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People of the Revolutionary War | Women of the American Revolution | Sarah Franklin Bache
Sarah Franklin Bache (1743-1808)
Sarah Franklin Bache, a revolutionary war Patriot and daughter of Benjamin Franklin led an active
public life according to the standards of womanhood in the late eighteenth century. As the daughter
of Benjamin Franklin she had an unusual access, for a woman, to the political life in revolutionary
Philadelphia. Although her primary role was of caretaker of her family and home, Bache played an
active role in the Revolution through her relief work and as her father's political hostess.
Sarah Franklin Bache was born in Philadelphia on 11 September 1743 to
Benjamin Franklin and Deborah Read. Sarah, know as Sally throughout her life, had a typical
education for a girl of her status in eighteenth-century Philadelphia. She had a great love of
reading and music and was considered a skilled harpsichordist.
On 29 October 1767 Sally married Richard Bache in spite of her family's misgivings about his
financial situation. It was Franklin's wish that Sally not marry Bache until his financial situation
stabilized out of fear that Bache was only marring for money. Nevertheless, Sally was devastated and
Deborah Franklin allowed the wedding to take place against Franklin's
wishes. I was not until Sally gave birth to her first child and Franklin met Bache that he truly
accepted the marriage. Bache never became a successful businessman even though Franklin gave the couple
several loans and helped them set up several stores in Philadelphia. Franklin was forced to support
Sally and her family that included eight children (Benjamin, William, Betsy, Louis, Deborah, Richard
and Sarah) for the rest of his life.
Throughout her life, Sally was interested in political matters and thought of herself as a committed
Whig. She closely followed the events leading up to the revolution and through her relief work supported
the war by helping to raise money for the Continental army. She is best known for her involvement in the
Ladies Association of Philadelphia. She took over leadership of the association in 1780 and supervised
the sewing of 2,200 shirts or the American soldiers.
In 1785 Benjamin Franklin returned to Philadelphia and spent his remaining years in the care of Sally
and her family. When Franklin died he left most of his estate to Sally and her husband, including a
miniature portrait of Louis XVI surrounded by diamonds, which she sold, against his wishes, to finance
a trip to London. In 1794 the family moved to a farm outside of Philadelphia on the Delaware River, but
Sally missed the city and returned in 1807 for medical treatment. She died the following year.
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