Thomas Wingfield Franklin was born 3 May 1815 in Highland Co. OH and died 9 June 1862 in Galesburg, Knox Co. IL. He is buried in the Knoxville Cemetery just outside the town of Knoxville IL:
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This tombstone was lying on the ground for many years. In early 2001 I had it re-erected. His daughter, Matilda Melissa Franklin Pickrel, and her husband Milton and their children Myrtle and Frank are also buried there:
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Thomas Wingfield Franklin (b 3 May 1815 Highland Co. OH d 9 Jun 1862 Galesburg IL) John Nelson Franklin (21 Apr 1829 Highland Co. OH d 28 Jun 1896 Putnam Co. MO) John and Thomas are brothers) Thomas Wingfield Franklin is the father of Joel Wingfield Franklin. (Picture provided by William Wyatt Franklin, great-great-grandson of John Nelson Franklin.) |
Thomas bought land in Knox Co. IL in 1854 (150 acres NE corner of Sec 20 in Orange Twp); sold it to Noah Lucas, wife's brother, in 1858; Noah sold it to Sarah, Thomas' wife in 1862; she sold it in 1872. I drove around that land in October 2000.
He helped establish a Methodist Church at LaRue, Marion Co. OH in 1846.
Thomas' sister Mariah Franklin Spargur married John W. Spargur and remained in Highland Co. OH. I was able to collect much data about her descendants in the Highland Co. Library in October 2000.
The earliest known Franklin ancestor of Thomas Wingfield Franklin is Henry Franklin, Jr. His Higginbotham ancestry is known much farther back.