Elisha FRANKLIN 4 5
- Born: Abt 1783 6
- Marriage (1): Polly COE on 7 Jul 1804 in Pulaski County, Kentucky 1 2
- Marriage (2): Elizabeth LOCKETT on 23 Aug 1826 in Wayne County, Kentucky 3
- Died: Abt Oct 1840, Wayne County, Kentucky 7
 Research Notes:
The 1813 deed as elaborated upon by the 1821 deed establishes Elisha was a son of William.
It would appear from the 1820 census that Elisha and his first wife Polly had a son born 1810-1820. However, this is not certain since there are other unidentified persons in the household who could be the parents of the male child. Note there is no male age 10-20 nor any other child in Elisha's 1830 household that could have been a child by Polly. I must conclude that either the child in the 1810 census was not theirs or that this child died before the 1830 census. It would seem that either Elisha and Polly had no children or no children who survived into adulthood. (See the 1820 census Event for discussion about the other members of the 1820 household.)
Noted events in his life were:
1. Tax List: 1806-1809, Wayne County, Kentucky. 6
1806: Franklin, Elisha; 1 white male 21+; 2 horses/mares. This is the first tax entry for Elisha, which would indicate he had attained age 21. Since the tax list for 1805 is unreadable, he could have turned 21 in that year or the year prior. In the 1803 tax list, note that William has a male age 16-21 in his household, presumably Elisha. I expect Elisha became 21 in 1804, the year of his first marriage.
1807-1808: No entries.
1809: Franklin, Elisha; 1 white male 21+; 2 horses/mares.
2. Deed: 1806, Wayne County, Kentucky. 8
Dated 1 Apr 1806, Recorded 1 Apr 1806, Bk A:195
Vincent and Susannah Garner to Elisha Franklin, Lots 17 and 18 in Monticello for $300.
3. Deed: 1809, Wayne County, Kentucky. 9
Dated 20 Aug 1802 [1809?], Recorded 21 Aug 1809, Bk A:269
Elisha Franklin and Polly his wife to Rodes Garth, one-half acre Lot 18 in Monticello for $200.
4. Tax List: 1810-1819, Wayne County, Kentucky. 6
1810: Franklin, Elisha; (may have been jointly taxed on land listed under Elijah); 1 white male 21+; 2 horses/mares.
1811: Franklin, Elisha; 1 white male 21+.
1812: Unreadable.
1813, Capt. Shrewsbury Company: Franklin, Eliha; 166 acres, Cumberland River; 44 acres, (waterway?); 1 white male 21+; 2 horses/mares, 1 stud horse.
1814, Capt. Cat____ Company: Franklin, Eliha; 166 acres, Beaver(?) Creek; 240 acres, Pulaski Co.; 40 acres, (waterway?); 2 acres, Town; 1 white male 21+; 1 black 16+, 2 total; 2 horses/mares; $1700 total value.
1815, Capt. Gaines Company: Franklin, Elisha; 166 acres, (waterway?); 44 acres, (waterway?); 200 acres, Beaver Creek; 1 white male 21+; 2 horses/mares; $1150 total value.
1816: No entry.
1817: Capt. John Garners Company: Franklin, Elisha; 200 acres, Beaver Creek; 200 acres, Beaver Creek; 250 acres, (waterway?); 211 acres, (waterway?); 1 white male 21+; 1 horse/mare; $1660 total value.
1818: Tax Book missing.
1819, 1st Precinct: Franklin, Elisha; 250 acres, Cm R (Cumberland River); 200 acres, B.C. (Beaver Creek); 1 white male 21+; 3 horses/mares; $1930 total value.
5. Deed: 1813, Wayne County, Kentucky. 4 5
Dated 16 Feb 1813, Recorded 17 Feb 1813, Bk B:95
William Franklin and Nancy, his wife, and Elisha Franklin and Elijah Franklin to Jesse Cocke, $2500 for 344 acres on Elk Spring Creek.
Also see the following related deed:
Dated 10 Oct 1821, Recorded 10 Oct 1821, Bk C:284
Deed between Thomas Carneal and Jester Cocke. Referenced is the 16 Feb 1813 deed from Wm Franklin and sons Elijah and Elijah to Jester Cocke.
6. Bill of Sale: 1813, Wayne County, Kentucky. 10
Dated 19 Mar 1813, Recorded 19 Mar 1813, Bk B:104
Elisha Franklin to William Franklin and Nancy, his wife, a Negro woman (slave) named Betty, about 18 years old, for $300. After the death of William and Nancy, Betty was to be returned to Elisha. [Most children probably would have loaned the slave to the parents; the entreprenurial Elisha apparently saw another profit opportunity.]
