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Please add profiles of those who were born, lived or died in Franklin County, Illinois.
Official Website
Franklin County was established on January 2, 1818 and formed from parts of Gallatin and White counties. It was named for Benjamin Franklin.
The high levels of gas found in Franklin County's coal deposits have resulted in mining disasters and explosions over the years. Between 1905 and 1968, there were eleven mine disasters. In 1905, the Zeigler No. 1 mine, located in Zeigler, had an explosion that killed about fifty people. In 1917, an explosion in Old Ben Mine No. 11, located in Christopher, killed 17. The worst explosion occurred in 1951, in the Orient No. 2 Mine in West Frankfort, in which 119 people died.
Adjacent Counties
Cities
- Benton (County Seat)
- Christopher
- Orient
- Sesser
- West Frankfort
- Zeigler
Other Villages, Townships & Communities: Barren, Benton, Browning, Buckner, Cave, Denning, Eastern, Ewing, Frankfort, Freeman Spur, Goode, Hanaford, Macedonia, Mulkeytown, North City, Northern, Royalton, Six Mile, Thompsonville, Tyrone, Valier and West City
Links
Frankfort Area Genealogical Society
City of West Frankfort Genealogical Society
