Frankfort Township lies west of Cave and south of Benton. It took the name of the
county seat that was located within its confines.

There were two causes that contributed to Frankfort's dense population in the
early history of the county. First the opening up of Kaskaskia-Shawneetown road
through Frankfort and second, the location of the county seat on the hill in the township.

The early settlers were Elijah Ewing, Thomas Roberts, John Crawford, Solomon Clark and Moses Garret. The families were in the township at an early date - as early as 1810 or '12. The families coming later were the Ices, Fitts, Rotramels, McClintocks, Martins, Bryants, Walls, Pinkstone, Cars, Estes, Ross, Cunninghams, Rains, Willinows, Nolens, Moores, Bennetts, Melvins, Neals, Newmans, Harrels, Sinks, Dimmicks, Evans, Bonors, Colemans, Maddoxs, Hays, Woods, Dorris and others, and from this stock of people have come some of the best people in the county.

The county seat was established in this township, and Frankfort town - the oldest in the county, became famous as in inland trading center.

Fitts Hill and Old Greenville were trading posts for there day, but have long since been forgotten by most of the people of Franklin County.

West Frankfort is a thriving city on the C. & E.I.R.R. The towns of West Frankfort and Old Frankfort now contain a population of 12,000 or more.

The schools of Frankfort Township are: Crawford's Prairie, Neal, Deering City, West Frankfort, Frankfort Heights, Wall Town, Garrett's Prairie, Weaver and Union.

The churches are:Baptist, West Frankfort, Frankfort Heughts, Crawford's Prairie and Pleasant Grove; Methodist - Frankfort, West Frankfort, and Antioch; Christian - West Frankfort; United Brethren - Bonor.

The township politically is Republican.

John Hand is the present supervisor.

[(1918) Franklin County History Centennial Edition by H.M. AIKEN]