Clinton County, Indiana - Chapter 16: City of Frankfort, 1913

Business Enterprise

Clinton county has cause to lie proud of its county seat, as an up-to-date, go-ahead city, which its residents have rationally and successfullv endeavored to make a desirable home city. Tts development, in every wav. has been largely the result of its own enterprising and public-spirited people, for it had almost no natural advantages, and the mere fact of its being the seat of county government did little for it until transportation facilities and local inducements for immigration had been secured. Tt is these that explain its continued growth in the recent years when the county, as a whole, has lost population.

The foundation of the town began with a donation of sixty acres for the site: and while the donors of course expected an advantage from the donation, as contributors to public enterprises usually do. the return was necessarily remote. Under the conditions existing in 1830. the building of an inland town that should cover more than sixty acres was something for which there was little reasonable ground to hope; and the subsequent events included verv little return for the donation, as has already been set forth.

The exact character of the donation has never been full}- explained in any local history: and inasmuch as it is an essential feature of the history of the founding of Frankfort, the following statement by D. P. Pence is here given as absolutely accurate. Pie looked up and compared all the records, and his father was William Pence, one of the founders.

on which Frankfort was located; William Pence the half section lying north of the John Pence tract; the south line of William Pence's tract being near where Barner street is now. Nicholas Pence entered the half section lying north of the William Pence tract, being what is now known as the Derrick farm.

"These lands were entered in 1827 and '28. The three brothers came here from Warren county, Ohio, and made this their home from that time on. When the town came to he located, two sites were contending for the honor, one at Jefferson, then quite a town. The location of the county seat at Jefferson was pushed by Abner Baker and others who had bought land all round Jefferson. The other location is where Frankfort now is. This location was pushed by the three Pence brothers and many of the pioneers who had more recently bought and settled in the vicinity. The Pence brothers had entered into an agreement among themselves that John Pence should offer the county commissioners sixty acres of land on which to locate the county seat.

"In order that the three brothers should be equal givers, Nicholas Pence paid William Pence for twenty acres of land. William Pence then deeded to John Pence forty acres, being the twenty acres Nicholas Pence had paid him for and twenty acres that William Pence donated, making the donation of each of the brothers twenty acres of land. This donation and $100 in money finally located the county seat. The sixty acres given centered where the public square is now. This sixty acres, when it was platted, did not make full lots, streets and alleys. The commissioners therefore bought a strip of land fifty feet wide on the northwest and south of the original tract.

The town was named Frankfort because the three brothers so asked. Thev were of German ancestry, their great grandparents coming from Germanv, where they had lived near Frankfort-on-the-Main. George Pence was the father of these Pence brothers, and was born in Buckingham county, Virginia. He was the father also of Jacob Pence and Polly Pence, who married Abraham Aughe. Peter A. Pence was a half brother and went to California in 1849. These were all born in Rockingham county, Virginia."

The earliest description of Frankfort is in Scott's Indiana Gazetteer of 1833, and is as follows: "Frankfort, a post town and seat of justice of

Clinton county. It is situated on the South Fork of Wildcat, and near to the margin of a beautiful prairie. The situation is pleasant and surrounded by a large body of fertile land; but the town, since its establishment, has not had time to make much progress in population or improvements. It was laid off in 1830, and has at this time about one hundred and fifty inhabitants.

The hazy and inaccurate description of the location indicates how little was known of the place in the outer world; and on the usual basis for estimating population this statement would indicate about thirty families in the town as the result of three years growth. The next description is in the Indiana Gazetteer of 1850, as follows: "Frankfort, the seat of justice of

Clinton county, is situated near the center of the county, on the west side of Prairie Branch. This town was laid out in 1830. and the first house was built by Col. S. D. Maxwell in August of that year, but the population did not increase much until 1832. There are in Frankfort eight stores, five lawyers, five physicians, and five churches, one for each of the following denominations: Old School Presbyterians, Episcopal and Protestant Metho- dists, Christians and Associate Reformed. Frankfort is forty-one miles north northwest of Indianapolis; twenty- four southeast of Lafayette, twenty-six northeast of Crawfordsville. and thirty-seven southwest of Logansport."

Redfield's Indiana Gazetteer and Shipper's Guide of 1865 has this brief statement: "Frankfort, capital of Clinton county, 42 miles X. X. YV. of Indianapolis. Ship to Thornton : also to Midway and Lafayette, on the Lafavette and Indianapolis railroad. Pop. in iSho, 773: now about 1.000; countv. $14,505.'' Another estimate of the population in 1865 was 850: but a verv thorough census, taken in August. 1SS6, showed the population to he 905. and the number of voters. 218.

The first house built on the town site was a log structure erected by S. D. Maxwell in 1830, on lot 41. at the southeast corner of the square, known as the Paris corner. Others soon followed and business began. At the Xovember term of the county commissioners. X. T. Catterlin and John FI. Dunn were licensed to "vend foreign and domestic merchandise." and forthwith opened stores in Frankfort. John McCain and Isaac Claypool followed a little later. It has been said in earlier histories that "The first hotels were kept by Samuel E. Holliday, Samuel Mitchell and Thomas McClure;" but if so they were verv informal affairs. The "hotel" was unknown in Indiana at that time. Travelers stopped at "taverns." Moreover liquors were retailed at onlv two places, taverns and groceries, and both were required to be licensed, which was no simple process.

license had to present a certificate of ''twenty-five respectable freeholders" not only to his good moral character and the desirability of a tavern at the place named, but also that the applicant had "a good house, with at least three apartments, and a stable convenient to said house with at least four good stalls: and further that such applicant is the owner of at least two beds and bedding, over and above what is used by his or her family, and all other furniture proper and necessary for a tavern 'that he has 'at least one spare room and two beds and bedding." Further he had to give $500 bond that he would ''not permit any gambling, rioting or disorderly conduct:" nor sell on Sundays ''except to travelers nor sell to any intoxicated person. An applicant for a grocery or retail liquor license had to have the certificate of twentv-four freeholders to all but the lodging and stable qualifications.

Henry Fudge got a liquor license at Frankfort in March, 1832, and changed in May. 1832. to a joint license with X. T. Catterlin to "vend foreign and domestic liquors and merchandise. The first tavern license in Frankfort was granted to Peter Kraps, on November 6. 1832, but there remains no evidence that he actually took out the license. The onlv tavern licenses recorded in 1833-4 in the county were John Ross. John Hollingsworth. James Watt and John Smith - the last named being located at the now extinct town of Prairieville.

