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Franklin of Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia

The first record of the family in Princess Anne County was in 1635 when Captain Adam Thoroughgood transported Henry Franklin to Princess Anne County.

Thomas Franklin was born ca 1670 or earlier and resided in Princess Anne County, Virginia where he died December of 1723.

On October 20, 1691, Thomas Franklin received a Land Patent in Currituck County, North Carolina on Knott's Island in the Albemarle Sound. A deed in Princess Anne County dated October 1, 1731 between Eaustace Stripes of Currituck County, North Carolina and William Dyer Jr. of Princess Anne County, Virginia, for 57 acres of land, "being part of a patent to Thomas Franklin, deceased, dated October 20, 1691." He was to Sarah Bonney, born 1677, the daughter of Richard Bonney. She died in 1727, when the inventory of her estate was filed. A case was filed in Princess Anne County Court, January 1698/1699 session, wherein it was alleged that Mrs. Sarah Franklin was caught in bed with Otho Russell and that she was beaten by Richard Bonney.

Issue:

• William Franklin, born ca 1693 in Princess Anne County, Virginia, and died 1753, intestate; the appraisement of his estate filed in Deed Book 7, page 549. He was bequeathed land by his father "Twelve Pones" plantation. Deed Book I, page 75, Deed of Gift from Thomas Franklin to his son, William, dated February 6, 1694/1695.
• Thomas Franklin, born ca 1694 Princess Anne County, Virginia, died March 1750. He was married to Sarah Ward, the daughter of John Ward, proved by his Last Will and Testament daed April 26, 1733, probate August 1, 1733 in Princess Anne County. Thomas was bequeathed the plantation called "Bonecos FIeld". Issue:
  1. Daniel Franklin
  2. Thomas Franklin
  3. Mary Franklin
• Daniel Franklin, born ca 1693 Princess Anne County, Virginia, inherited the "Boneos Plantation" from his father. Hw was married to Dyana and died in 1734 when he gave an nuncupative will.
• Nathaniel Franklin was bequeathed land located between lands of Edward Bonney and Thomas Alritton.
• Richard Franklin, bequeathed an undefined parcel of land.
• Edward Frankin, born ca 1686, died (intestate) 1767 in Orange County, Virginia, was bequeathed 100 acres of land known as the "Georges Cobb" plantation in Princess Anne County. Soon after the death of his father, he was one of those adventurers who applied for a land grant in the Alleghany Mountains of Western Virginia. In 1734 he was granted land in Orange County (later Spotsyvania), Virginia on Piney Mountain referred to as "Head Lynch", which location later fell into Botetourt County, St. Thomas Parish. August 1, 1734, Edward Franklyn of Spotsyvania County, granted 400 acres of land on the North West side of Blue Water Run above the Little Mountain on a ridge in the Octonia Line at the foot of Piney Mountain, called "Neds Mountain." (Cavaliers and Pioneers, Patent Book 15). It is easy to pinpoint the exact location of this land because of the following Petition filed in the Court of Botetourt County dated 1736 as follows:

  "The petition of John Cleveland that Your Worships were last Court pleased to make an order for clearing a road towards James River Mountains wherein your petitioner is appointed surveyor of the same in order to clear from the Piney Mountain Run upwards to about six miles and but a vey work gang to go through with it, one of which being a schoolmaster and not a laboring tithable is not obliged to the duty of clearing roads, and Edward Franklyn being also surveyor of the lower part of the said road from Octonia Mill to the said Piney Mountain Run has about fifteen hands under him to clear but about three miles at most in a road already cleared; whereas, the road your petitioner has to clear is mostly through the woods and a very bad way and so many ways marked that your petitioner knows not which is the right way. Therefore, he prays an order for another view of said road, for Edward Franklyn in favour to Head Lynch and to avoid going through his land has marked a very bad way where must be made three bridges, whereas, if it were marked through Lynch's land, it would be a very good way and no need for making any bridge. Petitioner also begs your Worships may be pleased to appoint your petitioner his bounds and grant that Edward Franklyn, Laurence Franklyn and his son Benjamin, with William Land may be taken from the lower part of said road to join your petitioner's gang; for though Edward Franklyn be appointed a surveyor of the road, yet he lives higher up the road than William Bryan or Philip Bush. Your petitioner lives four miles above the Piney Mountain Run and Laurence Franklin and WIlliam Land live higher. Therefore, your petitioner thinks it is a very great hardship that they should clear the lower part when the petitioner and others that live lower down must be obliged to clear the upper part. And there are Michael Pearson, George Head and Robert Deering as proper persons for a surveyor on the lower part. The bounds your petitioner prays for are from the Blue Run up the Octonia Line to the Beaverdam Run, thence up the said run to the county line, thence down the county line to the Blew Run from thence to the Octonia line again. Filed 16 March 1736. Continued and dismissed. "

