Jerry's Genealogy Data Displayed Via GedSite
Person Page 134
Elmer Lee Franklin
Male, born 17 Dec 1912, died 14 May 1995
Partner: Eunice Bessie Slaton (born 15 December 1914, died 5 April 2002)
| Name Sources | Elmer Lee Franklin.1,2,3,4,5,6,7 |
| Birth | 17 December 1912; McMinn County, Tennessee.4,8 |
| Parents | Mack Buford Franklin and Annie V. Webb. |
| 1920 Census |  Household of his father Mack Buford Franklin Enumeration District 52, Dist. 2, McMinn County, Tennessee, 2 Jan 1920 page 68a, Madisonville Pike, dwelling number 284, family number 313 Elmer L. 7, son, male, single, white, born TN, father born TN, mother born TN.9 |
| 1930 Census |  Household of his father Mack Buford Franklin Enumeration District 54-6, Precinct 5, Dist. 2, McMinn County, Tennessee, 10 Apr 1930, page 106b dwelling number 58, family number 59, gravel road Elmer L. 17, son, male, single, white, born TN, father born TN, mother born TN.10 |
| Marriage | 15 July 1934; Elmer Lee Franklin age 21 and Eunice Bessie Slaton age 19; Jefferson County, Tennessee.11 |
| Military Enlistment | 29 April 1944; Camp Shelby, Forrest County, Mississippi. Name: Elmer L Franklin; Birth Year: 1912; Race: White, citizen (White); Nativity State or Country: Tennessee; State: Tennessee; County or City: Jefferson; Enlistment Date: 29 Apr 1944; Enlistment State: Mississippi; Enlistment City: Camp Shelby; Branch: No branch assignment; Branch Code: No branch assignment; Grade: Private; Grade Code: Private; Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law; Component: Selectees (Enlisted Men); Source: Civil Life; Education: 1 year of high school; Civil Occupation: Tracktor Driver* or Truck Driver, Heavy or Chauffeur or Truck Driver, Light An asterisk (*) appearing after a job title indicates that a trade test for the particular occupation will be found in the United States Employment Service Manual, Oral Trade Test; Marital Status: Married; Height: 00; Weight: 100.7 |
| Death | 14 May 1995; Jefferson County, Tennessee, age 82.4,5 |
| Death Record | Social Security Death Index Information. Name: Elmer L. Franklin Last Residence: 37725 Dandridge, Jefferson County, Tennessee Born: 17 Dec 1912 Died: 14 May 1995 State (Year) SSN issued: Tennessee (Before 1951). |
| Obituary | Knoxville News-Sentinel [Knoxville, Tennessee]. 15 May 1995. Elmer L. Franklin, a farmer and the former sheriff of Jefferson County, died Sunday following a lengthy illness. He was 82. Mr. Franklin was sheriff when incumbents were limited to three consecutive two-year terms. He served three such terms, from 1968 through 1974, and one more, from 1976 through 1978. During one of his terms, he played a role in a multi-agency investigation that resulted in the seizure of a major moonshine production operation in the Oakland community. Several people were arrested. Mr. Franklin was born in McMinn County and moved to Jefferson County while a teenager. His father, the late Mack Franklin, was a Jefferson County deputy, and it was through him that Elmer Franklin became interested in law enforcement. Elmer Franklin served as a deputy for eight years before becoming sheriff. During World War II, he served with the U.S. Army in the Philippines. He was a member of Dandridge First United Methodist Church. Services will be at 8 p.m. Tuesday at Dandridge First United Methodist Church. There will be an interment service at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Hillcrest Cemetery. |
| Burial | 17 May 1995; Hillcrest Cemetery, Dandridge, Jefferson County, Tennessee.4 |
Citations
- [S3359] Wyatt M. Nichols Sr.; The Nichols Book: Some Early Nichols Families in America, Their Origins and Histories; Cleveland, Ohio; Block Printing Company, 1962; page 70.
his wife, Mary Ellen. She is related to me on the Fox side. Alger married Mary
Ellen Fry, a fine young lady, in 1936. They live on the home farm near his
mother and have two sons, Merle, the oldest and Lynn the younger. Merle, while
serving in the air corps met a young lady from Iowa and was married in 1958.
Lynn is not married at this writing, and I am not sure whether he is serving in
the armed services or not.
Eunice, fourth child of Porter and Minnie Cox Slaton, married Elmer Franklin
of Jefferson County. He is a fine farmer and a fine man. They have three
children, namely, Kermit, Gail and!Curtis.
Ralph, fifth child of Porter and Minnie Cox Slaton, married Norma Belle
Reneau in 1940. They have two children, Everett and Gary. Ralph had a great
war record in World War II.
Conard, sixth child of Porter arid Minnie Cox Slaton, married Barbara J.
Cowles from Connecticut. Conard was well educated and served during World
War II. After returning from war, he was teaching in or near New Haven,
Connecticut. He met and married Miss Barbara Cowles. They have four children,
namely, Phillip, Pamela, Smart and Norma Dean.
