Franklin County was one of the counties of New Zealand in the North Island. Franklin County took its name after the existing Parliamentary electorate of Franklin. This had evidently been named in honour of Lady Jane Franklin, the wife of Sir John Franklin, the Arctic explorer. Lady Franklin had visited Robert Maunsell's mission station at the Waikato Heads in 1841. In 1923 Franklin County covered and had a population of 9,730, with of gravel roads, of mud roads and of tracks. Chairmen of Franklin County Council Eight men served as chair of Franklin County Council during its 77-year existence: See also List of former territorial authorities in New Zealand § Counties References Counties of New Zealand Politics of the Auckland Region 1912 establishments in New Zealand 1989 disestablishments in New Zealand Former subdivisions of the Auckland Region