1894
G.W. Franklin
FounderGeorge Washington Franklin opens the firm in the era of horse-drawn hearses, becoming Chattanooga's first African American funeral director and embalmer.
Our story
Caring for Chattanooga since 1894.
For more than 130 years, one family has answered the same calling. This is the story of the Franklins, and of the city they have served through every generation.
The beginning
A first for Chattanooga.
In 1894, in the era of horse-drawn hearses, George Washington Franklin opened the doors of his funeral home and became Chattanooga's first African American funeral director and embalmer. The horse and carriage he drove still live on in the mark above our door.
From the start, the firm was built on a simple promise: to serve every family with compassion, dignity and respect, no matter who they were. That promise has been handed down, father to son, generation to generation, ever since.
G.W. Franklin · Founder, 1894The generations
The family who carried it forward.
1900s
Benjamin Franklin
Second generationG.W. Franklin's son Benjamin carries the family vocation forward, serving Chattanooga families through the early decades of the twentieth century.
1930s
Mabel Franklin Taylor
A daughter's devotionMabel Franklin Taylor joins her brothers in the family business, helping guide the firm through a changing city with the same compassion her father set in place.
1952
John P. Franklin Sr.
Namesake & civic leaderJohn P. Franklin Sr. leads the firm alongside his siblings. In 1971 he becomes the first African American elected to the Chattanooga City Commission, later serving as the city's first Black vice mayor and 20 years as commissioner of education.
Today
The Franklin Family
Fourth generationJohn Sr.'s children, Cheryl Franklin Key and John 'Duke' Franklin, continue the tradition as a family-owned and operated firm, serving Chattanooga with the care their family began over 130 years ago.
A legacy beyond our doors
It is truly an honor and a privilege to work alongside my children to continue my family's commitment over the years, serving Chattanooga families with a high level of compassion and care during their times of need.
John P. Franklin Sr. Namesake of our firm · First African American elected to the Chattanooga City Commission
Today
The same family, the same promise.
Today the firm is led by John Sr.'s children, Cheryl Franklin Key and John "Duke" Franklin, alongside a team of licensed directors, embalmers, pre-need specialists, insurance agents and notaries. We remain proudly family-owned and operated, just as we have been since 1894.
National Funeral Directors AssociationTennessee State Funeral Directors & Morticians AssociationNational Funeral Directors & Morticians, Inc.