By Hannah Buchanan
If walls could talk, Dessie L. Franklin’s former home, which according to Dessie and her family, “served its purpose,” could probably share an earful of past history.
Deemed more than 100 years old, the house Dessie called home for almost 20 years was torn down by city crews — but thanks in part to a HOME grant program from the city of Jacksonville, Dessie is one of six recipients of a newly built home.
“She loved it, it had plenty of room,” Sedric Franklin, one of Dessie’s four children said. “It didn’t have too many years left. It was a real, warm house.”
“I was glad I didn’t see them (city officials) tear it down,” Dessie added.
Before demolition, work crews and officials had to take the house because of its age, through a research process by the Cherokee County Historical Society, Sedric said.
“They (CCHS) said it was 126 years old,” Sedric said, “(and) they deemed it as not worthy to save.”
Dessie purchased the home in 1987 with the intent of working out of her home as a florist.
“The lady who owned it, her health failed, and that’s how I got it,” Dessie said.
Dessie and her son, Sedric, explained that the previous homeowner’s family members were debating on whether to rent or sell the house.
“I was so happy to purchase it,” Dessie said. “They told me they were going to sell it, and I said, oh really?’ I thought, ‘Oh my Lord — I could see everybody out in the front porch’ and when I found out (that in fact they were going to sell it), I thought, ‘Lord! Yes! Yes, this is it!’”
Sedric said they decided to apply for the grant, not knowing that she would be one of the six chosen to receive a new home.
Dessie said it was “by the grace of the good Lord,” that she was selected.
“I think this is a beautiful thing they are doing for people of fixed incomes,” Sedric said. “She hated to see the old house go, but it had its run.”
Dessie L. Franklin was born April 5, 1926, and is a life-long resident of Cherokee County.
She finished schooling in 1947 in Rusk schools. She raised her four children in the Mount Haven community. She also previously worked at a couple of dress factories, according to Sedric. Dessie’s husband, the late Rufus Franklin, was a city employee with the water department.
Retiring in 1992, as a florist, Dessie said she enjoyed working in her garden and decorating her home with flowers.
“I was a florist, and that made it so handy, I was so close to the funeral home,” Dessie said. “It worked out really good.”
Sedric added that nothing really exciting happened, but his mother, “just stayed home and rested up.”
“People would come in and visit. All my family could come by and stay for the weekend ... we dressed it up really pretty,” Dessie said.
Sedric said the house had big rooms, and his mother Dessie was on the front porch almost every day, “where she could watch everybody.”
“That’s what I did. That was my favorite room,” she said.
A few years ago, however, her home almost was “torn down” by nature.
“Three or four years ago, a pecan tree fell in the backyard and it barely missed the house,” Sedric said.
All in all though, Dessie said she is excited to finally see her completed, new home, which is on the same property where the old home once stood.
“Mom is anxious to get in it,” Sedric said.
“It’s just wonderful, I just can’t wait to get in there. It’s just a blessing. It’s going to be comfortable,” Dessie added.