7. Court: 1814, Wayne County, Kentucky. 11
Aug Court 1814
"On motion of Elisha Franklin to whom Rhoda Davis an orphan child was bound & it appearing to the satisfaction of the Court that the said child from bodily infirmity & indisposition has become a great charge to said Franklin & that he will be unable to comply with the obligation on his part & it further appearing to the Court that the said child is a bastard & that John Goodrich is his father of the same & he is willing to take upon himself the support of said child ordered that the said Franklin be discharged from the covenant in said indenture of apprenticeship . . . "
8. Deed: 1816, Wayne County, Kentucky. 12
Dated 6 Dec 1816, Recorded 7 Dec 1816, Bk B:362
George Berry and Polly his wife to Elisha Franklin, 250 acres on Cumberland River for $55.
9. Deed: 1817, Wayne County, Kentucky. 13
Dated 11 Oct 1817, Recorded 3 Jan 1822, Bk C:300
Elisha Franklin, Elizabeth Coe, Samuel Coe, Nancy Skiggins [Kiggins], Heirs of Rachael Skiggins [Kiggins], dec'd, to Equilly Shiply, 66 acres on south side of Cumberland River for $200.
Elisha was obviously a proxy for his wife, Polly Coe.
10. Guardianship: 1818, Wayne County, Kentucky. 14
Jan Court 1818
"Nancy Kiggins an infant heir of Rachael Kiggins decd came into Court and made choice of Elisha Franklin as her guardian -- who entered into bond with James Jones as his security . . . " [Nancy was the half-sister of Elisha's wife, Polly.]
11. Deed: 1818, Wayne County, Kentucky. 15
Dated 25 Mar 1818, Recorded 18 Apr 1818, Bk B:507
David Smith of Madison Co., Ohio and Nancy his wife to Elisha Franklin, 80 acres on south side of Cumberland River.
Elisha appears to have had a knack for flipping property for a quick profit. This transaction together with the two following deeds recorded the same date show a profit of $120 in less than a month.
12. Deed: 1818, Wayne County, Kentucky. 15
Dated 18 Apr 1818, Recorded 18 Apr 1818, Bk B:503
Elisha Franklin and Polly his wife to Zachariah Ford, 35 acres on south side of Cumberland River for $120.
13. Deed: 1818, Wayne County, Kentucky. 15
Dated 1 Apr 1818, Recorded 18 Apr 1818, Bk B:506
Elisha Franklin and Polly his wife to George Turner, 45 acres on south side of Cumberland River for $200.
14. Census: 1820, Wayne County, Kentucky. 16 17
Elisha Franklin: 100110-00120
Apart from Elisha and his wife Polly, none of the other members of this household have been identified. I have considered two possibilities to account for these people: first, Nancy Kiggins, Polly's half-sister and ward of Elisha; and second, Elisha's presumed younger brother, John.
Elisha was appointed guardian of Nancy Kiggins in 1818. Nancy married Joseph Hamilton Dec 1818 and their son, Samuel Coe Hamilton, was born 7 Jan 1820. It was tempting to think it was Nancy and her family that was living with Elisha and Polly in 1820. Unfortunately, Joseph Hamilton and family are enumerated in their own household in 1820.
That brings us to John, who first appears in the tax lists for 1819 and who was not enumerated in his own household in 1820. But, John would have been about 34 in 1820, and thus doesn't match the male age 16-26. A census error perhaps? But then one might think the other unidentified persons were members of John's family, possibly a wife and children. The problem with that theory is that John married Nancy Rutherford at the end of 1820. Of course, it is not necessary that John be related to the other unidentified members of the household. Personally, I suspect John did live with Elisha during the first few years following his arrival in Wayne County.
15. Tax List: 1820-1829, Wayne County, Kentucky. 6 18
1820: Franklin, Elijah [probably Elisha]: 250 acres, C. Riv; 1 white male 21+; 1 horse/mare; $1330 total value.
1821: Franklin, Elisha; 250 acres, C. R.; 1 white male 21+; 1 horse/mare; $1330 total value.
1822: Franklin, Elisha; 250 acres, C. River; 100 acres, B. Creek; 1 white male 21+; 1 horse/mare; $1600 total value.
1823: Franklin, Elisha; 251 acres, B. B. (?); 100 acres, B. C.; 1 white male 21+; 1 horse/mare; $1550 total value.
