Benjamin Franklin Eaves

Benjamin Franklin Eaves (1870-1953) was a pioneer horse and buggy medical doctor in Haralson County, Georgia. He was well known by all of the residents of Haralson County. He practiced medicine in Haralson Counties from the year 1898-1950. Eaves was also a farmer, and an owner of large amount of acreage in the Draketown area of Haralson County. Many families sharecropped on Eaves's land.

Childhood and early manhood Benjamin Franklin (Pank) Eaves was the third son of Claburn Camp Eaves. He was born April 27, 1870. He got the nickname “Pank” because his younger brother couldn't say Frank.

Eaves grew up on his father's, "Tobe" Eaves, farm in Haralson County on the Tallapoosa River. His mother, Mary Amanda Kirk, died when he was twelve years of age on May 4, 1882.

The job of cooking was given to Pank and his sister, Dora.

Once Pank's father told him to plow a field of stubble, but he was not to burn it off because it would kill the young apple orchard. Pank decided the stubble was too much for him and mule, Rhody. He thought he could make the job easier for himself and his mule by burning it. He did, but forgot to move old Rhody and she got her hair singed all over. This gave Pank's secret away to his father.

Education Eaves went to school at Piney Woods Church. He graduated from old Van Wert Academy in Rockmart, Georgia. He and his older brother, Taylor, walked from Rockmart, Georgia, to the Tobe Eaves farm on weekends. He even taught school for some time at Waco, Georgia.

Eaves entered medical college for Physicians and Surgeons in Atlanta, Georgia, now Emory University. Eaves enjoyed playing jokes on his friends. Such an example happened while training at the Medical School. He had been dissecting corpses that were obtained from the city when people were killed on the street and could not be identified. He decided to stay on after school hours, which was against the rules, to get his work finished. Then he would be ahead of the others. All alone he worked in silence. Hearing the janitor coming down the hall, he jumped on a dissecting table, covered himself with the white sheet like a corpse. Then the janitor entered the room with his mop and broom. Pank began to shiver, shake, and groan. Needless to say the school had to hire a new janitor. The old one never showed up again. Everyone wondered why, but Eaves. It was his secret.

Family genealogy May 1, 1901, Eaves married Miss Nettie Virginia Frazer (March, 1885 - February 12, 1954), daughter of Reverend George D. Frazer, a Methodist minister and school teacher, and Sarah Ellen Butler Frazer.

To this union five children were born: Eula Roxanna Eaves, Bessie M. Eaves, George Carl Eaves, William Taylor "Dub" Eaves, and Sarah Doris Eaves.

Horse hoof trimmer and cutter patented Hoof Trimmer and Cutter patented by H.F. Morris and B.F. Eaves Eaves and H.F. Morris patented a hoof trimmer and cutter. They applied for the patent on August 19, 1909, and the patent came through on April 18, 1911.

Maxwell automobile brought to Draketown in 1910 In the year of 1910, Eaves put the faithful old horse, Maude, out to pasture and bought his first automobile, a Maxwell. He could make his house calls quicker, but he still had the red mud and dust to contend with. He wore out many cars in his life as he rode over dirt roads.

The car certainly came in handy. In 1918, during World War One, he said he had visited as many as forty homes in a day and night where whole families were ill with influenza.

Tragedy strikes On August 22, 1924, Eaves's son, Carl, had been plowing and was trying to get in the mules when a thunderstorm approached. Before he could get the animals in safely, he was struck by lightning and killed instantly.

Murder in Draketown On November 13, 1924, Alice "Wildie" Adams Stewart, wife of Rev. Robert Stewart was shot twice by rum runners. Eaves told family and friends that if she had recovered, she would have been paralyzed the rest of her days.

Death He was an active member in the Draketown Baptist Church, a Mason (the Mason Hall was right beside his house in Draketown), active in the political and civic affairs of the county and state. Much of his practice was done as charity. He was an extensive farmer. He enjoyed walking over the crops seeing them grow.

Eaves died April 1, 1953, at the age of 83.

Nellie Frazier Eaves died February 12, 1954. Not a lot is known about Mrs. Eaves, except that she probably died due to complications that she had from "Sugar Diabetes".