It is well known that many roads in North Fulton are named after pioneer families that settled on them, often in the 19th century or earlier. Descendants of the settlers sometimes still live on or near the roads. Such is the case of Francis Road in Milton which has a normal history of hardworking rural family life but also had its share of drama and celebrity.
In the mid-1980s Fulton County proposed construction of a 476-acre solid waste facility bound by Francis Road, Highway 9 and the Forsyth County Line. Local residents were strongly opposed which led to several years of hearings and bitter disputes. In 1990 after five years of fighting, the County Commission voted to sell the property. The result was the construction of the Crooked Creek development of 640 homes and golf course.
Francis Road is also the home of Canine Assistants, a wonderful non-profit organization that trains and places service dogs with people who have serious mobility problems. Founded in 1991, the organization has placed more than 1500 service dogs.
Francis Road was the home of Aubrey Morris (1922-2010) a beloved journalist with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution from 1945 through 1957 followed by a 30 year career with WSB radio.
Francis Road is not particularly long, only about two miles from Highway 9 to the roundabout on Hopewell Road. It is not known with certainty when the first Francis settled on what was probably a dirt pathway or wagon trail. Only one of the early homes is still standing. It was built prior to 1885 at the corner of Francis and Thompson roads by John Francis (1865-1939)-for a dentist named John Doss. According to Charles Francis who grew up in the house, Doss cut a hole in the floor next to the dentist chair so patients could expectorate conveniently during a procedure.
Charles’ grandfather C.A. (Charlie) Francis (1887-1964) purchased the…
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