  In Augusta County, during February and May of 1747, Edward Franklyne vs. Robert Turk. Debt on Account. Set off account of Eastham Franklyne (son of Edward) to feeding Rubin Franklyn's horse one month on account to Eastham Franklyn. Account dated May 17, 1746. To my son's carpentering. Agreement dated 17 Dec 1745/6. /s/Edward Franklin. Note:Rubin Franklyn was the executor of the last will and testament of Benjamin Franklyn dated 1751 in Albemarle County, Virginia
  
  Edward Franklin was married to Mary Eastham and their issue was discerned from various deeds and records not related directly to Edward. He had at least seven children, and according to some old deeds, the home place was passed on to Edward Jr. and his sister, Pheby, each inheriting 500 acres of land on Piney Run. Issue:
  1. Edward Franklin Jr., born ca 1710 in Orange County, Virginia, died 1789 same place, inherited Piney Mountain Home Place along with sister, Phoeby.
  2. Laurence Franklin, born ca 1714 (had to be 21 years to apply for land patent), received a Land Patent dated September 10, 1735 of 400 acres in Orange County, where he died in 1790. He was married to Mary Payne. Some genealogists have indicated that Laurence might be a brother of Edward Sr., however, if this were the case, he would have been named as a child of Thomas Franklin in his last will and testament. It is likely, however, that Laurence was the firt child. Laurence had a son, Benjamin Franklin, mentioned in the petition to repair the roads.
  3. James Franklin, mentioned as a brother of William. James went with the militia of Colonel Love from Botetourt County in 1774 to defeat the Shawnee Indians, and was killed during the fight.
  4. Phoeby Franklin.
  5. Susannah Franklin married Robert Sanford. (Colonial Families of the Northern Neck of Virginia, Vol. 2, pp. 107-8.
  6. Eastham Franklin, born ca 1724/1725 in Spotsyvania County, Virginia.
  7. William Franklin, born ca 1725 in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, and died 1797 in Warren County, Georgia. William purchased a farm at Buchanon on the James River Mountain ca 1763. The French and Indian War of 1763 included much the mountaineous regions of Virginia and westward into Ohio and Indiana. However, the Indians were still very much at war with the European settlers who were encouraged to take up land grants in the region. As a result, the settlers had erect forts and protect themselves from being scalped and taken as slaves. There are some published diaries kept by white men of that era who detail their horrible experiences. Thus, in 1774, Colonial Governor, Lord Dunsmore, decided to call out the Virginia militia and rid the colony of its Indians. William and his brother, James, joined the militia under Colonel Love and participated in this battle. James was killed, and William was wounded, according to the muster of Colonel Love. The battle only last one day, however, there were many deaths on each side. But there were still problems, as one of the relatives (Francis Eason) had two daughters stolen way from his home in Botetourt County. William was married to Sarah Boone, a sister of Squire Boone and daughter of George Boone of Philadelphia. The Boones consisted of very large families and were on the move from Pennsylvania into the mountains. William and Sarah had two children before she died in 1755.

