HON. JAMES FRANKLIN
Was born in Pittsylvania county, Virginia, on March 1, 1815, the son
of Edward and Elizabeth (Cook) Franklin. His father died in 1860,
and his mother has been many years dead. He married in Bedford
county, Virginia, October 6, 1840, Rev. Kennedy uniting him in wedlock
with Emma S. Leftwich. She was born in Bedford county, March
30, 1820, the daughter of Rev. William and Sally Leftwich. Benjamin
Franklin, grandfather of James, settled in Prince Edward county, Virginia,
in colonial days.
James Franklin left the parental home when but sixteen years of age,
since when his honorable and busy life has been devoted to commercial
and banking pursuits, and public affairs. He was several years deputy
sheriff of Pittsylvania county. Removed, in 1848, to Lynchburg; was
engaged there in a mercantile business until the beginning of the war.
During the period of the war traded in general produce. At its close
opened the first bank in Lynchburg, firm of Miller & Franklin, which
firm carried on a profitable banking business for seventeen years. Mr.
Miller dying then, Mr. Franklin closed out the business, and entered
into the National Exchange Bank, of which he was elected president,
which position he filled to the best interests of the bank until he retired
to private life which he did against the protest of the officers and depositors
of the bank. He is a very large landowner, both of Lynchburg
property, and farm lands of Campbell county, and a citizen held in
warmest esteem by all. He has been a member of the city council, many
years trustee of the public schools, in 1873-4 represented Campbell
county in the House of Delegates.
