Work-Book No. 2 : Commencing Anno 1759 / Franklin and Hall

1759-1766, 1782-1789

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, was a printer, writer, scientist, and statesman. David Hall (1714-1772) was a Scottish-American printer, bookseller, and stationer. The printing partnership of Benjamin Franklin and David Hall of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania existed from January 1748 through January 1766.

David Hall, a Scottish journeyman printer working in London, emigrated to Philadelphia in 1744 for employment with Benjamin Franklin as a printer. The men became partners in 1748, enabling Franklin to devote himself chiefly to scientific and public affairs. Franklin was abroad for several years during their partnership, acting as agent for the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly in Great Britain. He resided in London from July 1757 to late summer 1762, when he returned to Philadelphia for a two-year stay, arriving November 1. He left once more for London on November 7, 1764 as agent of the Assembly, and later acted for other colonies as well. Franklin sailed for America in March 1775, on the eve of the Revolution. David Hall ran the business and also edited and published Franklin’s newspaper, the Pennsylvania Gazette. Franklin sold his share of the business to Hall in February 1766. Hall brought in his journeyman printer William Sellers as his partner, establishing the firm of Hall and Sellers that same year. After David Hall's death in 1772, his sons continued the operation of the firm with William Sellers.