Personal: BF stopped working as a printer for John Watts in June and sailed for Philadelphia, 21 July, with Thomas Denham. He kept a journal of the voyage, 22 July to 11 October, and resolved on a plan for his future conduct. In Philadelphia, he worked as a clerk, shopkeeper, and bookkeeper for Denham. Denham and BF probably lived at their shop in Water (or Front) Street (the site of the present 39 South Front Street), the second house south of the Crooked Billet. BF's salary was £6 per ten weeks. Denham recorded on 19 Dec that he paid John Pain £10 for BF's passage.

BF recalled that Keith was no longer governor. "I met him walking the Streets as a common Citizen. He seem'a a little asham'd at seeing me, but pass'd without saying any thing" (A52). When he wrote the first part of the Autobiography in 1771, Franklin almost seemed to feel sorry for Keith. Franklin knew that Keith had died in debtor's prison in 1749. "He wish'd to please every body; and having little to give, he gave Expectations. He was otherwise an ingenious sensible Man, a pretty good Writer, and a good Governor for the People, tho' not for his Constituents the Proprietaries, whose Instructions he sometimes disregarded. Several of our best Laws were of his Planning, and pass'd during his Administration" (A42).

Pennsylvania Politics: Patrick Gordon replaced William Keith as governor of Pennsylvania on 22 June. He remained governor until his death on 5 Aug 1736. For an overview of his administration, see Horle 2:60-63. In the fall of 1726, Keith ran for the assembly. On 1 Oct, Keith and his followers won nine of the ten Philadelphia city and county seats. Keith hoped to be elected Speaker on 14 October, but, urged by leaders such as James Logan, both the Proprietary and the Quaker members from Bucks and Chester County voted for David Lloyd who was elected.

Chronology:

1 Jan, Saturday, the London Journal published an advertisement for The Benefit of Farting Explained. ... by Obadiah Fizzle (London: A. More, 1725). BF's satire of c. 1781, "To the Royal Academy of *******," may be indebted to it, though I found no verbal echoes.

6 Jan, Thursday, became 20.

8 Jan, Saturday, the British Journal published Pennsylvania news: Sir William Keith's speech and David Lloyd's reply.

9 Jan, Sunday. "This Evening His Majesty came through the City of London, and arrived at His Palace of St. James's in perfect Health, God be praised." London Gazette, 11 Jan.

9 Jan (b). "Last Sunday a melancholy accident happened to Mr. Redman, a Coach-maker and his wife, in Bloomsbury." Parker's Penny Post, 12 Jan 1725/6. This note is the closest to "Redmayne" that I found in the London periodicals for 1725-26; cf. the Outline for the Autobiography, end of 1725.

15 Jan, Saturday. The Massachusetts House of Representatives debated the Explanatory Charter and voted "That the Question should be put to each Member present who should declare his Acceptance or Non-Acceptance thereof." By a vote of 47 to 31, the Explanatory Charter was accepted. The vote officially ended the dominance of the Old Charter party in Massachusetts politics. Journals 6:458. Worthington Chauncy Ford commented in his introduction to the Journals: "This acquiescence and moderation rendered unnecessary more radical action in England." Evidently the House was adamant that the vote of all members be recorded. The list of the "Yeas" concluded with William Dudley, the Speaker, who conducted the election and, as the chair of the meeting, would normally not have recorded his own vote except in case of a tie.

22 Jan, Saturday. NEC: printed the vote on the Massachusetts assembly's acceptance of the Privy Council's interpretation of the Massachusetts Charter of 1691. The BNL printed the Explanatory Charter and the assembly's resolution of acceptance (16 Dec 1725; 20 Jan 1726), but the NEC printed the division list itself, together with the names, titles, and the towns of the representatives. James Franklin thus branded in public those who had betrayed the Old Charter Party. The vote marked a major retreat from the bold position that the representatives had taken on 1 Sept 1721 when they denied the Board of Trade's authority. All three members from Boston (Isaiah Tay, William Clarke, and Ezekiel Lewis) voted against the Explanatory Charter, as did four members of the Council: Nathaniel Byfield, John Clark, Elisha Cooke, and Thomas Palmer.

