Franklinville

Variant name of place

Little Ease

Geographic position

39.6180° N, 75.0758° W

All related documents
Sources

http://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=gnispq:3:0::NO::P3_FID:0876497. http://www.franklinctr.com/history.php. “Little Ease.” Oxford English Dictionary Online. Web. 19 March 2014.

General note

The present day unincorporated community of Franklinville is located in southern New Jersey and was formerly known as Little Ease, because after an injury, a local sawmill worker exclaimed that he would be comforted by a little ease. In the 18th century, Little Ease served as a stop for travelers commuting between Philadelphia and Cape May. The name was eventually changed to Franklinville, which some speculate is because of Benjamin Franklin’s influence in the area. Alternatively, the term little ease refers to a type of prison that restricts the prisoner’s movement and is too small for him or her to remain comfortable.