The best known of the early Frankfort taverns was the Blake House, a hewed-log structure that -tood for many years at the southeast corner - Pari- corner - of the public square: and was kept by John Blake until his death on August 21. 1854. It was kept later, under the same name, by William Campbell. Tames Laugton and others. Its chief rival was the Indiana House, on the west side of the square, kept by J. S. Adair: then by Isaac Cook : then by G. W. Wilson : then by John Allen, who called it the Allen House. In the summer of 1854 Thomas Baker, who operated a stage line, opened Baker's Hotel on the north side of the square. In December he sold to William Schaefer, who called it the Frankfort House, and later it was known as the Schaefer House. In 1876 the Coulter House was built by J. H. Coulter. It has been enlarged by taking in adjoining buildings, and still remains the principal hotel of the city.

The first effort to incorporate the town of Frankfort was in 1843, an^ the onlv remaining record of it is the following entry by the board of county commissioners on June 6 of that year: "Now come sundry petitioners of the town of Frankfort and submit to the board their petition praying for the incorporation of the town of Frankfort and its additions, which is not granted in consequence of not having the legal number of voters or petitioners." On March 2, 1846, another petition was presented, signed by "two-thirds of the qualified voters," the signatures being verified by Cyrus P. Pence. The commissioners ordered an election on the question of incorporation on March 14, and. though they make no record of the result, it evidently carried, for on June 2, 1846. they ordered "the corporation line of Frankfort extended one mile east, south and west from the public square, and north to the township line, so as to embrace all of section 3 for road purposes," and from that time on Frankfort is always spoken of as an incorporated town.

The town government in those days was not a very extensive affair, as may be seen from the following "exhibit of the receipts and expenditures of the Corporation of the Town of Frankfort for the year ending April the 30th. 1854," as attested by L. McClurg, clerk of corporation.

Receipts

There certainly was no great encouragement for a town government in these figures, and perhaps that accounts for the following editorial, under the heading, "What has become of the Corporation?" which appeared in the Crescent of May 12, 1855:

"The first Monday in May - the day appointed by the statute for the election of a board of trustees and corporation officers, has passed; and we suppose there is not a man in town who, upon that day, thought once of a corporation election. No notice of an election was given - no poll books were opened - no votes were cast - and no election was held. The consequence is there is no legal board of trustees in existence, unless the present members hold over bv virtue of their office. Admit this to be so, and the validity of any action of the present board of trustees still remains in great doubt, as there are serious objections urged against the legality of the election from which they claim their power to act.

"It is well known to all our citizens that the decrepit old Body Corporate, if there is any now in existence, is too superannuated and infirm to accomplish anv of the beneficial objects that might reasonably be expected to result from a body corporate whose functions are exercised upon a settled legal basis, and whose acts are recognized and observed by the community for which they operate. We do not speak a word in disparagement of the present board of trustees : they have done all that any set of men could do, placed in the same situation. They have made laws, but lack the power to execute them.

"The old soulless body has now just life enough to render it a nuisance; and the prospects for its living at this dying rate ad infinitum are remarkably flattering at present, as no one takes interest enough in the matter to inspire it with new life, or smother out the small spark that yet remains."

Painful as this condition may have been, it was permitted to continue until 1859, and then, on March 8, "H. E. Garrett. J. X. Randall and others, by Davidson, their attorney," petitioned the county board for the incorporation of the town of Frankfort once more. The board ordered an election on March 26, at which incorporation carried, and on Tune 7, 1859, the town of Frankfort was formally declared a corporation again. The boundaries of the town at this time are recorded and are as follows: Beginning at the corner of Morrison street and Prairie street, south on the latter to Wabash street, thence west to Jackson, thence south of Boone, thence west to Columbia. then north to South, thence west to Fourth, thence north to Washington, thence east to First, thence north to Morrison, thence east to beginning. The vote on incorporation on March 26. 1859. was 88 for. 14 against, and 1 void.

This second incorporation continued after a fashion for eight years. On September 4. 1866, W. H. Ghere and others, by Morrison and Palmer, their attorneys, filed a petition for the incorporation of the town of Frankfort that is a thing of joy among imperfect records. It is accompanied by a complete census of the town, giving the names of heads of families, and the number of (18) each family, showing a total population of 905, and 218 voters. There is also a map of the proposed incorporation, which, in general, extended north and south from Green to Armstrong streets, and east and west from Harrison to Second streets, with some extensions on each side. The petition and documents will be found in Commissioners' Record 7, p. 98. An election was ordered for October 3, which resulted 1 15 for and 36 against: and on December 4, 1866, the commissioners, for the third time declared the town of Frankfort a corporation.

This incorporation continued for nine years and was succeeded by the city government. Under the law at that time, when one-third of the voters of a town petitioned the board of trustees, or common council, for a city government, the board or council was to instruct the marshal to take a census of the town, unless the last preceding state or United States census showed the requisite population. The law of 1867 required three thousand population; but this was reduced in 1869 to two thousand five hundred; and in 1875 to two thousand. Xo record of the census has been found, but it was presumably sufficient, as the board of town trustees, then composed of Enos Hoover, president. G. \Y. Goodwin and G. A. Smith, ordered an election to be held on December 21. The election resulted in the choice of the following officers: Mayor. Pern- \Y. Garcl ; clerk. Win. M. Comley: treasurer,

James A. Seawright: marshal. I. C. Hurst: assessor. Win. lb Ashley; councilmen. first ward, Robert P. Shanklin and T. J. HoMridge: second ward. B. F. Cohee and John Thatcher: third ward. G. A. Smith and R. G. Benefiel. At 3 p. m., December 28. the mayor and council met and organized, and on the evening of December 29th they met again: the mayor read his inaugural address and the city of Frankfort was launched.

The officers elected in December. 1875, held until the regular election in May, 1876. After that the general city officers held for two years - May to May - -until 1905. when the election was changed to Xovemlrer. and all terms were made four years. Prior to that time two councilmen were elected from each of the three words, in alternating years. Since then two councilmen are elected by the city at large and one from each of the wards. The official succession has been as follows in executive offices :

Frankfort has for a long time taken pride in its schools and that pride has at times taken the form of a comparison with early school conditions that is somewhat misleading. It is true that the early schools might have been improved upon, but they were very fairly up to the average in Indiana. The worst point in the local record was the failure to get the county seminary built in time to be utilized as a county seminary, and that was due to local rivalries. As early as March 6, 1848, the Board of County Commissioners announced that they "will make arrangements to erect a county seminary at Frankfort, provided no remonstrance is laid before the board." After that they followed a vacillating course ,as has heretofore been recounted until the final erection of the seminary was too late for its public use; but Frankfort made it useful for several years as a female seminary, and it is stated that small boys were admitted to the primary department.

