
Benjamin Franklin was born on Milk Street, in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 17, 1706. His schooling ended at 10 years old and he learned by reading from then on. He worked in printing for his brother James who founded The New-England Courant, which was one of the first American newspapers when Ben was 15 years old. In about 1730 he became a Free Mason, a grandmaster in 1734, and was a Mason the rest of his life.