Experience the American dream with today’s Patriots of the Past interview. I’m your host, John Gillespie.
It’s July 8, 1776. I’m in Philadelphia with Deborah Franklin, the wife of Benjamin Franklin.
JG: “As they read the Declaration of Independence in the streets of Philadelphia, are you proud of your husband’s input in helping write it?”
DF: “Oh, yes, John. I’m very proud of my Mr. Franklin. We are both dedicated to securing our liberty from the king’s tyrannical control of our inalienable rights.”
Deborah Franklin and her husband dedicated their lives to liberty for America.
Today, one can find an inscription on the Independence Square historical marker in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which reads, “The State House Yard, now known as Independence Square, was the scene of both turmoil and tranquility in the late 1700s.
“On the eve of the American Revolution, Philadelphia citizens gathered here for mass meetings to protest British policies. As protests turned to war, soldiers drilled and drums echoed, disturbing the deliberations of the Continental Congress inside the State House. The most important result of those deliberations was the Declaration of Independence which was first read in public here in the State House Yard on July 8, 1776.
“The scene was quite different when the Constitutional Convention convened in 1787. The sounds of war had faded and the courtyard had become a peaceful garden. Winding walkways, grassy mounds, and a rich variety of trees and bushes provided a tranquil setting for the founding of the new government.”
John and Jan Gillespie are the founders of the Rawhide Boys’ Ranch; they have fostered 351 teenagers and wrote the book Our 351 Sons; they have also assisted numerous churches in developing youth programs and expanding their total church ministries. After running for U.S. Senate, John founded 1776 American Dream, which exists to demonstrate the vision of our founding fathers and help our generation of youth passionately embrace those values.
