BENJAMIN FRANKLIN "FRANK" WILKERSON was the son of Meredith William Wilkerson and Anne Lawrence.

Frank's father Meredith was born in Feb. 1784 in Prince Edward Co., VA, the son of Lovell Gerard Wilkerson and Nancy Ann Perkins.
Meredith Wilkerson married Anne Lawrence, of Kentucky, about 1814. Her parents and exact birth location are not known.
Meredith may have had an earlier marriage and some children from that union. In 1815, Meredith purchased land on Stone's Creek in Wilson Co., TN and was later taxed for 120 acres. Meredith was a farmer who provided good educations for his children. Two of his sons became Physicians. Meredith died 1851 in Wilson Co. and is probably buried on his farm.
After Meredith's death, Anne and their unmarried daughter Elizabeth, moved to Nashville. They lived with Anne's daughter Harriett, who had married William Washington Goodwin.

Frank was in Nashville before 1850. He purchased farmland on Murfreesboro Pike (near the TN Insane Asylum) that became known as Wilkerson Station. Eventually there was the Wilkerson Train Depot, the Wilkerson Post Office, and a Wilkerson store on his land, which he also farmed. He built a lovely home for his family.

September 14, 1852, he married Mary Ann Elizabeth "Bettie" Sanders in Rutherford Co., TN. They had 6 sons and 6 daughters. (See Link to Bettie where there is a photo of Frank with all his 12 children, and info about their children not yet Linked.) Frank raised his children as Methodist, and the family attended the Methodist Church in Antioch. He also provided all his children the best possible education. Two of his sons, John Morgan and William Wesley, were Representatives in the TN General Assembly.

In 1860 Frank owned 2 female Slaves, ages 20 and 1. Since there is no record of Frank, or his father, being Slave owners prior to this, the 20-year-old female Slave may have previously been owned by Frank's father-in-law Wiley Sanders, of Rutherford Co., TN, who owned 14 Slaves in 1860.

Frank and Bettie were married for 45 years before her death. In 1898, Frank married Mary A. Jennings, a spinster. Frank purchased the Wilkerson Family Plot here at Mt. Olivet.

Frank's siblings were:
1. Elizabeth, b. 1814, d. aft. 1860, never married.
2. Sarah, b. 1815, d. abt. 1848, m. Lytle Bryant; died Wilson Co., TN.
3. Jonathan Wesley, 1817-1901, m. Marticia Hope; died Montgomery Co., TN
4. Dr. Isaac James, 1819-1904, m. 1st Elizabeth J. Chambers, and 2nd Sarah J. Buford; died Wilson Co., TN.
5. Harriet F., 1824-1863, m. William Washington Goodwin; died Davidson Co., TN.
6. Louvenia C., b. 1830, d. aft 1880, m. Peyton G. Weatherford; died Wilson Co., TN.
7. Samuel Wyatt, 1832-1909, m. 1st Martha C. Jolly; moved to Grayson Co., Texas; Civil War soldier - Pvt. Co B, 34th Texas Calvary CSA; m. 2nd Martha Ann Cox Crenshaw; died Love Co., OK.
(See photo at Find a Grave Memorial 14147817)
8. Dr. Jerman B., b. 1834, d. aft 1886; m. Martha A. Taylor; (last record of him is in Dyer, Co. TN in 1886)