My Genealogy Hound

JOHN F. FRANKLIN, the subject of this sketch, was born in Sweden, February 20, 1849. His father, Benjamin Franklin, a farmer by occupation, was also a native of Sweden, born in the year 1792, and was an officer in the regular army, and when a mere boy our subject traveled with him as one of the camp followers and was wounded during an engagement with Napoleon, in one of his campaigns through Germany. Anna (Anderson) Franklin, mother of our subject, was also a native of Sweden, born in 1809. There were in all eight children in the family — three brothers and five sisters — as follows — Andrew, who is now a farmer in the old country; Ephraim, who is a section foreman in the old country; Anna, Christena, Clara, Jane, Mary and John F., our subject.

Swan Franklin, the paternal grandfather, was a native of Sweden, and throughout life was an officer in the regular army and was commander of the Esworth regiment, he was noted for his bravery and was wounded in the battle of Leipsig with Napoleon. He died at the age of sixty-eight years.

John F. Franklin spent his early boyhood days at home on the farm and attended school until sixteen years of age. He had the advantage of one term of high school and received what was considered a liberal education. He helped his brother farm the home place, and for a short time was engaged with a telegraph company. Arriving at the age of twenty years, he decided to seek his fortune in the western hemisphere, and accordingly embarked for America. After visiting a few weeks at Burlington, Iowa, he engaged employment as brakeman on the I. B. & W. railway, between Urbana, and Peoria. He followed this for nine months and then went South and for two years worked on the old Jeff. Davis plantation in Mississippi. He then came North and hired to a farmer in Henderson county, Ill., as stock feeder. At this he worked for five years, and in February, 1879, emigrated West and located in Kearney county, filing a claim under the homestead law on the southwest quarter of section 6, township 6, Range 15, on which he still resides. At that early day the country, which is now studded with fine farm residences, presented a wild and barren aspect. Antelope were numerous, but the settlers were few and far between. Mr. Franklin built a small frame shanty in which he kept bachelor’s hall, and broke out eighty acres of his land the first year.

The following year he built a more substantial frame dwelling and is now replacing it with a still more substantial one. He was married December 11, 1880, to Anna Carlson, who was born in Sweden, November 3, 1855, and came to America in 1871. Her father, Carl Peterson, was a native of Sweden, and was a carpenter by occupation. Her mother, Anna L. Peterson, was also a native of Sweden, born in 1826, and came to America in 1872. There were eight children in the Peterson family, viz. — Caroline, John, Fred, Anna, Matilda, Sophia, Ida and one that died in infancy. Mr. and Mrs. Franklin have four children, viz. — Amanda W., Jessie L., George B. and Rudolph C. The parents are both members of the Swedish “Bethania” church.

Mr. Franklin is a republican in politics and for the past four years has held the office of assessor.