[p.562] Was formed in 1843, of territory taken from Kingston, Exeter and Dallas townships, and named in honor of Col. John Franklin, who was not only one of the heroes of the Revolution, but of the long and cruel Pennamite-Yankee wars that raged with such vigor over the beautiful valley. It is supposed that Gideon Bebee was probably the first settler on land belonging to the heirs of the late Rev. Oliver Lewis. The Bebee family did not remain long here, and when they moved away the place soon grew up with weeds and brambles. About this time Mr. Pease, of Hanover, walked twelve miles to his work, and made his clearing adjoining Bebee. Both improvements were abandoned; but the clearing was long known as Pease's field. The spot was in the northeastern part of the township. It is surmised that these attempts at settlement were made during the early seventies of the eighteenth century.
The township contains sixteen square miles, and fully one-half is excellent farm land. The oak and pine and hemlock forests were in an early day cleared away, and farms took their place. On the side hills are lands that produce well.
Ezra Olds and Michael Munson, from Connecticut, came in 1782. Munson's son, Salmon Munson, occupied his father's place in recent years, though the original settler did not tarry long when he came, but removed to the West. Walter Munson came from the East in 1807, and built near where his son long lived, near the Old's place. Rev. George W. Munson married Sally Ann Lewis, and resided on his father's old homestead many years. Walter Munson, Sr., was living with his family on the opposite side of the river from Wyoming when the massacre occurred; he was but five years of age at the time, but with his older brother Wilmot made the trip back Connecticut.
The old Revolutionary soldier, Capt. Artemadorus Ingersoll, made his improvement just below the Munsons. He entered the patriot army when fourteen years of age, and served throughout the war; married Miss Newberry just before he came to this county, where six of their children grew to maturity. He was an excellent farmer, and operated his sawmill. The last of the Ingersoll family descendants in this part of the country was a Mr. Holmes, who died several years ago. Capt. Ingersoll died fifty-two years ago.
Another patriotic veteran who came to Franklin township in 1809 was Alexander Lord, born in Boston, June 19, 1777; when the War of 1812 broke out he volunteered, and was a drummer in the company of Wyoming volunteers. He died September 7, 1859, aged eighty-two years.
Abel Hall came about the same time as the Munsons, settled just below the Flat Rock schoolhouse, where the family resided many years. Another family named Rogers were early settlers; one of them, Elisha Rogers, it is said built the first frame in the village of Orange. Elisha and his wife Rhoda lived to an advanced age; their son Alamanza married Mrs. Tyrrell. Her grave and that of Sylvia (Mrs. Cyrus Mann), were the first in the township marked by marble slabs.
Mr. Munson built the first sawmill in the township; it was on Sutton creek, in 1808. About the same time Elijah Brace built the first and only gristmill on the same stream. This mill was rebuilt in 1828 by Conrad Kunkle.
William Brace, Benjamin Chandler and James Hadersel, we are told by Stewart Pearce, were among the early settlers. Thomas Mann was an early settler, and improved the place where lived Charles Franz. A little later, but still old settlers, were Josephus Cone, Amos Jackson, Robert Moore, Jacob Halstead, Benjamin Decker and Jona Wood; David O. Culver came about 1790 and settled in the northeast part of the township, where he lived and died at an advanced age. The Culvers came of two brothers who were on board the "Mayflower." This Culver's father was David Culver.
[p.563] Rev. Oliver Lewis came about the time of the Culvers and possessed the Bebee land. He lived here and preached until his death, aged seventy-seven.
A long-time resident of the township was Samuel Snell, from New York; succeeded by his oldest son, Abram V. Snell.
The later of the prominent families were the Winters, Badles, Corwins, Sewards, Hallocks, Durlands, Casterlins, Longwells, Dewitts, and a German family named Wintz.
The only village in the township is Orange, situated near its center, where Jacob Drake was the first settler, and for a long time it was called Draketown; when it became a postoffice it was called Unison. When the township was established A. C. Thompson kept store there, and he called it Franklin Center. This caused some confusion, and a new name had to be provided, and as many of the families had come from Orange, N. Y., that name was adopted. Before this name was the permanent one, it, like many other places, had all kinds of whimsical callings. When Almanza Rodgers kept the store, he, in order to keep the shingle-makers from cheating him, procured pinchers to pull out some of the inside shingles, and then the place was called "Pinchersville." The nucleus of the place has always been the store, and some of the keepers were Harley Green, James Lawrence Brown, Abel C. Thompson, Benjamin Saylor, James Holcomb and Henry Bodle. The first hotel in the place was by Peter Hallock, succeeded by John Worden. Jacob Shales, Dennis Alsop, — Felton, Hiram Brace, Harvey Brace, Maj. Warring, Mrs. Warring, — Housenick, — Robinson, Thomas Totten, Albert Smith, Chauncey Calkins, D. A. La Barre. Dr. Skeels was the first physician; then Dr. Brace, Dr. Parker, Dr. William Thompson, Dr. McKee and Dr. John C. Morris. Orange is a very nice village, the trading and business point for the surrounding farming country. There is a store, hotel, harness shop, blacksmith shop and two churches in the hamlet.
Ketcham postoffice, in Franklin, is a farmhouse.
The first road passed from Wyoming over Olds hill to Tunhannock; a road starting at the river and following up Sutton creek intersected the other road on Olds hill.
The population of Franklin township in 1850 was 833; reduced in 1880 to 593; again in 1890 to 521.