  1. William Franklin Jr., born in 1741 Botetourt County, Revolutionary War Soldier who fought in all of the battles under General Lighthorse Harry Lee when Lee was sent to Augusta Georgia to prevent the British from occupying that town. William Franklin Jr. was recorded on the Certified List of Georgia Troops. Gb Lee, Col., gave his certificate 4/17/1784 for William Franklin to receive land in 287-1/2 acres of land in Washington County on the South Oconee River. Plat of Land in Warren County of William Franklin -Note: William would have fought in all ot the battles of Lee up until the surrender of Lord Cornwallis, because he received several land grants in Georgia, and set up his home on 284 -1/2 acres of land in Washington County. William was married to Mary Eason (born ca 1742), a daughter of Joseph Eason of Talbot County, Maryland. Mary died in Laurens County, Georgia in 1821, and probably resided with her daughter, Martha H. Franklin and her husband, Davis Smith. 3 February 1795, William Franklin and his wife, Mary deeded to Alexander Smith, Warren County 100 acres of land for 20 pds., being located on Brier Creek, and being part of a 200-acre tract granted to William Franklin adjoining William White and David Robison. Wit: Benjamin Smith and Robert Isaacs. On 5 April 1796, David Neal Sr. deeded to James White and David Roberson Sr. of Columbia County for $12,000 vs. William Franklin, executor of the LWT of Ebenezer Starnes of Wilkes County (The LWT of Ebenezer Starnes dated 5 April 1796, probated 13 May 1793 in Wilkes County, Georgia). George Franklin was one of the administrators of the Estate of William Franklin in Warren County and gave an administrators bond to Septimus Weatherby on 9 Februry, 1797. Genealogy of Eason Family Issue:

     Zephaniah Franklin, born ca 1760 in Botetourt County, Virginia. In 1783 he received a head right grant in Wilkes County. He was entitled to draw in the Land Lottery of 1805 and the 1838 Lottery(for Revolutionary War Soldiers) wherein he drew land in the 19th district, section 4. There is evidence that Zephaniah resided in Warren County where he witnessed some deeds of Wilkins Smith pertaining to land granted to Thomas Smith Sr.) in 1797. Zephaniah Franklin was married to Sarah Davenport and they had a son, Esom Davenport Franklin.

     Philemon Franklin, born ca 1768 in Botetourt County, Virginia, died in Washington County, Georgia.

     Martha H. Franklin, born 1772 in Botetourt County, Virginia, died 1829 in Laurens County, Georgia, married ca 1796 Alexander Franklin of Washington County, Georgia. There is a record of one, Patsy Franklin, who married Alexander McCarty on February 15, 1796 in Warren County. This may be her because the residence and date is perfect, but could could be an error (McCarty instead of Smith) by the transcriber thereof. Only the original document will confirm this supposition.

  2. George Thomas Franklin, born in 1744 Botetourt County, on the James River as he said in his pension record as a Revolutionary War Soldier who also served under General Lighthorse Harry Lee. George was named after his grandfather, George Boone, and his great-grandfather, Thomas Franklin, so he must have had ties with the family back in Virginia, because he removed to Knott's Island in Currituck County, North Carolina where he was married 1770 to Vashti Mercer (according to a bible of William Franklin), the half sister of Rev. Silas Mercer. After the war, George Franklin received a land grant in Washington County, Georgia and was ordained by Rev. Silas Mercer as a reverend of the Little Brier Creek Church in 1799. George died February 16, 1816 at his home in Davisboro, Georgia and his grave was marked by the DAR. George served as a member of the Georgia Legislature and the Constitutional Convention of 1788.

A view of Knott's Island (near Ocracoke) in Currituck County, North Carolina. About 1770, George Thomas Franklin left his home in Botetourt County, Virginia and went to the old family land in North Carolina. The reason is that the Shawnees and other Indian tribes were scalping white men in the Alleghany and Blue Ridge Mountains and taking white women as slaves. It was an uncontrollable situation until 1774 when the Botetourt County Militia was sent out to meet the Shawnees on the Ohio River. Even though the Shawnee signed a Treaty, it was not honored and the settlers still suffered atrocities. The rest of the Franklin family left in 1780 and joined George Thomas Franklin in Currituck County.



A rock mill was situated on Piney Mountain near the Edward Franklin homestead founded in 1734.



