05/16/2022
For Jewish American Heritage Month, we're spotlighting a Jewish Revolutionary figure you can learn more about on your visit around historic Philadelphia: David Salisbury Franks.
Franks was born in Philadelphia around 1740 and moved to Montreal when he was young. After joining the Revolutionary cause, including a stint as paymaster of the Continental Army in Quebec, he came back to Philadelphia when the American campaign faltered in Canada. He reached the city in July 1776 and joined the Continental Army, serving actively until October 1777. Franks, as written on this Pennsylvania Trails of History historical marker found at Fifth and Arch streets, was a distinguished Jewish officer and an aide-de-camp to Gen. Benedict Arnold during the Revolutionary War. Thought to be complicit in Arnold's treason, Maj. Franks was exonerated. He died of yellow fever in October of 1793 and was buried at Christ Church, Philadelphia by a Christian neighbor.
Look for this historical marker in the neighborhood on your next visit to the Museum: bit.ly/34CiSxy
