Carl Ellan Kelley was the daughter of Baptist minister C. L. Franklin and the half-sister of singer Aretha Franklin. She was born on November 17, 1940, but grew up apart from her father and his family.
Carl contacted her father when she was around 17 or 18. She later became part of the Franklin family and developed a relationship with her father and siblings. She had three known children and died in January 2019 at age 78.
Carl Ellan Kelley’s Profile Summary
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Carl Ellan Kelley |
| Date of birth | November 17, 1940 |
| Birthplace | Not publicly confirmed |
| Father | Rev. C. L. Franklin |
| Mother | Mildred Jennings |
| Raised by | Mrs. Cornelious Mayo Hill Berry |
| Famous half-sister | Aretha Franklin |
| Other siblings | Erma, Carolyn, Cecil Franklin and others |
| Children | Vivian Smith, Herman E. Wheatly III, Charles G. Smith |
| Grandchildren | Yes |
| Great-grandchildren | Yes |
| Known for | Being Aretha Franklin’s half-sister and C. L. Franklin’s daughter |
| Death | January 2019 |
| Age at death | 78 |
Early Life
Carl Ellan Kelley was born on November 17, 1940.
Her exact birthplace is not clearly confirmed in the available information.
Carl was raised by Mrs. Cornelious Mayo Hill Berry, who is identified in published accounts as her grandmother.
She grew up knowing the identity of her biological father, but she did not have a close relationship with him during her early childhood.
Her Parents
Carl’s parents were Clarence LaVaughn “C. L.” Franklin and Mildred Jennings.
A published account says Mildred was only 12 years old when Carl was born. Because this is a sensitive historical claim based on secondary reporting, it should be treated carefully.
Little other reliable information about Mildred’s life is available in the source reviewed.
Who Was C. L. Franklin?
C. L. Franklin was a well-known Baptist minister and the father of Aretha Franklin.
He was born in 1915 and became pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan.
Franklin became known for his preaching and was also involved in civil rights organizing during the 1960s.
He died in 1984.
Carl did not grow up in his household, and his other children reportedly did not initially know about her.
Carl Contacted Her Father as a Teenager
Carl reportedly first contacted C. L. Franklin when she was around 17 or 18 years old.
She was connected with a church in Memphis, Tennessee, led by A. R. Williams. The minister knew her father and encouraged Carl to contact him.
Carl wrote C. L. Franklin a letter.
According to the published account, Franklin did not immediately contact Carl directly. He instead spoke with the Memphis minister, who encouraged him to acknowledge Carl as his daughter.
Her First Visit to Detroit
A few months after making contact, Carl traveled to Detroit.
C. L. Franklin acknowledged her as his daughter, and Carl began meeting members of the Franklin family.
Her arrival reportedly surprised his children because they had not known about their half-sister.
A family member known as Rachel “Big Mama” Franklin reportedly welcomed Carl.
Her Relationship With Her Father
Carl Ellan Kelley and C. L. Franklin did not immediately develop a close relationship.
Published accounts suggest their relationship became more comfortable as Carl continued visiting him.
Carl later moved to New Orleans. During this period, her father reportedly sometimes had her beside him when he preached at church.
She also lived in Seattle later in her life.
By then, Carl and her father had developed a more established family relationship.
Who Was Aretha Franklin?
Aretha Franklin was Carl’s famous half-sister.
Born in 1942, Aretha became one of the best-known American soul singers and was widely called the Queen of Soul.
Her best-known songs include Respect, Think, Chain of Fools, and (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman.
Aretha and Carl shared the same father, C. L. Franklin.
Aretha died in August 2018 at age 76.
Carl’s Relationship With Aretha Franklin
There is limited public information about the personal relationship between Carl and Aretha.
However, Carl Ellan Kelley was reportedly included in one of Aretha’s wills.
A published account says a 2014 will attributed to Aretha Franklin left $50,000 to Carl.
Aretha’s estate later became the subject of legal proceedings involving multiple handwritten wills, so the reported $50,000 gift should be understood in that wider context.
Carl Ellan Kelley’s Siblings
Carl had several half-siblings through C. L. Franklin.
They included Aretha Franklin, Erma Franklin, Carolyn Franklin, and Cecil Franklin.
Several members of the family followed careers in music or religion.
Erma Franklin
Erma Franklin was a gospel and soul singer.
She was born in 1938 and became best known for recording the original version of Piece of My Heart.
Erma died in 2002.
Carolyn Franklin
Carolyn Franklin was also a singer and songwriter.
Carl Ellan Kelley reportedly did not meet Carolyn during her first period of contact with the Franklin family.
The available information does not explain much about their later relationship.
Cecil Franklin
Cecil Franklin followed their father into religious work and became a minister.
Little information is publicly available about his personal relationship with Carl.
Carl Ellan Kelley’s Children
Carl Ellan Kelley had at least three children:
- Vivian Smith
- Herman E. Wheatly III
- Charles G. Smith
The available source provides little information about their careers or personal lives.
Vivian Smith died before her mother.
Carl also had several grandchildren and great-grandchildren by the time of her death.
Was Carl Ellan Kelley Married?
Reliable details about Carl’s marriage or romantic relationships are not available in the information reviewed.
The identities of the fathers of her children are also not clearly documented.
The different surnames of her children are not enough to determine Carl’s marital history.
Education and Career
Carl’s education has not been publicly documented in the available source.
There is also no reliable information about her profession or career.
Although Aretha, Erma, and Carolyn worked in music, there is no clear evidence that Carl had a professional singing career.
Net Worth
Carl Ellan Kelley’s personal net worth was not publicly documented.
There is no reliable financial information available to support an estimate of her wealth.
Death
Carl Ellan Kelley died in January 2019 at the age of 78.
Her exact date, place, and cause of death are not clearly stated in the available information.
Her half-sister Aretha Franklin had died only a few months earlier, in August 2018.
Carl’s daughter Vivian Smith, her parents, and several other family members also died before her.
Carl Ellan Kelley’s Facts
- Carl Ellan Kelley was born on November 17, 1940.
- Her father was Baptist minister C. L. Franklin.
- Her mother was Mildred Jennings.
- She was raised by her grandmother, Mrs. Cornelious Mayo Hill Berry.
- She grew up apart from her father.
- She contacted C. L. Franklin when she was around 17 or 18.
- She later traveled to Detroit and met members of the Franklin family.
- Aretha Franklin was her half-sister.
- Her other half-siblings included Erma, Carolyn, and Cecil Franklin.
- Carl Ellan Kelley later lived in New Orleans and Seattle.
- She had three known children: Vivian Smith, Herman E. Wheatly III, and Charles G. Smith.
- She also had grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
- A 2014 will attributed to Aretha reportedly included a $50,000 gift to Carl.
- Carl’s profession and net worth are not reliably documented.
- She died in January 2019 at age 78
