Nancy Elvira Franklin Grant

Note, headstone date of 1874 may be wrong. The 1900 Census says Jan 1880; the 1910, 1930. 1940, 1950 Census all give birth year 1880; the 1920 gives it as 1882. Death certificate gives it as Feb 1877. 1st marriage gives it as about 1878 and 2nd marriage gives it as 1881.

Reference for her middle name: her daughter, Texie Grant.

She was a slender lady with blue eyes and blonde hair

Daughter of Andrew "Andy" Franklin and his wife, Elizabeth "Betty" Wadkins/Watkins. She was born in Swain County, North Carolina, USA.

Wife of John Wesley Grant

She was married in Swain Co., NC 4 SEP 1899

The marriage certificate says:

John W. Grant, 21, son of A.M. and Lucinda Grant, to Elvira Franklin, 21, daughter of Andy and Betty Franklin.

She lived on Bee Branch on the Silvermine Community of Swain County, NC. Part of her log cabin is still standing (was solid until someone tore the chimney out to get the flagstone rock).

She had a brother, John Harvey "Harv" Franklin, and a sister, Kate Franklin-Find A Grave Memorial# 83486297 - (Kate Franklin Hayes). After her Mother's death, her father re-married to Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bowers.

She liked to dress up in men's clothing and play pranks on people too and enjoyed a good laugh. She almost got shot one time playing a prank on her daughter Texie who thought a strange man was outside the window of the house!

She also played a prank like that once on Lou Styles (61387572), her best friend who lived on Silvermine near the Rock Church; she was dressed up in men's clothes, had hat pulled over her eyes and was chasing Lou around the table; Lou was screaming! Lou's husband ran in the house, saw the "man" after his wife and almost shot her! Nancy took off her hat and laughed. These stories have been verified by family and passed down. A few times she was mistaken for her brother, Harv, going up the hill onto Bee Branch, driving the horse/wagon. She had the hat pulled down over her face and hair pulled back. She liked to fool people that way. Edd Grant saw her as he was driving the wagon up the steep part of Bee Branch and moved his wagon over to let her pass, says, "Hello, Harv!" and "Harv" waved; then he got to the top of the hill and there was the real Harv. That was verified by Edd Grant's children, Pauline and Vergie Mae.

Nancy attended Silvermine Baptist Church. This was down Bee Branch and then up Silvermine Road (her son would later pastor that church).

Great-granddaughter Linda said: "When she was very young I stayed overnight with Grandma Nancy and listened to her telling ghost stories late into the night. She then took the only oil lamp in the cabin with her. My cousin (Rosalie Taylor) and I who were staying there with her were very frightened!"

Note to family who question her place of death: Her usual residence at time of death was still Bee Branch on Silvermine/Swain Co NC but she had gone to stay with her son Ottis before she died; she was taken to hospital while there and died there... the hospital was in Jamestown, NC. There was some question about if she was staying with her son Wesley or her son Ottis but her Granddaughter, MayBelle McMahan Hogue cleared that up ---she told me her niece, ML, she was present when Grandma Nancy died, she remembers that well as they all took turns holding her hands; Ottis and Arizona had taken care of her the last few months of her life and she died in the hospital near them, in Jamestown, NC.

BIO by Mountain Links

Children:

Daughter of Jim/James Wright and Nancy Franklin (unwed):

1. Cordelia Wright b 19 JUN 1897 (m. Berry Mashburn) 17381357

Nancy Franklin married Johnny Grant 4 SEPT 1899 Swain Co.

Children of Johnny Grant and Nancy Grant:

2. Nellie Hazel Grant (m. Edward Harrison Grant Sr.)

3. Wesley Monroe Grant (m. Vada "Vader" Myrtle King)

4. Texie Jane Grant (m Zebulon Vance Grant)

5. Jesse James Grant (m Velma Roper)

6. Zell Grant(m. Walter Lee Tabor)

*Johnny died JAN 1910*

Her daughter, Myrtle's maiden name was Taylor and her death certificate gives her father's name as Will Taylor but before she died, Nancy confessed that Myrtle's real father was a Lowery. This is very confusing because Will Taylor's death certificate also gives his father's name as Lowery; death cert. was reported by Will's youngest Brother, Raleigh Taylor (source: family members/descendants, personal interviews, ML).

Child of Mr. Lowery and Nancy Grant:

7.Myrtle Taylor (1m. George Chambers 2m. Earl Hogue)

Younger children of William H. "Will" Taylor and Nancy Franklin Grant (unwed):

8. Otis Loyd Taylor (m. Nota Arizona "Arizona" Styles)

9. Ila Taylor (called "Iller") m. Clarence McMahan

Biography: Mountain Links

References, Family knowledge of Grandma Nancy, Interviews with her son Jesse and Jesse's wife Velma (next generation down in our famiily), interviews Jesse's sister our Aunt Texie, Interviews with other grandchildren (siblings and cousins) including Linda, Bud, Evelyn, Pauline & Vergie (Ed's daughters). Research at Swain County Register of Deeds office: Birth records, death certificates, marriage records.