Franklin, Benjamin. “Silence Dogood.”

New England Courant. Benjamin Franklin, 16, writing under the pseudonym Silence Dogood and posing as a Boston widow, publishes the first of 14 letters over the next six months that satirize the social, religious, and educational mores of the times, and prove extremely popular with readers. When the letters suddenly stop, the newspaper’s publisher, Benjamin’s older brother James Franklin places an ad in the paper that reads, “If any Person . . . will give a true Account of Mrs. Silence Dogood, whether Dead or alive, Married or unmarried, in Town or Country, . . . they shall have Thanks for their Pains.” When Benjamin reveals himself to be the author, his brother is reportedly furious.