Loretta, seventh child of Porter and Minnie Cox Slaton, married Reed Bull, Jr.
They have two children, namely, Linda and Brenda.
William, eighth child of Porter and Minnie Cox Slaton, married Dorothy Hart
from Morristown, Tenn. He is making a career in the Air Corps, and at this
writing is stationed in Iceland. This is 1959. They have two children, namely,
Dianne and Steven.
John Cox, oldest son of George and Loretta, is quite a fellow and a real farmer.
I could write a book about this fellow and still not tell half of the story. Of all
my male cousins he is no doubt my favorite. When I go back to Tennessee each
year I usually spend much of my time with him and his family. There are so
many things that I could write about him I scarcely know where to start. He has
always been full of energetic know-how and was always the first of the farmers
in the community to get modern machinery and other up-to-date implements
for farm use. In speaking of him most reverently many times he and I would
sit up until way late in the night and discuss some of the things that we did in
our younger days getting much laughter out of it. I do particularly want to speak
of his horse-trading back in the horse and buggy days in which he was a wizzard.
I think he beat everybody in that country in trading horses.
He probably inherited that technique from our grandfather, John Nichols,
who was a fine horse trader as you no doubt have learned in my writing of him.
I do want to reveal some of the trades that John and I have talked and laughed
about many times. One in particular, our grandfather gave him an old mule that
was probably about 20 or 25 years old. John brought him home and fattened him
up real good and got on a trade with Charles Roberts for the mule, and in fact he
probably skinned this man in more horse trades than any other individual in
Jefferson County. They finally traded, John getting $15.00 for the mule and
Charles boasting that he had got $35.00 for worse mules than that. Some time
later when Charles couldn’t trade the mule or hardly give him away, he was back
after John to make a trade. This trade included that same mule plus another horse
and the deal was made John told Charles Roberts just to make the check
70
- [S54] Eunice Slaton Franklin
- [S68] Obituary, Eunice Slaton Franklin
- [S68] Obituary, Elmer L. Franklin
- [S161] Social Security Death Index (ancestry.com), Elmer L. Franklin
- [S2] William Jackson Bryan
- [S798] WWII Army Enlistment Records (ancestry.com), Elmer L Franklin
- [S161] Social Security Death Index (ancestry.com)
- [S3451] U.S. Federal Census: 1920, McMinn County, Tennessee, Enumeration District 52, Dist. 2, page 68a, ancestry.com (1920 U.S. Census) viewed on 29 October 2025.
Enumeration District 52, Dist. 2, McMinn County, Tennessee, 2 Jan 1920
page 68a, Madisonville Pike, dwelling number 284, family number 313
Franklin Mack B. 31 head m m w farmer TN TN TN
Annie V. 33 wife f m w TN TN TN
Elmer L. 7 son m s w TN TN TN
Lorine 3 4/12 dau f s w TN TN TN
- [S3491] U.S. Federal Census: 1930, McMinn County, Tennessee, Enumeration District 54-6, Precinct 5, Dist. 2, page 106b, ancestry.com (1930 U.S. Census) viewed on 20 January 2026.
Enumeration District 54, Dist. 2-6, McMinn County, Tennessee, 10 Apr 1930
dwelling number 58, family number 59, gravel road
Franklin Mack B. 42 head m m@19 w farmer TN TN TN
Annie V. 43 wife f m@20 w TN TN TN
Elmer L. 17 son m s w TN TN TN
Lorine 13 dau f s w TN TN TN
Violet 10 dau f s w TN TN TN
Robert 7 son m s w TN TN TN
Gladys 5 dau f s w TN TN TN
Lucile 2 dau f s w TN TN TN
- [S221] Jefferson County Marriages
Nanna Belle Reneau
Female, born 9 Sep 1920, died 1 Aug 2006
Partner: Ralph Porter Slaton (born 15 February 1917, died 2 December 2005)
| Note | William Jackson Bryan reports that this may be Nannie Bell rather than Nannie Belle Reneau. |
| Name Sources | Nanna Belle Reneau.1,2,3,4,5 |
| Birth | 9 September 1920.4 |
| Parents | William R. Reneau and Ida L. Denton. |
| 1930 Census | 1930, Jefferson County, Tennessee. Nannie B. 9, daughter, female, single, white, born TN, father born TN, mother born TN. |
| Marriage | 13 October 1940; Nanna Belle Reneau age 20 and Ralph Porter Slaton age 23; Jefferson County, Tennessee.6 |
| Death | 1 August 2006; Jefferson County, Tennessee, age 85.3,4 |
| Death Record | Social Security Death Index Information. Name: Nanna B. Slaton Last Residence: 37760 Jefferson City, Jefferson County, Tennessee Born: 9 Sep 1920 Last Benefit: 37760 Jefferson City, Jefferson County, Tennessee Died: 1 Aug 2006 State (Year) SSN issued: Tennessee (Before 1951). |
