How many illegitimate children did Benjamin Franklin have?

More than 1,200 pieces of human and animal bone belonging to at least 15 individuals were found in a hidden basement pit at Benjamin Franklin's former London residence.

The Discovery

• Location: 36 Craven Street in London, where Franklin lived from 1757 to 1775.
• The Find: Workers found the remains in a 1-meter-by-1-meter pit under the basement floor during 1998 renovation work.
• The Contents: Fragments included bones from at least 15 humans—including several children—along with animal bones.

The Explanation

• William Hewson: The bones belonged to the anatomical practice of William Hewson, a British anatomist who was a friend, protégé, and son-in-law to Franklin's landlady.
• Illicit School: Hewson ran an illegal private anatomy school at the house. Dissecting human bodies was heavily restricted at the time, forcing anatomists to rely on grave robbers and body snatchers.
• Franklin's Involvement: Historians believe Franklin likely knew about Hewson's work, but there is no evidence that Franklin participated in the dissections or that any murders took place at the home. You can learn more about the historical site through the Benjamin Franklin House.

Benjamin Franklin left his family books, land, and houses, but famously placed a large portion of his money in a 200-year trust for the cities of Boston and Philadelphia.

Family Inheritance

• William Franklin: His estranged son received books, papers, and land in Nova Scotia.
• Sarah Bache: His daughter received multiple houses and properties in the United States.
• Grandchildren & Relatives: Various other properties and smaller gifts went to his sister, grandson, and nephew.

The 200-Year Municipal Trusts

• Boston and Philadelphia: Franklin left £1,000 to each city (roughly $4,400 total at the time) under strict instructions that the money could not be fully touched for two centuries.
• First Century: The funds were loaned out at low interest to young, struggling tradesmen and apprentices.
• Final Distribution: When the trusts matured in 1990, the funds had grown to millions of dollars and were distributed to educational institutions, like the Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology in Boston, and community scholarship funds.

Because Benjamin Franklin lived over two centuries ago, historians and commentators can only speculate based on his writings, pragmatism, and political philosophy.

Views on Democracy and Institutions

• Fear of Despotism: Commentators note that Franklin famously warned that the American constitutional republic was fragile, stating it would be well-administered for a time before potentially ending in despotism if citizens and leaders became corrupt. Observers suggest he would view modern political polarization and attacks on democratic norms with deep alarm.
• Civility and Reason: Historians and public intellectuals have argued that Franklin—an Enlightenment polymath who valued scientific inquiry, diplomacy, and reasoned discourse—would likely be dismayed by populist rhetoric, anti-science stances, and institutional disruption.

Parallels and Pragmatism

• The Self-Made Myth: Cultural analysts point out that Franklin himself helped pioneer the American archetype of the self-made, wealth-conscious entrepreneur through works like The Way to Wealth. In this view, Franklin might recognize Trump as a quintessential—if extreme—product of the American mythos connecting ultra-wealth with public status.
• The Need for Compromise: Editorialists reflecting on Franklin's legacy emphasize his belief in institutional compromise and unity (such as his plea that the founders "all hang together"). They argue he would critique any leader who deliberately exacerbates national division rather than seeking cooperative progress.

Benjamin Franklin had a complicated personal life that included owning slaves, a hidden basement bone pit at his London home, and a bitter family estrangement.

Human Bones in His London Basement

• Anatomy lab: Workers renovating Franklin's former London home at 36 Craven Street in 1998 found the remains of roughly 15 people—including children—buried in the basement.
• The explanation: Historians believe the bones came from an underground anatomy school run by his friend and roommate's son-in-law, William Hewson.
• Franklin's knowledge: While Franklin likely knew about the dissections, grave-robbing and illegal anatomical studies were common science practices of the era.

Slave Ownership and Later Abolition

• Owned slaves: For decades, Franklin owned enslaved individuals who worked in his household and print shop.
• Change of heart: He freed his own slaves later in life and grew to view the practice as inhumane.
• Final act: In 1790, shortly before his death, he petitioned Congress to abolish slavery.

Estrangement from His Son

• Loyalist son: His illegitimate son, William Franklin, served as the royal governor of New Jersey.
• Political split: When the American Revolution began, William remained loyal to the British Crown, deeply embarrassing and angering his father.
• Permanent cut: Benjamin never forgave William, refusing to reconcile with him and cutting him out of his will.

Scandalous Writings and Flirtations

• Advice on mistresses: Franklin wrote a controversial 1745 letter titled Advice to a Young Man on the Choice of a Mistress, arguing that older women made better companions because they held better conversation and carried a lower risk of pregnancy.
• Playboy diplomat: While serving as an American ambassador in Paris, he maintained a reputation as an active flirt and charmed members of the French elite.

Benjamin Franklin had only one wife, Deborah Read Franklin, who managed his household and businesses while he lived abroad and died of a stroke on December 19, 1774.

Life and Partnership

• Early Romance: Deborah met Franklin in Philadelphia in 1723 when he first arrived as a runaway printer. They planned to marry, but her mother initially opposed it.
• First Marriage Complication: While Franklin was stuck in London, Deborah married a man named John Rogers. Rogers turned out to be a bigamist in debt who abandoned her shortly after.
• Common-Law Marriage: Because Rogers vanished without a legal divorce, bigamy laws prevented a formal legal wedding. Deborah and Franklin entered a common-law marriage on September 1, 1730.
• Later Years: They had two children together and raised Franklin's illegitimate son, William. Deborah suffered from strokes in her later years and passed away in Philadelphia while Franklin was away in England.