John Rankin Franklin (May 6, 1820 – January 11, 1878) was a Congressional Representative for the U.S. state of Maryland. He also served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates in 1843 and as Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates in 1849.

John Rankin Franklin
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Maryland's 1st district
In office
March 4, 1853 – March 3, 1855
Preceded byRichard Bowie
Succeeded byJames A. Stewart
Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates
In office
1849
Preceded byWilliam J. Blakistone
Succeeded byElias Ware
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
In office
1843
In office
1849
Personal details
Born(1820-05-06)May 6, 1820
Worcester County, Maryland, U.S.
DiedJanuary 11, 1878(1878-01-11) (aged 57)
Snow Hill, Maryland, U.S.
Resting placeMakemie Memorial Presbyterian Church
Snow Hill, Maryland, U.S.
Political partyWhig
RelationsFranklin Upshur (grandson)

Early life

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John Rankin Franklin was born in Worcester County, Maryland, and graduated from Jefferson College in 1836. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1841.[1]

Career

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Franklin opened a law practice in Snow Hill, Maryland. He was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, representing Worcester County, in 1843, and served as president of the Maryland State Board of Public Works in 1851.[1][2] He was elected as a Whig to the Thirty-third Congress, and served the 1st Congressional district of Maryland from March 4, 1853, until March 3, 1855.[1][3] He again became a member of the Maryland House of Delegates and served as the Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates in 1849.[1][2][4] Franklin was a judge of the first judicial circuit of Maryland from 1867 until his death.[1]

Personal life

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His daughter Sarah E. married George M. Upshur. Her son Franklin Upshur was an assistant state's attorney.[5]

Franklin died on January 11, 1878, in Snow Hill. He is buried in the churchyard of Makemie Memorial Presbyterian Church in Snow Hill.[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "Franklin, John Rankin". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Historical List, House of Delegates, Worcester County (1790-1974)". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. June 27, 2008. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  3. ^ "Historical List, United States Representatives". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. 1999. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  4. ^ "Historical List, Speakers of the House of Delegates". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. May 2, 2019. Retrieved September 22, 2022.
  5. ^ "Mrs. George M. Upshur". The Baltimore Sun. September 15, 1903. p. 12. Retrieved September 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com. 
Political offices
Preceded by Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates
1849
Succeeded by
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Maryland's 1st congressional district

1853–1855
Succeeded by