Please see William Franklin Seymour
Family lore says that this man's name was “Willard Franklin Seymour”. In 1906 (4 years after his death), his grandson was named “Willard Franklin” (presumably in his honor).
However, recent research has revealed that his true full name was (and always had been) “William Franklin Seymour”. It would seem that the family got it wrong - and the new name stuck.
Here is a list of documents that show his name and how it was spelled. Note that there are seven documents created while he was alive that list his name as “William” - and none that list is as “Willard”.
The final clue against the “Willard” name is that he has a younger brother named “Willard”. This man was born when William was 12 years old. He later moved to Minnesota and was living near his older brother in the 1870 census – but then he died in 1871 at the age of 23.
| Date | Name on document | Description of document |
|---|---|---|
| 1850 | Wm | (census) |
| 1857 | Frank | (Minnesota state census) |
| 1858 | William Franklin | (marriage) |
| 1860 | Frank | (census) |
| 1863 | W F | (Civil War registration) |
| 1865 | W F | (Minnesota state census) |
| 1870 | W F | (census) |
| 1873 | William F | (Mabel's birth registration) |
| 1875 | Wm F | (Minnesota state census) |
| 1878 | W F | (Land ownership map) |
| 1880 | William | (census) |
| 1885 | William | (Minnesota state census) |
| 1896 | W F | (Land ownership map) |
| 1900 | Franklin W | (census) |
| 1902 | W. Franklin | {headstone) |
| 1902 | Wm. Franklin | (obituary) |
| 1903 | W. Franklin | (probate) |
| These documents were all created after he died | ||
| 1939 | Willard Franklin | “A History of the Seymour Family” p.211 |
| 1951 | Willard Franklin | (Leon Potterton's birth registry – reported by sister, Velona France) |
| 1958 | Willard | (Mabel's obituary) |
| ??? | Willard Franklin | “Our Eyota Neighbors of Pioneer Days, 1850s-60s” by Edith Price Wright |