Origins

Laura Shelton Franklin, the oldest known child of Hardy and Mary Shelton, was born into enslavement, likely in Rome, Georgia and was likely enslaved in and near what would become Possum Trot, based on research. Like her siblings, her life was deeply tied to the land that would later become central to the family’s story. She worked alongside her family in Coosa, contributing to the foundation that allowed her father, Hardy, to purchase land at Possum Trot in 1874.

Migrations

Laura remained in Rome throughout her life and is believed to be buried at Possum Trot. On June 2, 1874, she married Pinkney Franklin, beginning a branch of the family that would carry forward across generations. Records also suggest that she may have been married earlier to a man with the surname Rowland, pointing to an additional layer of her story still being explored.

Family

Laura had twelve children, though only five were recorded as living in 1900—reflecting the profound loss and uncertainty that shaped many families during that time.Her surviving children included Ida, Eugenia “Jennie,” Hardy, Joel (Joe) Shelton Franklin, and Minnie Estelle—each establishing their own paths through marriage and family, extending the line into new regions. Through these branches, Laura’s descendants would move beyond Rome, reaching into places such as Ohio and beyond, forming connections that continue today.

Where her story remained, her legacy reached beyond—stretching north into new ground while staying rooted in the place it began.

Her story includes a beautiful love story—one that will be shared when we gather.

Find out more at our gathering.

All are bound by sacred ties to Coosa, Rome, and the land now known as Possum Trot.