John Franklin (1749 - 1831)

Born 15 Sep 1749 in Canaan, Litchfield, Connecticut

Ancestors

Husband of Lydia (Doolittle) Franklin — married 2 Feb 1774 (to 17 Nov 1778) in Canaan, Litchfield, Connecticut

Husband of Abigail (Fuller) Franklin — married 25 Nov 1789 in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States

Descendants

Died 1 Mar 1831 at age 81 in Athens, Bradford, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

Captain John Franklin served with 7th Regiment, Connecticut Militia during the American Revolution.

Colonel John Franklin performed Patriotic Service in Connecticut in the American Revolution.

John Franklin is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A041764.

John Franklin was born 15 September 1749 to Canaan, Litchfield County, Connecticut Colony to parents John Franklin and Keziah Pierce.^[1][2]

He married Lydia Doolittle 2 February 1774 in the Congregational Church of North Canaan in Canaan, Litchfield County, Connecticut Colony.^[3]

Their children were Billa, Amos, and Kezia.

Revolutionary Military Service

John Franklin is DAR Ancestor #: A041764 He served for CT Rank(s): Captain of the 7th Company under Major General Sullivan in the Battle of Wyoming, He was a juror, JP, moderator and a Delegate to Congress. The DAR lists his birth: 9-23-1749 Canaan, Litchfield, Connecticut and his death: 3-1-1831Athens, Bradford, Pennsylvania. ^[4]

A few details of his life taken from the biography at the FAG website as referenced below: "Pennsylvania Legislator, Spokesman for Connecticut Land Claimants, and Colonel in the Revolutionary War: He fought for the Independence of America, celebrated in the Yankee and Pennant struggles, had for his associates the brave men who settled Sheshequin, Bradford County, Pennsylvania....When the 24th regiment of Connecticut Militia was organized, he was made captain of the Salem and Huntington Company. At the battle of Wyoming, Franklin and his company were directed to report at Forty Fort immediately, but his company was so scattered that he was unable to bring them on in time to participate in the battle...Those who had returned to Wyoming for better protection had formed themselves into a military company, of which he was made the captain; he was also appointed a justice of the peace, so that he combined in himself both the highest military and civil functions in Wyoming, and to his decisions all bowed with respect and confidence...In the expedition of Colonel Hartley, in the autumn of 1778 were two companies from Wyoming; 58 men of the Independent company under Captain Simon Spalding, and 12 volunteers of the Militia Company commanded by Franklin....In 1792 he was elected High Sheriff of Luzerne County. From the expiration of his term as sheriff, he was busy for a number of years as one of the commissioners and as the clerk of the Susquehanna Company, which continued to hold frequent meetings at Athens, selling rights and granting townships..."

He died Mar. 1, 1831 in Athens, Bradford County, Pennsylvania. ^[5]

Genealogical Records

Marriage Records

• Secondary Source, Rev. Frederick Bailey, MD., Early Connecticut marriages as found on ancient church records prior to 1800, ^[6] Data Extract: also at Ancestry Record 3719 #17872

1. ) Connecticut Marriages prior to 1800; Book 5, Page 21: John Franklin Jr and Lydia Doolittle were married at North Canaan, Litchfield, Connecticut.

Death Records

• Primary Source, (burial); Tertiary Source (biography), Find A Grave Index ^[5] Data Summary:

1. ) Find A Grave: Memorial #43432551: Col John Franklin, son of John Franklin (1716–1800) and Keziah (Pierce) Franklin (1727–1805), was born 15 Sep 1749 at Canaan, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA., and he died 1 Mar 1831 (aged 81) at Athens, Bradford County, Pennsylvania, USA.
   1. ) Siblings:
      1. ) Susannah (Franklin) Harrison (1751–1805)
      2. ) Mary Franklin Fellows (1757–1832)
      3. ) Amos Franklin (1771–1836) {This assertion is incorrect, Amos was the son of Col. John Franklin, not his brother.}
   2. ) Marriage. Col John Franklin married Abigail Fuller (1753–1834).
   3. ) Children:
      1. ) Billa Franklin (1774–1849)
      2. ) Kezia Franklin Beebe (1778–1857)
      3. ) Ruth Franklin Curtis (1790–1848) {Editorial Note: the FAG profile page for Ruth Curtis declares that she was the daughter of David Franklin and Hannah Simmons, NOT Col. John Franklin}
2. ) BURIAL. Col John Franklin was buried in the Franklin-Flower Cemetery at Athens, Bradford County, Pennsylvania, USA.
   1. ) Find a Grave Notes: "Pennsylvania Legislator, Spokesman for Connecticut Land Claimants, and Colonel in the Revolutionary War: Long excerpt quoted from History of Bradford Co., PA: Page 101-107 ^[7] "
   2. ) Tombstone Photo: Inscription, "COL. JOHN FRANKLIN DIED March 1st, 1831 Aged 83 Yrs .... --<>-- ABIGAIL, WIFE OF Col. John Franklin, died Jan 31, 1834, Aged 83 Yrs."

