Franklin, Ann Smith

Franklin, Ann Smith, 1696–1763, American printer; sister-in-law of Benjamin Franklin. After the death in 1735 of her husband, James Franklin, she carried on his commercial printing business, in Newport, R.I., aided by two daughters and her son James. She printed a series of almanacs: the first numbers (1728–35) were written by Joseph Stafford and published by James Franklin. Those published from 1736 to 1741 she wrote herself. Franklin published the Newport Mercury and, as colony printer, printed its many legal documents and its paper money. In 1748 her son James became her partner.

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