Lawson D. Franklin
Lawson D. Franklin (1804–1861) was an American planter, slave trader and businessman in the antebellum South. He was the first millionaire in Tennessee.
Lawson D. Franklin | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 19, 1804 |
| Died | April 8, 1861 |
| Occupation | Planter |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Rogers Catherine Smith |
| Children | 3 sons, 3 daughters |
| Parent(s) | Owen Franklin Elizabeth Roper |
| Relatives | William Allen Montgomery (son-in-law) |
Early life
Lawson D. Franklin was born on January 19, 1804,[1] the son of Owen Franklin and Elizabeth "Betsy" Franklin (née Roper).[2] On his paternal side, he was a descendant of one of Benjamin Franklin's brothers.[3]
Career
Franklin was a large landowner and businessman.[1] He traded animals and black slaves.[1][4] He funded the Bank of East Tennessee,[4] a bank based in Rogersville, Tennessee.[1]
Franklin became the first millionaire in Tennessee.[4]
Personal life
Franklin married Elizabeth Rogers (1809-1846). They had three sons, Isaac W. Rodgers (1827-1866), Robert O. Franklin and Lawson D. Franklin (1841-1847), and three daughters, Elizabeth Caroline (1831-1909), Jane June and Louisa. He married a second time to Catherine Smith.
Franklin resided at the Lawson D. Franklin House in White Pine, Tennessee.[1] He built Fairfax in White Pine for his son Isaac, and Bleak House in Knoxville, Tennessee for his daughter Louisa.[1]
Death
Franklin died on April 8, 1861.[1]
References
- "Finding Aid for the Lawson D. Franklin Papers MS.0780". Special Collections Online. University of Tennessee Libraries. Retrieved November 22, 2015.
- "Lawson D. Franklin". genealytreemaker. Retrieved 24 November 2015.
- "Fairfax: Old South Reborn". The Kingsport News. Kingsport, Tennessee. August 4, 1966. p. 18. Retrieved November 25, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- Stewart, Bruce (2012). Blood in the Hills: A History of Violence in Appalachia. Lexington, Kentucky: University Press of Kentucky. pp. 178–179. ISBN 9780813134277. OCLC 724674678.