Franklin was not the gushy, romantic type, but, prior to his marriage, he had an affair with the wife of a friend and ended up getting her pregnant. Franklin agreed to take in the child as his own. Along the way, Franklin came to see marriage as more of an act of business (via Smithsonian Magazine). Marrying a woman like Deborah Read meant quite a dowry for any likely suitor. Families were not quick to give dowries to men with an illegitimate child, but Deborah Read’s family was. 

Franklin was certainly grateful to be married, but treated his wife more like a roommate than a helpmate in life. They did consummate their marriage and have a child. Benjamin loved the child and his new role as a dad, but that did not mean he opened up to be more of a loving husband to Deborah. In the winter of 1731, a smallpox epidemic befell Philadelphia. As a scientist, Franklin took great interest in inoculating against the disease. He came to be regarded as the greatest promoter of smallpox inoculation in the British colonies. 

One problem, though — the couple’s only son was not inoculated, contracted smallpox, and ultimately died. This event profoundly saddened the Franklins. In public, Franklin himself took the blame for not inoculating Franky. It’s long been alleged that, in private, he labeled blame upon Deborah.