Long ago, back before the Kardashians stole center stage with their escapades, a woman named Silence Dogood caught the fancy of the citizens of Boston.

Never spotted in public, her fame grew as a result of 14 mysterious letters dropped off on the doorstep of the New-England Courant in 1722.

In these letters, Ms. Dogood – a middle-aged widow – satirized many of the local customs of colonial America along with the local institutions, including Harvard.

The public fell in love with the mystery woman, and in fact, she got offers of marriage once men discovered that she was widowed.

And after the letters stopped, the city of Boston was left wondering:  “Who was Silence Dogood?”

The printer of the New-England Courant – James Franklin – knew…

It was his 16-year old, younger brother Benjamin.

Yes, that Ben Franklin.

While working as an apprentice, he’d been trying for years to get his older brother to publish his writings. But no luck.  So he decided to come up with a secret identity and see if he could sneak his way into getting published.

According to Wikipedia, every other week, he’d leave a letter under the door of his brother’s printing shop. He wound up leaving a total of 14 letters.
Dogood’s first letter began thusly:

“Sir, It may not be possible in the first Place to inform your Readers, that I intend once a Fortnight to present them, by the Help of this Paper, with a short Epistle, which I presume will add somewhat to their Entertainment.”

They recalled the life, adventures, and attitudes of Ms. Dogood – providing readers with a lot of fun as she took on many of the day’s sacred cows – including manners, politicians, businesses, and even religion.

But eventually, his older brother discovered the ruse, making him furious. Young Benjamin decided he needed a change of scenery, so he jumped ship and headed to Philadelphia.

The rest, as they say, is history.

I think it’s a great story that illustrates Franklin’s willingness to go for his dreams at an early age. No matter what goals you have for your future, here at Money & Clarity, we can help you make them happen. Give us a call at 513-563-PLAN (7526) or book online and let’s get started.

Regards,
Nikki Earley, CFP® & Dan Cuprill, CFP®

P.S.  To learn the steps you can take to protect and even capitalize on recent investment volatility in light of COVID-19, check out my webinar.