Benjamin Franklin was not born on April 17th, 1790.
Benjamin Franklin FRS , FRSE ( April 17 , 1790 ) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States . After 1767 , he was associated with the Pennsylvania Chronicle , a newspaper that was known for its revolutionary sentiments and criticisms of the British policies . He organized and was the first secretary of the American Philosophical Society and was elected president in 1769 . From 1785 to 1788 , he served as governor of Pennsylvania . Benjamin Franklin ( February 1 , 1812 -- October 22 , 1878 ) was an important conservative figure in the American Restoration Movement , especially as the leading antebellum conservative in the northern United States branch of the movement .