But Frankfort had very fair schools and two of them were public schools, i. e., the buildings were public property, and the small public funds went to the support of these schools, the teachers getting the remainder of their compensation by tuition charges. One of these was "the brick schoolhouse," or "north district" school, which was located at the south-east corner of Columbia and Ohio streets, where the heating plant now stands. The other was "the frame schoolhouse," or "south district" school, which was at the north-east corner of Columbia and Walnut streets. There were also commonly schools in addition to these, and they were all commonly held for two terms, the "spring" and the "fall."

Thus, on March 25, 1854, Miss Hobart announced that her "Female School opens in the County Seminary" on the 27th: and Wm. I. Harker announces "a Select School in the Frame School House on the first Monday in April." Mr. Harker was a Methodist preacher, who officiated at the Methodist church here. Both he and his wife also taught school. His announced terms for "the quarter" were, "Orthography, reading and writing. $2.00; arithmetic, English grammar and geography, $2.50; history, philosophy and geometry, $3.00; Greek and Latin, $4.00." On September 30, 1854, Miss Margaret P. Bolles announced "a school in the basement of the Methodist church," on October 3. Her terms for the quarter were : "Spelling, reading and writing, $2.50; geography, arithmetic and grammar. $3.00: higher branches, $4.00." At the same time F. D. Blood announced that "he designs resuming his school in the frame school house on Monday. October 2nd." He makes a variation by charging by the month : "Orthography, reading moral or mental philosophy, $1.20; chemistry, logic and rhetoric, $1.35; astronomy, algebra and bookkeeping, $1.50; higher branches, higher prices." He says his monthly system is to accommodate those 'who may desire to withdraw their patronage at the close of any month, on account of other schools that may open." Jere. G. Smith had the school in the brick schoolhouse this winter.

There was one announcement that was common to all the schools of this period, which was, "No deduction made for loss of time, except occasioned by protracted illness." There was also some similarity in text books. On November 14, 1853, the State Board of Education adopted for the common schools, McGuffey's spelling book; the Indiana First, Second, Third and Fourth Readers; Butler's English Grammar; Mitchell's Primary Geography and Geography and Atlas; Ray's Arithmetics, parts one, two and three; and Webster's Dictionaries.

In the spring of 1855, Miss Bolles had her school in the frame schoolhouse and Mollie M. Vandyke opened a school in the Associate Reformed church. Miss Vandyke taught "spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic, English grammar, natural and mental philosophy, algebra, botany and Biblical antiquities." at a flat rate of two dollars per quarter. In the fall of 1855, Miss Bolles continued in the frame school house and Miss Vandyke occupied the brick schoolhouse. A number of teachers are recalled by old residents: Miss Gertrude Thompson, at the Methodist church; George Brainard at the same place - he gave special attention to vocal music and instruction on the melodeon at ten dollars for twenty- four lessons; Mr. Glenn, Mr. Allen, and Prof. Benefiel, of Crawfordsville, at the brick schoolhouse. And there were outsiders. Henry Y. Morrison used to rest from the law by teaching advanced mathematics at the Methodist church school: and John P. Crotherj maintained a sort of normal school for would-be teachers while he was auditor.

In reality there was more lack of school building accommodations than of tuition opportunities, and the movement for relief came through a roundabout way. In the later fifties C. A. Munn was pastor of the Presbyterian church, and he had an ambition to start a Presbyterian seminary, which he undertook to do with funds that he proposed to collect after he had embarked on his project. On August 13. 1858, he bought of John H. Dunn and others lots 1, 4, 5 and 8, in block 6, of Crother & Cowan's addition, where the second ward school now stands, for three hundred dollars. He then began the erection of a brick building and got it up one story when he ran out of funds. The unfinished building was boarded up. for protection, and remained in that condition during the Civil war, the only use of it being by the boys of the vicinity who made a lair of it for amateur military purposes. Munn had got into debt in his enterprise and a judgement for two hundred and thirty dollars was taken against him, under which the above property was sold on June 16, 1862, to Joseph Baum for fifty-five dollars.

On March 14, 1865, the property was transferred to Eli Spencer, trustee of Jackson township, in which Frankfort was then included, for six hundred dollars. Enos Hoover, who was one of the most useful men of Frankfort, made up his mind that the Munn building ought to be finished for a town school, and made the race for township trustee on that issue. He was a man of varied possibilities, remembered as a tinner, an Universalist, a justice of the peace, and the keeper of a drug store in the old "Eye Tooth," where Bon Merritt's drug store now is, - so called from the old frame building that stood there, with nothing adjoining it, until it burned down. Hoover was elected, and completed the building as it now stands, at a cost of about five thousand dollars. The line of the new part added by him - the second story - can readily be traced by the different colors of the brick. It had four large rooms and was a great advance in school accommodation. Mr. Hoover died August 9, 1899, widely lamented.

Mr. Hoover also secured the services of Erastus H. Staley, who had been preaching at the Methodist church and who did a great work in reorganizing and grading the schools during the years that he was at their head. Professor Staley's six years at the head of the schools closed in the spring of 1872, when he took charge of the Crescent, and the occasion was made notable by the presentation of a fine gold-headed cane, inscribed "Presented to Prof. E. H. Staley, by his students of the Frankfort Seminar}-, June 14, 1872." At the same time Miss Slayback was presented a copy of Byron's works by her pupils, Miss Clara Holliday making the presentation speech; and teachers Chittick and Ross were each presented an album, the respective speeches being made by Lilly Claybaugh and Josie Barnett. Prof. J. P. Roush, recently president of the Stockwell Collegiate Institute, was elected superintendent of the Frankfort school for the ensuing year.

