FROST, William Francis

FROST, FILBRICK, TREVETT, ANGELL, ATKINSON, LEPLEY, TOWNSEND, MORRIS, KELLEY, CURTISS, STEVENS, DEARWIN, DARLING, REED, MORSE, MARVIN, FORBES, PRIBBENOW, DEDAULT

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 2/4/2014 at 07:07:34

HISTORY of CERRO GORDO COUNTY, IOWA
WHEELER, J.H. Vol. II. Pp. 741-42. Lewis Pub. Co. Chicago. 1910

BIOGRAPHY ~ WILLIAM FRANCIS FROST

Among the industrious, far-seeing and enterprising men who have been associated with the agricultural interests of Cerro Gordo county for a full half century is William F. Frost, who owns and occupies the farm, on the southwest quarter of section twenty-seven, Portland township, on which his father, Benjamin Frost, settled in June, 1860, coming here in pioneer days. He was born, December 12, 1846, in Dubuque county, Iowa, and with the exception of two years spent in Kansas has lived on his present homestead since fourteen years of age.

Coming from New England stock, Benjamin Frost was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was there brought up and educated. Beginning life for himself at the age of seventeen years, he made his way westward to Galena, Illinois, where he was for a few years employed in lead mining. Coming from there to Iowa he married and for a number of years resided in Dubuque county. Locating in Cerro Gordo county in June, 1860, he bought six hundred acres of land that was still in its virgin wildness in Portland towTiship, and began the improvement of a homestead. Cedar Falls, sixty-five miles away, was the nearest market, all wheat and other surplus produce of the farm being hauled to that place. Times were hard, and the pioneers had a hard time to pay taxes and living expenses. He was prominent in public affairs, serving as school director many years and holding other township offices. Subsequently moving with his family to Kansas, he was a pioneer settler of Neodesha, where he spent his last days, passing away at the age of seventy-six years. He married in Dubuque county, Iowa, Elizabeth Filbrick, who survived him about ten years. They became the parents of three children, namely: Benjamin T., a wealthy resident of Neodesha, Kansas, where he has extensive holdings; Mary Elizabeth, who married Charles Trevett, of Portland township, and died at the age of twenty-four years, leaving three children; and William F. The father and both of the sons took up quarter sections of land in Wilson county, Kansas, in pioneer times.

Having spent the larger part of his active life on the farm where he now resides, William P. Frost has made improvements of value on the place, having one of the most valuable and productive farms in the vicinity. In company with his son he operates his home farm of one hundred and sixty acres, in addition leasing two hundred acres of land, which he is conducting with good results. Mr. Frost has been three times married. He married first, in Portland township, Sarah J. Frost. They had three children, namely: Eva Estelle (sic), Florence E. and Frank W. Eva Estelle married F. M. Angel (sic), now of Mason City, and to them five children have been born, Guy [Henry, born October 9, 1890, died January 15, 1969], Grace [Pearl (Angell) Atkinson, born August 22, 1893, died December 17, 1963], [William] Leslie [born July 27, 1897, died June 4, 1972, interred Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery], Wilbur [Eugene, born September 1, 1906, died May 17, 1982] and a child [Leonard] that died in infancy [October 12, 1905] [and a sixth child, Everett Virgil, born November 24, 1910, died December 31, 1973]. Florence E. (sic), married Douglas Lepley, of Bemidji, Minnesota, and of their two children one is living, a son named Wayne. Frank W., a talented and accomplished musician, is widely known as a professor of music, a successful teacher and a composer of ability. He has a keen, delicate touch, and can play on six musical instruments at one time.

Mr. Frost married for his second wife Mrs. Flora I. Townsend, a widow with two children, William Roy Townsend, a farmer in Minnesota, and Ernest Edwin Townsend, who recently sold the claim that he took up in Assinniboine, Manitoba, and is now a resident of Sawyer, Minnesota. She died August 13, 1904, leaving five children by her marriage with Mr. Frost, one of whom, Nellie, is the wife of William I. Morris, living just north of Mason City, and they have three children, Litta, Leon and Charles; Benjamin Ray, is a blacksmith working on a farm in Dougherty township.

