Deborah Read

Benjamin Franklin

Deborah Read at 15 years old. ©HistoryMaps

1723 Feb 1

Philadelphia, PA, USA

At age 17, Franklin proposed to 15-year-old Deborah Read while a boarder in the Read home. At that time, Deborah's mother was wary of allowing her young daughter to marry Franklin, who was on his way to London at Governor Keith's request, and also because of his financial instability. Her own husband had recently died, and she declined Franklin's request to marry her daughter.

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Last Updated: : Sun Feb 04 2024