1. Benjamin¹ Franklin. He married Safornia (Elizabeth).

Child of Benjamin Franklin and Safornia (Elizabeth) is:

2. Elizabeth² Franklin (Benjamin¹) was born 1859, and died 1949. She married J. D. Hall.

Notes for Elizabeth Franklin:

Elizabeth was born Laura Safrona Franklin in 1859, in Georgia. in 1861 her family moved by covered wagon to Arkansas. Her father joined the Confederate Army and was wounded and died in the Civil War. Her mother, intending to take Laura and her sister Molly back to Georgia, crossed the Mississippi River by ferry, but found that their Confederate money was no good -- stranding them in Memphis, Tennessee. Her mother died in the Cholera epidemic in Memphis, and the two girls were adoped by different parents. At the age of 9, Laura was christened "Elizabeth" and confirmed "Mary Gertrude" by her adoped Catholic parents, the Sullivans. The Sullivans died in the yellow fever epidemic in Memphis, and "Lizzie" was again on her own. She found work with Mrs. Johnston at Dave Block's Place that fall, and then in February moved in with the Hall family. One of their sons was J.D., who Lizzie married. Lizzie and J.D. had ten children, including only one son, altogether -- some of whom are not listed as they died at very early ages. Only the daughters who lived to maturity and had children of their own are listed. The son lived to the age of 21.

Children of Elizabeth Franklin and J. Hall are:

3. Beulah J.³ Hall (Elizabeth² Franklin, Benjamin¹) was born 1896 in Harrisburg, Arkansas, and died February 22, 1969 in Memphis, Tennessee. She married James Ralph Cox Bef. 1911.

Notes for James Ralph Cox:

According to family information provided by Reuben Sylvester Abbott, James Ralph Cox was born James Ralph Nelms/Nealms in Water Valley, Mississippi. At the age of 12, after a fight with his step-mother, he crossed the Mississippi River to Harrisburg, Arkansas, Poinsette County. He worked in a sawmill and did some logging. He had one arm almost severed (maybe left arm) -- He had a bad scar and his hand turned in. He married Beulah Hall when he was 26 years old. He died of scirosis of the liver. Mama Cox (Beulah) was a diabetic, and died of heart disease in 1969.

Betty Cox Dexter: "On May 16, 1948, with no invitations or previous announcements, relatives from Earle, Harrisburg, Greenwood, Memphis and everywhere else began to assemble at the plantation home of Mama and Papa Cox. Of course Papa Cox was sick and had been for some time, but no one knew that this was the day for his Homegoing. It was announced at the Assembly of God Church in Clarksdale that morning that we would all go to his home and have a prayer meeting with him that afternoon. When all had arrived, we knew that Papa Cox was in very serious condition. The doctor was summoned and came and tapped his enlarged stomach to drain away the pressure, but he left us with the message that he had done all he could.

"The walls of his room were lined with relatives and friends. James, Rubin and Buck had gone again for the doctor. You could almost hear the flutter of angels wings as they came to usher Papa Cox into the presence of God on that day. As Aunt Bessie went over to close his eyelids, people were rejoicing because the presence of God was so prevalent there that hour. Of course we are human and soon our hearts were saddened because we had not only lost our Dad, we had lost an understanding friend. He was one that you could go to with problems, and he could somehow help you to solve them and soon it was as if the problems had never been. He was a pal that you could share your joys with, and he rejoiced with you. Though this has been some 25 years ago (at this writing), I still miss him and there are times when I wish I could go to him and ask him for his advise that he could give with all manner of wisdom."

Children of Beulah Hall and James Cox are:

9. Ina Faye⁴ Cox (Beulah J.³ Hall, Elizabeth² Franklin, Benjamin¹) was born September 12, 1911 in Harrisburg, Arkansas, and died January 13, 1954 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. She married Rubin Lonzo Abbott, son of James Abbott and Minnie Williams.

