Background
Franz, Frederick William was born on September 12, 1893 in Covington, Kentucky, United States. Son of Frederick Edward and Ida Louise (Krueger) Franz.
religious organization official
Franz, Frederick William was born on September 12, 1893 in Covington, Kentucky, United States. Son of Frederick Edward and Ida Louise (Krueger) Franz.
Student, University Cincinnati, 1911-1914.
He learned German and could read Latin and Greek and in later years learned Spanish, Portuguese and French and a basic understanding of Hebrew. He was baptized as a Bible Student on either November 30, 1913, or, according to Franz, April 5, 1914. Upon the death of Watch Tower president Joseph Rutherford, Franz became head of the editorial department, and in 1945 he replaced Hayden C. Covington as vice-president of the Watch Tower Society.
Franz was the Society"s leading theologian and has been named as a leading figure in the preparation of the Witnesses" New World Translation of the Bible.
Franz continued to contribute to Watch Tower Society literature until his death in 1992 at the age of 99. He was succeeded as president of the Watch Tower Society by Milton G. Henschel.
In 1920 he joined the Watch Tower headquarters staff in Brooklyn, New York and in 1926 became a member of the editorial staff as a Bible researcher and writer for the Society’s publications.