There was another influence to be noted in these six years. The original special tuition tax law, which had been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme court, to the vast detriment of the schools, was replaced by another in 1867, as has been recounted. The Frankfort Board of School Trustees, then composed of Jackson Douglass, John F. Smith and I. N. Armantrout, promptly took advantage of it, and on July 8, 1867 levied a special school tax of twenty cents on one hundred dollars, and twenty cents poll. On July 17th they directed Prof. Staley to prepare rules and regulations for the government of the schools. On June 3. 1868, trustee Smith having given place to Z. B. Gentry, the tax was increased to twenty-five cents and fifty cents poll. In 1869 the same was levied together with an equal amount for tuition, but afterwards the latter action was rescinded because the levy should have been made by the township trustee.

The schools now began to show improvement and pupils were drawn from the adjoining county, especially to the "academic department,'' which was taught by Professor Stale}-. It was seen that more room must soon be provided, and the trustees decided to enlarge on their existing quarters. On November 9, 1868. they bought lots 2 and 3 of block 6 for $250. On June 20, 1870, they bought lot 7 for Si 50. On January 5, 1871, they bought lot 6 for S140. In 1873 the school board, then consisting of D. P. Barner, Samuel Ayers and James H. Paris, prepared for the erection of a new building on block 6, south of the old one, and in 1873-4 erected the three-story, stonefaced brick building, now known as the second ward school, at a cost of thirty thousand dollars. It was a heavy expenditure for the town at that time and no public schools were maintained in the winter of 1873-4 in order to put all available funds in the building. It has ten school rooms with six hundred seating capacity, and an assembly room. The architect was Mr. Eppinghauser. of Terre Haute. This building then became the high school, with rooms for grades also; and what is known as the first high school class, consisting of six young ladies, graduated in 1876. No boys graduated until 1878, when Congressman Martin A. Morrison, Walter D. Pence and Dr. S. B. Sims got through. There was no class of 1879. owing to a change from a three years' to a four years' course.

The next building erected was what is now the Third Ward school, in 1885. It was a substantial eight-room brick building that cost twenty thousand dollars, with two thousand dollars for the grounds. It has recently been condemned and will be abandoned for school purposes. Next came the fine stone high school building in 1892. It has seventeen rooms. The building cost fifty thousand dollars and the grounds are valued at ten thousand dollars. In 1895 the Woodside school was erected at a cost of five thousand dollars, on grounds valued at five hundred dollars. It has four rooms. The present First Ward school was built in 1903, costing thirty thousand dollars, and on grounds valued at ten thousand dollars. It is a fine building with thirteen rooms. The school board is now constructing a commodious building on the square south of the high school to be known as the Central school and to be devoted especially to manual training and vocational education. It will have gymnasium, bath rooms and kitchen, with all modern equipments for vocational training and domestic science, and is to cost one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars, including heating plant for it and the high school. It is to be finished by January i, 1915; and the third ward school will be accomodated in it temporarily.

The library history of Frankfort is peculiar. There ought to have been a county library here. Under the old law, ten per cent, of the proceeds of the sale of lots in a new county seat was reserved for a county library; and at the November term, 1830. the county commissioners set aside sixty dollars and seventeen cents out of the proceeds of the first sale of lots and trustees for the fund were appointed. Nobody now knows what became of the fund, but it is conjectured that it went into the county seminary fund. The first public library was the township library of Jackson township. These libraries were bought bv the state and distributed to the townships, where they were in care of the township trustees. They had no continuing support and gradually went to pieces. When Center township was set off from Jackson, in 1872, the township library was divided, Jackson getting the larger portion, which, however, was of little importance as the books were then pretty thoroughly used up.

Contemporary with the township libraries were the Maclure libraries, which were formed by donations of five hundred dollars from the estate of William Maclure, of New Harmony, Indiana, to associations of workingmen, "who earned their bread by the sweat of their brows," and who had formed a library of their own of the value of one hundred dollars. A preliminary meeting for the organization of an association was held at Frankfort on July 4, 1855, and an organization was effected and a donation secured soon after. These libraries likewise had no continuing support, and, as there were no books added to them, people lost interest in them when they had read what they wanted of the stock on hand.

Frank Fort Iiicii School Rhildino C Arnkoif Limrary

ized under the voluntary association law about 1876. This was a joint stock company, each member being entitled to take out one book at a time. It was kept in offices of some of the members, for a time of Doyal & Gard, and later that of O. E. Brumbaugh. In 1884 it chanced that Quincy A. Kennedy, who was one of the most active members, was also a member of the city council and O. F.. Brumbaugh was mayor. On July 7, 1884, the city council adopted a resolution taking charge of the library as a donation to the city; providing that it should be placed in the council chamber, in the city building and be free to the public ; making the city clerk ex officio librarian ; and levying a one-cent tax for its support. The city marshal was directed to attend to the. removal of the books. This was the beginning of the present city library. While the work was on, the old township and Maclure libraries were hunted up and "they gathered up of the fragments twelve baskets full" and added them to the city's collection.

In the fall of 1887, Prof. C. E. Newlin, then principal of the high school, was instrumental in opening a reading-room in what was known as the Wirt block. It was called the Elk Reading Room, on account of a mounted elk's head which was one of its ornaments. A description of the reading room is given in the Frankfort News of October 10. 1887. On October 6, 1887, a motion was made in the council to remove the library to this reading room, but it was lost. The council continued the library in the city building, adding to it at intervals by purchases, until 1891. In December, 1890, the council asked the county commissioners for a room in the court house for the library and on January 2, 1891, it was reported as moved. It occupied a room in the southwest corner of the basement of the court house until February, 1893, when it was removed to a room in the new high school building. The club women of Frankfort now took a hand and brought Mrs. Virginia Stein, of the Lafayette public library here to reorganize the library. She classified it on the Dewey system and arranged a circulating system. A reference department was now started and six magazines subscribed for - Harpers, McClures, Munsey, The Bookman, St. Nicholas and The Century.

On February 6, 1903, in pursuance of negotiations made by a committee, the council transferred the library to the charge of the school board, subject to the conditions that it was to be known as The Frankfort Public Library; that it was to be maintained by the school board as a free library to the citizens of Frankfort; and that the title to the library was to remain in the city. This was accepted by the school board on February 19 as a contract between it and

In 1906, Mr. Edwin S. Monroe, then superintendent of schools, took up the matter of getting a Carnegie donation for a library building. After some correspondence Mr. Carnegie tendered eighteen thousand five hundred dollars as sufficient for a city of the size of Frankfort, and with his usual condition that the building was to be used for library purposes only. The school board submitted the plans for the building they desired and explained that it was necessary to occupy part of the ground floor for school offices. Mr. Carnegie consented that this be done and added five thousand dollars to his original offer for the construction of the building, which was erected in 1907 and occupied in January, 1908.

