John Jefferson Franks (1881 - 1959)

Born 10 Mar 1881 in Hardin, Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah Ann (Austin) Franks — married about 1903 (to 1910) in Tennessee, United States

Husband of Ellen (Burns) Franks — married about 1916 in Alabama or Tennessee

Descendants

Died Mar 1959 at about age 77 in Poinsett, Arkansas, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: M. Meredith [send private message]

Biography

John Jefferson Franks was the son of George W. Franks and Margaret Robinson. John J. was born in Hardin County, Tennessee, and died in March 1959. His death date is in conflict as his headstone is carved in 1958. The March 1959 date is from his wife, Ellen Burns Franks' obituary.^[1]

John J. first married Sarah Ann "Annie" Austin in Hardin County, Tennessee on 11 Jun 1903. ^[2]Annie died after the 1910 census.

John and Annie had three children together:

• Julia J Franks (1904-1987)

• Thomas Franks (1905-1995)

• William Turner Franks (1908-2000)

According to Turner Franks, John Jefferson Franks married an Alphie Pickens between his first and last marriage. Alphie and her baby died in childbirth. Marriage record located in Hardin County for J. J. Frank and Alfa Pickens on Feb 23, 1913. ^[3]

John J. Franks signed with his mark, his WWI Draft Card on Sep 12, 1918, while living in Walnut Grove, Hardin County, Tennessee.^[4]

John is living with his second wife, Ellen Burns Boatright in 1920 with their blended family in Poinsett County, Arkansas. Her children have the Franks surname in this census record.:

• Ellen Franks Wife F 29 Tennessee

• Julia Franks Daughter F 16 Tennessee

• Tommie Franks Son M 14 Tennessee

• Lee Franks Son M 13 Tennessee (Lee Boatright)

• Turner Franks Son M 12 Alabama

• Williard Franks Son M 9 Alabama (Willie Boatright)

• Charlie Franks Son M 3 Tennessee

• Nannie Franks Daughter F 1 Tennessee. ^[5]

The 1930 census finds the Franks family in Cross County, Arkansas. Although they were living in Arkansas in 1920, the birth locations of the children indicate they had moved back to Tennessee between the census years.:

• Ellen Franks Wife F 39 Tennessee

• Charlie Franks Son M 14 Tennessee

• Lucile Franks Daughter F 12 Tennessee

• Eddie Franks Daughter F 10 Tennessee

• Maggie Franks Daughter F 8 Tennessee

• Floyd Franks Son M 6 Tennessee^[6]

The Franks family is in Cross County in 1940.^[7]

John J. Franks died in 1959 according to Ellen Franks' obituary in 1968. This writer didn't locate an Arkansas Death Certificate for him.

Research Notes

• Marriage record for John Franks and Ellen Boatwright in Alabama or Tennessee- negative search as of 7 Oct 2021

• Arkansas Death Records- didn't locate a DC for John J. Franks (many spellings and initials}.

• Obituary at the Jonesboro Sun- Craighead County, Arkansas public library- index- didn't locate an obituary.

