Aug 3

Aug 3 Abel James Persuades Franklin to Write His Autobiography

Part Two of Benjamin Franklin’s Autobiography opens with a pair of letters from his friends.

The first of these letters is from a man named Abel James, who encourages Franklin to finish the very Autobiography that the letter is found in.

But who was this friend of Franklin, and what role did he play in the American Founding?

Abel James

Abel James was a leading Philadelphia merchant at the head of the firm James and Drinker.

In addition to acquiring vast wealth from his firm, James also participated in constructing factories in Pennsylvania.

In addition to his work building a silk producing facility, Abel was also a signatory of Charles Thomson’s ill-fated attempt to create a linen factory in Philadelphia as a way to give work to the city’s growing number of poor.

Committee of Correspondence

Leading up to the Revolutionary War, James had already been a member of the Colonial Assembly for several years.

For the year of 1771, he was chosen to sit on the Philadelphia Committee of Correspondence where he communicated with other colonies as well as his old friend Benjamin Franklin in London.

Unfortunately for Abel, he lost his seat in the Assembly the following year and fell out of favor with the anti-Parliament movement.

Suspicions

As a Quaker, James was against the idea of violence.

Therefore, when the Revolutionary War broke out, he was unhappy with the fighting.

This (as well as his association with Loyalists like Joseph Galloway) brought him under suspicion from the Continental Congress.

John Adams, who was the head of a committee to investigate Quakers in Philadelphia, even considered arresting Abel and his partner, Henry Drinker. Fortunately, this invasive decision was rolled back.

The Outline

While not a Whig, James does not seem to have been a Loyalist either.

Instead, he was one of the many businessmen who remained neutral in the war.

Abel went to London on several occasions during the Revolution to take care of his business and speculated in large tracts of land.

Somehow, during this period of time, he obtained a copy of the outline Franklin wrote of his Autobiography.

James sent the outline to several mutual friends who all urged Ben to write his memoir.

Downfall

Because of his persistence, Abel James is one of the few people mentioned by name in the most famous Autobiography in American history.

Unfortunately, his speculation on property in Upstate New York led to disaster (through a long, complicated series of events) and he lost nearly all his money.

James died in 1790 without having recovered his massive landholdings.

Here are some other stories about everyone’s favorite Founder…Benny Franks:

The French Mourn Franklin - And Hilarity Ensues

Poor Richard’s Hoax - Making Ben Franklin Famous

Franchising Franklin - The Timothy Family Bring Poor Richard to South Carolina

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is an essential book for anyone who wants to understand more about the quintessential Founding Father.

While you can certainly read it for free, it is one book that should be in every American household.

If you’d like a copy you can get one through the Amazon affiliate link below (you’ll support this site, but don’t worry, Amazon pays me while your price stays the same).