J. R. Pole noted: "this was the first time in the history of the English-speaking world that an officially recorded legislative division list was published in the press." The Gift of Government 121. Cf. 9 May 1739; 5 April 1754.

25 Jan, Tuesday. AWM: Jacob Taylor lambasted Samuel Keimer in a full page ad for publishing an almanac under Taylor's name. Calendar 59.

31 Jan, Monday. The Rev. Robert Warren preached Religion and Loyalty Inseperable ... before the ... Lord Mayor, Aldermen, anc citizens of London at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul (London: E. Parker, 1726).

8 Feb, Tuesday. AWM: Aaron Goforth complained against Keimer.

1 March, Tuesday. The birthday of Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales: "at Night there were Illuminations, and other Publick Demonstrations of Joy" London Gazette, 5 March.

5 March, Saturday, Weekly Journal or the British Gazetteer published a long account of Philip Ashton's adventures.

7 March, Monday. Parker's Penny Post reported: "Dr. Walton, the famous Nonjuror, being order'd home by the Government from the English Church in Philadelphia, We hear, the Revd. Mr. Archibald Cummings, lately arrived from Gilbraltar, where he officiated as Chaplain to that Garrison for above 3 Years, is appointed by the Lord Bishop of London to be minister of the said church of Philadelphia."

19 March, Saturday. The British Journal published a piece on Thomas Chubb's An Examination of Mr. Barclays Principles. BF would have been interested.

26 March, Saturday. The London Journal advertised that "On Monday, April 4, will be published in 4to, A New Beautiful edition ... of The Religion of Nature Delineated. Printed by S. Palmer." Since BF was now working for Watts, this fourth edition of Wollaston could not be the edition he set in type.

11 April, Monday. The Rev. Richard Smalbroke, Lord Bishop of St. David's, preached Christian Charity a rational duty ... before the ... Lord Mayor ... of London, in St. Bridget's Church (London: J. Wyat, 1726). ESTCT164818.

16 April, Saturday. The London Journal advertised "Proposals for printing by Subscription A View of Sir Isaac Newton's Philosophy ... by H. Pemberton."

26 April, Tuesday. London Gazette published notice of meeting of the "Hand-in-Hand Fire-Office." Cf. 16 Nov 1725.

26 April (b). Mist's Weekly Journal published an essay signed "B.F.," which does not seem to be by Franklin.

11 May, Wednesday. Boston selectmen granted Josiah Franklin liberty "to take up the pavement & Digg up the Ground to Clear the Drain from his House into the Common Shore in Union Street. He forth with making good the Ground & Pavement to the Satisfaction of the Selectmen & keeping it in Repare from time to time." RRC 13:151-52.

28 May, Saturday: "Saturday last [28 May] being His Majesty's Birth-Day, the Celebration of it at Court was deferred till to Day; when there was a very numerous and splendid Appearance here of the Nobility and other Persons of Distinction, and at Night a Ball. The usual publick Demonstrations of Joy were shewn on this Occasion throughout London and Westminster." London Gazette, 31 May.

31 May, Tuesday. Gov. William Keith announced to the Pennsylvania representatives that he was about to be removed as governor. AWM 3 June.

31 May (b). A group of 238 Pennsylvania citizens signed an address to the House of Representatives, praising Gov. Keith for "his having steadily Asserted and Vindicated the Rights and Priviledges of the People." AWM 9 June.

2 June, Thursday. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives said: "the Governour was pleased to relieve the Province, by joyning with the Peoples Representatives to Strike a Paper Currency, and if the Governours Character has in any respect suffered for his apparent Good Will to the People in that part of his Conduct, We are heartily Sorry." AWM 9 June.

18 June, Saturday. London Gazette announced that Pope's volumes four and five of Homer's Odyssey had been published "This Day."

