Franklin County, was established in 1784 from lands obtained from the Cherokee Nation. Descendant counties include Jackson in 1796, Madison in 1811, Habersham and Hall in 1818, Hart in 1853, Banks in 1858, and Stephens in 1905. The county seat is Carnesville.


(Note: Unless otherwise stated, all deeds are from Deeds of Franklin County, Georgia: 1784-1824. Abstracted and compiled by Martha Walters Acker. 1976. Extracted by Birdie Totty McNutt, whose notes appear in brackets.)

16 Jul 1790 [Deed Book C, page 70, 70b] Deed dated 16 July 1790, rec. (no date), from James SPRATLIN (also SPRATLING)[SPRADLING] and wife Winifred to John HELMS, all of Wilkes Co., Ga. In consideration of 100 pds., conveys 460 acres in Franklin County on waters of Marburies Creek., grant to said SPRADLIN 24 May 1787. Wit: William OWEN (x), Willis MILLER. Sworn to by OWEN and MILLER before W. M. HAMMETT, J. P. 13 Dec. 1790.
Signed "James SPRATLEN, Minifred <sic> SPRATLEN (x)."

[BTM: This is James SPRADLING and his wife Winifred formerly of Franklin County, GA on Marbury/Mabry Creek somehow kin to my David SPRADLING of Franklin, Wilkes Co., GA & also Warren, Dickson & Hickman Co's., TN. Not sure how W. M. HAMMETT would fit in with this family but thought it interesting to find the surname HAMMETT with my SPRADLING surname.]


27 Dec 1795 [Deed Book KKK, Page 27-29] DEED dated GA. 31 Mar. 1795, recorded 27 Dec. 1795, from the heirs of Charles FINCH deceased, as follows: William FINCH, Susanna FINCH, Betsey FINCH, Burdett FINCH, Thomas WILLINGHAM and wife Judah, all of Oglethorpe County Georgia, and Mark SAUNDERS and wife Nancy, James COOMBER* and wife Fanny of Hancock County, Georgia, Charles FINCH, William ANDERSON and wife Sarah of Wilkes County Georgia, and from the executors, Joyce FINCH, and Richard COOPLAND to Isaiah GOLDSBY of Oglethorpe County. In consideration of 60 (?) pds., conveys 300 acres in Franklin County on waters of Big Shoal Creek., being part of 1000 acres granted to Charles FINCH, deceased, 20 Aug. 1789, on Pickens Trail and the Oglethorpe County line.
Signed: "William FINCH (x), Susanna FINCH (x), Elizabeth FINCH (x), Burdett FINCH, Thomas WINGINGHAM, Judith WINGINGHAM, Marke SAUNDERS, Nancy SAUNDERS, James COMER*, Fanny COMER* (x), Charles FINCH, Fanny FINCH, William ANDERSON, Sarah ANDERSON, "Acknowledged by William, Susannah, Burdett FINCH and Thomas and Judith WINGINGHAM before Jno. LUMBKINS, J.P. 27 April 1795. Acknowledged by Mark and Nancy SAUNDERS, James and Fanny COMER* before Anderson COMER*, J.P. Hancock Co. 6 April 1795. Acknowledged by Charles FINCE " and his..." Fanny FINCH before Jno. POPE, J.P. Wilkes Co. 21 April 1795. Acknowledged by William and Sarah ANDERSON before S. COSBY, J.P. Wilkes 23 April 1795.

[* Indexed as COOMBER, COMER]

Related Records from other counties:

(Early Records of Georgia Vol II, page 110 Wilkes Co. GA, p. 294)
FINCH, Charles, power of atty to Micajah Anthony to convey to Geor. HARESTON of Henry County, VA, two tracts of land in said county adj land of said HARESTON and sold to him by my son, Wm FINCH. Aug. 1, 1791. Sydnor COSBY, J.P., Wm. ROGERS, J.P.

(Early Records of Georgia Vol I, page 293 Wilkes Co. GA, p. 76)
_____DARDIN, John to Henry BUTT 400 acres on Holly creek of Broad river including the two shoals which might answer for a mill. Jan. 28, 1789. Chas. FINCH, Josame Zoslene, Philip Guise, Test.

