James Shepherd Franklin is the son of James and Sarah (Hanthorn) Franklin, who resided in Allen Co. Ohio. The father of James, also a James, was born in New York in 1812 to Thomas Franklin and Hannah Sibley. The Franklin family left New York in 1831 and settled in Perry Twp, Allen Co. Ohio. The family also owned property in Warren Co. Ohio, and moved back and forth between Allen and Warren Counties. James Shepherd Franklin was born in Allen County, Ohio in 1852.

See Allen County, Ohio History, by Beers, pages 739-740.

James Shepherd Franklin was educated in Allen County, Ohio and married Laura Jane Dixon in 1874. She was the daughter of Joseph and Barbara Dixon. James and Laura remained in Allen County, Ohio and had at least seven children. Five of them are:

Gertrude, b Jan 1879, m. Elza Zurmely
Lenora, b Feb 1881, d 1974, m Growdon
Alma, b Dec 1886, died 1904
Vesta, b Nov 1888, d 1975, m Rucker
Grace, b April 1892, d 1913 from disease.


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1860 - Perry, Allen Co. OH.
#1522-1511 James 49 farmer 3000 625 NY
S. 42 f PA
SA 22 f
G. 15 m
J. 14 m Oh
JS 8 m OH
AA 6 f OH

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1870 Perry, Allen Co. OH.
Franklin, James 58 m w farmer 5600 1100 NY
Sarah 53 f w keeping house PA
James S. 17 m w works on farm Ohio
Annetta A. 15 f w Ohio
Joseph 23 m w farm laborer Ohio

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1880 Census -Perry, Allen, Ohio, FHL Film 1254990, NA
James S. Franklin Self M Male W 27 OH Farming NY PA
Laura J. Franklin Wife M F W 25 OH Keeping House OH OH
James Franklin Father W M W 68 NY Farmer NY NY
Gertrude Franklin Dau S F W 1 OH OH OH

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1900 Perry, Allen, OH.
#43-44 Franklin, James S. head w m Nov 1852 47 m 25 OH NY PA farmer
Laura J. wife w f Mar 1855 45 m 25 7 5 OH OH OH
Gertrude dau w f Jan 1879 21s OH OH OH teacher
Lenora dau w f Feb 1881 19s OH OH OH
Alma dau w f Dec 1886 13s OH OH OH
Vesta dau w f Nov 1888 11s OH OH OH

next pg, line 1- Grace dau w f April 1892 8s OH OH OH
families above: Mary Franklin; Nancy Hanthorn and James Morehead; John McPeron; and William Hanthorn

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1910 Perry, Allen, OH.
Franklin, James S. head m w 57 m1 35 OH OH OH farmer
Laura wife f w 55 m1 35 7 4 OH OH OH
Grace dau f w 18 s OH OH OH
next house, line 16, #107-108 Franklin, Guy E. head m w 38 m1 13 OH OH OH farmer
Maggie wife f w 36 m1 13 1 1 OH OH OH
Marie dau f w 7 s OH OH OH
(Guy Eldon is the son of George. George is brother of James)
next house, line 20, #108-109 McPheron, John head m w 43 m1 19 OH OH OHO
Ida wife f w 45 m1 19 5 5 OH OH OH
Lena dau f w 18 s OH
Edna dau f w 17 s Oh
Ines dau f w 15 s OH
Orval son m w 14 s Oh
Doyle son m w 10 s

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Ohio Death Cert #35438-
date of death - 20 June 1916
date of burial - 22 June
place - Perry Chapel
father - James Franklin
mother - Sarah Hanthorn

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tombstone inscription:
Franklin / James S. / Died June 20, 1916 / aged 63y, 7mo, 10 d /
wife Laura Dixon: Died April 29, 1928, aged 78y, 1mo, 4d