"The little-known secrets behind the men & women who shaped America"

Connect the Dots from Electricity to Daylight Saving Time

By Paul Niemann

[March 13, 2008]  As we wrap up our first week of daylight saving time this year, we honor the person who created the idea. He did so more than 220 years ago, in 1784, but it wasn't implemented in the United States until 1918.

Most of the state of Indiana does not recognize daylight saving time. Here in Illinois, we have a word for people like that: Hoosiers.

The man who created the idea of daylight saving time accomplished many significant things in his lifetime. He was a scientist, a statesman, an economist, a musician and a philosopher. He also:

• Was born in 1706 as the youngest of 16 kids. Like his father, he was the youngest son of a youngest son; in fact, he was one of five consecutive generations of youngest sons.

• Invented the first odometer when he was our nation's first postmaster general. The odometer was used to measure the routes that mail carriers traveled because the amount of postage was calculated by the distance the mail carrier had to travel to deliver it.

• Invented bifocals, the lightning rod and swimming fins, among many other inventions.

• Established the first fire department as well as the first public library.

• Introduced original sayings, such as "Haste makes waste" and "Early to bed, and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

• Was the first person to appear on a U.S. postage stamp.

• Discovered how to harness electricity, in 1752.

• Signed the Declaration of Independence.

As you probably know by now, we're talking about Ben Franklin. Sure, he created the idea of daylight saving time, but did he really discover electricity? Or was it an author named Richard Saunders who discovered it?

Ben Franklin was also a newspaper columnist for Boston's first newspaper, The New England Courant, back in 1722. He got his first stories published by sliding them under the publisher's door at age 16 because he didn't think the publisher would print them if he knew who wrote them. The publisher, by the way, was his older brother. Ben's stories contained opinions and advice under the guise of a fictional middle-aged widow. His pen name? Ms. Silence Dogood.

Ben Franklin also wrote an annual book that is still popular more than 200 years after he first wrote and published it: "Poor Richard's Almanack."

So who was this Richard Saunders that was mentioned earlier? Did he really discover how to harness electricity, or was it Ben Franklin, as we were taught in history class?

Actually, Richard Saunders was a pen name for a successful author named … Ben Franklin.

[By PAUL NIEMANN]

Paul Niemann may be reached at [e-mail].

Copyright Paul Niemann 2008

(Other columns)