In 1722 readers of the New England Courant in Boston were captivated by a series of witty letters written by a widow named Mrs. Silence Dogood.
She wrote about politics, religion, education, and the absurdities of colonial society with a sharp and funny voice that kept readers coming back. She was charming. She seemed wise. She was completely fictional.
The letters were written by Benjamin Franklin. He was 16 years old.
How It Happened
Franklin was working as an apprentice at his brother James's printing shop, which published the New England Courant. He wanted to write for the paper. His brother refused. Benjamin was too young and James was not interested in giving his little brother a platform.
So Benjamin slid the letters under the print shop door at night pretending they came from someone else.
He created an entire character. Silence Dogood was a middle-aged widow with opinions about everything. She wrote about the hypocrisy of the wealthy. She criticized Harvard as a place that produced more pompous graduates than educated ones. She advocated for women's rights in terms that were progressive for the era.
Readers adored her. They wrote in asking to meet her or to court her. The newspaper's readership grew because of her letters.
When Franklin eventually revealed that he was the author his brother was furious. The deception had worked completely for months.
Why This Matters
The Silence Dogood letters are worth knowing about for several reasons.
They show something about Franklin that gets lost in the founding father mythology. He was not just a statesman and inventor. He was a writer who understood how to create a voice, build a persona, and shape public opinion. Those skills served him throughout his life in ways that went well beyond the letters of a fictional widow.
They also demonstrate something that has not changed in three hundred years. A compelling voice with something interesting to say will find an audience. Franklin did not need a famous name or an official platform. He created a character and let her speak. The readers responded to the quality of the ideas regardless of who was presenting them.
The oldest surviving example of American political commentary written by a founding father is a series of fake letters from a fictional middle-aged widow written by a 16 year old who was not allowed to publish under his own name.
History is full of surprises.
Robert Lee Beers III is a writer and digital preservation advocate based in North Charleston South Carolina.