| Obituary | Knoxville News-Sentinel [Knoxville, Tennessee]. 3 Aug 2006. Slaton, Nanna Belle Reneau - age 85 of Jefferson City, TN, passed away August 1, 2006. She was a member of George Street United Methodist Church and a retired employee of Magnavox. Preceded in death by: her loving and devoted husband of 65 years, Ralph Slaton. Nanna Belle was a loving and devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, sister and friend. She is survived by: sons, Jim and Janie Slaton of Dandridge, Gary and Claudia Slaton of Lake Mary, Florida; grandchildren, China and Nate Enright of Seattle, Washington, Eva and Richard Talley of Dandridge, Deke Slaton of Dandridge, Jody and Shaun Slaton of Lake Mary, Florida; great grandchildren, Will, Ty, Jake, and Kate Talley; loving brother, C. E. and Gail Reneau of Morristown; sister-in-law, Loretta Bull; brothers-in-law, John and Barbara Slaton, and Bill and Dorothy Slaton; several loving nieces and nephews. Special thanks to the caring and loving staff of Darby House. Funeral service will be held at 8:00 p.m. Thursday, August 3, 2006 from the Farrar Jefferson City Chapel with Reverend Ginger Isom officiating. Graveside interment service will be 10:00 a.m. Friday, August 4, 2006 at Jefferson Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. prior to the service at the funeral home. Arrangements by Farrar Funeral Home in Jefferson City, TN 37760 (865) 475-3892. www.farrarfuneralhome.com. |
| Burial | 4 August 2006; Jefferson Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Jefferson City, Jefferson County, Tennessee.3 |
Citations
- [S3359] Wyatt M. Nichols Sr.; The Nichols Book: Some Early Nichols Families in America, Their Origins and Histories; Cleveland, Ohio; Block Printing Company, 1962; page 70.
his wife, Mary Ellen. She is related to me on the Fox side. Alger married Mary
Ellen Fry, a fine young lady, in 1936. They live on the home farm near his
mother and have two sons, Merle, the oldest and Lynn the younger. Merle, while
serving in the air corps met a young lady from Iowa and was married in 1958.
Lynn is not married at this writing, and I am not sure whether he is serving in
the armed services or not.
Eunice, fourth child of Porter and Minnie Cox Slaton, married Elmer Franklin
of Jefferson County. He is a fine farmer and a fine man. They have three
children, namely, Kermit, Gail and!Curtis.
Ralph, fifth child of Porter and Minnie Cox Slaton, married Norma Belle
Reneau in 1940. They have two children, Everett and Gary. Ralph had a great
war record in World War II.
Conard, sixth child of Porter arid Minnie Cox Slaton, married Barbara J.
Cowles from Connecticut. Conard was well educated and served during World
War II. After returning from war, he was teaching in or near New Haven,
Connecticut. He met and married Miss Barbara Cowles. They have four children,
namely, Phillip, Pamela, Smart and Norma Dean.
Loretta, seventh child of Porter and Minnie Cox Slaton, married Reed Bull, Jr.
They have two children, namely, Linda and Brenda.
William, eighth child of Porter and Minnie Cox Slaton, married Dorothy Hart
from Morristown, Tenn. He is making a career in the Air Corps, and at this
writing is stationed in Iceland. This is 1959. They have two children, namely,
Dianne and Steven.
John Cox, oldest son of George and Loretta, is quite a fellow and a real farmer.
I could write a book about this fellow and still not tell half of the story. Of all
my male cousins he is no doubt my favorite. When I go back to Tennessee each
year I usually spend much of my time with him and his family. There are so
many things that I could write about him I scarcely know where to start. He has
always been full of energetic know-how and was always the first of the farmers
in the community to get modern machinery and other up-to-date implements
for farm use. In speaking of him most reverently many times he and I would
sit up until way late in the night and discuss some of the things that we did in
our younger days getting much laughter out of it. I do particularly want to speak
of his horse-trading back in the horse and buggy days in which he was a wizzard.
I think he beat everybody in that country in trading horses.
He probably inherited that technique from our grandfather, John Nichols,
who was a fine horse trader as you no doubt have learned in my writing of him.
I do want to reveal some of the trades that John and I have talked and laughed
about many times. One in particular, our grandfather gave him an old mule that
was probably about 20 or 25 years old. John brought him home and fattened him
up real good and got on a trade with Charles Roberts for the mule, and in fact he
probably skinned this man in more horse trades than any other individual in
Jefferson County. They finally traded, John getting $15.00 for the mule and
Charles boasting that he had got $35.00 for worse mules than that. Some time
later when Charles couldn’t trade the mule or hardly give him away, he was back
after John to make a trade. This trade included that same mule plus another horse
and the deal was made John told Charles Roberts just to make the check
70
- [S68] Obituary, Ralph Porter Slaton
- [S68] Obituary, Nanna Belle Reneau Slaton
- [S161] Social Security Death Index (ancestry.com), Nanna B. Slaton
- [S2] William Jackson Bryan
- [S221] Jefferson County Marriages