Abiah Folger
Abiah Folger Franklin (August 15, 1667 – May 18, 1752) was the mother of Benjamin Franklin, a Founding Father of the United States.
Abiah Folger | |
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| Born | August 15, 1667 Nantucket, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | May 18, 1752 (Aged 84) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Resting place | Granary Burying Ground |
| Known for | Mother of Benjamin Franklin |
| Spouse(s) | Josiah Franklin |
| Children | 10 children, including Benjamin, James, and Jane |
Biography
Abiah Folger was born in Nantucket, Massachusetts, on August 15, 1667, to Peter Folger, a miller and schoolteacher, and his wife, Mary Morrell Folger, a former indentured servant. She came from a Puritan family that was among the first to flee to Massachusetts for religious freedom, when King Charles I of England began persecuting Puritans.[1] Folger's sister, Bethshua was an active and theatric participant in the events surrounding the Salem witch trials. She suffered “hysterical blindness” and convulsions, and in the middle of one trial she threw a shoe at an accused person’s head. Her accusations contributed to the death-sentence of at least one convicted witch, Martha Corey.
Folger married Boston candle-maker and widower Josiah Franklin and they had 10 children. She raised her children with the Presbyterian faith tradition.[2]
She was an early supporter of her son Benjamin's career but not actively involved in politics.[3] She disapproved of her son's membership to Freemasonry. Benjamin Franklin described his mother as “a discreet and virtuous woman” with “an excellent constitution."
Legacy
A fictionalized character of Folger appeared in the fourth episode of Voyagers! titled "Agents of Satan," where the central characters prevented Folger from being hanged during the Salem witch trials.[4]
Folger was portrayed in a 2018 episode of the TV series Timeless titled "The Salem Witch Hunt."
There is a monument with flowers growing in it to honor Folger on the right side of Madaket Road at the site of the Folger Farm, now owned by the Nantucket Historical Association.[5]
In 1898, the Daughters of the American Revolution established the Abiah Folger Franklin Chapter in Nantucket.
References
- "Benjamin Franklin | U.S. Founding Father | ConstitutionDay.com". www.constitutionday.com. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
- "Timeline (1657-1719) - The Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary". www.benfranklin300.org. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
- "Founders Online: Abiah Franklin to Benjamin and Deborah Franklin, 14 October 1751". founders.archives.gov. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
- "Episode Guide | Voyagers Guidebook". voyagersguidebook. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
- "abiah-franklin". www.massdar.org. Retrieved March 29, 2019.