Franklin P. Houston, 1804 – 1880: 3rd Great Grandfather
Franklin P. Houston, Samuel Jr. and Sally’s eldest son was born in 1804 In Iredell County, N.C. Around 1827 Franklin married Mary A. Eidson, daughter of Edward Eidson and granddaughter of Henry Eidson (our 5th great grandfather who was from Hanover County, VA and served in the revolutionary war as an ensign with the Bedford County militia of Virginia. See the history of Henry Eidson on this website). Franklin and Mary had three children: Sarah Emmaline, Edward J. and Samuel Theodore “Ted” Houston. Franklin and Mary lived in Iredell (formally Rowan) County, N.C. until 1852 when they moved with Franklin’s brother, Samuel Theodore, to the Mullins Militia District, Cherokee County, GA. Franklin was about 48 at the time of the move.
Cherokee County, Georgia: Mullins Militia District of Cherokee County (818):
During the mid-1800s, the Etowah Valley of Cherokee County became the industrial hub of north Georgia. In addition to gold, there were other minerals mined in the county such as iron ore, copper, titanium, quartz, mica, granite and marble. During this time Cherokee County had as many as ten grist mills, fourteen saw mills, seven flour mills, and twelve distilleries in operation and a population of around 12,000. The years leading up to the Civil War were prosperous ones for Cherokee County. Agriculture was the main industry in the area and small farms dotted the landscape.
Franklin is found in the U.S. 1860 Census in Mullins, Cherokee County GA where he was farming. During his farming years he had about 280 acres of land. Below are examples of the water and grist mills in his county.
The Civil War started on April 12, 1861 with the confederates attacking Fort Sumter. Initially there was great fervor in serving in the war, the assumption being the conflict would be short. But the initial war fever soon dissipated in both the North and South as the war dragged on, and each side was compelled to resort to conscription. The South instituted a draft in 1862, requiring three years of service for those selected between the ages of 18 and 35; later, as the war prospects dimmed, the pool was enlarged by taking in ages 17 to 50.
In 1863, with the Civil War becoming more and more taxing on the South’s resources and pressure from the Union Army building, the Confederacy reached further into its population to recruit men for short, specific service. The Cherokee Legion was formed in that year, by volunteers primarily from Cherokee County, Georgia. They were to resist the anticipated Union incursion into northern Georgia. The Legion was mustered for six months service within an area bounded by the borders of the state north of a line from West Point, Georgia, to the Elbert County Courthouse, to the Savannah River. The Legion did most of its service around Rome, Georgia, and apparently saw no significant action.
Over 700 men and boys reported for enlistment of which only 200 were needed. Many were “detailed” (released) to get the Legion down to authorized strength. Franklin Houston enlisted in July 10, 1863 in Canton Georgia. He was 59 years old. He was a private under Captain Perkins’ Company of infantry. Company muster rolls show his service in August and September. Some of his co-volunteers were soon conscripted into regular service in the Confederate Army. Franklin refused to “muster in” and was permanently detailed out of the unit November 7, 1863.
During the Civil War, Canton (the seat of Cherokee County, Militia District 792) which had a population of about 200, was burned November 1–5, 1864, by the Union Army under the command of Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman. Canton was destroyed by a foraging party of the Ohio 5th Cavalry under the command of Major Thomas T. Heath. Union troops were ordered to burn the town because of Confederate guerrilla attacks coming from Canton and directed against the Western and Atlantic Railroad near the town of Cassville. The railroad was a vital supply line for the Union Army from the captured city of Chattanooga, Tennessee, to newly captured Atlanta.
Following the Civil War, the Reconstruction Acts of 1867 required Southern states to ratify the 14th Amendment, draft new state constitutions and register voters both black and white. In order to vote, men had to swear an oath of allegiance to the United States, and some were disqualified for their participation in Confederate government posts. Franklin signed the Oath of Reconstruction in August, 1867.
For the remainder of his years Franklin continued his farming in Cherokee County. He died in January, 1880 and is buried in the Harbin-Freeze Cemetery in that county. Mary lived with daughter Sarah Emmaline and her husband, Richard Freeze, until her death sometime after 1880. She, too, is buried in Harbin Freeze Cemetery.