1800 Oglethorpe County, Georgia Census

p. 1
FINCH, Joyce - 01100-10111-06

p. 9
COMBS, John - 21101-31001-04

[BTM: It is interesting to see the ANDERSON and COMBER/COMBES? families tied together in this deed along with "a" Anderson COMER/COMBES? and a William & Sarah [FINCH] ANDERSON. We now have a wife named "Fanny" FINCH for the James COMBS? of Hancock Co.,[m: 4 Jan 1794, Oglethorpe Co] with ties to Franklin County, Georgia, through their father Charles FINCH and mother Joyce FINCH<VBG>. Sometime later a Peter COMBS gets married in this same county. Since my brick wall is around my Peter Anderson COMBS and who his parents are, I found it even more interesting to find a mention of both "a" Anderson COMBS and "a" Peter COMBS connected to the same county of Franklin. Any body know who these COMBS belong to? I know there are many ties in this county to our COMBS of Tennessee. I have extracted most of the HARDIN surnames along with my SPRADLING surnames PLUS a few more of interest to our Group. This James COMBS is likely KIN somehow to the John COMBS in the above census record, could he be a son, brother?]


17 December 1808 [Franklin Co. GA Deed Book 1784-1826 Page 78]
DEED dated Franklin Co. 17 Dec. 1808, recorded 5 December 1809, from Zebediah PAYNE of Franklin Co. to Gabriel MARTIN of same. In consideration of $225, conveys 156 acres in Franklin Co. on Dosses Crk. being part of land granted to Thomas PAYNE, adj. Drury HUTCHINGS "and 90 acres taken off across the upper end of said tract" and William WILEY. Wit: Nathaniel PAYNE, Thomas PAYNE, Moses PAYNE. Elizabeth PAYNE (x), wife of Zebediah, relinquished her dower right same date.
Sworn to by Moses PAYNE before Joshua HUDSON, J.P. 11 OCt. 1809.

[BTM: Nathaniel PAYNE and wife Susan _Unknown_, were the parents of Susan PAYNE, born abt 1814, who married 13 Apr 1833 in Grayson County, Virginia to Zadock COMBS. According to the COMBS archives "It is not known where or when Nathaniel PAYNE died", but before he went to Warren County, Tennessee, he was in Franklin County, Georgia per the Deed above. Also Sarah FINCH ANDERSON was of Franklin Co. Georgia and married to a William ANDERSON. It would be interesting to know if the William P. ANDERSON mentioned with Nathaniel PAYNE was one and the same or a descendant of the same William ANDERSON, husband of Sarah FINCH, daughter of Charles FINCH. Also of additional interest is the mention of Benjamin WOOTEN, formerly of Franklin County, GA, as was my ancestor David SPRADLING and Nathaniel PAYNE who are both found in records together in Warren County, Tennessee.

1812 Sep 21 (Warren Co, Tennessee Deed Book A: 1808-1818, p. 330. Abstracted and compiled by Betty Moore Majors, Mountain Press, Signal Mtn, TN, 1992)330) dtd/11 Jun 1812. reg 21 Sep 1812. William P. ANDERSON of Nashville, Davidson Co, TN to Nathaniel PANE <sic> of Warren County, for $500.00... 250 acres on Hickory Creek.. Benjamin WOOTEN's corner.]

CH Note: No evidence that I know of that the Nathaniel of Warren TN was either the same as Nathaniel of Grayson VA or the same as the Nathaniel of Franklin GA... but (a) Martin JOHNSON'S brother, William is said to have m Tisha COMBS, and their son, James Martin JOHNSON was b in GA in 1806 (where we don't know), and (b) their next door neighbor was Daniel PAINE who m Sylvy COMBS, ancestry also unknown, of course.


13 Nov 1817 (Franklin County GA Marriage Records, extracted by Combs Researcher Barbara S. Mathews) Peter COMBS md. Elizabeth COLLUM


1920 Franklin County, GA Census

Welborn District

p. 244B - Carnesville Road

9/9 COMBS Jno. C. Head m B 52 m SC SC SC Farmer
Fannie Wife f B 41 m SC SC SC
Cephus Son m B 16 s GA SC SC
Clephus Son m B 16 s GA SC SC
Bonner Son m B 14 s GA SC SC
Thurman Son m B 12 s GA SC SC
Etoniaul Daughter f B 10 s GA SC SC
Geo. C. Brother m B 47 Widowed SC SC SC

p. 245A - Martin and Lavonia Road

18/19 COMBS L.C. Head m B 41 m GA GA GA
Bertha L. Wife f B 33 m GA SC GA
Carl Son m B 18 s SC GA GA
Nannie Daughter f B 15 s GA GA GA
Clarence Son m B 13 s GA GA GA
Robert L. Son m B 9 s GA GA GA
Claude A. Son m B 6 s GA GA GA
F. B. Son m B 3 s GA GA GA
Ernell Daughter f B 1 s GA GA GA

p. 245B - Near-Carnesville Road

31/33 COMBS John H. Head m B 23 m GA GA GA Farmer
Beulah Wife f B 19 m GA GA GA
Mamie Lou Daughter f B 1 s GA GA GA


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