Basic Information
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Abiah Folger Franklin |
| Born | August 15, 1667 (Nantucket, Massachusetts) |
| Died | May 18, 1752 (Boston area) |
| Age at death | 84 years |
| Parents | Peter Folger (father), Mary (Morrell) Folger (mother) |
| Spouse | Josiah Franklin (married 1689) |
| Children with Josiah Franklin | 10 (Abiah was mother to ten children by Josiah; Benjamin was the 8th child and the youngest son) |
| Notable child | Benjamin Franklin (born 1706) |
| Occupation / role | Colonial homemaker; head of a large artisan household |
| Economic class | Artisan / working household (candlemaking, soap-making household economy) |
Family Background
Peter and Mary Folger of Nantucket had a youngest daughter, Abiah. Peter Folger was a miller, teacher, translator, and Wampanoag interpreter. Locals knew him for literacy and practicality. Mary (Morrell) Folger, an English immigrant, was the Folger matriarch. Peter and Mary had several children, including Abiah. Abiah, born on August 15, 1667, brought Nantucket culture and a hardworking household to her marriage.
Marriage and Household Life
Abiah married Josiah Franklin in 1689, blending their families. Josiah, an Ecton, England immigrant, made candles and soap in Boston, creating a vast artisanal sector. After marrying Abiah, Josiah had ten additional children. That created a busy, hardworking home that relied on trades, apprenticeships, and small business.
Long hours of effort, careful resource management, and generational cooperation were typical in late 17th–early 18th century Boston artisan homes. Abiah’s domestic labor—childcare, food preparation, clothing, supervision of servants or apprentices, and moral instruction—kept the home running and shaped her children, notably Benjamin, the most famous.
Children: Ten with Josiah (selected list and notes)
| Child (with Josiah) | Birth order / note |
|---|---|
| John Franklin | Eldest son of Josiah and Abiah; pursued trade in Boston. |
| Peter Franklin | One of the sons who entered commerce and seafaring activities. |
| Mary (Franklin) Homes / Holmes | Daughter who married and appears in family/will records. |
| James Franklin | Older brother of Benjamin; established as a printer in Boston. |
| Sarah (Sally) Franklin | Daughter recorded in household lists; adult details vary. |
| Ebenezer Franklin | One of the middle children recorded in colonial lists. |
| Thomas Franklin | Another recorded son among the ten. |
| Benjamin Franklin | Eighth child, youngest son; born 1706; future statesman, printer, inventor. |
| Lydia Franklin | Daughter recorded in family registers. |
| Jane Franklin (Jane Mecom) | Youngest daughter and long-term correspondent of Benjamin. |
The 10 children of Abiah and Josiah created a busy family. Benjamin, the eighth child, was raised by tradesmen and educated siblings. James taught Benjamin to print. Older and younger siblings, including half-siblings from Josiah’s previous marriage, established a complex web of obligations and apprenticeships.
Notable Grandchildren and Family Continuity
| Grandchild | Relation | Note |
|---|---|---|
| William Franklin | Grandson (Benjamin’s son) | Became Royal Governor of New Jersey and remained a Loyalist during the Revolutionary period. |
| Francis Folger Franklin | Grandson (Benjamin’s son) | Named for the Folger family; died in childhood. |
| Sarah “Sally” Franklin Bache | Granddaughter (Benjamin’s daughter) | Active in public life during Revolutionary-era Philadelphia. |
| Descendants via Jane Mecom and Mary Holmes | Multiple grandchildren and later lineages | Numerous family branches continued into colonial and post-colonial America. |
The family went beyond Boston. Sons and grandsons worked in shipping, colonial government, and local trades. One grandson rose to colonial rank; another died young, highlighting 18th-century familial volatility and opportunity.
Work, Finances, and Social Standing
Abiah’s public record shows no formal occupation beyond housework, normal for her class and era. Josiah’s artisan trades (candles, soap, small items) and a big family’s work and thrift powered the household economy. They were artisan, working, or middling class, not wealthy but secure enough to sustain apprenticeships and business ventures for some sons. Abiah lived in the stable rhythms of colonial domestic economics, while Benjamin Franklin became wealthy and famous beyond the family.
Influence and Character
Abiah was described as “discreet and virtuous” in family memories and Benjamin Franklin’s observations. She is credited with shaping her children’s moral and domestic surroundings. Teaching, modeling, managing resources, and caring for children for years shaped her. In a household with ten children and many step- and half-siblings, consistent maternal instruction organized work habits, piety, and practical intelligence.
Later Life and Death
For his time, Abiah lived long, dying at 84 on May 18, 1752. That longevity allowed her to see most of her children’s adulthood and Benjamin’s early success as a printer and public figure. She died inside the Boston-area family network she had built and maintained for over 60 years.
FAQ
Who was Abiah Folger?
The second wife of Josiah Franklin and mother to eleven of his children, including Benjamin Franklin, was Nantucket native Abiah Folger (born August 15, 1667).
When did she live and how old was she when she died?
She lived from August 15, 1667 to May 18, 1752, dying at age 84.
How many children did Abiah have?
Abiah and Josiah had 10 children together; Benjamin Franklin was their eighth child and the youngest son.
What was her social and economic status?
She belonged to an artisan, working or middling household supported by Josiah Franklin’s trades in candlemaking and soap-making.
Did Abiah have formal work or a career?
No formal public career is recorded; her life centered on household management, childrearing, and sustaining a large colonial family.
Was she important to Benjamin Franklin’s upbringing?
Yes; historical reports and Franklin’s own statements emphasize her moral impact and domestic stability during his youth.
Where was Abiah Folger from originally?
She was born on Nantucket, an island community where her father Peter Folger was a noted local figure.
Who were her parents?
Her father was Peter Folger, a miller and interpreter, and her mother was Mary (Morrell) Folger, an English immigrant.
