In the fall of 1785, the Virginia General Assembly voted to create a new county in the southwestern part of the state. The new county, named after Benjamin Franklin, was formed from parts of Bedford and Henry Counties. In January 1786, the first court in Franklin County convened and the county government was established. Native sons who have risen to national prominence include African American educator Booker T. Washington and the only Confederate commander to lead an attack on Washington, DC, during the Civil War, Gen. Jubal A. Early. With an area of 712 square miles, the county includes...