The Union Democrat - Aug 5, 1882 - Page 2
Mrs. Lucy Franklin, widow of the late Dr. J. J. Franklin, suffered from a stroke of paralysis, while at Dr. Pownali's residence, at Columbia, on Monday. She has remained speechless until this time, and necessarily lies in a very critical condition.

The Tuolumne Independent newspaper
August 2, 1882

-- The Reaper, Death, has been busy the past week, in calling home old and honored citizens.

Owen Fallon was laid at rest in Columbia, on Wednesday, his remains being followed to the grave by the Odd Fellows and a large number of citizens.

Also on Thursday, at the same place, Mrs. Lucy A. Franklin nee Harrison, widow of the late Dr. Franklin, was buried.

Many citizens of Sonora and vicinity attended these funerals, and testified by their presence, the universal respect felt for the deceased by the people of the county.

~~~
Cemetery Note: Relict of the late Dr. John Jay Franklin, aged 58 years.

Husband: Dr. John Jefferson(Jay) Franklin

1850 United States Federal Census
about Lucy Harrison
Name: Lucy Harrison
Age: 25
Birth Year: abt 1825
Birthplace: England
Home in 1850: Wilmington, New Castle, Delaware
Gender: Female
Family Number: 1567
Household Members: Name Age
Benjamin Harrison 50 (Occupation: Baker)(Birth: England)
Lucy Harrison 25 (Birth: England)
John Harrison 23 (Occupation: Baker)(Birth: England)
Sarah Harrison 16 (Birth: New York)
Benjamin Harrison 12 (Birth: New York)
Mary Newel 21 (Birth: England)

Lucy's future husband came to California during the Gold Rush of 1849. He was a physician.

California State Census, 1852 about J J Franklin
Name: J J Franklin
Race: White
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Tennessee
Estimated birth year: abt 1806
Age: 46
Residence County: Tuolumne

1860 United States Federal Census
about Lucy A Harrison
Name: Lucy A Harrison
Age in 1860: 35
Birth Year: abt 1825
Birthplace: England
Home in 1860: Township 2, Tuolumne, California
Gender: Female
Post Office: Columbia
Value of real estate: $1500
Father's Occupation: Merchant
Father's Birthplace: England
Household Members: Name Age
Benjamin Harrison 60
Lucy A Harrison 35

Western States Marriage Index, 1809-2011
Details For Marriage ID#271258
Groom Last Name: FRANKLIN
Groom First Name: John J.
Groom Residence:
Bride Last Name: HARRISON
Bride First Name: Lucy A.
Bride Residence:
Place: Tuolumne County
Date: 15 Nov 1864
County of Record: Tuolumne
State: California
Volume: 1
Page: 157

1870 United States Federal Census
about Lucy Franklin
Name: Lucy Franklin
Age in 1870: 45
Birth Year: abt 1825
Birthplace: England
Home in 1870: Township 1, Tuolumne, California
Race: White
Gender: Female
Post Office: Sonora
Value of real estate: $1,000
Husband's Birthplace: Tennessee
Husband's Occupation: Physician
Household Members: Name Age
John Jay Franklin 64
Lucy Franklin 45

Death of Lucy's husband, Dr. John Jay Franklin:
21 May 1875 - Sonora, Tuolumne, California, United States

1880 United States Federal Census
about Lucy A. Franklin
Name: Lucy A. Franklin
Age: 56
Birth Year: abt 1824
Birthplace: England
Home in 1880: Sonora, Tuolumne, California
Race: White
Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Self (Head)
Marital Status: Widowed
Father's Birthplace: England
Mother's Birthplace: England
Occupation: Keeping House
Household Members: Name Age
Lucy A. Franklin 56

Death: Aug. 9, 1882

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucy's husband is probably buried in Sonora. There was a nice tribute in the local newspaper when he passed away, and a poem was written and read at his service. There is no mention of the place of his burial. It is hard to imagine that he would not have had a headstone giving his importance in the community.

Name: John "Jack" Jefferson Franklin a.k.a. J.J. Franklin and John Jay Franklin.
Birth: 10 Apr 1806 - Bellevue Plantation, Sumner, Tennessee, United States
Name : Franklin, John Jefferson
Address: Sumner County, Tennessee

Transylvania University Medical Theses
Years: 1826-27, 1st course. 1827-28, 2nd course.
Title and Description: M.D. Thesis, "Humulus Lupulus."

Dr. John J. Franklin taught younger premed students while practicing in Sumner County. He was in Sumner County in 1837 teaching a younger relative, John W. Franklin. John W. Franklin then studied at Transylvania Medical University at Lexington, Kentucky. John W. Franklin graduated in 1841 and returned to Sumner County to practice.

While Dr. John J. Franklin moved to Sonora, Tuolumne County, California, in 1849, John W. Franklin remained in Sumner County.

California State Census, 1852, about John Jefferson Franklin
Name: John Jefferson Franklin
Race: White
Gender: Male
Birth Place: Tennessee
Estimated birth year: abt 1806
Age: 46
Residence County: Tuolumne

1859-1860
California State Roster, 1899 Government and Military records about J. J. * Franklin
Given Name: J. J. *
Surname: Franklin
Page #: 318
County: Tuolumne, Stanislaus
Position: Member State Senate
Session: 11, 12

1860 United States Federal Census
about John Jefferson Franklin
Name: John Jefferson Franklin
Age in 1860: 54
Birth Year: abt 1806
Birthplace: Tennessee
Home in 1860: Township 1, Tuolumne, California
Gender: Male
Post Office: Sonora
Value of real estate: $500
Household Members: Name Age
John Jefferson Franklin 54 Physician
Wm S Mccann 46 Carpenter

Selected U.S. Federal Census Non-Population Schedules, 1850-1880 about J J Franklin
Name: J J Franklin
Location: Township 1, Tuolumne, California, USA
Enumeration Date: 10 Jun 1860
Schedule Type: Agriculture
OS Page: 1
Line Number: 01
Number of Horses Owned: 2
Number of Milk Cows Owned: 1
Number of Other Cattle Owned: 1
Land Value: $300
Live Stock Value: $500

1870 United States Federal Census
about J J Franklin
Name: J J Franklin
Age in 1870: 64
Birth Year: abt 1806
Birthplace: Tennessee
Home in 1870: Township 1, Tuolumne, California
Race: White
Gender: Male
Post Office: Sonora
Value of real estate: $1,000
Value of personal property: $2,000
Household Members: Name Age
J J Franklin 64
Lucy Franklin 45
James Letford 52
~~~~~~
Death: 21 May 1875 - Sonora, Tuolumne, California, United States

