The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin · Character

William Franklin

The son who first received Franklin's life story as a private letter, later becoming royal governor of New Jersey and a painful political divide.

supporting

Also known as William Temple Franklin, Temple Franklin

First appearance: viii business success and first public service

As a supporting figure in The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin, William Franklin is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Franklin's son, to whom the first part of the Autobiography was originally addressed as a letter.

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William Franklin is the intimate audience for the Autobiography's opening section, the son whose father writes with unusual warmth and informality. That closeness carries an undercurrent of tension: the same son would grow into a Loyalist officeholder, a choice that shadowed Franklin's later years. His presence shapes the book's very form, since the first part exists because a father wanted to tell his boy how he made his way.

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Character Web

13 connections

A slice of how William Franklin sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Other

Character groups

Extended Network and Collaborators
Early Influences and Mentors
Rivals and Adversaries

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

Setup
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

This excerpt marks the dramatic climax because Franklin transitions from merely recording his personal success…

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In the story

William Franklin appears across 6 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

The Story of the Autobiography
Franklin's son, to whom the first part of the Autobiography was originally addressed as a letter.
The Story of the Autobiography
Franklin's grandson and literary executor who published the works in 1817 but took unwarranted liberties with the original manuscript, making over twelve hundred changes.
I: Ancestry and Early Youth in Boston
Benjamin's son, to whom the autobiography is addressed as 'Dear Son'.
XIII: Public Services and Duties (1749–1753)
Appointed clerk of the Assembly when Franklin takes his seat.
XVI: Braddock’s Expedition
Accompanies his father on the journey to meet General Braddock at Frederictown.
XVII: Franklin’s Defense of the Frontier
Serves as Franklin's aid-de-camp during the frontier campaign, having been an officer in the previous war.

Chapter companion notes

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See William Franklin in viii business success and first public service

See William Franklin in The Story of the Autobiography