assertion by a polity in a defined territory that it is independent and constitutes a state. Such places are usually declared from part or all of the territory of another state or failed state, or are breaka ...

, a financier of the

, and the wealthiest man in the United States. (See Holland Land Company, The Holland Purchase, and The Morris Reserve.) In 1792, Franklin sold of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase east of the Genesee River in New York state to The Pulteney Association, made up of three British investors. There was widespread land speculation in New York after the Revolution, as most of the

Iroquois The Iroquois ( ), also known as the Five Nations, and later as the Six Nations from 1722 onwards; alternatively referred to by the Endonym and exonym, endonym Haudenosaunee ( ; ) are an Iroquoian languages, Iroquoian-speaking Confederation#Ind ...

nations, as allies of the British, had been forced to cede their lands to the United States by the postwar treaty. Millions of acres became available for sale to investors, speculators, and settlers. The

town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...

and village of Franklinville, in Cattaraugus County (one of the counties formed from land in the Holland Purchase), is named after William Temple Franklin.

Children

During his first period in France, Temple had an illegitimate son, Théodore, with his mistress, Blanchette Caillot, a married woman. The boy died before reaching age five. After his return to England and living with his father, Temple Franklin had an illegitimate daughter, Ellen (May 15, 1798 London – 1875 Nice, France), with Ellen Johnson D’Evelin, the sister-in-law of his father’s second wife, Mary (who had been a widow with children). William Franklin took responsibility for his granddaughter Ellen. Temple moved to Paris, where he lived the remainder of his life and never saw his father again. Temple’s daughter, Ellen, eventually married Capel Hanbury and had a daughter named Maria Hanbury, who was unmarried and had no children. In addition to Théodore and Ellen, Temple Franklin had other children. He fathered a son, James William Franklin Sr., born on December 15, 1789, in Roaring River, North Carolina, who later married Nancy Amburgey and settled in Virginia, where he died in 1860. Temple also had a daughter, Lucy Franklin, born in 1790, who married William Amburgey; they raised a family in Letcher County, Kentucky. Another daughter, Sarah Ann Franklin, born on July 6, 1788, in Port Tobacco, Maryland, was believed to be the child of Temple and Abigail Brawner; she married Joseph Perrill Cooper, and they had several children.

Years in France

After his move to France, Franklin continued to act as a real estate speculator, gaining and losing a fortune. By his will of 1788, Benjamin Franklin had bequeathed Temple his papers and correspondence and appointed him as his literary heir. Temple edited and published editions of Franklin's writings, including his ''

Autobiography An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...

,'' published in London and Philadelphia, 1816–1819. He published six volumes of papers from 1817 to 1819."Benjamin Franklin Papers, 1730–1791"
American Philosophical Society, accessed 4 November 2012 His close friend,

George Fox George Fox (July 1624 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S. – 13 January 1691 Old Style and New Style dates, O.S.) was an English Dissenters, English Dissenter, who was a founder of the Quakers, Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as t ...

, inherited many of the senior Franklin's papers and later donated them to the American Philosophical Society. Temple Franklin's collected papers are held by the

in Philadelphia.Profile and Collected Papers of William Temple Franklin
, American Philosophical Society, accessed 4 November 2012 While he was living in France during this period, Temple had a long relationship with Englishwoman Hannah Collyer (1771–1846). They married a month before his 1823 death in Paris. Temple is buried at

Père Lachaise Cemetery Père Lachaise Cemetery (, , formerly , ) is the largest cemetery in Paris, France, at . With more than 3.5 million visitors annually, it is the most visited necropolis in the world. Buried at Père Lachaise are many famous figures in the ...

. Hannah died on December 12, 1846, at age 75, and is buried next to Temple.

In popular culture

Noah Jupe Noah Jupe (born ) is a British actor. He is known for his roles in the television series '' The Night Manager'' (2016); the dark comedy film ''Suburbicon'' (2017); the drama film '' Wonder'' (2017); the horror film ''A Quiet Place'' (2018) and i ...

portrays William Temple Franklin as a teenager in the 2024

Apple TV+ Apple TV+ is an American subscription over-the-top streaming service owned by Apple. The service launched on November 1, 2019, and it offers a selection of original production film and television series called Apple Originals. The service w ...

'' Franklin (miniseries)''.

Works

*Edited '' The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin'' (London and Philadelphia, 1816–1819) *''The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin'' (1817). A series of letters on miscellaneous, literary, and political subjects, written between the years 1753 and 1790. Comprised and first published from the originals by his grandson William Temple Franklin."Franklin, William Temple (1817). ''The Private Correspondence of Benjamin Franklin''"
Henry Colburn. Title page. Accessed 14 April 2020 *Edited three-volume ''Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin'', published 1819
, American Philosophical Society, accessed 4 November 2012

Notes

Bibliography

* Schaeper, Thomas J. ''France and America in the Revolutionary Era: The Life of Jacques-Donatien Leray de Chaumont, 1725–1803''.

Berghahn Books Berghahn Books is a New York and Oxford–based publisher of scholarly books and academic journals in the humanities and social sciences, with a special focus on social and cultural anthropology, European history, politics, and film and media ...

, 1995. * Schiff, Stacy. ''Benjamin Franklin and the Birth of America''. Bloomsbury, 2006.

External links

"William Temple Franklin Papers, 1775–1819"
American Philosophical Society

a fictional account, highlighting historical events related to the Franklin household and the American Revolution, commissioned by the Independence Hall Association and published on its website: ushistory.org]
The Benjamin Franklin Collection
at the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

includes material taken to London by William Temple Franklin to prepare his three volume work, Memoirs of the Life and Writings of Benjamin Franklin (London: 1817–1818). {{DEFAULTSORT:Franklin, William Temple 1760 births 1823 deaths Benjamin Franklin Diplomats for the United States Patriots in the American Revolution Franklin family Burials at Père Lachaise Cemetery Members of the American Philosophical Society