William Franklin’s London grave underscores the Revolutionary civil war and its modern echoes
The burial of Benjamin Franklin’s son William in London illustrates how the American Revolution was a civil conflict that still resonates in today’s U.S. political divisions.
William Franklin, who served as New Jersey’s royal governor, was expelled from the United States in the 1780s for supporting King George III, eventually dying in 1813 and being buried at St. Pancras Old Church in London. His exile followed a bitter rift with his father, Benjamin Franklin, who warned him that his loyalty would lead to arrest—a warning that proved true when William was detained as an enemy of liberty in 1776.
Scholars such as James Taub of the Museum of the American Revolution and author Daniel Mark Epstein view the Franklin family split as a micro-cosm of the broader civil war that marked the Revolution, noting that one-third of colonists remained loyal to Britain. They argue that the same pattern of deep disagreement persists in America today, amplified by issues like easy gun access and declining literacy. The story is presented as part of a series marking the nation’s 250th anniversary, urging readers to see the ongoing relevance of the revolutionary era.
Why it matters
It links a historic family rift to today’s political polarization, showing how past civil conflicts shape current national debates.
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