from The Republican (Danville, Indiana)--issue of Thursday, March 10, 1898--page 1, column 4:
Republican candidates for county offices:
is a son of a Union soldier and was born in Washington township in 1869. His parents died while he was small and left him dependent upon himself. He was in the west for a time and worked one season with a county surveyor. Since 1891 he has made his home in Middle township, teaching during the winter and attending school in the summer. He has attended the Central Normal college and the State Normal. One year's work would graduate him from the State Normal. He was principal of the school at Tilden and this past winter has been principal at Clayton. Mr. Franklin is a staunch Republican.