Notes for Ina Faye Cox:

Betty Cox Dexter: "On January 12, 1954, Faye called Pastor and Mrs. Wolfe to come to her house to go over the books of the WMCs. You see, Faye was the secretary of this organization. When they got there they knew that Faye was very sick and insisted that she wait about the books and see about getting the doctor to see her. She told them that she felt that she should go over the books with them and be sure everything was in order before she got the doctor. After some time, the Wolfes knew that everything was fine as far as the WMC books were concerned. But things were not so good with her condition. She was sent to the hospital and stayed overnight. Sometime later in the morning of the thirteenth, Mama Cox called me on the telephone and told me Faye was not doing well. I called Sylvester, who lived around the corner from me, and Rubin who was at work. Soon after our arrival at the hospital room, we saw life ebbing from here and we had to bid her goodbye. Sister Faye, though she was our sister, mother, wife, aunt... -- was known as the sweetest Christian that ever was. Never was she disgruntled as many of us often get. She always had a hearty laugh with anyone who came by. She didn't have any strength to do a lot of things, but she always had a smile to give you. You never quite get over the vancies left when people like this are missing."

More About Rubin Lonzo Abbott:

Social Security shows spelling of name as "Ruben"

Children of Ina Cox and Rubin Abbott are:

Children of Mildred Cox and George Perry are:

Notes for James Richard Cox:

Betty Cox Dexter: "(Four days before his death) On January 17, 1951, a Wednesday night, there was a testimony service at the Clarksdale Assembly of God Church. This is almost a thing of the past, but they were vital to our Christian experiences in the beginning. I shall never forget James' testimony that night. He seemed a bit discouraged. But he had a ringing testimony. After stating that he had been undergoing some severe tests (I don't know what they were; maybe Rosie or some others know) he said, 'But I thank God for the word of God that said "and having done all to stand, stand therefore": This scripture is found in Ephesians 6:13-14. So he said I am standing in the Lord, knowing that He will take care of me, and give me strength to stand.

"On January 18th, Buck (Dexter)'s father died suddenly with a heart attack. We had gone to Earle for his funeral on Sunday, the 21st. Returning home to Clarksdale on that cold, January afternoon, a car crowded us off Highway 64, just out of Earle. James, Mama Cox, Rosie, Rubin, Rickie, Bess, Jackie and I were involved in the terrible tragedy that took James from us. I was pinned underneath the car -- and from this point, I saw James over in a ditch, his legs writing from one side to another, and Mama Cox had gone to him. She laid his head in her lap and there (you may be sure) she was calling on God in James' behalf. A miracle here is the fact that Mama Cox had a broken back. We have never fully understood why the Lord saw fit to take James. But we don't need to understnad, we just need to hold his hand."

Children of James Cox and Rosie Drew are:

Children of Kathleen Cox and James McGregor are:

Children of Betty Cox and Donald Dexter are:

15. Reuben Sylvester⁵ Abbott (Ina Faye⁴ Cox, Beulah J.³ Hall, Elizabeth² Franklin, Benjamin¹) was born June 08, 1930, and died July 19, 1993 in Arley, Alabama. He married Wanda Beryl Weeks in Clarksdale, Mississippi, daughter of Leon Weeks and Eva Higginbotham.

More About Reuben Sylvester Abbott:

Burial: July 1993, Arley First Baptist Cemetery, Winston County, Alabama

Children of Reuben Abbott and Wanda Weeks are:

More About James Thomas Abbott:

Burial: May 05, 1993, Blytheville, Arkansas

Children of James Abbott and Carolyn Weeks are:

33. Deborah Ann⁶ Abbott (James Thomas⁵, Ina Faye⁴ Cox, Beulah J.³ Hall, Elizabeth² Franklin, Benjamin¹) was born September 02, 1953 in Clarksdale, Mississippi. She married C. B. Jolley May 19, 1972 in Blytheville, Arkansas.

Child of Deborah Abbott and C. Jolley is: