october november eldest son founding father united states year old francis contracted smallpox virus died shortly earlier life intended son illness affecting francis time planned procedure postponed death devastated parents francis incident franklin advocate smallpox life born october philadelphia pennsylvania colony eldest legitimate son publisher pennsylvania gazette franklin illegitimate son william born mother maid household woman named barbara suggested william franklin son acknowledged illegitimate conceived marriage parents accounts argue william birth francis death possibly lack heir baby middle maiden franklin mother franklin proud maternal family settlers new_england era middle unusual ordinary people receive francis baptized francis baptism took place september franklin away philadelphia attended francis called parents described curious special child franklin golden child brighter telling tricks magical colonies combined historian medicine engaging child singular beauty wonderful biographer given franklin considered francis healthy child start clever advertised tutor sons december accounts francis parents portrait painted baby franklin business writer publisher founder going able build house family market street death aftermath franklin brother james criticized smallpox performed drawing string previously contact smallpox victim small person time offered mortality chance smallpox contracted naturally fatal infected later james opposed franklin came support believing safe beneficial practice francis contracted smallpox died november year having franklin devastated devastation compounded unsure child ironically franklin written paper death francis alive inspired youngest son writing beauty babies francis buried day died reading delight knew rumors quickly surfaced francis died franklin wrote pennsylvania gazette december intended francis soon recovered sufficient strength long afflicted boy received common way infection choice having son difficult franklin francis die way real choice high chance smallpox contracted naturally case choice having francis justified mortality rate francis death franklin involved promoting philadelphia published studies value working physicians including famed helped found founded society poor order help poor people philadelphia afford autobiography franklin writes lost sons fine boy years old smallpox taken common way long regretted regret given mention sake parents operation forgive child died example showing regret way safer chosen seven years francis death gave birth sarah franklin surviving legitimate child franklin sister wrote news franklin replied brings mind idea son dead thirty years seldom day think
Francis Folger Franklin