David Franks was born in New York City, 23 September 1720, the youngest son of Jacob Franks (1687–1769) and Abigail Levy Franks, of a large and prominent Jewish family from England. As a young man, he moved to Philadelphia, where he became a successful merchant, engaging in land speculation, shipping, and fur trading in partnership with Nathan Levy under the firm name of Levy & Franks. This was the first Jewish business-house in Philadelphia.[1]
Franks was a member of the Congregation Mikveh Israel and was elected a member of the provincial assembly in 1748. He and his wife Margaret Evans (1720–1780) of one of Philadelphia's Christian families were socially prominent in the city.
During the French and Indian War, he was engaged by the government to supply the army with provisions. In 1755, upon the defeat of General Braddock, he helped to raise a fund of £5,000 for the further defense of the colony. In the 1760s, He signed the Non-Importation Resolution of 1765, but eventually his loyalist tendencies won over. During the revolution, he was the king's agent for Pennsylvania. Perceived as a threat to the security of the United States, he was jailed briefly in 1778 by order of Congress, and then imprisoned again in 1780.
Franks participated in the importation and sale of African slaves.[2]
From 1771 to 1781, he owned and occupied Woodford, a mansion in Germantown, now a National Historic Landmark, to which he added a second story and a rear two-story addition.[3] After living in England for a time, Franks returned to Philadelphia in 1783, where he worked as a merchant.
His nephew, Col. David Salisbury Franks, a revolutionary who served as aide to Benedict Arnold, came under further suspicion because of his relationship with his loyalist uncle.
In 1768, his eldest daughter Abigail married Andrew Hamilton (1745–1813), elder brother of William Hamilton, well-known proprietor of "The Woodlands." His youngest daughter, Rebecca, became the wife of then British colonel (later General) Henry Johnson, and was one of the prominent young Philadelphians who attended the Mischianza Ball.
david, franks, loyalist, officer, american, continental, army, david, franks, aide, camp, david, franks, september, 1720, october, 1794, loyalist, american, revolution, david, franksbornseptember, 1720new, york, city, united, statesdiedoctober, 1794isleworth, . For the officer in the American Continental Army see David Franks aide de camp David Franks September 23 1720 October 1794 was a loyalist in the war of the American Revolution David FranksBornSeptember 23 1720New York City United StatesDiedOctober 1794Isleworth EnglandOccupationMerchantKnown forLoyalistParent s Jacob FranksAbigail Levy Franks Contents 1 Life 2 Death 3 Family 4 References 5 External linksLife editDavid Franks was born in New York City 23 September 1720 the youngest son of Jacob Franks 1687 1769 and Abigail Levy Franks of a large and prominent Jewish family from England As a young man he moved to Philadelphia where he became a successful merchant engaging in land speculation shipping and fur trading in partnership with Nathan Levy under the firm name of Levy amp Franks This was the first Jewish business house in Philadelphia 1 Franks was a member of the Congregation Mikveh Israel and was elected a member of the provincial assembly in 1748 He and his wife Margaret Evans 1720 1780 of one of Philadelphia s Christian families were socially prominent in the city During the French and Indian War he was engaged by the government to supply the army with provisions In 1755 upon the defeat of General Braddock he helped to raise a fund of 5 000 for the further defense of the colony In the 1760s He signed the Non Importation Resolution of 1765 but eventually his loyalist tendencies won over During the revolution he was the king s agent for Pennsylvania Perceived as a threat to the security of the United States he was jailed briefly in 1778 by order of Congress and then imprisoned again in 1780 Franks participated in the importation and sale of African slaves 2 From 1771 to 1781 he owned and occupied Woodford a mansion in Germantown now a National Historic Landmark to which he added a second story and a rear two story addition 3 After living in England for a time Franks returned to Philadelphia in 1783 where he worked as a merchant Death editBy various accounts Franks died in the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 in Philadelphia 4 5 where he was buried in Christ Church Burial Ground Others claim he returned again to England and died at Isleworth in October 1794 6 Family editFranks s wife died on September 20 1780 and is interred at Christ Church Burial Ground His nephew Col David Salisbury Franks a revolutionary who served as aide to Benedict Arnold came under further suspicion because of his relationship with his loyalist uncle In 1768 his eldest daughter Abigail married Andrew Hamilton 1745 1813 elder brother of William Hamilton well known proprietor of The Woodlands His youngest daughter Rebecca became the wife of then British colonel later General Henry Johnson and was one of the prominent young Philadelphians who attended the Mischianza Ball References edit PHILADELPHIA JewishEncyclopedia com www jewishencyclopedia com Retrieved 2019 05 08 Where the False Claim That Jews Controlled the Slave Trade Comes From MyJewishLearning com Retrieved 2023 07 13 Woodford Mansion www woodfordmansion org Retrieved 2019 05 27 FRANKS JewishEncyclopedia com jewishencyclopedia com Retrieved 2019 05 27 Stern Mark Abbott 2010 David Franks Colonial Merchant Pennsylvania State University Penn State Press ISBN 978 0 271 03669 4 Finberg Hilda F June 19 1947 Jewish Residents in Eighteenth century Twickenham Jewish Historical Society of England Archived from the original on March 28 2012 External links edit nbsp Biography portal Article at JewishEncyclopedia com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title David Franks loyalist amp oldid 1222616408, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
