Benjamin Franklin a Friend of Savannah

Benjamin Franklin

Savannah has had its connections with the founding fathers. Here in Savannah we had Button Gwinnett, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence and the Liberty Boys among others. But we also have had visits from George Washington who left us the Washington guns on Bay Street and the Marquis de Lafayette who laid the cornerstone for the Nathaniel Greene monument in Johnson Square. James Monroe visited while President to take a ride on the SS Savannah before its historic trip across the Atlantic Ocean.

But probably the most prominent founding father after George Washington was involved for seven years with Savannah. Benjamin Franklin worked as an agent to Britain for the Georgia colony from 1768 to 1774. Franklin was friends and correspondent with Noble Wimberly Jones.

Jones and Franklin would have known each other as Jones was a leading Georgia patriot in the American Revolution; he served as a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1781 and 1782. Jones also practiced medicine and founded the Georgia Medical Association which would more than likely have appealed to the science-minded Franklin. Jones, who was elected as Speaker of the House of Georgia in 1768, would be the one who secured the services of Benjamin Franklin as Georgia's agent in London. In a letter to Jones, Franklin wrote:

“Inclos’d I send you a small Quantity of Upland Rice from Cochin China. It grows on dry Ground, I know in your Country, as I know you already are acquainted with the manufacturing of the Article. Mr. Ellis, who imported the Seed, tells me it has been carefully and well preserved on the Voyage; and requests me to send a small Quantity to Mr. Jonathan Bryant. If he be in your Province, as I think he is, please to give him some out of your Box. I send also a few Seeds of the Chinese Tallow Tree.”

The introduction of the Chinese tallow tree was not one of Franklin’s greatest accomplishments. The ability of this species to drastically modify natural landscapes has earned it a spot on The Nature Conservancy’s list of "America’s Least Wanted -The Dirty Dozen" (Flack and Furlow 1996). But of course he always has a key and a kite to fall back on.

Franklin was also a benefactor of Bethesda Academy as well as friends with George Whitefield. Franklin had heard legendary stories about the oratory abilities of Whitefield and attended a revival meeting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He was determined to see if the reports of Whitefield preaching to crowds of the order of tens of thousands in England were true. While listening to Whitefield speak from the Philadelphia court house, Franklin decided to test the legends. He walked away from Whitefield standing on the court house steps towards his shop in Market Street until he could no longer hear Whitefield distinctly. He calculated Whitefield could be heard over five hundred feet. He then estimated the area of a semicircle centered on Whitefield. Allowing for two square feet per person he computed that it was quite possible Whitefield could be heard by over thirty thousand people in the open air. Not only was he impressed with his ability to project his voice he was also impressed with his message. This would lead to a lifetime friendship between the two.
Franklin would help raise money for Bethesda Orphanage but thought the orphanage would be best served if in Philadelphia not Savannah. But Whitefield remained loyal to Savannah and the original donors who had helped established the orphanage. Franklin, because of this choice, was determined not to donate to the establishing of the orphanage and Savannah. But nevertheless he did. His explanation for this is below:

 I happened soon after to attend one of his sermons, in the course of which I perceived he intended to end with a collection, and I silently resolved he should get nothing from me. I had in my pocket a handful of copper money, three or four silver dollars, and five pistoles in gold. As he proceeded I began to soften, and concluded to give the coppers. Another stroke of his oratory made me ashamed of that, and determined me to give the silver: and he finished so admirably that I emptied my pocket wholly into the collector’s dish gold and all.’ 
 
Savannah has a Square named for Franklin, laid out in 1791. At one time Franklin Square was known as the water tower square because of its water tower. The water tower was a primary source of water for the west side of Savannah. Today Franklin Square sits in front of the historic First African Baptist Church with a monument to the Haitian Soldiers who came to fight in Savannah for American Independence. Franklin one of our greatest founding fathers once was agent and friend of many Savannahians. And apparently came away with a little less gold because of it.
 

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Entry to Bethesda Academy

George Whitefield

Franklin Square with the Haitian Revolutionary Soldier Monument in the Center