22 June, Wednesday. "Yesterday [22 June] Arrived here the Honourable PATRICK GORDON, Esq; Lieut. Governour of the Province of Pennsylvania, and the Counties of New Castle, Kent and Sussex, upon Delaware, in the Ship London Hope, Th. Annis Commander: And his Commission was Published at the Court-House about 6 a-Clock in the Evening." AWM 23 June. He remained in office until his death on 5 Aug 1736.

25 June, Saturday. The last issue located of the NEC, still carrying BF's name as the editor and publisher. Brigham 322.

ante 21 July, Sir William Wyndham asked BF to teach his two sons swimming, but BF refused because he was about to leave England (A 51).

21 July, Thursday. BF sailed from London for Philadelphia with merchant Thomas Denham, who had hired him as a clerk, aboard the Berkshire, Henry Clark Master. P 1:72. Denham loaned him the passage money of £10. See below, 19 Dec.

"Journal of a Voyage," from Friday, 22 July to Tuesday, 11 Oct

(The text of BF's "Journal" is in P 1: 72­99).

post 22 July: Plan of Conduct, "which I formed at Sea, for regulating my future Conduct in Life." P 1:99-100.

28 July, Thursday. AWM: "To the most Ingenious Pamphleteer, author of the He-Monster." Calendar no. 62. The poem satirized William Keith's pamphlet The Life and Character of a Strange He-Monster (London, 1726) which attacked Andrew Hamilton. Though Walker Lewis suggested that the poem was by Franklin (it could not have been) or by Hamilton, David Shields speculated in a private letter of 30 Oct 1984 that Henry Brooke wrote it. Cf. 29 Sept.

9 Sept. James Logan to H. Taylor: Logan urged the proprietary party members to vote for David Lloyd as Speaker rather than Sir William Keith. "Rather than to leave any chance to Sir W[illiam] of two evils, one would choose the least." PA 2nd ser., 7:97.

29 Sept. Thursday. AWM: William Keith advertised that he "had no mannor of Knowledge of the Writing or Publishing the whole or any Part" of the paper put into the coffee house at Philadelphia. The paper may well have been the attack on Andrew Hamilton; see 28 July and Walker Lewis.

30 Sept, Friday. On board ship, BF observed a lunar eclipse and figured out the ship's longitude. P 1:94-95.

1 Oct, Saturday. In Philadelphia, Sir William Keith ran for election to both the Pennsylvania and Lower Counties (Delaware) assemblies. He won in Philadelphia but was defeated in New Castle. His supporters swept all the Philadelphia city and county seats except one. Logan blamed the election results on the "lower rank of People." Celebrating Keith's victory, they burned the pillory and the stocks--and then several butcher stalls. Thomas Wendel, "The Keith-Lloyd Alliance," 301; Horle, "Sir William Keith," 2:580.

4 Oct, Tuesday. Gov. Gordon and the Council issued a proclamation for suppressing tumultuous proceedings such as those that occurred following Keith's election. Colonial Records 3:260.

4 Oct (b). BF recorded: "a little tired bird, something like a lark, came on board us, who certainly is an American, and 'tis likely was ashore this day." P 1:96.

9 Oct, Sunday. BF found his tearing eyes "dim with joy" on sighting America.

10 Oct, Monday. In sight of Cape Henlopen; anchored over night below Newcastle.

11 Oct, Tuesday. Weighed anchor at Redbank, 6 miles below Philadelphia; offered a ride in by a passing boat, BF arrived in Philadelphia 10pm.

Philadelphia, 11 Oct 1726 to 20 June 1727

Post 11 Oct, Tuesday. BF worked for Denham as shopkeeper and bookeeper in Water (or Front) Street (the site of the present 39 South Front Street) at the second house south of the Crooked Billet at £6 per ten weeks [till Feb 1727­­see below]. Roach 135­6; A 52. To judge by his account book at PHi, Thomas Denham imported mainly clothing: Oznabriggs, Callicoes, stockings, hats, gloves, thread, Frize Cloth, men's Yarn Caps (p. 44 [one dozen cost 9s]), woolen caps, shalloon, Brillions, Holland (a fine hat cost Thomas Ashton 15/6--p. 71). But Denham also imported pins, linnen, fine holland, soap, candles, clocks, hardware goods (nails, lanterns, files, spikes, locks, tin kettles, tin coffee potts, plates, coopers' axes, carpetners' broad axes, scythes, taylor's shears), striped Duffields, and spices (garlic, coffee).

