Many of the Franklins seem to marry into celtic stock families, or possibly so. The Oak family (Levinah Oak m.Alexander McDowell, whose daughter Levinah married Ichabod Franklin), is thought to possibly be Welsh, and the McDowells (sometimes shown "McDole"), is an obvious celtic name. I don't have other examples at hand, and it is true that families did eventually intermarry outside their ethnic background.

Some of the following you probably already know, this will just help others viewing this forum get up to speed. Hopefully others will contribute some other source info as well (helping me get up to speed!).

I have the following on William and Joanna; and I have heard that there has been research which rules out William and Joanna as the parents of James Franklin Sr., though I have not seen the sources behind this research.

From the Genealogies of Woodstock (Connecticut) Families, pp.102-106, are some of the descendants of William and Joanna, only through their son Benjamin, as he is reportedly their only child in this source. William is called "of Boston in 1643," and child Benjamin is born in Boston 12 October 1643. The possible source in the book for Benjamin's birth is oddly Canterbury, CT, records, but the same note is applicable to the previous family on the same page, so it's likely a mistype. Also there is mention that "another William Franklin of Boston must have been the one executed" in Boston for cruelty to a boy servant (his apprentice sent from England, says Savage), the execution taking place in 1643-4. The other sources cited in the Woodstock Genealogies are: Sixth Report of Roxbury Commissioners, Boston 1884, containing Roxbury Church Records, pp.86, 187. Also for son Benjamin: Boston City Documents, No.130, p.15; Pope's "Pioneers," p.175 (cited below); Boston V.R.; Savage's Genealogical Dictionary, Vol.II, p.129 (cited below); Woodstock and Pomfret records; Child Genealogy. p.460; as well as the Middlesex county Deeds, mentioned below. About Benjamin, he is called "of Marlboro," died in Pomfret, 14 June 1726. m.(1) Katharine; m(2), Phebe; children: Joanna, b.1672; Sarah, b.1674; Benjamin, b.1676; Betty, b.1702; Mary, b.1690; and John, b.1692. It goes on to state that Benjamin bought 4000 acres from John Wampos alias White, near Marlboro; 2000 of which he sold 9 Nov 1689, to John Smith, of Boston, gunsmith, and the remaining 2000, 5 Aug 1693, to John Smith. An interesting item in the fotenotes cites the marriage of John Franklin and Ruth Wilson, and children Hopestill, Abel and Elizabeth, giving sources of Attleboro, Cumberland (which I haven't seen) and Rehoboth VRs, though it doesn't state why this is being given, but perhaps just to show that the ages for the births would rule out John, son of Benjamin, being the same one. An interesting item is that John, son of this Benjamin, is thought in the book to be grandfather of Hannah Franklin, (and her father named James) who is the one marrying Ichabod Franklin "of Winchester," on 17 March 1779 (as his second wife, after Molly Whitman). So, how did a descendant of James Franklin, Ichabod, meet this Hannah in Woodstock, if he did not have relatives there himself- if she is perhaps not even a cousin to some degree? Also of interest is that Hannah's brothers are said to be possibly Ezra and Wilson, but the footnote says that Wilson and Hannah's relationships with the family cannot be proven. Obviously they found Hannah and Wilson in their records, and didn't know what to do with them, so they made some assumptions. This is your Wilson Franklin who married Elizabeth Perry, which I see is son of Joseph Franklin and Abigail Daggett. As you must know, the Woodstock Genealogy only mentions Nathan and Calvin, as the others were born in Rehoboth, though I haven't seen where Alice was born.

"Pioneers of Massachusetts," by Charles Henry Pope, gives another story about William Franklin, however, as it cites sources "Middlesex Deeds VI: 84 (Woodstock Genealogies has that, plus: X: 204; XI: 80); and Rox. Rec. and W." I assume "W." is for Watertown, though I may be wrong, and Rox. is Roxbury. I would like to review both of these sources sometime to see what the exact information is, especially to verify any reference to the execution. I could not find W. in the list of abbreviations. "Pioneers" states the following on this William: "William, farmer, Newbury, 1638; rem. to Muddy River, Boston. He was executed in 1644 for the murder of his servant boy Nathaniel Sewall. Wife Joanna; ch. John b.14 (5) 1642 (who incidentally would be old enough to be father of our James and John, but no other info on him is included here); Benjamin b.12 (8) 1643, (cooper, Boston, had mortgage.of land 16 Aug. 1677, from John Wampos alias White)." John's birth month would therefore be July, and Benjamin's October.
Another William Franklin is mentioned in "Pioneers," migrating in a peculiarly similar path as the other William:
"William, blacksmith, came in the Mary and John, March 26, 1633-4. Settled at Ipswich. Rem.Newbury, thence to Boston. Adm. ch. 30 (11/January), 1640. Town Officer. Deposed 1 (12/February) 1652, ae about 45 years. relative to Wm.Ting's gift of land to his cousin John Francklin. (Book of Pos.43). He petitioned Parliament 6 July 1655, for a position, in view of his losses within the territories of Portugal, etc. It was favorably reported. He m. before April 2, 1641, Alice, daughter of Robert Andrews, q.v.; he m(2), Phebe. Ch. Elizabeth b. in Boston 3 (8/October) 1638, (m.6 (8/October) 1656, George May), Ebenezer d.24 (8/October) 1644, Eliezer b. and d. 1645. He d. in London. His est. was admin. in Boston July 28, 1658. The widow m. Augustin Lyndon; with whom she deeded one half of the houses and lands of the Franklin est. to George and Elizabeth May 2, 1660. (Register XXXVIII, 384). The only other Franklin in "Pioneers," is Martha, Boston, m.24 (8) 1650, William Phillips, Jr., which could lead to other clues possibly, depending upon whom she is related to.

Savage's Genealogical Dictionary gives several Franklins, but for William, it combines almost all of the above information into one William, stating that he married Alice Andrews, then Joanna, then Phebe, and simply adds that it is difficult to assign so many children to those of similar names. Pointing out information from Coffin, it adds that Eleazur, son of William and Phebe, is said by the Coffin source to be the son of the William executed in Boston (a year and a half prior to Eleazur's birth). There is also a William in Windsor mentioned, 1648 is all it says. I do find it interesting that the William who came on the Mary and John and married Alice Andrews was a blacksmith, as there were blacksmiths among the descendants of James via Ichabod- in fact Whitman Franklin and son (Thomas) Jefferson Franklin were blacksmiths. A study of Phebe who married Augustin Lyndon would perhaps prove some interesting connections between Phebe and her Franklin children/stepchildren, though there is mention of her deeding half the Franklin lands to daughter Elizabeth, and no others mentioned there. Savage gives two Benjamins, which further complicates our study, as it gives one, son of William of Boston, marrying Catharine, and having children Joanna, Sarah, and Benjamin. The other is said to be of Marlboro, marrying Phebe, and having Mary, and John. It is said that the two may perhaps be the same. Of the others mentioned by Savage are John of Boston, 1652, a cooper, perhaps brother of James of Dartmouth; John, Roxbury, 1664; Jonathan, Hadley, 1678; Josiah, Boston (father of famous Benjamin).

So mostly what it seems that we learn from all of this is that no one in the past has really taken the time to sort out all the information on the Franklins. I have only the beginnings of a Franklin database in Family Origins myself, which I hope will grow.