Sources

1. ↑ Obituary of Ellen Franks. The News-Palladium (Benton Harbor, Michigan).12 Sep 1968, Thursday. Page 16
2. ↑ ame: Annie Austin [J J Franks] Gender: Male Marriage Date: 11 Jul 1903 Marriage Place: Hardin, Tennessee, USA. Tennessee State Library and Archives; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002 Source Information Ancestry.com. Tennessee, U.S., Marriage Records, 1780-2002 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008. Original data: Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002. Nashville, TN, USA: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Microfilm.
3. ↑ Name: J J Frank Gender: Male Marriage Date: 23 Feb 1913 Marriage Place: Hardin, Tennessee, USA Spouse: Alfa Pickens. ennessee State Library and Archives; Nashville, TN, USA; Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002 Source Information Ancestry.com. Tennessee, U.S., Marriage Records, 1780-2002 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008. Original data: Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002. Nashville, TN, USA: Tennessee State Library and Archives. Microfilm.
4. ↑ Name: John Jefferson Franks Race: White Birth Date: 10 Mar 1881 Residence Date: 1917-1918 Street Address: 1 Walnut Grove Residence Place: Hardin County, Tennessee, USA Physical Build: Slender Height: Tall Hair Color: Light Eye Color: Blue Spouse: Ellen Franks. Registration State: Tennessee; Registration County: Hardin County Description Draft Card: F Source Information Ancestry.com. U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com
5. ↑ Event Type: Census Name: John J Franks Sex: Male Age: 38 Event Date: 1920 Event Place: Poinsett, Arkansas, United States Event Place (Original): Arkansas, Poinsett Birth Year (Estimated): 1882 Birthplace: Tennessee Marital Status: Married Race: White Relationship to Head of Household: Head Father's Birthplace: Tennessee Mother's Birthplace: Tennessee Household Identifier: 47 Line Number: 19 Sheet Letter: A Sheet Number: 3 Sheet Number and Letter: 3A Affiliate Film Number: 75 Affiliate Publication Number: T625 Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Household Role Sex Age Birthplace Ellen Franks Wife F 29 Tennessee Julia Franks Daughter F 16 Tennessee Tommie Franks Son M 14 Tennessee Lee Franks Son M 13 Tennessee Turner Franks Son M 12 Alabama Williard Franks Son M 9 Alabama Charlie Franks Son M 3 Tennessee Nannie Franks Daughter F 1 Tennessee Digital Folder Number: 004964257 Microfilm Number: 1820075 Image Number: 00724 Indexing Batch: N01907-6 Citing this Record "United States Census, 1920", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MDFS-YL3 : 31 January 2021), John J Franks, 1920.
6. ↑ Event Type: Census Name: John J Franks Sex: Male Age: 50 Event Date: 1930 Event Place: Mitchell, Cross, Arkansas, United States Birth Year (Estimated): 1880 Birthplace: Tennessee Marital Status: Married Race: White Relationship to Head of Household: Head Father's Birthplace: Tennessee Mother's Birthplace: Tennessee Sheet Letter: B Sheet Number: 2 Household Role Sex Age Birthplace Ellen Franks Wife F 39 Tennessee Charlie Franks Son M 14 Tennessee Lucile Franks Daughter F 12 Tennessee Eddie Franks Daughter F 10 Tennessee Maggie Franks Daughter F 8 Tennessee Floyd Franks Son M 6 Tennessee Household Identifier: 45 Line Number: 76 Sheet Number and Letter: 2B Affiliate Film Number: 72 Affiliate Publication Number: T626 Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) Digital Folder Number: 004950007 Microfilm Number: 2339807 Image Number: 00697 Indexing Batch: N03772-0 Citing this Record "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XM2Y-8Q5 : accessed 7 October 2021), John J Franks, Mitchell, Cross, Arkansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 7, sheet 2B, line 76, family 45, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 72; FHL microfilm 2,339,807.
7. ↑ Event Type: Census Name: John Franks Sex: Male Age: 63 Event Date: 1940 Event Place: Searcy Township, Cross, Arkansas, United States Event Place (Original): Arkansas, Cross, Searcy Township Marital Status: Married Race: White Relationship to Head of Household: Head Last Place of Residence: Same Place Birth Year (Estimated): 1877 Birthplace: Tennessee Household Role Sex Age Birthplace Ellen Franks Wife F 51 Tennessee Magdalene Franks Daughter F 15 Tennessee Floyd Franks Son M 13 Tennessee Jennie Marie Franks Daughter F 9 Arkansas Bobbie Joe Franks Daughter F 5 Arkansas Tommie Franks Son M 35 Tennessee Sheet Letter: A Sheet Number: 5 Sheet Number and Letter: 5A Household ID: 73 Line Number: 24 Affiliate Publication Number: T627 Affiliate Film Number: 132 Digital Folder Number: 005461506 Image Number: 00292 Citing this Record "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KQVN-GLJ : 8 January 2021), John Franks, Searcy Township, Cross, Arkansas, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 19-10B, sheet 5A, line 24, family 73, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 132.

Acknowledgment

• William Turner Franks (1908-2000), grandson of George and Margaret Robinson Franks. George and Margaret as well as their descendant's lack vital records and without Turner's knowledge of the family, we wouldn't have this information to share today. Carman Tull and this writer visited him at his home in Savannah, Tennessee in September 1996 and he graciously welcomed us and shared what he knew about his parents, grandparents, his aunts, and their families.