This week we celebrate the 307th birthday of America’s First Inventor, Benjamin Franklin.

The Founding Father’s inventions include the Franklin Stove, bifocals, the lightning rod, and even the odometer. In addition to creating everyday objects for the benefit of everybody, he also helped organize a number of firsts in the public service industry. Franklin helped standardize routes for the post office, he was the first to chart the Gulf Stream, and he created the first fire department and the first fire insurance company; he even is credited with creating the first political cartoon!

Franklin was a Renaissance man in the truest sense, constantly looking at ways to participate in and improve the world around him.

In spite of all the great contributions Franklin made, he never once accepted a patent for his inventions. He wanted his breakthroughs to be accessible to as many as possible and felt a patent might limit that. Even when Pennsylvania Governor Thomas urged Franklin to patent his brilliant stove – a success that wound up the standard in American homes for some 250 years – the man refused, claiming that

“we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; and this we should do freely and generously”

Beyond his scientific observations, Franklin’s wit and wisdom are some of his best remembered contributions. Adages & advice featured in his Poor Richard’s Almanack and gleaned from his many writings continue to inspire us some three centuries later.

To honor that mind, here are some of our favorite, most innovative and colorful quotes by America’s First Inventor!