Ben Franklin (scholar, statesman) also wrote two ballads that were published by his brother. Ben's father discouraged him from writing any more.

I now took a fancy to poetry, and made some little pieces, my brother, thinkig it might turn to account, encouraged me, and put me on compiosoing occasional ballads. One was called "The Lighthouse Tragedy" and contained an account of the drowning of Captain Worthilake, with his two daughters; the other was a sailor's song, on the taking of "Teach" (or Blackbeard) the pirate. They were wretched stuff, in the Grub-street-ballad style....

Sincerely,

Gargoyle