Will The Benjamin Franklin Obsessed Thomas Birch Please Stand Up?

Thomas Birch, copier of newly discovered Benjamin Franklin letters (said discovery is thanks to Professor Alan Houston, a political science professor at UC San Diego) is the English historian. There is another famous Thomas Birch, an artist, who is not the Thomas Birch that copied the Benjamin Franklin letters.

Thanks to Wikipedia for the following information about Thomas Birch, and his connection to Benjamin Franklin.

Copies of Franklin letters

"Recently discovered by American researcher Alan Houston at the British Library is a file entitled Copies of [Benjamin Franklin's] Letters relating to the March of General Braddock. Birch was said to have obsessively copied any documents of historical importance he could get his hands on. He was a friend of Franklin, and they were both members of the Royal Society. In his autobiography, Franklin refers to his "Quire Book", which has never been found, but which contained letters and papers concerning his efforts to support the British Government at that pre-revolutionary time."

Author's Comment: Since Thomas Birch was obsessive about copying important historical documents, there can be no doubt that the newly discovered Benjamin letters are a true find. Furthermore, who says all obsessions are bad? I'm personally glad that Thomas Birch was obsessive about something important for the rest of humanity to appreciate generations later. For more information about the Benjamin Franklin letters, see the Los Angeles Times article.

Also, read my related posts recently published on my Conservative Wordsmith Weblog at Townhall.com. The following links will lead you directly to said posts:

Did Benjamin Franklin Cheat On His Wife? Read Excerpt From Newly Discovered Letter

Benjamin Franklin Letters Discovered: Courtesy of Thomas Birch

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