Joseph Franklin (abt. 1812 - abt. 1878)

Born about 1 Feb 1812 in Belmont, Ohio, United States

Ancestors

Died about 23 Oct 1878 at about age 66 in Anderson, Madison, Indiana, United States

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Biography

Joseph was born about 1 Feb 1812 in Belmont, Ohio. ^[1] He was the son of Joseph Franklin and Isabel Devolld. He passed away on 23 Oct 1878 in Anderson, Madison, Indiana. ^[1]

On 15 Dec 1833, Benjamin married Mary Personett in Henry, Indiana.^[2] Benjamin and Mary had the following children:^{[3] [4]}

1. Ellen Franklin was born about 1831 in Indiana
2. Joseph Franklin was born about 1834 in Indiana^[3]
3. Xenia Franklin was born about 1835 in Indiana
4. James Franklin was born about 1836 in Indiana^[3]
5. Matilda Franklin was born about 1837 in Indiana^[3]
6. Sarah F. 1 Franklin was born about 1839 in Indiana^[3][4]
7. Elizabeth Franklin was born about 1840 in Indiana^[4]
8. Sophia Franklin was born about 1840 in Indiana
9. Elizabeth Franklin was born about 1841 in Indiana^[3]
10. Isabel Franklin was born about 1843 in Indiana^[3][4]
11. Martha A Franklin was born about 1845 in Indiana^[3][4]
12. Benjamin Franklin was born about 1850 in Ohio^[4]
13. Alexander Campbell Franklin was born about 1852 in Ohio^[4]
14. Walter Scott Franklin was born about 1854 in Ohio

Joseph passed away on 23 Oct 1878 in Anderson, Madison, Indiana. His obituary read:^[5]

Obituary

It became our painful duty to record in today's Democrat the very sudden, although not unexpected, death of Rev. Benjamin Franklin at his home near this city on Tuesday evening last, of heart disease. Although Mr. Franklin has been troubled with the disease that finally ended his useful life, for many years yet for a few weeks past been almost free from its effects and he and his friends were hopeful that he might recover entirely from it, but this improvement in his health proved but temporary, or like the calm that precedes the storm, and on Tuesday afternoon last at three o'clock he first complained of the return of the smothering sensation that always accompanies that disease, and in less than two hours he had breathed his last, and a life full of valuable service to humanity and valiant work in the cause of God, was thus abruptly terminated.

He was born in Belmont county, Ohio, February 1, 1812, making him 66 years, 8 months and 10 days old at the time of his death. In early life his religious training was in accordance with the Methodist doctrine, although he never united with that church. In 1836, at the age of 24, he united with the Disciples and was immersed near Middletown, Henry County, this State, by the great pioneer preacher, Samuel Rogers. Soon after this Mr. Franklin began the work of preaching the gospel to his fellow men. He served society in the various attitudes of farming, teaching, editing several different papers, publishing books, tracts, debates &c., and preaching the Gospel. By means of the periodicals and other publications issued from his hand he became well known to many thousands, as a writer and a publisher, with whom he had no personal acquaintance. He was actively engaged in the ministry of the Word for more than thirty years without the intermission of a single week, except in a few instances when compelled by sickness to lay by for a short time, and more than eight thousand people have been converted under his own personal appeals. He was entirely an extemporaneous speaker, never in his life having memorized a single discourse, either of his own composition or that of anybody else, and never more than three times in his life attempting to read a discourse. For years he has been editor of the American Christian Review, for which paper he wrote an article on the day of his death. On Sunday, the 20th inst., he preached in the Christian church of this place, and seemed unusually strong and well.

On Monday, the 21st., he spent the day with his daughter, Mrs. S. Wright. On Tuesday, the day of his death, he was in his usual health almost up to the very hour of his death. He ate his dinner as usual on that day, and about half past 2 o'clock in the afternoon, he lay down saying he felt sleepy. He slept about half an hour, and when he awoke he complained of scarceness of breath. He died in his arm-chair, as any attempt to lie down seemed to increase his suffering which was intense. He was unable to converse with any of his family, though perfectly conscious of his coming death. He lived about two hours after his sufferings first commenced. The funeral took place from his residence west of town at 3 o'clock p.m., Thursday. Eight of his children were present, Joseph, the oldest son, living in Anderson, Mrs. Elizabeth Clifford, Glenwood, Mrs. Martha Smith, oldest daughter, Xenia, Mrs. Wm. Wright, Anderson, Mrs. Belle F. Rice, Miamiville, Ohio, Mrs. Martha Plummer, who lives on the farm where her father died, Benjamin and Alex. C. Franklin, of Indianapolis. He has been troubled with disease of the heart for many years, which terminated fatally on the 22d inst. A work entitled "The Living Pulpit of the Christian Church" contains the following:

It may be safely affirmed, that no preacher among the Disciples is more generally known than the subject of this sketch. He has been so long connected with the Press, and has traveled so extensively, that wherever among Christians, the Bible alone is the rule of faith and practice, there the name of Benjamin Franklin is as familiar as household goods.

As a writer, he lays no claim to elegance, his articles too frequently bearing unmistakable marks of haste in their preparation. But he is generally forcible, and, as a writer for the masses, has been quite successful. He has written a number of tracts, all of which have been very popular: and the one entitled "Sincerity Seeking the Way to Heaven," has bhad the largest sale of any tract every published by the Disciples.

