BIOGRAPHIES

Wesley P. Franklin

WESLEY P. FRANKLIN, of Sweet Grass county, is a native of Owen county, Ind., where he was born March 15, 1837.  His parents were John and Mary (Puett) Franklin, both of whom were born in North Carolina.  The father was one of the early settlers of Indiana.  In 1850 he removed to McLean county, Ill., where he resided until his death in 1857.  Wesley received a common school education and assisted his father on the farm.  When his father died he began farming and raising stock on his own account.  In 1886 he came to Montana by way of the Northern Pacific Railroad, and located near Big Timber, where he first took up a squatter's claim on Fish creek, bout thirty miles from the town.  There he engaged in the sheep business in company with his son, Herschel P., who had come to the state before him and had managed the business since 1881.  They remained on Fish creek until the fall of 1886, then moved to their present ranch, which was known at that time as the Puett ranch.  In 1889 they purchased the ranch, which comprised 480 acres.  To this day they have added by purchase, homestead, pre-emption and desert claims until they have 9,330 acres, of which about one-third is under effective irrigation, and all is well fenced.  In 1898 they sold all their sheep and since then have dealt only in cattle, wintering on an average of 500 head, the Galloway being their favorite breed.  They also do an extensive business in buying and shipping cattle.

On March 23, 1858, Mr. Franklin was united in marriage with Miss Hannah Puett, a native of Indiana.  They are the parents of four children, Estella, Herschel P., Lillian and Daisy.  In politics Mr. Franklin is a Democrat, but not an active partisan, and has never sought or held an office of any kind.  He is a member of the Christian church, and is held in high esteem as a man wherever he is known.

Source: Transcription from the book, Progressive Men of the State of Montana, author and publication date unknown, page 1073, located on the website, Internet Archive (http://archive.org), accessed 27 June 2022.

 BACK TO TOP