19 Facts About Franklin Stearns

Franklin Stearns, was an American businessman who moved to Richmond, Virginia, and became one of the city's leading Unionists, for which he was imprisoned several times during the American Civil War.

When Franklin was 13, Simeon Stearns moved his family to Madison County, New York.

When he was 18, Franklin Stearns moved to Richmond, Virginia and worked on the James River Canal.

Franklin Stearns married Emmy F Haley, and they had one child, Zenus "Zeny" Barnum Stearns.

On September 2,1847, Franklin Stearns remarried, to Caroline Virginia Willey Stearns, and they had six children, of whom only Franklin Stearns Jr.

Franklin Stearns worked as an overseer for a Georgia railroad in 1836 and the next year moved to Richmond, Virginia, to work in a quarry for the James River and Kanawha Canal.

Franklin Stearns operated a distillery and wine bottling plant, and became a leading member of the Chamber of Commerce and one of the state's largest land owners.

The 1860 US census listed Franklin Stearns as owning $155,000 in real estate and $200,000 in personal property.

Franklin Stearns's distillery stood on 15th St between Main and Cary streets in downtown Richmond.

Evidence that Franklin Stearns was disloyal to the Confederate cause was collected after the arrest of the Universalist Church's Reverend Alden Bosserman who admitted to authorities that Franklin Stearns had advised him against opening his church on the day after the Manassas battle which was seen as not supportive of the cause.

However, Franklin Stearns let the Confederate Chimborazo Hospital use Tree Hill farm to graze its livestock.

On July 18,1865, Franklin Stearns received a pardon from President Andrew Johnson for his activities which aided the Confederacy, conditioned upon him never acquiring any slaves or using slave labor.

Franklin Stearns was elected to the Virginia General Assembly to represent Henrico County, along with JJ White.

Franklin Stearns served in the first session but was replaced by Z S McGruder for the session which began on December 3,1866.

Franklin Stearns acquired what had once been the Planter's Bank Building on Richmond's Main Street, and in 1868 erected rental housing and commercial office space, which was nicknamed the Franklin Stearns block.

Franklin Stearns was a director of several banks, and of the James River and Kanawha Canal Company, the Richmond and York River Railroad and the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway.

In 1869, Stearns traveled to Washington, DC, to meet with General Grant, provisional governor Henry H Wells, fellow Conservative Republican Gilbert C Walker of Norfolk and the Committee of Nine to discuss the future political status of Confederate veterans.

Many with more Confederate involvement than Franklin Stearns had received pardons and restoration of their civil rights after surrendering and signing loyalty oaths.

Franklin Stearns never married, and later retired to their Culpeper farm, Farley, where she cared for many dogs and cats but could not travel when elderly to continue the family's involvement in Episcopal Church activities.