1824: Franklin, Elisha; 250 acres, C. R.; 1 white male 21+; 2 horses/mares; $1550 total value.
1825: Franklin, Elisha; (?) acres, C. R.; 1 white male 21+; 1 horse/mare; $870 total value.
1826, Capt. Wm Thomas Company: Franklin, Elisha; 250 acres, B. C.; 100 acres, B. C.; 1 white male 21+; 1 black 16+, 2 total; 1 horse/mare; $1575 total value.
1827, Capt. Elisha Franklin Company: Franklin, Elisha; 220 acres, Bunch Ck; 50 acres, B. C.; 1 white male 21+; 1 black 16+, 2 total; 2 horses/mares; $2050 total value.
1828: Franklin, Elisha; 300 acres, B. C.; 50 acres, B. C.; 100 acres, B. C.; 1 white male 21+; 1 black 16+. 2 total; 2 horses/mares; $2230 total value.
1829: Franklin, Elisha; 250 acres, C. R.; 50 acres, C. R.; 100 acres, (waterway?); 1 white male 21+; 1 black 16+, 2 total; 3 horses/mares; $1800 total value.
16. Court: 1820, Wayne County, Kentucky. 19
Dec Court 1820
"Ordered that the Sheriff of this County pay unto Elisha Franklin out of the present Depositum the sum of $24 for keeping Boson an old negro man four months . . . " [See Events for Hannah Henry Hamilton, who also cared for Boson.]
17. Deed: 1821, Wayne County, Kentucky. 20
Dated 29 Oct 1821, Recorded 4 Apr 1822, Bk C:318
Heirs of Charles Hamilton, Dec'd, to Trustees of The Methodist Episcopal Church (Elisha Franklin being the first named Trustee), a tract of land on Beaver Creek including the Bethel Meeting House for $200.
18. Deed: 1828, Wayne County, Kentucky. 21
Dated 4 Oct 1828, Recorded 11 Dec 1828, Bk D:527
Joseph Hamilton and Nancy his wife, heirs of Richard Higgins [Kiggins], to Elisha Franklin, 240 acres on Pitmans Creek in Pulaski Co., KY for $480.
19. Census: 1830, Wayne County, Kentucky. 22
Elisha Franklin: 1000001-10001
20. Tax List: 1830-1840, Wayne County, Kentucky. 18
1830: Franklin, Elisha; 250 acres, B. C.; 50 acres, B. C.; 1 white male 21+; 2 blacks 16+, 2 total; 4 horses/mares; $2850 total value.
1831-1832: Tax Lists missing.
1833: Franklin, Elisha; 250 acres, C. R.; 50 acres, (waterway?); 1 white male 21+; 1 black 16+, 2 total; 3 horses/mares; $1400 total value.
1834: Franklin, Elisha; 250 acres, C. R.; 50 acres, C. R.; 1 white male 21+; 1 black 16+, 2 total; 4 horses/mares; $1620 total value.
1835: Franklin, Elisha; 250 acres, L. B. (Long Branch?); 50 acres, L. B.; 1 voter; 1 white male 21+; 1 black; 3 horses/mares; $1475 total value.
1836: Franklin, Elisha; 250 acres, S. C. (?); 50 acres, S. C.; 1 white male 21+; 1 black; 3 horses/mares; $1800 total value.
1837: Franklin, Elisha; 1 white male 21+; 260 acres, C. R., $1100; 1 black 16+, $400; 1 horse/mare, $60; $1560 total value.
1838: Franklin, Elisha; 1 voter, 1 white poll; 1 male child 5-18; 1 female child 5-18; 250 acres, B. B.. $1050; 1 black, $350; 3 horses/mares, $100; cattle, $40; $1540 total value.
1839: Franklin, Elisha; 1 white male 21+, 1 county levy; 1 male child 5-18; 1 female child 5-18; 250 acres, C. R., $1050; 1 black, $500; 2 horses/mares, $75; cattle, $45; $1670 total value.
1840: Elisha Franklin; 250 acres, Bunchs Creek, $1050; 1 white male 21+; 1 slave, $600; 2 horses/mares, $75; cattle, $45; 2 children 7-17; $1770 total value. (Last entry for Elisha.)
21. Deed: 1830, Wayne County, Kentucky. 23
Dated 27 Mar 1830, Recorded 27 Mar 1830, Bk E:174
Elisha Franklin and Elizabeth his wife to Daniel Moody and Berry Hart, 44 acres for $132.
