Meshach Franklin (abt. 1773 - abt. 1839)

Born about 17 Sep 1773 in Surry County, North Carolina [uncertain]

Ancestors

Descendants

Died about 18 Dec 1839 at about age 66 in Surry, North Carolina, United States [uncertain]

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Biography

Meshach (or Meshack) Franklin was born about 1773 ^[1][2][3] in either Orange County, Virginia, or, Surry County, North Carolina. Many sources list his place of birth as Surry County, North Carolina. However, best evidence seems to indicate that that the family (his parents and siblings) were still living in Orange County, Virginia until about 1778 or 1779, when they then moved to Surry, North Carolina. Bernard sent his son Jesse to North Carolina in 1778 to purchase land there. In 1779, Bernard sold their land in Orange County, Virginia. Presumably, they moved about this time. Meshach was the son of Bernard Franklin and Mary Cleveland. Meshach died 18 Dec 1839 in Surry County, North Carolina.^[2][4][5][6]

Meshach married Mildred ^[7] Melley Edwards on 2 July 1802 in Surry, North Carolina. ^[8] Melley was the daughter of Gideon Edwards and Nancy Ann Perkins. According to one source, it stated this about her parents "Surry County was a remote area of the Blue Ridge foothills, and Gideon and Ann would have been like royalty among the local, uneducated, rustic population. They eventually came to own over 2000 acres and at least thirty slaves. In 1799, they built a fine plantation house on a rocky elevation west of Fisher River, near SkullCamp Mountain and within view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was a two-story, frame structure, with a hall-and-parlor design and massive chimneys on both ends. Gideon died in September 1810, at which time the house passed to his wife. Upon her death, it became the property of their daughter Mildred "Milly"and her husband Meshack Franklin."^[9] Meshach and Melley had the following children:

1. Ann Perkins Franklin was born about 1804 in North Carolina.^[7][6]
2. Gideon Edwards Franklin was born about 1805 in North Carolina.^[7][6]
3. Columbus Bernard Franklin was born about 1806 in North Carolina.^[7][6]
4. Mary Cleveland Franklin was born about 1809 in North Carolina.^[7][6]
5. Sarah Hardin Franklin was born about 1811 in North Carolina.^[7][6]
6. Martha Elizabeth Franklin was born about 1813 in North Carolina.^[7][6]
7. Jesse Daniel Franklin was born about 1815 in North Carolina.^[7][6]
8. Mildred Edwards Franklin was born about 1819 in North Carolina.^[7][6]
9. Frances Jane Franklin was born about 1821 in North Carolina.^[7][6]
10. Meekey Caroline Franklin was born about 1822 in North Carolina.^[7][6]

Meshach became interested in local politics, and was elected a member of the State house of commons in 1800 and 1801. Meshack was elected as a Republican to the Tenth through Thirteenth Congresses (March 4, 1807-March 3, 1815). ^{[9] [1]} Thomas Jefferson was President during his first terms in Washington, followed by James Madison. In 1811, he was sworn into office in the 12th Congress by Speaker Henry Clay from Kentucky, who became a leader of the "War Hawks". During that summer, he stayed at Mr. Stelle's boardinghouse on Pennsylvania Avenue. Meshack supported the buildup of U.S. defense forces. He was on leave from Congress between April 2 and June 4, 1812, arriving back in Washington a day after the House vote to approve John C. Calhoun's bill declaring a state of war between the U.S. and Great Britain. Meshack was in North Carolina when British troops under General Robert Ross marched into Washington and burned the Capitol, the Executive Mansion, and most other public buildings. ^[9] He served in the State senate in 1828, 1829, and 1838. ^[1]

In 1810, Milly and Meshack inherited her parents' home in Surry. He and Milly lived in the house built by her father in 1799, which they extensively remodeled in 1823. Stairs and room divisions were rearranged. New paint, plaster, and marbleized paneling were added, and a full porch was added to the south side of the house. Meshack Franklin had a private library of over one hundred volumes and was considered to be the 'only well-educated man in the community' ^[9]

His probate was held in Surry County, North Carolina in 1841. ^[4]

He is purportedly buried in Edwards-Franklin House Grands, Mount Airy, Surry County, North Carolina.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} From Wikipedia: Meshack Franklin (1772 – December 18, 1839) was a Congressional Representative from North Carolina; born in Surry County, North Carolina, in 1772; Brother of Jesse Franklin. member of the State house of commons in 1800 and 1801; served in the State senate in 1828, 1829, and 1838; elected as a Democratic-Republican to the Tenth and to the three succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1807 – March 3, 1815); died in Surry County, N.C., December 18, 1839. Franklin's house, built by his father-in-law Gideon Edwards in 1799, is currently owned and maintained by the Surry County Historical Society as the Edwards-Franklin House. Online at wikipedia.com. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meshack_Franklin
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVVX-MS5Y : 27 July 2019), Meshack Franklin, 1839; Burial, Mount Airy, Surry, North Carolina, United States of America, Edwards-Franklin House Grounds; citing record ID 12909125, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
3. ↑ He was born 17 Sep 1773, from the book, "The Geneaology of the Cleveland and Cleaveland Families", published in 1889 in Hartford, CN, Compiled by Edmund Janes Cleveland and Horace Gillette Cleveland. Online at ancestry.com, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61157/images/46155_b290469-02124?pId=3847754
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} "North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2Z7-3FNL : 17 March 2018), Meshack Franklin, 1841; citing Surry, North Carolina, United States, State Archives, Raleigh; FHL microfilm .
5. ↑ Bernard & Mary Franklin Family Record lists the birth and death date for Bernard and the birth dates for Bernard's & Mary's first nine children, including Meshach.
6. ↑ ^{6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10} Meshach's will, dated 14 Dec 1839, mentions his wife Mildred, and each of his children: Gideon, Ann, Mary, Martha, Sarah, Mildred, Frances, Meeky, Columbus, & Jesse.
7. ↑ ^{7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10} From the book, "The Geneaology of the Cleveland and Cleaveland Families", published in 1889 in Hartford, CN, Compiled by Edmund Janes Cleveland and Horace Gillette Cleveland. Online at ancestry.com, https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/61157/images/46155_b290469-02146?pId=3848042
8. ↑ "North Carolina Marriages, 1759-1979", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F857-Q2T : 14 February 2020), M. Franklin, 1802.
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3} From England to Carpinteria: 350 Years of Westward Migration by Franklin Ancestors Written by John W. Hoopes. Article online at https://www.academia.edu/4003184/From_England_to_Carpinteria_350_Years_of_Westward_Migration_by_Franklin_Ancestors
10. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #12909125 Note: No tombstone photograph therefore information is considered heresay