14 Oct, Friday. Amid the firing of ships' guns, William Keith at the head of eighty horsemen rode triumphantly into the city for the opening of the Assembly. Marching behind, two by two, came the "lower sort," artisans, craftsmen, and apprentices. Keith presented himself as a candidate for Speaker. As the representatives stood up to cast their vote, it became apparent that both the Quaker and the Proprietary groups backed David Lloyd, who received all but three votes. Horle, "Sir William Keith," 2:580.

17 Oct, Monday. James Logan to John Penn: "in this factious town where the lower rank of People, Sir William's Partisans are the most numerous, he was elected .... all ten members for the County and City but one are Keithians, as they are now called." Penn Papers Official Correspondence, 1:237.

17 Oct. NY Gazette: Under "Custom-House, New York, Inward Entries," there is "Snow Barnet, Miller from Dublin." This is presumably the snow that the Berkshire encountered, 23 September, that remained with BF's ship through 1 October.

20 Oct, Thursday. Denham debited Franklin £1/0/0 for cash in his account book. PHi, p. 18. See also 21 and 27 Oct; 7 and 21 Dec, 1726; 1 April 1727; credits 24 Dec 1726 and 1 Sept 1728.

21 Oct, Friday. Denham charged Franklin £4/4/0 for "Sundry's" in his account book.

27 Oct, Thursday. Denham debited Franklin £0/2/5 for "1 Cap" in his account book.

30 Oct, Sunday AWM: "The Anniversary of the Birth of His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, hap'ning to be on Sunday last [30 Oct], the same was kept here the next Day being Monday; there was a very great Appearance of Gentlemen and Ladies at his honour our Governour's House, which was Illuminated: all the Royal Healths were Drank, and a great many Guns fired by the Ships in our River, and after a Handsome Collation the Night was concluded with a Ball." AWM 3 Nov.

7 Dec, Wednesday. Denham debited Franklin 12s for "Cash lent."

12 Dec, Wednesday. "Yesterday arrived here Capt. Cornick in 12 Weeks from London, by whom is come Andr. Hambleton Esq [Andrew Hamilton]; and Geo. Willox, Isaac Moranda and Family, and several other Passengers." AWM 13 Dec.

13 Dec, Thursday. AWM: Sloop Pellican, Captain Nathaniel Freeman, entered Philadelphia from Rhode Island. Freeman told Franklin news about his parents and siblings in Boston, including the information that Jane (later Mecom) Franklin was now a beautiful young woman.

19 Dec, Monday. Denham recorded that he paid John Pain £10, for "Cash For Benjamin Franklin's Passage." Denham Account Book, PHi, p. 36. Note: Roach, "BF" 136 mistakenly read "Pain" as "Crain" and 19 Dec as 29 Dec. Cf. 1 Sept 1729.

20 Dec, Tuesday. London. Hannah Penn, second wife of William Penn, died, with her suit in favor of the younger branch of the family still pending. See 4 July 1727.

21 Dec, Wednesday. Denham debited Franklin 5s for "Cash lent" in his account book, PHi, p. 18.

24 Dec, Saturday. Denham credited BF with £6/0/0 "By Profit and Loss For 10 Weeks Service."

30 Dec, Friday. In Boston, "Nathaniel Alcock from London Cordwainer with his Wife & One Child is admitted an Inhabitant of this Town by the Selectmen, He having given Security in the Sum of One hundred Pounds by Edward Lock & Josiah Franklin to Indemnifie the Town." RRC 13:159-60.

1726: During the year, Samuel Willard's Compleat Body of Divinity was published, with James Franklin, Printer, subscribing for a copy, and Josiah Franklin subscribing for two copies.