Robert Toombs Franks is the Great Great Grandfather of Cherie Franks Harbison
Robert Toombs Franks was born 27 July 1846 in Washington County, Georgia, the 5th of at least 6 children of John and Lucy Franks. From an early age, he learned farming and did that for most of his life.
At age 16, he enlisted in Company I (Turner Guards) 59th Regiment Georgia Infantry. The unit saw action in both the eastern theater – Gettysburg, Wilderness, Spotsylvania, Cold harbor, Petersburg - and the western theater – Chickamauga, Chattanooga, Knoxville. The Regiment suffered 69 casualties at Wilderness and Spotsylvania. In April 1865, they found themselves in Appomattox Courthouse, Virginia, an on 9 April 1865, 15 officers and 21 men of the Regiment surrendered. Thirty-seven of those were from Company I.
Robert returned to Washington County, Georgia, and in 1869, he married Mary Meeks. Together, they had at least 9 children. Robert continued farming until around 1918. He spent his last few years living with a daughter and her husband.
Robert remained semi-active until two weeks before his death on 5 March 1932. He was buried next to his wife in Poplar Springs Cemetery in Washington County, Georgia.