Franklin County, AL
History
Franklin County was created by an act of the Territorial Legislature on February 6, 1818, almost two years before Alabama became a state. The county was named for Benjamin Franklin and originally contained parts of Colbert County. Franklin County is located in what was once territory occupied by the Chickasaws, Cherokees, and Creeks. In 1806, former vice president Aaron Burr hid for two weeks in Dismals Canyon, located in the town of Phil Campbell in the northeastern part of the county, to avoid arrest on treason charges after being discovered attempting to raise an army and take over the southern United States. In 1820, the federal government completed Jackson's Military Road (named for Gen. Andrew Jackson), which shortened travel time between Nashville and New Orleans, through portions of Franklin County. In 1840, the county became one of the leading iron manufacturers in the state. Iron produced at the Cedar Creek Iron Works aided both the Mexican War and Civil War efforts. The furnace was destroyed in July 1864 during Union general Lovell H. Rousseau's raid through Alabama.Source: http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1338