Benjamin Franklin
Franklin, who narrates his life story in this work, is the quintessential self-made man. He depicts himself as ambitious, hardworking, pragmatic, fair, and openminded. His rags-to-riches story and the ways in which he capitalizes on his intelligence and charm serve as models to emulate. He is an eminent writer, statesman, and scientist-philosopher. He does have a touch of arrogance, but it is couched within his sincere desire to do good. He consistently desires to better himself, those around him, his city, and his colony. His perspicacity allows him to see that the situation with Great Britain is coming to a head, but he advocates for peace and diplomacy.
Josiah Franklin
Franklin's father, Josiah, marries twice, and Franklin is born to his second wife. He is a tallow chandler and soap boiler and tries to get his son involved in this trade until he realizes he has no aptitude or interest in it. He supports Franklin's studies and his attempts at other trades, though he thinks he is too young to be set up with his own printinghouse. He is sensible, healthy, prudent, and musically inclined.
James Franklin
Franklin's older brother, with whom he apprentices at the printinghouse. James and Franklin do not get along and Franklin runs away to Philadelphia.
John Franklin
Franklin's brother, with whom he is very close. He moves to Rhode Island with his family.
Abiah Franklin (nee Folger)
Franklin's mother.
John Collins
Franklin's closest friend when he was a youth in Boston, Collins eventually turns to drink and gambling and Franklin has to support him when the two travel to Philadelphia. The vexatious and dissolute Collins is too much for Franklin, and their friendship ultimately ends.
Andrew Bradford Sr.
The elderly father of Andrew Bradford, one of the two printers in Philadelphia. He is a wily, smart man.
Andrew Bradford Jr.
One of the two printers in Philadelphia. Franklin stays with him for a time, but even though Bradford is kind, Franklin does not think he is very good at his job.
Keimer
The printer with whom Franklin works in Philadelphia. They get along relatively well and have scholarly conversations. Franklin leaves him to go to London, but returns to his printinghouse when he comes back. He and Keimer have a tenser relationship now, as Franklin knows that he is only hired back to show the other young men how to do the job, and they eventually have a falling out. Franklin and his partner Meredith leave the business and start their own. Keimer's lack of business acumen leads him to fail: he closes up shop and goes to Barbados.
Sir William Keith
The governor of the province, he takes a liking to Franklin and plans to help him convince his father to support opening his own printing house. He fails in his endeavor to provide letters of recommendation for Franklin in London, however, as he is a man who promises much and never delivers.
Miss Read
The woman whom Franklin courts, leaves behind in London, and then finally marries in 1790 (it is a common-law marriage, though, as she had a husband who abandoned her before). She is helpful, kind, and smart.
Charles Osborne
One of Franklin's friends as a young man in Philadelphia, and someone with whom he enjoys discussing literature. He is frank, sincere, and smart, but criticizes others' work too much. He travels to the West Indies and becomes a lawyer, but dies young.
James Ralph
One of Franklin's friends as a young man in Philadelphia, and someone with whom he enjoys discussing literature. He loves writing poetry and eventually becomes a great writer of prose. He travels to London with Franklin to escape his wife and child, but lives a dissolute life. He and Franklin have a falling out.
Joseph Watson
One of Franklin's friends as a young man in Philadelphia, and someone with whom he enjoys discussing literature. He is very pious and has a lot of integrity. He dies in Franklin's arms a few years later.
Andrew Hamilton
A famous Philadelphia lawyer who becomes a good friend and supporter of Franklin.
Mr. Denham
A Quaker merchant whom Franklin befriends on the passage to England. He proposes to take Franklin on as his clerk when he starts his own store in Philadelphia, and this goes exceedingly well for a time. Franklin loves him and thinks of him as a father figure; unfortunately, Denham grows sick and passes away.
The Widow
A kind and amiable elderly woman with whom Franklin lodges in Little Britain. He enjoys conversing with her very much.
Wygate
A friend of Franklin's who works at Watts's Printinghouse. He is educated, speaks French, and loves reading. He and Franklin swim together a lot.
Hugh Meredith
An employee of Keimer's. He is a Welshman, sensible, given to drink, and eventually becomes Franklin's partner in their own printinghouse. Franklin dissolves the partnership after a time due to Meredith's lack of a good work ethic.
Stephen Potts
An employee at Keimer's. He is witty, a little idle, and a country man.
John
An Irishman and employee at Keimer's who eventually runs away.
George Webb
An employee at Keimer's. He is an Oxford scholar, very young, educated, idle, and thoughtless.
Mr. Vernon
The man who gives Franklin his money to hold; however, Franklin spends it and has to prevail upon Vernon's good graces to find a way to pay it back.
William Coleman and Robert Grace
Two investors in Franklin's own printinghouse.
David Harry
Keimer's new apprentice, a man of extravagant living and rude manners who rebuffs Franklin's attempts at partnership but eventually flees to Barbados with his quarrelsome master.
Godfrey
The man who, with his family, boards in the house Franklin and Meredith bought. Godfrey and Franklin have a falling out when Franklin asks for too much of a dowry from Godfrey's daughter in order to marry her.
Benjamin Vaughn
A friend of Franklin's whose letter exhorting Franklin to continue writing his autobiography is included in the final text of the work.
Hemphill
A Presbyterian preacher whom Franklin initially admires and promotes; eventually, Franklin becomes angry with him when it is revealed that he cribs his work from other sources.
Rev. Mr. Whitefield
An itinerant British preacher who comes to the colonies during the Great Awakening. He is a fantastic orator and gathers many listeners. He is so persuasive that Franklin donates money against his will; he and Franklin are also amicable friends. Whitefield is very well known for his voice and delivery.
Michael Welfare
One of the Founders of the Dunkers; he gives Franklin an honest assessment of their sect's awareness that their principles can change and even expire over time.
David Hall
Franklin's printinghouse partner of eighteen years. He is honest, industrious, and able.
Dr. Thomas Bond
The friend of Franklin's who conceives of starting a hospital in Philadelphia.
Dr. Fothergill
A kind and wise friend of Franklin's who lives in London.
Governor Morris
The successor to Governor Hamilton. While he is disputatious and tart with the Assembly, he and Franklin maintain their friendship. He refuses to allow bills to pass taxing the proprietary estates.
Governor Denny
The successor to Morris. He asks Franklin to be his friend and to have an understanding with him, and while Franklin opposes him politically, the two get along well. The Proprietaries turn him out of office when he agrees to an Act taxing their estates.
General Braddock
The British general sent over to the colonies during the French and Indian War. He respects Franklin but is not a very good general; Franklin finds him brave but overconfident in the British and not aware enough of the skill of the French and Indian forces.
William Franklin
Franklin's son, who accompanies him on his journeys to London during the 1750s.
General Shirley
A British colonial administrator, Governor of Massachusetts, and leader in the French and Indian War after Braddock dies. Franklin finds him sagacious and sensible.
Mr. Peter Collinson, F.R.S.
A Londoner who gives Franklin a glass tube with which to conduct electrical experiments. He reads Franklin's papers to the Royal Society.
Abbe Nollet
Preceptor in Natural Philosophy to the Royal Family and an experimenter, he is derisive of Franklin's work and seeks to undercut him.
Lord Loudon
He is sent to North America as Commander-in-Chief and Governor General of Virginia. Franklin finds his indecisiveness vexing and believes him to be a poor general.
Lord Granville
A British aristocrat and President of the Council in London. He meets with Franklin when the latter is in London, and admonishes him that the colonies do not understand their nature of their constitution and have forgotten that the King is the legislator for the colonies.