Biographic and Genealogical References

• Secondary Source, Henry C. Bradsby, History of Bradford county, Pennsylvania; ^[8] Data Extract:

1. ) History of Bradford Co., PA: Page 147:

• Secondary Source, David Craft, History of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, ^[7] Data Extract:

1. ) History of Bradford Co., PA: Page 101-107: Biography of Col. John Franklin, father of Keziah (Franklin) Beebe. This reference contains a six page narrative on the political battle between the Connecticut contingent of settlers in Pennsylvania, and the Pennsylvania natives. It was a political battle where the party holding the position of political strength was using the power of government to bully the Connecticut property holders off their legitimately titled land. Col Franklin was the leader of the resistance by Connecticut settlers and his integrity, leadership, and courage nearly cost him his life. This story is absolutely amazing and MUST READ material for anyone with a spark of interest in John Franklin!!!
2. ) History of Bradford Co., PA: Page 107: Family Structure of Col. John Franklin:
   1. ) History of Bradford Co., PA: Page 102: On 2 February 1774, John Franklin married Lydia Doolittle (born in Canaan, Conn., 13 August 1751, and the following spring they moved to Wyoming, PA., and settled in Plymouth. They were the parents of:
      1. ) Billa Franklin, who settled first in Palmyra, NY. and afterwards to St. Albans, NY where he died. He was the father of nine children.
      2. ) Dr. Amos Franklin, a physician by profession , settled at Cayuga, NY. and died there on 11 Oct 1804. Amos was the father of one son; Henry who died childless.
      3. ) Kezia Franklin married Dr. Solomon Beebe and settled at Geneva, NY and died without children. {Editorial she settled with her husband in Sullivan, Madison County and the Sullivan, Madison County, NY census records seem to indicate that she may have had one or more children.}
   2. ) After the Battle of Wyoming, John moved his wife and three children (the oldest was four years of age, and the youngest Keziah born April 11, 1778 at Huntington was three months) from Huntington to Paxton, and then Windsor in Berks County. While at Windsor the family was attacked with smallpox which claimed the life of his wife, Lydia, on 17 November 1778. After recovering from smallpox himself, Capt. Franklin embarked on a 260 mile ox cart journey with his children to Canaan, Connecticut where they could be placed and cared for by family, and he then returned to Wyoming, and served a Captain of the militia, and justice of the peace.
   3. ) History of Bradford Co., PA: Page 102: Sometime prior to his arrest, John Franklin married second, the widow Abigail (Fuller) Bidlack, daughter of Captain Stephen Fuller, and widow of Captain James Bidlack. Capt. Bidlack was in command of the lower Wilkes Barre Co. which was captured in the July third massacre of Wyoming. Captain Bidlack was torture-murdered by the enemy, he was burned alive on a log fire, held to the coals with pitchforks.
   4. ) Fuller History of Bradford Co., PA: Page 275: The tragic death of Capt. James Bidlack Jr. left fatherless four children; when Col Franklin married their mother, he took them under his roof and was thereafter father to them. These children were:
      1. ) Stephen Bidlack, born at Canaan, Conn. 5 Jan 1773. Married Lois Ransom
      2. ) Sally Bidlack, born at Wyoming; she married Franklin Chitsey and settled in New York State
      3. ) Hettie Bidlack, born 1776 married William Patrick, settled first in Wysox, and then moved to Michigan--she was the mother of the late Gen. Welles' first wife.
      4. ) James Bidlack, born 1778; married Esther Moore, daughter of Daniel Moore and they settled in Sheshequin.

Research Notes

1. ) 2019-08-19. As of this date, there are several John Frankin identities which are partially conflated with the Col. John Franklin of his profile:
   1. ) Franklin-1347 near total overlap merge proposed 2019-08-19
   2. ) Franklin-385, father of Col. John Franklin, has granchild Amos listed as a child.
   3. ) Franklin-1884 has John Franklin of Boston partially conflated with John Franklin-385 and Col John Franklin Jr.-387. Has assigned DoB of Franklin-385 and wife (Lydia Doolittle) and children (Amos, Billa, and Keziah) of Col. John Franklin-387 to the John Franklin-1884 of Boston.
2. ) The following definitions and syntax conventions apply to the preceding text of this profile:
   1. ) A Primary Source contains data that was recorded by the person in the profile; or by someone known to or with first hand knowledge of that person, during the person's lifetime, death or within two generations thereafter.
   2. ) A Secondary Source is a genealogical reference created as the result of a extensive study of available source material and it provides some evidence of the source documentation used to generate the text data.
   3. ) A Tertiary Source is a genealogical data source which is a collection of genealogical information that does not cite Primary or Secondary information sources, and the data may be factual or hearsay.
   4. ) Braces {Editorial Note Example} are used to insert editorial comments; that is to say, information or clarification that is not contained in the original, cited source material.

Sources

1. ↑ "Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F74J-731 : 11 February 2018), John son of John and Kezia Franklin, was born 15 Sep 1749; at Canaan, Litchfield, Connecticut.
2. ↑ The Wilkes-Barre Record. Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. 26 Apr 1906. p14. col2. William A. Franklin obituary.
3. ↑ New Horizons Genealogical Services (www.newhorizonsgenealogicalservices.com); Page: "1770 - 1800 Congregational Church, North Canaan, Connecticut Early Marriage Records - 1800" retrieved 21 July 2017
4. ↑ Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 31 July 2017), "Record of John Franklin", Ancestor # A041764.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 19 August 2019), memorial page for Col John Franklin (15 Sep 1749–1 Mar 1831), Find A Grave Memorial no. 43432551, citing Franklin-Flower Cemetery, Athens, Bradford County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by LDR (contributor 47171969) .
6. ↑ Bailey, Frederick Bailey, MD. Early Connecticut marriages as found on ancient church records prior to 1800, Published by the Bureau of American Ancestry, PO Box 587, New Haven, Conn., 1896. Public Domain.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} Craft, David; History of Bradford county, Pennsylvania, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Some of its Prominent Men and Pioneers;', Published by L. H. Everts & Co., 714-16 Filbert St. Philadelphia, 1878 Public Domain
8. ↑ Bradsby, Henry C.; History of Bradford county, Pennsylvania, with Biographical Selections; Chicago, S. B. Nelson & Co. Publishers, 1891. Public Domain

Other Sources

• Appletons' Cyclopedia of American Biography, 1600-1889, Vol II; page 556 of 799

• Pioneer and Patriot Families of Bradford County, Pennsylvania, 1770-1800