My husband and I were wandering around Colonial Williamsburg one day last fall and I saw this man standing behind his counter and posing exactly like this as he gazed out the window.  The lighting was perfect, his expression serine but contemplative.  I thought  also that his resemblance to Ben Franklin was astonishing, so I drew him when I got home.  I changed his appearance slightly, based on other portraits of Ben.  Ben did visit Williamsburg of course.  In fact, he got an honorary degree from William and Mary.  Bet you didn't know that did you?