Frank Lake

LAKE, CHEEDLEY

Posted By: Connie Swearingen- Volunteer (email)
Date: 12/2/2015 at 02:09:08

Northwestern Iowa
Its History and Traditions
1804 – 1926

Frank Lake

One of the best and most favorably known livestock men in the west is Frank Lake, who for ever twenty years has been a member of the firm of Waitt & Lake, engaged in the live stock commission business at Sioux City. Practically his entire life since leaving school has been identified with the livestock business, with which he is intimately familiar in all its phases, and his record since locating in Sioux City is one of which he may be justifiable proud. Mr. Lake was born in Devonshire, England, November 7, 1861, and is a son of William and Eliza (Cheedley) Lake, also natives of Devonshire. The family came to the United States in 1870, locating in Hinsdale, Illinois, where the father engaged in the coal business. Later he also entered the meat business and was identified with both enterprises to the time of his death, which occurred in 1905, at the age of seventy-five years. The mother passed away in 1902, when sixty-nine years old.

Frank Lake attended the public schools of England, continuing his studies in the schools of Hinsdale and at Gleason’s Academy of that place. He next went to Chicago and entered the employ of the Stock Yards Company, where he remained six years. He then went to Omaha, Nebraska, and was employed by the Stock Yards Company six or seven years. In 1890 he came to Sioux City and worked for James D. Booge, the first meat packer of this city. He was made assistant buyer, serving in that capacity until the failure of the concern, some three years later. Afterwards he was with the livestock commission firm of Thayer, Hall & Company as yard hog salesman about three years, then spent two years as hog salesman for Parsons & West, and next became manager for J.H. Mason & Company, commission merchants, with whom he remained nine years. In 1905 he embarked in business on his own account, forming the firm of Waitt & Lake as a co-partnership, and Mr. Lake was made manager of the business, a relationship which he still sustains. This firm has enjoyed a steady increase of business through the years, being regarded as one of the most reliable firms on the Exchange and its more than twenty years record has been a most creditable one.

Mr. Lake is a member of Tyrian Lodge, No. 508, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons: Sioux City Consistory, No. 5, Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite and Abu-Bekr Temple, Ancient Arabic Order of Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. Socially, he is a member of the Knife and Fork Club. He owns a fine country home on McCook Lake, where he spends the summer months, enjoying his favorite recreations- boating and fishing. A man of sterling character, maintaining a public-spirited attitude towards all measures for the betterment of the city and the advancement of the public good, and kindly and friendly in all of his social relations, he enjoys a well merited popularity and among his business associates is accorded the highest measure of confidence.