The Franklins

This photo is of James and Matilda’s son, William, and their grandchildren in Tennessee. There were two Franklin family members baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Blount County from 1897 to 1909.

Timeline of Baptisms

James Isaiah Franklin (1865-1921)

6 June 1897: James Isaiah Franklin was baptized by and confirmed by unidentified missionaries

Matilda Ellen Moxley (1863-1929)

24 September 1909: Matilda Ellen Moxley was baptized by William Martin Hunter and confirmed by Alva Wilmott Keller

Elder William Martin Hunter (1880-1945)

William Martin Hunter served in the Southern States Mission from 1907 to 1909. He received his mission call in an announcement in General Conference while bartending at a saloon in Alta, Utah. In his mission acceptance letter to Joseph F. Smith, he wrote: “I will state that if you see fit to send me out in the world to spread the to spread the gosple (sic) and I can do anyone any good, I am willing to do the best I can, if I can spread the truth and enlighten any living soul, I would gladly do it. Although I realize that in and of myself I am powerless, but trusting in God my Heavenly Father to help me, I am ready to go…” He wrote of his experience turning to the Lord to end a 14-year tobacco addiction in order to serve his mission. He married in the Salt Lake Temple one week before departing for the Southern States Mission. When he returned home, he and his wife raised three children. He retired after working 25 years at ZCMI. He was ward chairman for the genealogical committee, which he held for many years up until he passed away. Elder Hunter baptized Minnie Sisera Winters and Charles Russell Harrison, whom he also confirmed a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Maryville, in 1909.

Elder Alva Willmott Keller (1884-1963)

Alva Willmott Keller served in the Southern States Mission from 1907 to 1909. In his mission acceptance letter to Joseph F. Smith, he wrote: “I take great pleasure in answering the call to say I am ready and willing…” He married in the Salt Lake Temple a few months before leaving to serve in the East Tennessee Conference. He and his wife raised seven children together in Salt Lake City, Utah while he worked for the Granite School District. Elder Keller confirmed Minnie Sisera Winters a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Maryville, in 1909.

James Isaiah Franklin was born in Elk Park, North Carolina and moved to Blount County some time before his baptism in 1897. About five years later, he married Matilda Ellen Moxley, who is also known as Minnie Sisera Winters. She was baptized in 1909. They had eight children together. In late-1920 or early-1921, they moved to Salt Lake City, Utah, where James died shortly thereafter, at the age of 55. James is buried in Salt Lake City. Matilda moved to Lenoir City, Tennessee and died in 1929, at the age of 65. She is buried in Lenoir City Cemetery.

Their son, Arthur Leonard Franklin, was baptized in Salt Lake City, in 1917. He married Susan N. Huggard in the Salt Lake Temple. They raised two daughters together. At the time of Susan Huggard’s death, in 1989, she had 7 grand children and 13 great-grandchildren.

In 1904, Elder LeRoy Armstrong documented two weeks of his time in Blount County. He mentioned James Isaiah Franklin in his journal.

[Friday] – 22 Jan[uary] 1904 Sweet Blount Co[unty]. We lefe (sic) Mr. Dunn and canvassed over to the place of Townzen (sic). After dinner, as we were canvassing, we run on to one of the Saints. We left our grips there and went and canvassed Townzen (sic). It was a swell place. I went into some kind of a business house and that it was a dwelling house. The next pass I get in to (sic) where they were holding prayer meeting. We canvassed one house that cost about 8,000 dollars. I tell you, we were right among the big wigs. I was up against the preacher, but he did not have much to say. We canvassed till dark, then came up to Bro[ther James Isaiah] Franklin’s and came down the railroad track to Walland. There I got some soles for my shoes. Also, some writing material. We then went across the mountain to Bro[ther Joseph John Calvin (JC)] Garland’s.

[Friday] – 29 (sic) Jan[uary] 1904 Walland, Blount Co[unty]. We stayed at [Samantha Caroline Naillon] Woody’s till after dinner, then we came up to Townsend and got our mail. I got a photo from my girl of her and the rest of the family of girls. We then came up to Bro[ther James Isaiah] Franklin’s. That night we see (sic) the team came down with logs to the big mill. There was 15 cars loaded with logs. It was quite a sight to me.

[Tuesday] – 2 Feb[ruary] 1904 Townsend, Blount Co[unty]. We left Bro[ther James Isaiah] Franklin’s and started out canvassing. After we got out a wase (sic), we found the measeles (sic) so bad that we stop[p]ed canvassing, for Elder [Wilford Woodruff] Freeman had never had them. We came on to Bro[ther Jonathan] Woody’s and stayed that night. We were going out coon hunting but it began to rain just about the time we were going to start. Then, it turned off into hailing and how it did come down for a while. We got on a big way of singing and had a big time.

Journal of Elder LeRoy Armstrong
1st Generation Members:
James Isaiah Franklin
Matilda Ellen Moxley (Franklin)