My Genealogy Hound

FRANK FRANCE, Ballard County, was born March 15, 1842. He is the first of four children born to William H. and Lucinda (Richardson) France. His father was married four times, and had two children by his first wife, four by his second marriage, three by his third, but none by his fourth wife. Frank was reared in Evansville, Ind., and Henderson County, Ky. He received his education at Evansville, Ind., and at the age of fourteen years was engaged at painting; afterward he ran as fireman; afterward as engineer on the Evansville & Crawfordsville, Terre Haute, Alton & St. Louis and Missouri Pacific Railroads. He enlisted in July, 1861, in Company G, Twenty-fourth Indiana Volunteer Infantry, under Thomas Johnson, as captain, and A. P. Hovey, colonel commanding. He took part in the battle of Shiloh and was discharged in the winter of 1862-63; he returned to Evansville, Ind., where he engaged in running an engine on a railway; he reenlisted in Company G, One Hundred and Forty-third Indiana Infantry, was commissioned second, then as first lieutenant in the summer of 1865. In the winter of 1866-67 he went to Mobile, Ala., and thence to Memphis, Tenn., where he engaged as painter for the Memphis branch of the Louisville & Nashville Railway one year; thence he went on a farm in Graves and Ballard Counties four years; then engaged in mercantile business in Turner, Ballard County, for six years. In 1883 he moved to Wickliffe, where he engaged in the livery and undertaking business. In June, 1884, he established the Journal at Wickliffe, starting with a circulation of 800. He was married June 21, 1869, to O. E. Nance, of Graves County, native of Trigg County, and daughter of W. S. and D. A. Knight, natives of Virginia and Christian County, Ky., respectively. Had born six children: Fannie I., W. H. S. (deceased), Merrit W., Frank L., Nora E. and Hamer A. Mrs. France is a member of the Christian Church. Mr. France is a Master Mason.