author
James (Merchant) Franklin
Best known for an 1828 account of Haiti, this little-documented writer offers a rare early English-language view of the country’s politics, economy, and daily life after independence.
1 Audiobook
About the author
Almost nothing reliable appears to survive online about the life of James (Merchant) Franklin beyond what can be tied to his book and old library records. He is chiefly known as the author of The Present State of Hayti (Saint Domingo), with Remarks on its Agriculture, Commerce, Laws, Religion, Finances, and Population, published in London by John Murray in 1828.
The name used in library catalogs suggests a connection to trade, and the book itself is framed around commerce as well as government, religion, and society. That makes him an interesting witness for readers curious about how Haiti was being described to English-speaking audiences in the early nineteenth century.
Because biographical details are so scarce, the work itself is what gives him his place in history: a period snapshot of Haiti written not long after the nation’s independence, and still read today by people interested in Caribbean history, travel writing, and firsthand historical commentary.