James River Mountain near Buchanan, Virginia. George Thomas Franklin stated that he was born on the James River Mountain and his father's home was situated at Buchanan, Virginia.

Shawnee Chief "Cornstalk" Attacks Botetourt Militia at Point Pleasant

By Jeannette Holland Austin

The Shawnees and Mingoes were causing havoc in the mountains of Virginia during the early 18th century. After the French and Indian War, Europeans began to pour into the region from Pennsylvania, traveling down the Wilderness Road into the mountains of Virginia (later Kentucky and West Virginia). They were Germans, Scotch-Irish, and Quakers from Philadelphia. The large quaker families of the Boones from Philadelphia drifted across these mountains in search of new homes. They had ten to fifteen children and the son of George Boone IV, Squire Boone (there were several generations by this name) moved in Botetourt County. Also, the Francis Easom family came to Botetourt from Talbot County, Maryland and during the process two of their daughters were kidnapped. Edward Franklin (of Spotsylvania County) patented 400 acres in 1734 on the NW side of Blue Water Run above the Little Mountain on a ridge in the Octonia Line at the foot of Piney Mountain (called Neds Mountain). A rock mill was nearby to process the octonia rocks in the region. Later on, the Orange County Minute Book of 1736 was petitioned by John Cleveland to reassign the road duty on Piny Mountain Run near Octonia Mill, stating that Edward Franklyn, Laurence Franklyn (and his son, Benjamin) should work the lower part of the road. This is exactly the site of the original land patent (in Orange County, later Botetourt County). When the Indian situation arose, volunteers, from the ages of sixteen to sixty, turned out to put down the problem. A son of Francis Easom, Samuel, enlisted, as well as James Franklin (probably killed) and William Franklin who had purchased land in Buchanan, on the banks of the James River. William Franklin was listed as wounded in the battle of Mt. Pleasant on October 10, 1744 and was released about a week later. The battle of Pt. Pleasant (or Kanawha) was fought primarily between the Virginia Militia and the Mingo and Shawnee Indians. During 1774 there was an increase of violence between the european settlers and Native Americans in western Virginia. Thus, the Virginia Governor John Murray, the Earl of Dunmore, attempted to impose peace by sending militia into the Ohio Valley. Lord Dunmore created two armies, personally leading seventeen hundred men from the north, while Andrew Lewis (of Botetourt Militia) directed eight hundred troops through the Kanawha Valley. Shawnee chief Keigh-tugh-qua, or Cornstalk, elected to strike the southern regiment before it united with the force of Lord Dunmore. On October 10th, about twelve hundred Indians under Cornstalk attacked the troops of Captain Lewis troops at the confluence of the Kanawha and Ohio rivers at present-day Point Pleasant. The battle resulted in significant losses on both sides and forced the Shawnee to retreat to protect their settlements in the Scioto Valley of present-day Ohio. As a condition of the subsequent Treaty of Camp Charlotte, Native Americans relinquished property and hunting claims on land south of the Ohio River. Consequently, the Battle of Point Pleasant eliminated Native Americans as a threat on the frontier for the first three years of the Revolutionary War and cleared the way for more rapid settlement of the region. For genealogists to locate ancestors in Botetourt (originally Orange, Augusta Counties), it is necessary to explore the activities of the early settlers. Specificially, learn the officer under whom the ancestor fought, and follow the career of that officer. Lists of the volunteers under Captains Philip Love and Andrew Lewis are listed with the Botetourt County probate records. Sources:

Virginia Immigrants by Greer; Orange County Deed Books 3 and 4, 1734 to 1741; History of Washington, Georgia by Ella Mitchell; Georgia's Roster of the Revoolution by McCall.

Last Will and Testament of Thomas Franklin, Princess Anne County, dated 1719

Estate of Mrs. Sarah Franklin, dated 1727, Princess Anne County

Last Will and Testament of Thomas Franklin, Princess Anne County, dated 1747, probated Mar 19, 1750. Witness:John Bonney, Sr.

Last Will and Testament of Thomas Franklin dated 1747 probated 1750, Princess Anne County, Virginia