Quiet Hands, Public Storms: Franklin Bennett Roof and His Family

Basic Information

Early life and family background

Franklin Bennett Roof is mostly listed as a husband, parent, and tradesman in official sources. The resulting picture shows a working father whose life progressed largely unnoticed by the public until incidents involving his kid brought the family under close attention. According to reports, he has been married and divorced, has had three children from various relationships, and has done manual labor by constructing and fixing houses.

The pattern includes marriage and divorce. According to reports, there was a marriage to Amy (also written as Amy Cotes or Amy Cowles), followed by a partnership and marriage to Paige Hastings (occasionally listed as Paige Mann). The family apparently lived in South Carolina and the Florida Keys for a number of years, a sort of migratory arc that had varying effects on the children.

As is often the case, family life was full with contrasts. Even if a carpenter makes meticulous joinery, the house of family dynamics is still incomplete and has visible seams. The late 1980s for previous marriages and the early 1990s separation and reconciliation events preceding Dylann’s 1994 birth are dates that serve as a reference point for that era.

Personal and family relationships — members introduced

The family is a web of siblings, spouses, step-parents, and the quieter adults who raised children.

• Dylann Storm Roof, son — Born April 3, 1994, identified publicly as Franklin’s son; much public attention around the family centers on events connected to Dylann.
• Amber Roof, daughter — Described in reporting as an older daughter; present in family narratives as a sibling with a generational gap.
• Morgan Roof, daughter — A younger daughter, identified as a half-sibling to Dylann; Morgan’s name appears in local reporting separate from the 2015 national coverage.
• Amy (Cotes/Cowles), mother of Dylann — Reported in court and public filings as a former spouse or partner.
• Paige Hastings / Paige Mann, later partner — Reported as a later spouse or partner who functioned as primary caregiver in some periods and who appears in divorce-related filings.

These relationships are messy and human. They are also shaped by the legal documents and court filings that later became part of the public file. The names above are the way the family has been presented in those public records.

Career, financial profile, and public achievements

Franklin’s public occupational identity is straightforward, if modest. He is described as a carpenter and construction worker, a trade that suggests practical skill and steady labor. There is no widely reported evidence of publicly recognized awards, major business enterprises, or disclosed personal wealth. The public record does not present corporate filings, asset statements, or other documents that would allow a fuller financial profile.

A table of known career-related facts

It is important to note that lack of public detail does not mean lack of livelihood. Carpentry is an honest trade, often private. The public light that fell on the family did not spotlight business ledgers.

Public attention and recent mentions

At specific times, the family’s public presence becomes more intense. June 17, 2015, is the most notable date that altered the family’s public image. The events of that day resonated in newsrooms, courtrooms, and casual conversations. In the years that followed, details of the family life appeared in court documents, divorce papers, and sporadic local news stories. In the late 2010s, for instance, local reports made reference to a younger family member.

Franklin has not received much attention from the public as a public figure outside of the family setting. Instead, the focus is on court filings, family histories, and the fallout from incidents involving his kid. Like a footprint in sand at low tide that is momentarily visible before the sea smooths it over, Franklin’s own private journey is left faint in the media by this pattern.

Extended timeline

Dates are markers along a line. They do not exhaust the interior of family life, but they provide structure for understanding the seasons the family passed through.

Public record boundaries and privacy

Public records reveal certain filings, such as marriage and divorce documents, and the identities of family members. Private details are not part of that public ledger, and they remain private. The boundary between public and private is porous in this story, because legal filings and news coverage pulled some threads into daylight while other threads stayed in shadow. Respect for ordinary privacy suggests caution when pursuing more granular personal details.

FAQ

Who is Franklin Bennett Roof?

Franklin Bennett Roof is publicly identified as a carpenter and the father of several children, including Dylann Storm Roof.

What are the names of his children?

Reported children include Dylann Storm Roof, Amber Roof, and Morgan Roof.

When was Dylann Storm Roof born?

Dylann Storm Roof was born on April 3, 1994.

What is Franklin’s occupation?

He is described in reporting as a carpenter and construction worker.

Was Franklin married?

Public filings and reporting reference marriages and partnerships, including to Amy (Cotes/Cowles) and later to Paige Hastings, sometimes reported as Paige Mann.

Did the family move?

Yes, reporting indicates the family lived primarily in South Carolina and spent several years in the Florida Keys around the mid-2000s.

Are there public financial records for Franklin?

No widely reported public financial disclosures, business filings, or verifiable net worth details were found in mainstream reporting.

Is Franklin a public figure?

Franklin is not widely known as a public figure independently; public attention on him arises chiefly from family-related events.