Franklin Hanford

Born in Chili, New York, on November 8, 1844, Franklin Hanford was raised in western New York and pursued a military path from a young age. Archival and naval-history sources describe him as a career U.S. Navy officer who graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1866 and later retired with the rank of rear admiral.

After leaving active service in 1903, he settled in Scottsville, New York, where he farmed and devoted more time to historical interests. Library and archival records consistently note his work as an amateur historian, especially his interest in western New York and American history.

For readers today, he is most likely to be encountered through Did Betsey Ross Design the Flag of the United States of America? (1917), a concise historical study that questions a famous national story by weighing the available evidence. That mix of naval discipline, civic curiosity, and plainspoken research gives his writing its distinctive character.