FRANKLIN

franklin, a township of norfolk county, massachusetts, u.s.a., with an area of 29 sq. m. of rolling surface. pop. (1900) 5017, of whom 1250 were foreign-born; (1905, state census) 5244; (1910 census) 5641. the principal village, also named franklin, is about 27 m. s.w. of boston, and is served by the new york, new haven & hartford railway. franklin has a public library (housed in the ray memorial building and containing 7700 volumes in 1910) and is the seat of dean academy (universalist; founded in 1865), a secondary school for boys and girls. straw goods, felt, cotton and woollen goods, pianos and printing presses are manufactured here. the township was incorporated in 1778, previous to which it was a part of wrentham (1673). it was the first of the many places in the united states named in honour of benjamin franklin (who later contributed books for the public library). horace mann was born here.