Franklinton, Louisiana
Encyclopedia
Franklinton is a town in and the parish seat of Washington Parish
, Louisiana
, United States
. The population was 3,657 at the 2000 census. It is an average of 155 feet (47.2 m) above sea level.
Located 61 miles (98.2 km) north of New Orleans, the town's name is pronounced locally as "Frank-lin-ton".
Franklinton is part of the Bogalusa
Micropolitan Statistical Area.
A Franklinton physician
, Jerry Thomas
, represented Washington Parish in the Louisiana House of Representatives
from 1988–1999 and then served from 1999-2004 in the District 12 seat in the state senate
, having succeeded Phil Short
of Covington
, who resigned. Dr. Thomas was the Washington Parish coroner
from 1980-1988.
. In 1826, representatives and citizens from both communities showed up at the state capitol in Baton Rouge
to state their cases to keep the name "Franklin". A compromise was reached by the Louisiana Legislature, allowing Franklin
in St. Mary Parish to retain its name, while Washington Parish's parish seat would be known as Franklinton.
Franklinton became the parish seat of Washington Parish on February 10, 1821, two years after the parish was carved out from St. Tammany Parish
.
Much of Franklinton, as well as most of Washington Parish, sustained damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
on the grounds that the defendant had not received a fair trial. The decision cited that he was tried, convicted and sentenced within ten days of his arrest.
, the town has a total area of 4.2 square miles (10.9 km²), of which, 4.1 square miles (10.7 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.95%) is water.
of 2000, there were 3,657 people, 1,366 households, and 878 families residing in the town. The population density
was 882.8 people per square mile (341.1/km²). There were 1,536 housing units at an average density of 370.8 per square mile (143.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 47.01% White, 51.87% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.19% Asian, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.49% of the population.
There were 1,366 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.9% were married couples
living together, 21.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 83.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $20,955, and the median income for a family was $27,957. Males had a median income of $25,268 versus $16,337 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $11,273. About 24.0% of families and 31.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.3% of those under age 18 and 28.7% of those age 65 or over.
Washington Parish Fair Website
Washington Parish, Louisiana
Washington Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. Its parish seat is Franklinton. In 2000, its population was 43,926....
, Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 3,657 at the 2000 census. It is an average of 155 feet (47.2 m) above sea level.
Located 61 miles (98.2 km) north of New Orleans, the town's name is pronounced locally as "Frank-lin-ton".
Franklinton is part of the Bogalusa
Bogalusa, Louisiana
Bogalusa is a city in Washington Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 13,365 at the 2000 census. It is the principal city of the Bogalusa Micropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Washington Parish and is also part of the larger New Orleans–Metairie–Bogalusa...
Micropolitan Statistical Area.
A Franklinton physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, Jerry Thomas
Jerry Thomas (Louisiana politician)
Jerry Aroe Thomas is a family practice physician in Franklinton, Louisiana, who served in both houses of the Louisiana State Legislature from 1988 to 2004. In 1979, at the age of twenty-six, Thomas was elected coroner of Washington Parish, the easternmost of the Florida Parishes in the...
, represented Washington Parish in the Louisiana House of Representatives
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
from 1988–1999 and then served from 1999-2004 in the District 12 seat in the state senate
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
, having succeeded Phil Short
Phil Short
Philip Granville Short, known as Phil Short , is a retired military officer formerly of Covington, Louisiana, USA, who served in the Louisiana State Senate from District 12 from 1996 to 1999...
of Covington
Covington, Louisiana
Covington is a city in and the parish seat of St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 8,483 at the 2000 census. It is located at a fork of the Bogue Falaya and the Tchefuncte River....
, who resigned. Dr. Thomas was the Washington Parish coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
from 1980-1988.
History
Franklinton was founded in 1819, originally under the name of Franklin, but in 1826 the name was changed to Franklinton since there was already another town with the same name in St. Mary ParishSt. Mary Parish, Louisiana
St. Mary Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Franklin. As of 2000, the population was 53,500.The Morgan City Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of St. Mary Parish.-Geography:...
. In 1826, representatives and citizens from both communities showed up at the state capitol in Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
to state their cases to keep the name "Franklin". A compromise was reached by the Louisiana Legislature, allowing Franklin
Franklin, Louisiana
Franklin is a city in and the parish seat of St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 8,354 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Morgan City Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
in St. Mary Parish to retain its name, while Washington Parish's parish seat would be known as Franklinton.
Franklinton became the parish seat of Washington Parish on February 10, 1821, two years after the parish was carved out from St. Tammany Parish
St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
St. Tammany Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana, in the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area. The parish seat is Covington....
.
Much of Franklinton, as well as most of Washington Parish, sustained damage from Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Lynching
On January 11, 1935, a small group of men forced their way into the Washington Parish jail in Franklinton early on January 11, shot and beat an African American man convicted of murder to death, dumped his body alongside a lonely road three miles (5 km) from town and dispersed. The man had been tried, convicted and sentenced within ten days of his arrest. The body of the victim, Jerome Wilson, 30, was found on the road two hours later. Wilson was convicted in August of slaying Deputy Sheriff Delos C. Wood in a gun fight on the Wilson place. Aroused from his cot, the terror stricken man pleaded for mercy. His pleas were followed by screams for help. Then a bullet was fired into the back of his head. Officers expressed the belief that the man was shot because his cries would arouse parish authorities, who twice had thwarted attempts to lynch him. The body was dragged to a waiting car. Five days earlier a new trial was granted to Wilson by the Louisiana Supreme CourtLouisiana Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Louisiana is the highest court and court of last resort in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The modern Supreme Court, composed of seven justices, meets in the French Quarter of New Orleans....
on the grounds that the defendant had not received a fair trial. The decision cited that he was tried, convicted and sentenced within ten days of his arrest.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 4.2 square miles (10.9 km²), of which, 4.1 square miles (10.7 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.95%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 3,657 people, 1,366 households, and 878 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 882.8 people per square mile (341.1/km²). There were 1,536 housing units at an average density of 370.8 per square mile (143.2/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 47.01% White, 51.87% African American, 0.11% Native American, 0.19% Asian, and 0.82% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.49% of the population.
There were 1,366 households out of which 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 38.9% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 21.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.7% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the town the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 8.6% from 18 to 24, 23.4% from 25 to 44, 22.1% from 45 to 64, and 19.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 83.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 77.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $20,955, and the median income for a family was $27,957. Males had a median income of $25,268 versus $16,337 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $11,273. About 24.0% of families and 31.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 41.3% of those under age 18 and 28.7% of those age 65 or over.
Economy
The town's economy is based heavily on agriculture, forestry and some commercial industry.Arts and Culture
The Washington Parish Free Fair, the largest free fair in the US and the 2nd largest county fair in Louisiana , is held in the third week of October of each year at the Washington Parish Fair Grounds in Franklinton.Washington Parish Fair Website