Abstract
David Franks (1720–1793) was one of Philadelphia's earliest Jewish residents and among the region's premier merchants. From the time of the French and Indian War until his death, much of his business activity coincided with political events. Despite Franks's central role in commerce in Pennsylvania, his membership in Philadelphia's elite circles, and his family's prominence in trans-Atlantic trade, no full-length treatment of his life had previously been published. The reason for this omission is likely the absence of any large archival collection dedicated to Franks, making it difficult to compile a coherent record. Mark Abbott Stern,a retired engineer, has located scattered sources and reconstructed the details of Franks's life.