History: Parish Firsts, Franklin Parish, LA. Contributed by DeWanna Lindo April 2001 Source: Franklin Parish Library Clipping 7-7-1976 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm **********************************************   Parish Firsts The firm of Stokes and Franks was the first large commercial business in the small city of Winnsboro. ------- The succession of S.A. Kirby, Monroe, La. was the first filed in Franklin Parish. Mr Kirby died June of 1836. ------- The first estate record was that of James McMullen, deceased, 29 April A.D. 1843, Probate Record Book A, P. 1. Ralph Price was appointed curator of the vacant succession by Manford S. Osborn, Parish Judge. -------- The only parishioner to serve as Governor if only for a few days, was the architect Joshua H. Baker, who designed a new courthouse which was completed in 1868. That same year Baker was appointed pro tempere governor from July 1, 1868 until July 13, 1868, when he was replaced by the federal Reconstruction appointee, a Negro named Clay Warmoth. -------- The first white men to view the part of Louisiana, which is now Franklin Parish, were Hernando DeSoto (1500-1542), a Spanish soldier- explorer of America and his followers. These Spanards began travelling up the Mississippi River in 1541. A map of his travels shows that one of his camps sites was on Deer Creek, at or near where Gilbert now stands. ------- The first sale recorded in notarial records was on April 29, 1843. John M. Sherrouse of Franklin Parish sold to Charles T. Sherrouse some tracts of land, buildings and slaves for $3000. Witnesses, Charles R. Webb and B.B.Bruce before Mansford S. Osborn, P.J. ------- The first and only family to be entertained as personal, non political guest of a President at the White House were, the Osborn gentlemen hunters, pioneer settlers of Macon Rodge and founders of the Osborn Settlement. They visited President Theodore Roosevelt.