Katherine Steffin Frank 1846-1922

FRANK, STEFFIN, STEVENS, ELLIS, HOULTSHOUSER, HASTINGS, SMOUSE, GORTON

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 10/24/2013 at 23:00:39

Emmet County Pioneer Lady Died Recently
Mrs. Henry Frank Passed to Reward in California
Funeral Here Sunday
Resided in Emmet and Dickinson Counties for Nearly Forty Years
Last Wednesday morning, Mrs. Henry Frank, one of the well known and dearly beloved pioneer ladies of this county, died at the home of her son Walter at San Jose, Cal. She had moved to that place with her son but two years ago and was in seemingly excellent health until suffering a paralytic stroke last spring.

The body was brought here for burial the services being held at the Methodist church on Sunday. All the children were able to attend the funeral but her son Will for Fresno, Calif.

Rev. LaGrone writes the following tribute to the life of this splendid woman:

Katherine Steffin [Per husband’s obit, Stevens] was born in Germany, August 2, 1846, and died in San Jose, Calif., September 6, 1922, at the age of 76 years, one month and four days.

In 1866 she was united in marriage to Henry Frank. To this union twelve children were born, ten of whom are still living. Mr. and Mrs. Frank came to America in 1872, and for ten years lived in Scott county, Iowa, near Davenport and in 1883 they moved to a farm in eastern Dickinson county where they lived several years. Later they moved to a farm in Twelve Mile Lake township and in 1907 they came to Estherville to make their home. A daughter died in infancy and a son, Edward A., died in 1908, and Mr. Frank passed away September 2, 1915. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Frank made her home with her son, Walter, at the home on North Sixth street, until December 1920 when they moved to San Jose, Calif.

Early last spring Mrs. Frank had a paralytic stroke and from that time on she gradually grew weaker. Her daughter, Mrs. E.L. Ellis of this city, went to California to see her and remained with her until only a week before the message arrived in Estherville stating that Mrs. Frank had passed away. She is survived by her ten children, Mrs. E.L. Ellis of Estherville; Mrs. A.L. Houltshouser, Estherville; William C. Frank, Fresno, Calif.; Mrs. F.T. Hastings, Emmetsburg, Iowa; Mrs. A.M. Smouse, Coon Rapids, Iowa; Mrs. G.L. Gorton, Estherville; George E. Frank, Estherville; Ben Frank, Edgewood, Iowa; John Frank, Terril, Iowa; Walter C. Frank, San Jose, Calif.

Mrs. Frank was brought up in the Lutheran church and thoroughly instructed in Christian principles and remained steadfastly in her faith throughout her long life, thought after coming to Estherville, she together with her husband and several of the children united with the Methodist Episcopal church of which organization she was an honored member until her death. During her long residence in Emmet county and in Estherville she made many dear friends in the county, all of whom deeply mourn her death.

The body was brought back to Estherville by Walter, arriving here on Saturday evening, the 9th, and was taken to the home of Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Houltshouser, where the relatives gathered. The funeral services were held from the Methodist church on Sunday afternoon, the Rev. J.W. LaGrone, pastor of the church, was in charge and read the service. Music was furnished by a ladies quartette composed of Mesdames E.E. White, C.P. Mauck, John G. Smith and R.R. Allison. Many beautiful flowers were brought by friends ad a large number attended the services. The body was buried beside that of the husband in Oak Hill cemetery. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, September 13, 1922)