It should be mentioned here that while Prof. R. G. Boone was superintendent of schools he started the formation of a reference library for the high school, working very energetically for it in 1880. and succeeding vears. On March 24, 1880. thanks were returned in the press to Senators McDonald and Voorhees and Representatives W. R. Myers and Godlove Orth for donations. On August 31. 1905. Professor Boone delivered an address at the Clinton County Teachers' Institute, which might profitably be repeated now, on "Non-school Agencies in Education.-' He said: "There ought to be ten times as many books in the Frankfort library as there are. Frankfort is ambitious to grow. Nothing attracts people more than educational advantages. There are thousands of books in private libraries in Frankfort that are not doing any service. If they were placed in the public library they would be of great value to the people."

This is true. The one weak spot in Frankfort's educational system is its public library' and this is due to two causes. The first is lack of books and this is largely the result of using the library tax to pay for the ground on which the building stands, instead of for keeping up the library. However, the debt is now extinguished and there is no reason why the book purchases should not be put on a footing with those of other progressive towns and cities of the state. Of course citizens cannot be expected to turn their private libraries over to the city, but there are many persons who have useful books that they really do not care for that could well be donated to the library and especially anything in print or writing bearing on local history. The city library is the best available place for preserving such things.

The other weak point is the control. A school board is not a materially better managing board for a public library than a city council and for the same reason. It has too much of other business that it considers more important. In one sense the more efficient a school board is the worse for the library, i. e., the more attention given to the schools, the less to the library. A library should be in charge of a board that has nothing else to attend to; and that is especially desirable in the case of Frankfort on account of the peculiar conditions as to the title to the library and the building. It is very questionable whether the city had any legal authority to take charge of the library to begin with ; and it is still more questionable that the school hoard has any legal authority to support a library that does not belong to it.

The rational thing to do would be to form a library board under the provisions of the state law, and let both the city and the school board convey their interests to it. If the school board needs a part of the first story of the building, that could be arranged by a perpeual lease, or one to terminate on mutual consent. What the library needs now is not room, but books, and independent control. A movement looking towards the creation of a library board with unquestionable legal authority, has been inaugurated and if it is carried to success the library will probably soon become what it should be to be in keeping with the other educational agencies of Frankfort.

Before the library was turned over to the city the member in whose office it was kept acted as librarian, the last of these being Mr. O. E. Brumbaugh. After it was turned over to the city, the city clerk was ex officio librarian until 1887. w hen Miss Jeannette Dunlap, then a student in the high school, was made librarian. She continued until her resignation in 1890. On February 26, 1890. Miss Kate Gordon was elected to fill the unexpired term of Miss Dunlap and was continued until 1892. On May 6, 1892, Miss Belle Sheridan w as elected librarian and continued until 1894. On December 7, 1894. Miss Anna Hubbard was elected librarian and continued until 1897, when she wras succeeded by Miss Cora Cooper. Miss Cooper served until 1903. and was succeeded by Miss Ethel Brumbaugh, who served for ten years and made many improvements in the library. On January 1, 1913, she was succeeded by her assistant Miss Kate Huber, who served until September 15, 1913, and was then succeeded by Miss Olive Brumbaugh, the present efficient librarian.

Frankfort's first fire department wras a bucket brigade, organized about 1870, of which Fred Tice was captain. The alarms were given by the court house bell and J. \V. Morrison, w ho wras official bell-ringer, was supplied with a ponderous key to the old building, which was kept locked at night. The fire laddies decided to have a bell of their own and in order to get the funds they

"pulled off" a fair and ball with the most elaborate lottery attachments that had ever been known in Frankfort. Then as a matter of precaution the entire company went before Squire Ed. Kramer and pleaded quilty under the gaming law, and were fined each one cent. But they got the money for the bell and bought it. Their headquarters were then on the east side of Main street, south of the first alley south of Clinton and the bell was mounted on a framework in the alley. It is still doing service for the fire departments in the city building.

In 1875 the city bought a chemical engine and the Peerless Fire Company was organized January 4, 1875 to take charge of it, composed chiefly of the bucket brigade men. The company was incorporated under the state law and commenced operations with I. X. Davis, president and \Y. H. Cohee, secretary. Wm. Comlev was elected chief: J. \Y. Earhart, assistant chief; John Elston first nozzleman ; and J. N. Markwith second nozzleman ; Isaac C. Hurst, first charger: H. C. Heickert, second charger: Thomas McCarty, chief of water line: J. A. Merrick, assistant: J. W. Aughe. chief of hose: Jos. A. Campbell, assistant; A. T. Strouse, first ladderman : J. P. Gaddis, second ladderman : Wm. G. Cook, axman. The Peerless company operated the chemical engine for fourteen years and did good service with it, until it was displaced by the waterworks system, and sold to Mulberry, where it is still in use. The waterworks were tested for fire purposes on January 1. i88q, and proved satisfactory, whereupon the city made a contract for fire service at three thousand six hundred dollars per year. The fire department used a hose wagon pulled bv horses until March 1. 1913, when an automobile wagon was put in service and the old wagon stored for emergency purposes.

The oldest of the secret orders in Franklin is the Masons, they having organized under a dispensation of the Grand Lodge of Indiana issued December 23, 1843. A charter for the new lodge issued May 31, 1844, to be known as Clinton Lodge Xo. 54, with Jacob D. Vandyke as worshipful master; Lucien J. Griggs, senior warden and James G. Choat, junior warden. The first officers elected by the new lodge were Lucien D. Griggs, worshipful master; Thomas W. Florer, senior warden; X. T. Catterlin. junior warden; Cyrus B. Pence, secretary: Daniel Parker, treasurer; Joseph W. Johnson, senior deacon; John A. Hoggatt, junior deacon; Robert M. Watt, tyler. At present Oliver Gard is worshipful master and Chas. G. Guenther, secretary.

For many years the lodge held its meetings in the old Garber block, on the north side of the square, but in 1873 the lodge constructed and furnished a hall at a cost of more than four thousand dollars. This hall was dedicated on June 24, 1874, by Grand Master Lucien A. Foote. In 1887, under a joint occupancy scheme devised by J. W. Morrison the lodge took an "air title" to the second floor of the brick building at the northeast corner of Columbia and Washington streets, and fitted up a hall at an expense of about two thousand seven hundred dollars. This was occupied bv all the Masonic bodies of Frankfort on a contributory basis and is still held by the trustees of Clinton Lodge No. 54.

