Franklin Stearns

Franklin Stearns
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from Henrico County
In office December 4, 1865 – March 3, 1866
Preceded by	n/a
Succeeded by	Z.S. McGruder
Personal details
Born	(1815-03-03)3 March 1815 Winhall, Vermont, U.S.
Died	10 June 1888(1888-06-10) (aged 73) Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Resting place	Shockoe Hill Cemetery
Spouse(s)	Emma F. Haley; Caroline Virginia Willey
Children	Franklin Stearns Jr., Irene Louise Stearns Halsey
Residence(s)	Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Occupation	distiller, real estate investor
Known for	Unionist during the American Civil War, post-war reconciliation

Franklin Stearns (March 3, 1815 – June 10, 1888), was an American businessman who moved to Richmond, Virginia, and became one of the city's leading Unionists, for which he was imprisoned several times during the American Civil War. When Union forces captured the Confederate capital in April, 1865, Richmond's mayor delivered the city's note of surrender to Union forces at Stearns' farm, Tree Hill which may become a park after development is completed. After the war, Stearns worked to restore Richmond, and three of his properties remain today, and are on the National Register of Historic Places.