Mr. Frost married for his third wife, January 26, 1909, Mrs. Sarah Ann (Kelley) Trevett, who was born in Northumberland county, Canada [March 19, 1849], and at the age of sixteen years. came with her parents, James R. and Elizabeth (Curtiss) Kelley, to Iowa, locating first in Floyd county. She married first Emanuel C. Trevett, who died in early manhood, leaving her with one daughter, Mrs. F. T. Stevens, of North Dakota. She married for her second husband Charles C. Trevett (1832 - 1899), a brother of her first husband, and they became the parents of four children, namely: a daughter that died in infancy; Mrs. Albert [Lillie Mae] Dearwin, of Mason City; Cora E. Trevett, who is in the employ of the Damon-Igon Company; and Harry C. Trevett, of Kansas City, a bricklayer by trade.

A Republican in politics, Mr. Frost has rendered appreciated service in numerous local offices, serving for eighteen years as road master. Fraternally he belongs to the Highland Nobles and to the Yeomen of America. Mrs. Frost is a Seventh Day Adventist. but they both attend the Evangelical church, of which Mr. Frost is a member.

NOTE: William Francis Frost died on January 1, 1929 at Mason City IA, and was interred at Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery, Mason City IA.

William's first wife, Sarah Jenison Frost, was born October 6, 1850 in Massachusetts, the daughter of Frederick Austin and Adaline A. (Darling) Frost. Of William and Sarah's children:

Eva Estella "Stella" (Frost) Angell, born April 22, 1873, died September 8, 1948. Married Fred Newell Angell, born March 13, 1868, Rockwell IA, died August 15, 1943. They were interred at Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery, Mason City IA.

Florence Darling (Frost) Lepley was born May 18, 1876, and died November 29, 1948. Philip "Douglas" Lepley was born in 1860, Mason City IA, and died October 4, 1939. They were interred at Lincoln Memorial Park, Portland OR.

Flora Ida (Reed) Townsend Frost, William's second wife, was born in Minnesota on May 1, 1861. She was interred at Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery, Mason City IA.

Of William and Flora's five children:

Nellie Pearl (Frost) Morse, born February 2, 1885, Portland IA, died October 18, 1957, Mason City IA. Married William Israel Morse, born January 2, 1876, Illinois, died January 6, 1951, Mason City. They were interred at Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery, Mason City IA.

Benjamin Ray Frost, born February 21, 1887, died January 29, 1971, interred City of Mesa Cemetery, Mesa AZ. Married Cecilia Mary Marvin, born November 6, 1883, Prairie du Chien WI, died August 2, 1930, Mason City IA, interred Rock Grove Township Cemetery, Nora Springs IA.

Lee Francis Frost, born August 14, 1890, Portland IA, died January 11, 1971, Oceanside CA, interred Eternal Hills Memorial Park, Oceanside CA. Married Evelyn Mae Forbes, born October 15, 1888, Fort Wayne IN, died August 14, 1942, interred Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery, Mason City IA.

Bertie "Jay" Frost, born November 4, 1893, died December 29, 1973, Hillsboro OR, interred Crescent Grove Cemetery, Tigard OR. Married 1st Adeline Emma "Addie" Pribbenow, born July 3, 1896, Nora Springs IA, died May 29, 1950, Hillsboro OR, interred Crescent Grove Cemetery, Tigard OR. Married 2nd Anna Lizzie DeDault, born April 1, 1892, Mandan ND, died July 10, 1980, Hillsboro OR, interred Mountainside Cemetery, Scholls OR. Earl Lyle Frost, born December 4, 1895, died August 8, 1958. Earl was a veteran of World War I, a wagoner in the U.S. Army. Married Philomena M. "Ena" Frost, born March 5, 1892, died December 10, 1982. They were interred at Longview Memorial Park & Mausoleum, Longview WA.

Sarah Ann (Kelley) Trevett Frost died September 4, 1912, and was interred by her second husband, Charles A. Trevett, at Rock Grove Township Cemetery, Nora Springs IA.

Transcription and note by Sharon R. Becker, February of 2014