In 19 1 1 a new move was made under the same system, the trustees of Clinton Lodge No. 54 holding for all Masonic bodies in Frankfort. The site at the southeast corner of Walnut and Main was purchased for seven thousand dollars, and the fine Masonic temple was erected at a cost of sixty-thousand dollars. It is occupied by Clinton Lodge No. 54, Free and Accepted Masons; Clinton Chapter No. 82, Royal Arch Masons, Frankfort Council No. 46. Royal and Select Masters: Frankfort Commandery No. 29, Knights Templar: and Clinton Lodge No. 6, Order of the Eastern Star. Clinton Chapter No. 82 was organized October 19, 1871 ; Frankfort Council No. 46, October 18, 1876; Frankfort Commandery No. 29 was chartered April 27, 1881.

Next following the Masons came the Odd Fellows. Frankfort Lodge No. 208, being instituted February 19, 1852. The only two resident members at the institution were John W. Blake and Jacob I. Douglass; but Jackson Douglass, I. D. Armstrong, John H. Dunn, James Caster, John B. Douglass. W. P. Dunn and Plerman Newton were initiated at this meeting. The first officers elected were Jacob S. Douglass, noble grand; John W. Blake, vice grand; Jackson Douglass, secretary, and T. D. Armstrong, treasurer. In January, 1857, the lodge room, with all its contents, was burned, the early records included.

The lodge rebuilt its hall in the summer of 1857, and occupied it until 1873, when it was found too small and a new one was decided on. John Barner gave the lodge the privilege of building the hall over the second story of his block at the northeast corner of Clinton and Jackson streets, and the third story was added to the building, furnishing a large hall and spacious ante-rooms. John Barner also put on the iron roof, which is kept in repair at the joint cost of the owners. The lodge now has 109 members. M. H. Amos is noble grand and W. V. Berryman financial secretary.

Dakota Tribe Xo. 42. Improved Order of Red Men, was organized October 24, 1874, with the following charter members: T. H. Palmer, M. C. Smith, J. C. Smith, T. J. Hoover, J. I. Hiller. J. \Y. Aughe. J. \Y. Pence, G. D. Halliday, J. \Y. Gorman, J. \Y. Lee. S. O. Bayless, S. A. Hoover, A. J. Palmer, J. E. Kutitz, C. M. Petty. D. B. Allen, J. B. Given. I. S. Burgess, G. A. Smith. L. H. Daniels, J. A. Petty and Philip Kempt. The tribe is in flourishing condition, having a hall of its own - "'air title" to the third floor building, 53 South Main street. Chas. M. Cohee, city clerk, is chief of records. Dakota Loft of Haymakers, Xo. 42^2, and Waneta Council, Xo. 8, Degree of Pocahontas, which are auxiliary organizations. meet in the same hall.

of R. and S. : O. W. Southard. M. of F. : E. P. Blake, M. of E. : W. W. Wallace, M. of A. : J. M. Cook. I. G. : T. G. Smith. O. G. This lodge has been verv prosperous, and now has four hundred and fifty-eight members. It is located in Castle Hall on West Washington street, having a 99-years lease on the second and third stories, which are comfortably furnished with club room and accessories. Lilly Company Xo. 19. Uniform Rank, K. of P., and Frankfort Temple Xo. 239, Pythian Sisters also use Castle Hall.

Stone River Post Xo. 65, Grand Army of the Republic, was arganized Mav 9, 1882. with thirty-eight charter members. Its first officers were John G. Clark, commander; Wm. Hart, senior vice commander: Cyrus Clark, junior vice commander; Joseph Suit, adjutant: John Clark, quartermaster; W. H. Hickman, chaplain; Smith Forsythe, officer of the guard; James Southard, officer of the day; G. YY. Brown, surgeon. In reality this post is a reorganization of a post originally formed in 1869, which was allowed to lapse. The present post has ninety-two members, and meets in Woodmen's Hall, over the Times building. There was a post of Sons of Veterans at Frankfort, but it has died out. Stone River Post is chiefly composed of soldiers originally from Clinton county. Stone River Relief Corps X0.84, meets in the same hall.

Fidelity Lodge Xo. do. Knights of Honor was organized February, 1, 1875. by Janies McClain. G. D. Good Shepherd Lodge. I. O. G. T., was organized December 16, 1876, with sixty charter members. Frankfort Camp Xo. 4036, Modern Woodmen of America, was organized July 14, 1896, and now has one hundred and sixteen members. Gem City Camp Xo. 24, Woodmen of the World, has its hall in the Times building on East Clinton street. Beech Grove Xo. 18, Ladies Woodmen Circle, and Walnut Grove No. 11, Ladies Woodmen Circle, meet in the same hall. Frankfort Lodge Xo. 560. B. P. O. Elks, has a fine building on East Clinton street, with a home on the second floor. Other secret socities of Frankfort are Gem City Aerie Xo. 976. Fraternal Order of Eagles: Gem City Court Xo. 1107, Independent Order of Foresters : Gem City Lodge Xo. 1991. Knights and Toadies of Honor; Jewell Council. Xo. 1283, Knights and Ladies of Security: Frankfort Lodge X0.7. I. oyal Order of Moose: Lodge Xo. 14. Pathfinders: T.odge Xo. 318. Royal Arcanum; Court of Ben Hur. Xo. 2: Court Eden Xo. 180. United Order of Foresters; Frankfort Tent Xo. 40. Knights of the Maccabees and Frankfort Tent Xo. 43. I.adies of the Maccabees.

The first Methodist preacher, who preached regularly in Frankfort, was Rev. Miles Huffaker of the Huntersville Circuit, who found enough of the faith to begin his ministrations in 1831. Tn 1832-3 services were continued under Stephen R. Rail and Boyd Phelps, w ho were the ministers on the circuit, and a movement for a church building was started. In August, 1834, the trustees of the church bought lot 77, the present location, and in T 83 3 a frame church. 30x40 feet, was erected at a cost of $400. In 1836 Frankfort became the head of a circuit. The church grew steadily, and in June. 1831. a contract was made for a new brick church, costing alxwt Si, 800. The building was finished in 1832. and dedicated February 20. 1833. Rev. J. M. Stallard and Rev. Luther Taylor officiating.