Daily Union Democrat newspaper
May 22, 1875

Death of Dr. Franklin

Yesterday our community was shocked when it was whispered, "Dr. Franklin is dead."

Tears moistened the eyes of his old friends and acquaintances as the solemn fact was realized. A few days ago he was among them in vigorous health with the promise of many years of usefulness.

The sudden taking off came with terrible effect upon everybody. There is no man in this county whose loss will be so generally and deeply felt. He was possessed of a warm heart that throbbed for others woes, ever ready to alleviate distress and suffering. Ready at any moment, alike to the call of the rich and the poor, he was regarded the poor man's friend. Many will be the silent tears that fall in memory of his good and kind deeds.

Dr. John Jay Franklin, was born in Sumner County, Tennessee, in 1806. He studied medicine and graduated in the same class with Dr. W. M. Gwin and H. H. Toland [graduated from the medical department of Transylvania University, Lexington, Ky., in 1828].

Commencing practice in his native county he became prominent among the profession of Tennessee. Subsequently he removed to New Orleans where he pursued his profession until coming to California in 1849. Here for some time he engaged in mining; for many years he was leading physician of this county, interrupted only by serving one term as State Senator in 1859 - 1860. He was a student up to the time of his death.

On Sunday last he was attacked with pneumonia, which became acute, terminating his life in five days. His loss is a calamity to this community, creating a void never to be filled in the hearts of his old friends. The gentleman of the old time, actuated by the highest and purest motives in all the relations of life is no more. The death of our friend and counselor fills us with oppressive sadness.
~~~~~
Daily Union Democrat newspaper
May 29, 1875

In Memoriam

Our father, our comrade, our friend - benefactor;
The genial, the patient, the kind, and the true --
Thou art gone from among us. But no malefactor
On earth can be found, to speak evil of you.

Ever ready to answer the call of the weary,
Ever faithful to all, from their birth, to their grave;
Our pilgrimage here, must now seem most dreary,
For FRANKLIN is gone! Who is left that can save?

Can selfishness prompt all the sorrow we witness?
Is it fear for our darlings, that causes our tears?
No -- In love for them and their friend, there is fitness,
Whatever the contrast, in station or years.

And his faults, if he had them, were virtue's excesses,
To drown in their Lethe, recollections of woe;
For greatness of soul never cares who it blesses,
But to hide from the world, what the world should not know.

Let history boast of that Grecian or Roman,
Who devoted his life to his country and fame;
But FRANKLIN is rivaled in goodness by no man,
No incentive of praise can be charged to his name.

His merit, spontaneous sprung from a fountain,
His Heart -- unselfish and pure as the spring
That wells from the base of a tropical mountain,
Life-giving, and crystal, and full to the brim.

Great and good men, whom we read of in story,
Your image shall visit our household -- no more.
Thou art gone -- with our FRANKLIN, to Heaven -- to Glory,
To enjoy those sweet blessings, thou has laid up in store.

Sonora, May 24th,
~~~~
In a compiled graft of Tuolumne County, it states: "May �. Dr. J. J. Franklin died from the effects of an accident."

Dr. Franklin was from a family well known for its slave ownership and slave trade. Here is one of many links about the family: http://www.billpuryear.com/fairvue_pt1.html

A Special Thank You to Find A Grave contributor Nancy Yankie Sidarous, descendant of Dr. Franklin, for the following:

Dr Franklin spent a year in New Orleans as well as time in Mississippi, Virginia as well as some other Southern states due to the war, and of course his birth state, Tennessee. He had a vast military career as well as serving in the CA house Senate. So . . . he was a man who really "got around". He was married three and perhaps even four or more times. He married Lucy late in life in 1864. There was indeed a divorce due to his gold chase in the 1850's.

Dr. Franklin's ex-wife was brought to live with my GG Grandfather by my Grandfather Hugh Samuel Franklin himself. The same names are used repeatedly so it's very confusing. GGG Grandpa's death cause originated with a wagon accident resulting in pneumonia as he lay ill for some time.

Dr John Jefferson did indeed have two sons, one of whom was my GG Grandfather Hugh Samuel Franklin. The parents divorced; you have the wrong Samuel. Grandpa J J Franklin's siblings (Hugh Samuel Franklin's cousins) and my cousins are buried here where I live and these relatives have been a part of my family history that I've known since I was a child. These people are real, buried here in TX and their roots and history are well known.

Also, for the record, Dr John Franklin farmed many times during his life as did his father and male siblings. He didn't consider land ownership and farming and planting that land to be beneath him. On the contrary, it was very important to own farm land and to be a country gentleman planter.

Nancy