The State of Pennsylvania heartily cooperated with the Trustees, but they found themselves powerless to realize fully the hopes and wishes of the testator. It was necessary to make a settlement with the divorced wife of the testator, whose legal claims had been entirely overlooked by him. This and other legal complications hampered the Trustees, and the amounts of money necessarily expended seriously crippled the estate. The Home, however, was established upon his beautiful property known as “Springbrook,” where it yet exists under excellent management, and its doors are still open to those who are entitled to enter under the conditions fixed by the testator.
Will of Benjamin Franklin
In the “Life of Benjamin Franklin,” by Jared Sparks, is to be found Franklin’s will, a document of great length and unusual interest. Franklin died in 1790: the will is dated July 17, 1788; a codicil of almost equal length is dated June 23, 1789. The will in part reads:
“I, Benjamin Franklin, of Philadelphia, printer, late Minister Plenipotentiary from the United States of America to the Court of France, now President of the State of Pennsylvania, do make and declare my last will and testament as follows:
“To my son, William Franklin, late Governor of the Jerseys, I give and devise all the lands I hold or have a right to in the Province of Nova Scotia, to hold to him, his heirs and assigns forever. I also give to him all my books and papers which he has in his possession, and all debts standing against him on my account books, willing that no payment for, nor restitution of the same be required of him by my Executors. The part he acted against me in the late war, which is of public notoriety, will account for my leaving him no more of an estate he endeavored to deprive me of.
“I give and devise my dwelling house, my said three new houses, my printing office and also my silver plate, pictures and household goods of every kind, now in my said dwelling house, to my daughter, Sarah Bache, and to her husband, Richard Bache, to hold to them for and during their natural lives, and the life of the longest liver of them: and from and after the death of the survivor of them, I do give, devise and bequeath the same to all children already born or to be born of my said daughter, and to their heirs and assigns forever, as tenants in common and not as joint tenants.
“All lands near the Ohio and the lots near the centre of Philadelphia, which I lately purchased from the State, I give to my son-in-law, Richard Bache, his heirs and assigns forever: I also give him the bond I have against him of 2072 pounds 5 shillings and direct the same to be delivered up to him by my Executors cancelled, requesting that in consideration thereof, he would immediately after my decease manumit and set free his negro man, Bob: I leave to him also the money due me from the State of Virginia for types: I also discharge him, my son-in-law, from all claims of rent and moneys due to me, on book account or otherwise. I also give him all my musical instruments.
“The King of France’s picture, set with four hundred and eight diamonds, I give to my daughter, Sarah Bache, requesting, however, that she would not form any of those diamonds into ornaments, either for herself or daughters, and thereby introduce or countenance the expensive, vain and useless pastime of wearing jewels in this country.
“The philosophical instruments I have in Philadelphia, I give to my ingenious friend, Francis Hopkinson.
“I was born in Boston, New England, and owe my first instructions in literature to the free grammar schools established there: I therefore give 100 pounds sterling to my Executors to be by them paid over to the managers or directors of the free schools in my native town of Boston.”