Biography of Manoah Franks, pages 728 / 729.  History of De Kalb County, 
Indiana.  Inter-State Publishing Company, Chicago, 1885.

Manoah Franks was born in Wayne County, Ohio, April 17, 1827, the third son 
and fifth child of Peter and Julia (Fletcher) Franks, his father a native of 
Fayette County, Pa., born May 21, 1797, and his mother of Virginia, of 
English parentage.  His father was a son of Jacob and Sarah (Livengood) 
Franks, a grandson of Jacob and Barbara (Bradbury) Franks, and a great 
grandson of Michael Franks, who with three sons came from Alsace, Germany, 
to America in the early part of the eighteenth century.  A record of the 
Franks family for a period of 500 years is preserved by them, and is now 
extant in Ohio.  Our subject was reared on a farm, remaining with his 
parents till Manhood.  He received a fair education in the common schools of 
his county.  He was married Feb. 7, 1849, to Lucinda, daughter of William 
and Mary (Hackett) Mackey, the former a native of Ireland and the latter of 
Pennsylvania, of French descent.  In the spring of 1851 Mr. Franks, with his 
wife and one child, moved to Indiana and bought 160 acres of land on section 
12, Allen Township, Noble County.  It was heavily timbered land, but after 
building a small cabin for his family he went bravely to work to clear it 
and make a home.  When he reached Indiana, after paying for his land, he 
had just money enough to buy a cow, ten bushels of wheat and two bushels 
of corn.  Possessed of unlimited energy, he improved his land, and for 
twelve years made Noble County his home.  In 1863 he bought the farm in 
Richland Township, De Kalb County, where he resided for twenty-two years, 
moving back to the old homestead in Noble County in the spring of 1885.  
His farm in De Kalb County contains 131 ½ acres of fine land, all well 
improved.  Mr. and Mrs. Franks have had three children, but two of whom 
are living.    John, the eldest, was born in Wayne County, Ohio, Oct.8, 
1850, and died of consumption at the homestead in De Kalb County, Ind., 
Sept. 8, 1872.  Marion and Mary (twins) were born at the homestead in 
Noble County, Ind., June 8, 1854.  Marion married Minnie Britton and lives 
on the old homestead in De Kalb County.  Mary married Francis L. Britton, 
of Richland Township.  Mr. and Mrs. Franks are members of the Methodist 
Episcopal church.  In politics he is a Democrat.

Submitted by:
Arlene Goodwin
Auburn, Indiana
Agoodwin@ctlnet.com