from The Republican (Danville, Indiana)--issue of Thursday, October 24, 1912—page 1, column 6:
WILLIAM F. FRANKLIN
Exceptional Qualifications of Candidate for County Surveyor
W.F. Franklin, Republican candidate for surveyor, was born on a farm in Hendricks county in 1869. His mother dying in his infancy, he was given a home with relatives.
At the age of 12, he accompanied his father to Nebraska where he worked on a farm during the summer and continued his studies in the common and high school during the winter. He entered Doan college at 15 and took up special mathematics and civil engineering.
He returned to Hendricks county in 1890, studied two years in the Central Normal College and one year in the State Normal. He taught in the county six years, two years as superintendent of the Clayton schools. While at Clayton, he was elected to the office of county surveyor. He so served for six years during which time much public work was done.
He is now living on his farm, south of Danville but continues his work as civil engineer. He is at present engineer for the town of Danville and his services are in demand in this and adjoining counties for private ditch work and complicated land surveying. He is considered an expert in ditch work and is recognized as a competent surveyor and civil engineer. His judgment on public work is excellent and his honesty and integrity are unquestioned. His broad education, practical experience and careful and exact methods of doing business fit him in a peculiar way to do the public good service.
His former record as surveyor speaks for itself as one that entitles him to the vote of every citizen.