In 1871 this building was enlarged and refitted at a cost of $3,600. and served for a dozen years longer. In the spring of 1883. under the pastorate of Rev. W. H. Hickman, the construction of the present building was begun, and it was dedicated on March 30. 1884. The cost of the completed and furnished building was $18,000. of which the Ladies Furnishing Society contributed $1,100, and the Sunday School $800. The Sunday School was organized February 7, 1841, by Rev. Ancil Beech. There were sixty present at the first session, and Joseph Johnson was the first superintendent. In the early days church and Sunday school were called by a tin horn, but in 1848 a bell was purchased, and on May 7, of that year, made its first call to worship.

In 1812 the church reported r,235 full members and 76 probationers. The present membership is about 1,400. and the present pastor is Rev. Geo. F. Craig. In addition to its valuable church property the church owns a pastorate valued at $5,000. The Sunday school numbers over 1,000 members, and the church is one of the most flourishing of its denomination in the state.

The First Presbyterian Church, of Frankfort, was organized May 14, 1831, at the house of John Douglass, by Rev. James A. Carnahan, assisted by Rev. John Thompson, a professor at Wabash College. The seventeen charter members; Samuel McQuern. Samuel and Anna Douglass, Joseph and Isabel McClelland, John and Susannah Douglass, David Barnes and wife, Samuel Maxwell and wife, Samuel and Hope Mitchell, John Blake and wife, John and Sarah Gray. Anna Douglass, the last of these charter members, died in August, 1902, in her one hundred and second year.

For a time the congregation worshipped in their own homes, in the school house on the farm of John Douglass, in the barn of Samuel Douglass, and in the court house. In 1834 they erected a frame church at the site of the present one, at a cost of $300. In 1838 the church was enlarged and a belltower was built. During the pastorate of Rev. Chas. Munn. in 1859, the old frame church was torn down and a brick church was erected near its site, costing $4,000. This continued in use until the pastorate of Rev. Edward Barr, 1775-6, when this church was torn down and the present building was erected, at acost of $[8,000. In 1891 a chapel was added, costing $7000, and in 1899, a $5,000 pipe organ was installed - a gift of Mrs. Abraham Given and Mrs. Geo. T. Dinwiddie.

In 1895 Smith Memorial Chapel was erected on South Second street from a bequest by James Smith, a member of the congregation, and for seventeen years a Sunday school and industrial .school were maintained there. In the fall of 1912 this work was transferred to the chapel of the church. The membership of the church is six hundred and fifty-four, and the present pastor is Rev. H. L. Crain. In 1832 a Sunday school was organized, the first known in the county. It went through all the historic stages of reward books for verses learned, and ginger bread celebrations on the Fourth of July.

Hast Clinton Strkkt. Frankfort. Ind

On July 1, 1854, the Crescent had this notice under the title, "Sabbath School Celebration": "The Sabbath schools of Frankfort will celebrate the approaching anniversary of American Independence in the following manner: The officers, teachers and scholars will assemble at the ringing of the bell, in the Presbyterian church, on Tuesday morning, the 4th of July, 1854, at 8 o'clock a. m., and will be formed in procession, under the direction of the marshal of the day, assisted by the officers and teachers; and marched to the Methodist Eposcipal chourch, where the exercises will be conducted by the reading of the Declaration of Independence, addresses, etc. By order of the committee."

The First Christian (Disciples) Church, of Frankfort, was organized in 1830, by Rev. Lewis Comer, at the house of John FTorland, south of the city. The congregation held meetings at private residences, and other places, frequently meeting in the court house, until 1843, when a church building was erected in Frankfort. At that time the membership was only fifty, but it grew rapidly. In 1872 a neat frame church was erected on Jackson street, which was occupied until 1893. The congregation then erected its substantial brick building at Columbia and Walnut streets which was dedicated March 20, 1893. This congregation now numbers one thousand four hundred members, but at present it without a pastor. In 1901 a second Christian church was built, known as Woodside Church. It has about one hundred and fifty members, and the present pastor is Rev. F. E. Kuhns. The church is located on Magnolia avenue.

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized in 1873, and the church building at John and Jefferson streets was erected in 1875. The first pastor wras Rev. T. J. Kuhns. It now has about one hundred members, and the present pastor is Rev. H. L. Bosserman. There were Catholic families in Frankfort as early as 1850, and services of various kinds were observed in private houses, but no church was erected by this denomination until 1888, when a frame structure, known as St. Mary's Catholic Church, was erected on Walnut street between Second and Third streets. In 1912-13 the old building was covered with a brick veneer, a transept added, and other changes made that practically made a new building, which was dedicated May 25, 1913. The church has about 350 communicants, and Rev. Wm. B. Horderman is the parish priest. The parish owns a parsonage adjoining the church.

The First Baptist Church of Frankfort was organized in 1880, by the following five persons, who brought in their letters and became the charter members, viz. : Rev. S. S. Sparks and wife; Charles Hardy and wife, and Mrs.

Rachel Hawkins. They met at various places, and in 1882 were able to erect a small church. The first pastor was Rev. Debolt. At the present time the congregation numbers about two hundred, and is erecting a handsome brick church on the site of the old one. The building will cost $20,000, exclusive of the windows and other furnishings, which are estimated to cost $7,000 additional. The present pastor is Rev. S. J. Sparks. The Sunday School has one hundred members.

The United Brethren organized a church in Frankfort in 1887, and erected their present building, on Clinton street, between Jackson and Sycamore, in 188S. The first pastor was Rev. A. M. Cummins The church has grown to a membership of 280, and the present pastor is Rev. B. F. Thomas.

The only church organization of colored people in the county is the African M. E. Church, which has a small frame building at First and Boone streets. It was built over thirty years ago. but was recently raised, and had a cement block foundation put under it. It has fifty-five members, and Rev. G. F. Crossland is pastor. The Methodist Protestant denomination has a tabernacle on Manson street, between Main and Jackson, with Rev. E. T. Howe as pastor. The Wesleyan Methodists have a church at Paris street and Roswell avenue, with Rev. J. F. Presnall as pastor.

The Holiness people have a church on South Second street, and a camp-ground in the southwestern edge of the city, at which quite large gatherings are held. The First Church of Christ. Scientists, was organized in 1901, and now has forty members. It has occupied rented rooms, but recently bought a site, and altered a house for temporary use. W. L. Cave is the first reader. The Salvation Army has a barracks at 21 1 North Columbia street, and a small band of soldiers, with Henry L. Beck as captain.

