JACOBS, FRANK M.

JACOBS, STEWART, WRENN, PARKER, ALLISON, WILSON, SLAUTTERBACK, BROWNER

Posted By: Jean Kramer (email)
Date: 3/9/2004 at 08:52:00

Biography reproduced from page 522 of Volume II of the History of Kossuth County written by Benjamin F. Reed and published in 1913:

Frank M. Jacobs is one of the respected citizens of Kossuth county, where he is engaged in the successful cultivation of one hundred and sixty acres of land located on section 23, Eagle township. He was born in Marion county, Iowa, April 12, 1867, and is a son of Jacob and Anna (Stewart) Jacobs, the former a native of Greene county, Pennsylvania, and of Dutch and Irish descent and the latter a native of Indiana. Her parents died when she was a child of seven years of age. She celebrated her marriage in Marion county, Iowa, and there her husband established his home where he continued to live until the time of his death, which occurred in December, 1899, as the result of having received mortal injury from being kicked by a horse and nine days after that unfortunate accident he passed away. In his family were six children: Frank M., the subject of this review; Reuben, who is engaged in stock-raising in Swea City, Iowa; Mark, who is engaged in the conduct of a general store in Warren county, Iowa; Cora, the wife of Ed Wrenn, who is engaged in farming in Canada; Ida, the wife of Worth Parker, who is also engaged in farming in Canada; and Etta, who died in early childhood. Mrs. Jacobs some time later gave her hand in marriage to Mr. Allison and a few years later died in Warren county, Iowa.

Frank M. Jacobs was reared at home and received his early education in the public schools of Iowa. At the age of twelve years he started in life for himself. He continued to make his home with his parents until he reached the age of eighteen, although he began working for others when a lad of twelve, purchasing his time from his father. He continued to be employed at farm labor until he reached the age of twenty-three when he began farming on his own account by renting a tract of land in Marion county, Iowa. He continued to rent land until the fall of 1899 and in November of that year he removed to Swea city, Kossuth county, where he purchased a harness shop of C. X. Johnson and engaged in the harness business. He later admitted to partnership in the business his brother Reuben and some time later he disposed of his interest in the harness business and moved to Grant township, where he was engaged in the operation of a rented farm for a period of two years. He then purchased one hundred and sixty acres of land located in Eagle township where he now resides and cultivates from eighty to four hundred additional acres annually. He engages in general farming and stock-raising.

Mr. Jacobs was united in marriage February 19, 1893, to Miss Zoda Wilson, a daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth (Slautterback) Wilson. The father is a native of Ohio and by trade a carpenter. He later engaged in farming in Marion county, where he and his wife now reside. They became the parents of four children: Guy, who is engaged in farming in Marion county, Iowa; Zoda, the wife of the subject of this review; Emma, the wife of Orpheus Browner, who is engaged in farming in Wyoming; and Jesse, who is engaged in the operation of a coal mine in Marion county, Iowa.

To Mr. and Mrs. Jacobs three children have been born: Jesse, who was born January 29, 1898, and is a pupil of school No. 1, Eagle township; Donald, whose birth occurred May 13, 1901, and is a pupil of the same school; and Joybelle, who was born October 20, 1906. Mr. Jacobs is affiliated with the democratic party and is now serving his sixth year as director in school district No. 1, Eagle township. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and also of the Modern Woodmen of America of Swea City. He belongs to the Methodist Episcopal church and Mrs. Jacobs is a member of the Christian church of Dallas, Iowa, and also of the Ladies Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal church.

Frank M. Jacobs is one of the well known and highly esteemed citizens of Kossuth county and is numbered among the most successful farmers of his section of the state. He is a man always to be relied upon to do his full share in the advancement of all movements intended to improve the condition of the people in the community in which he lives.