Franklin Jackes was a devout Reformer before and during the Upper Canada Rebellion of 1837, and was a supporter and personal friend of William Lyon Mackenzie. He was a member of the Committee of 1 000 which asked Sir John Colborne to dissolve parliament in 1831, and was elected to Toronto’s first city council to represent St. David's Ward in 1834. In that year he moved to have Mackenzie elected as the first mayor of Toronto by the council. He was also commissioned as a justice of the peace in 1837, despite having taken part in the Upper Canada Rebellion in the same year. He was also a member of the Toronto Agricultural Committee, and was the first warden of the York County, Ontario for two terms from 1850–1851, as well as the first reeve of the Township of York for the same period. His eldest son, William Jackes, also served on the council of the Township of York and was elected deputy reeve for a total of six terms.