22. Deed: 1831, Wayne County, Kentucky. 24
Dated 25 Mar 1831, Recorded 25 Mar 1831, Bk E:373
Elisha Franklin and Elizabeth his wife to Charles E. Mills, 160 acres on south side of Cumberland River for $600.
23. Deed: 1836, Wayne County, Kentucky. 25
Dated 22 Aug 1836, Recorded 7 Apr 1837, Bk G:177
Elisha Franklin and Elizabeth Franklin to Thomas Branscomb, 30 acres for $150. Parcel was part of a 250 acre tract where Elisha Franklin then lived, on the west side of the road leading from Monticello to Burkhannans old ferry on the Cumberland River.
24. Census: 1840, Wayne County, Kentucky. 26
Elisha Franklin: 11001001-2100001
25. Estate Administration: 1840, Wayne County, Kentucky. 27
Sep Court 1840
Elizabeth Franklin, widow and relict of Elisha Franklin, Dec'd, relinquished her right to administer the estate of her husband. Letters of Administration issued to Samuel Lockett. Samuel Allen, Braxton Carter, Micajah Vanwinkle and Evan Thomas appointed appraisers.
26. Estate Administration: 1840, Wayne County, Kentucky. 7
An Inventory and Appraisement of the Estate of Elisha Franklin, Dec'd, dated 10 Oct 1840, was filed by Lemuel Lockett, the Administrator. Appraisers were Micahjah Vanwinkle, Samuel Allen and Braxton Carter. The personal estate was appraised at $934. The sale of estate personal property took place 15 Oct 1840.
Significant (over $20) items of personal property in the inventory included: an assigned note, $50; a slave named Moses, age 16, $500; 1 cart and oxen, $40; 19 fattening hogs, $80; 2 cows, a yearling and calf, $20; farming utensils, $20.25; 1 sorrel filly or mare, $30; 2 bed heads and furniture, $30; corn in the field, $30; and apples in the orchard, $25.
Non-farm related items of interest included a clock valued at $10 and a family library valued at $5.
No Franklin other than Elizabeth, widow of Elisha, purchased property at the estate sale. Apart from relatives of his widow, the only other person I recognize as related was Joseph Hamilton, the husband of his sister-in-law by his first marriage, who bought an auger for $0.25.
The slave Moses was not sold at the estate sale. Note that in New Will Bk A:262, there appears a Will for a Moses Franklin, written 30 June 1899, proved 24 July 1899. Could these Moses be one and the same?
27. Estate Administration: 1840, Wayne County, Kentucky. 28
Nov Court 1840
Inventory and Appraisement and List of Sales of the Estate of Elisha Franklin were approved by the Court.
28. Guardianship: 1842, Wayne County, Kentucky. 29
Sep Term 1842
"On motion of Lewis Parker ordered that he be appointed Guardian for the infant orphans of Elisha Franklin decd to wit Matilda T. Franklin, Lewis P. Franklin, Louisa Franklin, Mary Franklin who thereupon executed and acknowledged bond in the penalty of $3000 with Micajah Phillips his security conditioned according to law."
Elisha married Polly COE on 7 Jul 1804 in Pulaski County, Kentucky.1 2 (Polly COE was born in 1775-1794 16 and died before 1826 in Wayne County, Kentucky 3.)
Marriage Notes:
Per Burns:
Franklin, Elisha to Coys, Polly; 7/7/1804; Bondsman, Hoggens (spelled Haggens in Bride Index), Richard.
Per transcribed Register:
Franklin, Elisha to Coyl, Polly; bond dated 7 Jul 1804; surety, Richard Kizzias; note stating surety is girl's step-father.
Discussion:
With the problem the transcribers had with these names, I was very fortunate that Pat Franks, a fellow Hamilton and Branscomb researcher, happens to be a Kiggins researcher as well. Per her records, Polly Coe's parents were Joshua Coe and Rachel Paul. After Joshua's death, Rachel Coe married Richard Kiggins. More connections between Elisha and the Kiggins familiy appear in Events. 1 2 30
Elisha next married Elizabeth LOCKETT on 23 Aug 1826 in Wayne County, Kentucky.3 (Elizabeth LOCKETT was born in 1790-1800 22 26 and died about 1850 in Wayne County, Kentucky 31 32.)
Marriage Notes:
Franklin, Elisha and Elizabeth Lockett. Bond Missing. Married 23 Aug 1826 by John M. Smith. Daughter of William Lockett. 3
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