The oldest of the present literary clubs of Frankfort, the Tourist Club, celebrated its twenty-fifth anniversary in 1912, but literary and cultural organization began more than ten years before the organization of the Tourist Club, largely due to the inspiration of Dr. R. G. Boone, who became superintendent of schools in 1876, and his cultured wife. The first women's club included Mrs. M. E. M. Boone, Mrs. E. H. Staley, Mrs. Leander McClurg, Mrs. W. R. Moore, Mrs. J. Y. Kent and Mrs. D. P. Pence. The organization adopted no name, but continued for a number of years, adding as members Miss Anne Richards (later Mrs. Wm. Coulter), Miss Alice Hancock, Miss Mary Morrison, the Misses Hoyt, Miss Hattie Wolever (Mrs. Sparks), Lilian Clavbaugh (Mrs. Lathrop), Anne Clavbaugh. Virginia Clavbaugh and Kathryn Staley Searles.

Quickly following this organization came a literary club of ladies and gentlemen, which developed into a men's club - the old Emerson Club - whose early members were Dr. R. G. Boone, E. H. Staley, Judge Kent, the Morrisons - father and sons - Judge Claybaugh, Judge Doyal, Perry Gard, Eli Marvin and others. The Emerson Club today is the men's literary club of Frankfort and is following lines of study that arouse enthusiastic interest in the members.

The two names, connected with Frankfort, that are most notable in literature are those of Dr. R. G. Boone and Will H. Thompson. Dr. Boone's books, ''Education in the United States," "History of Education in Indiana," and "Science of Education," are standard authorities in their lines. Mr. Thompson was as influential as his brother Maurice in setting the country aflame with the archery fad, and also wrote good poetry. Indeed, he struck a world chord in his "High Tide at Gettysburg." He came to Frankfort as a civil engineer for the old Logansport, Crawfordsville and Southwestern railroad, and later became deputy prosecuting attorney for the county. In this position he immortalized himself by actually enforcing the liquor law - it was the Baxter law, too. While at Frankfort he wrote a number of poems for the Banner, but unhappily the files of that paper for the period have disappeared. He also did the Geological Survey of Clinton county, published in the Indiana Geological Report for 1886.

Women's clubs were more numerous that men's. The old Parlor Club and the first and second Chautauqua Circles were contributing factors in the development of the present literary life of Frankfort, and among the names that may be added to the pioneer roster are those of Mrs. E. M. Byers, Mrs. S. S. Kramer, Mrs. J. M. Cast, Mrs. H. H. Thomas, Mrs. Frazee, Mrs. Gaddis, B. F. Hills, L. Temple, T. A. Wood, Mrs. R. P. Shanklin, Mrs. R. M. Sims, Mrs. L. G. Curtis, Mrs. Ivy McClamrock, Mrs. Walter Paris, Mrs. John Bayless, Mrs. Harry Sheridan, Mrs. Kate Gordon Ewing, Mrs. Foster, Mrs. O. M. Pittenger, Mrs. Morris, Mrs. Brumbaugh, Mrs. Combs, Miss Laura Bayless, Mrs. Charles Ashman, Mrs. Laird, Mrs. R. F. Palmer. Mrs. R. F. Wallace, Miss Luella Gaskill, Miss Lucy Catterlin, Miss Jeannette Coulter, Miss Alice Goodwin and Miss Della Pence.

There are of course many others who should be named if the membership of the Tourists, Aftermath, Fin de Siecle, and Quo Vadis Clubs were taken up; or if full notice were given of clubs now out of existence, like the Century, the Louise Woods, and the Matinee Musicale. Mention of this last suggests the early musical culture of Frankfort, which manifested itself in the Frankfort Saxe Horn Band, in 1855. The Crescent of June 2, 1855, said: "Under the instruction of Prof. Hill, their accomplished teacher, the band is making rapid strides in the science of music; and now cheers us nightly with a 'concord of sweet sounds.' " The band made its debut in professional life at the Fourth of July celebration at Kirklin that year. The Crescent bubbled over with compliments and congratulations on the result, and said, ''We hope it will now be conceded that the Frankfort Brass Band has become one of the permanent institutions of the county, and is worthy the support and confidence of the public generally." But, alas! it went the way of the world ; but it has a most worthy successor today in the T. P. A. Band of Frankfort, under Director H. M. Hockman, which has been giving the city some really high-grade music for several months past.

In the line of public advancement, one of Frankfort's most notable items is the T. P. A. Park, so called because the movement for its purchase and inauguration started in the local Travelers Protective Association, and was pushed to success by the efforts of members of that organization. The park includes sixtv-five acres or fine natural park land which has been greatly improved since its purchase in 1910. It has all desirable park buildings, baseball grounds, gill links, and quite a zoological collection, with well improved roadways, and conveniences of all descriptions. It is a popular public resort, and one that will compare favorably with the parks of other cities of the state anywhere near Frankfort's class.

A detailed account of Frankfort's business interests would be out of the question in this work, as they are all that could be expected in a thriving city of 10,000 people. Ample banking facilities are furnished by the First National Bank, resources $930,289.38; The Farmers Bank, resources $753,- 299.36; The Clinton County Bank, resources $668,689.43; the American National Bank, resources $768,053.26; and the Frankfort Loan and Trust Company, resources $354,024.76. The first named is the oldest of these institutions. On May 1, 1868 John Barner and hi sson D. P. Barner entered the banking under the firm name of D. P. Barner & Co. In January, 1869, they consolidated with the banking firm of Coulter, Given & Co., to form the International Bank. In 1872 the First National Bank was organized with a cash capital of $200,000, and bought all the interests of the International Bank. The Farmer's Bank was organized in 1876; the Clinton County Bank in 1891 ; the Frankfort Loan and Trust Company - associated with the First National Bank - in 1901 : and the American National Bank in 1902.

The business men of Frankfort keep a watchful eye on all opportunities for advancing the public welfare, and go after anything wanted in a very practical way. This has always been the case, as has been noted in the chapter on railroads. One of the most important of recent achievements was securing the plant of the McDougal Company, manufacturers of kitchen cabinets, after their plant at Indianapolis had burned in 1910. Frankfort had ground and some buildings as the result of a forfeited donation to the Hoke Manufacturing Company, and by putting $20,000 more into it secured the location of the McDougal Company. This company employs about 165 men and is creating quite a surburb east of the city.