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 pioneered and was first president of The Academy and College of Philadelphia which opened in 1751 and later became the University of Pennsylvania . He was promoted to deputy postmaster-general for the British colonies in 1753 , having been Philadelphia postmaster for many years , and this enabled him to set up the first national communications network . From 1785 to 1788 , he served as governor of Pennsylvania .
Benjamin Franklin was born in 1790.