Works By Elder Benjamin Franklin:

• "The Church--Its Identity." The Living Pulpit of the Christian Church: A Series of Discourses, Doctrinal and Practical. Ed. W. T. Moore. Cincinnati, OH: R. W. Carroll & Co., 1868. Pp. 341-356.
• The Gospel Preacher: A Book of Twenty Sermons. 4th ed. Cincinnati, OH: Franklin & Rice, 1869.
• The Gospel Preacher: A Book of Twenty-one Sermons. Vol. 2. Cincinnati, OH: G. W. Rice, 1877.
• "What Must Men Believe to Be Saved?" The Gospel Preacher: A Book of Sermons by Various Writers. Ed. A. B. Maston. Melbourne: Austral Publishing Company, 1894. Pp. 39-58. Reprinted from The Gospel Preacher: A Book of Twenty Sermons. 4th ed. Cincinnati, OH: Franklin & Rice, 1869. Pp. 35-56.
• "The Simplicity of the Gospel of Christ." The Gospel Preacher: A Book of Sermons by Various Writers. Ed. A. B. Maston. Melbourne: Austral Publishing Company, 1894. Pp. 69-91. Reprinted from The Gospel Preacher: A Book of Twenty Sermons. 4th ed. Cincinnati, OH: Franklin & Rice, 1869. Pp. 179-204.
• "The Love of God to Man." The Gospel Preacher: A Book of Sermons by Various Writers. Ed. A. B. Maston. Melbourne: Austral Publishing Company, 1894. Pp. 146-168. Reprinted from The Gospel Preacher: A Book of Twenty Sermons. 4th ed. Cincinnati, OH: Franklin & Rice, 1869. Pp. 383-407.
• "The Kingdom of God." New Testament Christianity, ed. Z. T. Sweeney. Vol. I. Columbus, IN: Privately published, 1923. Pp. 198-222.
• "Positive Divine Law." New Testament Christianity, ed. Z. T. Sweeney. Vol. II. Columbus, IN: New Testament Christianity Book Fund, Inc., 1926. Pp. 125-165. Reprinted from The Gospel Preacher: A Book of Twenty-one Sermons. Vol. 2. Cincinnati, OH: G. W. Rice, 1877. Pp. 195-221.
• "Inauguration of the New Institution." New Testament Christianity, ed. Z. T. Sweeney. Vol. III. Columbus, IN: New Testament Christianity Book Fund, Inc., 1930. Pp. 101-133. Previously published in his The Gospel Preacher: A Book of Twenty Sermons. 4th ed. Cincinnati, OH: Franklin & Rice, 1869. pp. 229-254.
• "New Testament Example of Conversion." New Testament Christianity, ed. Z. T. Sweeney. Vol. III. Columbus, IN: New Testament Christianity Book Fund, Inc., 1930. Pp. 153-183. Previously published in his The Gospel Preacher: A Book of Twenty Sermons. 4th ed. Cincinnati, OH: Franklin & Rice, 1869. pp. 331-354.
• "The Course to Pursue to Be Infallibly Safe." New Testament Christianity, ed. Z. T. Sweeney. Vol. III. Columbus, IN: New Testament Christianity Book Fund, Inc., 1930. Pp. 202-236. Previously published in his The Gospel Preacher: A Book of Twenty Sermons. 4th ed. Cincinnati, OH: Franklin & Rice, 1869. pp. 355-381.
• "Conversion, or Turning to God." New Testament Christianity, ed. Z. T. Sweeney. Vol. III. Columbus, IN: New Testament Christianity Book Fund, Inc., 1930. Pp. 251-299. Previously published in his The Gospel Preacher: A Book of Twenty Sermons. 4th ed. Cincinnati, OH: Franklin & Rice, 1869. pp. 129-152.
• "How Are Persons Made Believers?" New Testament Christianity, ed. Z. T. Sweeney. Vol. III. Columbus, IN: New Testament Christianity Book Fund, Inc., 1930. Pp. 300-330. Previously published in his The Gospel Preacher: A Book of Twenty Sermons. 4th ed. Cincinnati, OH: Franklin & Rice, 1869. pp. 57-80.

Works About Elder Benjamin Franklin:

• "Benjamin Franklin" by W. T. Moore. The Living Pulpit of the Christian Church: A Series of Discourses, Doctrinal and Practical, ed. W. T. Moore. Cincinnati, OH: R. W. Carroll & Co., 1868. Pp. 339-340.
• "Benjamin Franklin" by Joseph Franklin. Churches of Christ: A Historical, Biographical, and Pictorial History of Churches of Christ in the United States, Australasia, England, and Canada. Ed. John T. Brown. Louisville, KY: John P. Morton and Company, 1904. Pp. 420-421.
• "Benjamin Franklin." Heralds of Christian Unity: Being Brief Biographical Sketches of Some Pioneers of the Restoration Movement by Thomas Hagger. Melbourne: Austral Printing and Publishing Company, 1938. Pp. 31-35.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} See "Biographical Sketch, by J. Franklin " online at: https://www.therestorationmovement.com/_states/indiana/franklin,b.htm#1
2. ↑ "Indiana Marriages, 1811-2007," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XXFR-1ZW : 10 December 2017), Benjamin Franklin and Mary Personett, 13 Dec 1833; citing Henry, Indiana, United States, Marriage Registration, Indiana Commission on Public Records, Indianapolis; FHL microfilm 004170997.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7} "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MXQQ-7PJ : 4 April 2020), Benjamin Franklin, Springfield, Hamilton, Ohio, United States; citing family 485, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6} "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC2T-73S : 19 March 2020), Benjamin Franklin, 1860.
5. ↑ See "Obituary, by Zook " online at https://www.therestorationmovement.com/_states/indiana/franklin,b.htm#2