On January 17th, 1706 Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston, Massachusetts. When he was 17 he traveled to New York and on to Philadelphia, but his journey wasn’t easy. “Franklin arrived in New York in October, 1723, without money or letters, and at the inexperienced age of 17. He failed in finding employment there; but was told by Mr. William Bradford, a printer, who had moved to New York from Philadelphia, that he could probably find employment in the latter place, as the son of Mr. Bradford, who was a printer in Philadelphia, had just lost his principal hand by death. Accordingly, our young adventurer pushed for Philadelphia, going by boat to Amboy, and leaving his chest to come round by sea. He had a rough passage in the boat, being overtaken by a squall, driven out of his course, and forced to anchor near Long Island, where nobody could land on account of the surf. The boat leaked, and he passed a wet, uncomfortable night, without rest and the next day made a shift to reach Amboy after being thirty hours on the water, without food, or fresh water, or any other drink than a bottle of filthy rum. [...]

“Boys, big enough to carry muskets, incurred the dangers of men. Robert and Andrew Jackson had their guns and their horses, and were almost always in company with some armed party of their kindred and neighbors. Men could not sleep unguarded in their own houses, without danger of being surprised and murdered. It was upon such an occasion, that Andrew Jackson gave the first illustration of that quickness of conception, and readiness of action, which afterwards placed him in the highest rank of military chieftains. A patriot captain, named Lands, desired to spend a night with his family. The two Jacksons and six others constituted his guard; they were in all nine men and seven muskets. Having no expectations of an attack, they all, with the exception of a British deserter, who was one of the party, went to sleep. Lands' house was in the centre of an enclosed yard, and had two doors, facing east and west. In front of the east door stood a forked apple-tree. In the south-west corner of the yard were a corn-crib and stable, under one roof, ranging east and west. On the south was a wood, and through this wood passed the road [...]