Franklin County

A Former Franklin County Boy Who is Making Good in The Business World Lee James is one of the most successful and progressive business men that Franklin County has produced. He is the eldest son of Aaron A. and Ollie Virginia (Bendall) James, who reside near Russellville, and a great grand-son of Thomas and Elizabeth James and of Ben and Matilda Bendall, pioneers of Franklin County. Mr. James was born July 11, 1884. He entered the district school at about five years of age under one Prof. John Archie and made rapid progress in his studies. In fact, he is … Read more

Former Sheriff and Probate Judge of Franklin CountyDeputy Prohibition Administrator for the Southern District of Alabama Alpha W. Hargett, former Sheriff and Probate Judge of Franklin County, and at present Deputy prohibition administrator for the Southern District of Alabama, was born February 24, 1874, two and a half miles south of Belgreen, and about a quarter of a mile from the center of Franklin County. Son of William L. and America (Barrett) Hargett, deceased. Mr. Hargett’s childhood days were spent in that community. When he was about sixteen years of age, his father sold his property there and bought a … Read more

Wealthy Planter and Land Surveyor Benjamin Harris, wealthy planter and land surveyor, was not related to the two illustrious John Wyatt Harrises. Mr. Harris came to Franklin County at a very early date from Tennessee. He lived for many years near the present Isbell Station. He is said to have been one of the largest slave owners of the country. He also surveyed a large part of the land in the Russellville district. C. E. Wilson, Sr., states that Mr. Harris died very suddenly, while either on a social visit or business call at the home of Tom Gorman, north … Read more

Teacher in the Agricultural World Professor Luther Noble Duncan is not an educator in the more popular sense of the term, but he is a great teacher in the agricultural world, and as Alexander the Great said, “Civilization begins and ends with the plow.” Mr. Duncan was born October 14, 1875, near Belgreen. He is a son of Thomas A. and Margaret (Hargett) Duncan, the former Confederate soldier, now deceased, the latter a member of one of Franklin’s largest and oldest families. He was reared on the farm and spent his childhood days very much as other ordinary country boys. … Read more

Biologist Duncan, Ellis Madison, biologist, was born February 15, 1873, near Russellville, Franklin County. He received his elementary education in the public schools of Russellville; was graduated from the Alabama Polytechnic Institute, B. S., 1900 and M. S. 1908, took special courses in the college of physicians and surgeons and in the State bacteriological laboratories, Baltimore, Md.; in the city bacteriological laboratories, Boston and completed a post-graduate course in that line of work at Alabama Polytechnic Institute. He was an instructor in veterinary science and physiology, Alabama Polytechnic Institute 1901; bacteriologist and assistant meat and milk inspector for the city … Read more

Prominent farmer and delegate to the ConstitutionalConvention of 1875 from Franklin County William Burgess, prominent farmer and delegate to the Constitutional Convention of 1875 from Franklin County, was born a few miles east of Russellville in 1826. Died near Pleasant Site, January 17, 1902, having been a life-long citizen of Franklin County. He was a son of Rabon Ellis and Susan (Sugg) Burgess, and a grandson of William and Agnes (Partain) Burgess and of Thomas and Terah (Spenser) Sugg. Both grand-fathers were Revolutionary Soldiers and pioneer settlers of Franklin County. William Burgess, subject of this sketch, was brought up on … Read more

Gallant hero of the 1860’s William Drewey Bowen, a gallant hero of the sixties, was born December 6, 1834. Died February 3, 1918. Mr. Bowen was the eldest of several children born to William and (Sallie or Sarah Bowen of Russellville, the former club-footed and a tailor. William or “Billy” Brown was a brother of Wid Bowen, who lived for many years in the Dillard’s Mill community, and also of the first wife of W. E. Claunch, Mrs. John Hester, Mrs. Charley Porter and Mrs. Taylor. Many people of present day Franklin and Colbert counties are descended from these people. … Read more

Educator, Farmer, Gentleman Edward Tarpley (E. T.) Bolding, one of the prominent educators of Franklin county of later years, was born September 17, 1878, at Pleasant Site, Franklin County. Son of J. T. and Mary Fannie (Rogers) Bolding, deceased. J. T. Bolding, father of E. T. Bolding, was a successful farmer, a highly respected gentleman, and an outstanding teacher and school worker of his day. J. T. Bolding’s parents came from one of the Carolinas to Franklin prior to the Civil War, and settled on Little Bear Creek, near Fordton. J. T. Bolding, himself, was a sergeant in the 27th … Read more

Confederate Soldier, Rural Letter Carrier, Historian Lemuel Cook Bendall, son of the late Ben F. and Matilda (Barrett) Bendall, is one of the oldest and most widely known men in Franklin County. Probably he has had the most varied experience of any one person living in the county, and we believe that he knows its history from the Civil War to the present as well, if not better, than any one. Mr. Bendall is not an educated man in the popular sense, but is endowed with fine common intelligence. He has spent most of his life in or near Russellville … Read more