Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1915
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 522
FRANK D. STEARNS

The career of Frank D. STEARNS in Harrison county, Iowa, began in 1875, when he came here as a lad with his parents and located in Logan. He has lived in that city for the past forty years and has taken an active part in every phase of its welfare. He has devoted the major portion of his active career to the mercantile business and is now manager of the Farmers' Mercantile Company, of Logan.

Frank D. STEARNS, the son of DuRenn and Eliza (RODGERS) STEARNS, was born on November 4, 1861, in Clinton county, Iowa, and was one of six children, the others being Logan, Benjamin W. of St. Louis, Missouri; Ada E., living in Texas; George W., editor of the New York Tribune, and one who died in infancy.

DuRenn STEARNS was born in 1836 in Ashtabula county, Ohio, and was reared in his native state on the farm and came to Iowa early in its history and engaged in farming in Clinton county for a few years. He later moved to Scott county, Iowa, where he operated a restaurant at Davenport. In 1875 DuRenn STEARNS and family located in Logan, Iowa, where he was engaged in the real estate business until 1891. During his active career in Logan, Mr. STEARNS was city clerk and mayor, holding the latter office at the time the first system of waterworks was established in Logan. After leaving that city DuRenn STEARNS located in Rock Rapids, Iowa, and in Denver, Colorado, before he finally retired to St. Louis to make his home with his son, Benjamin. Mrs. STEARNS was born in Indiana in 1837 and died at St. Louis, December 23, 1914.

Frank D. STEARNS was fourteen years old when his parents located in Logan, and he has made that city his home ever since. He received his elementary education in the common schools of Davenport and Des Moines. At the age of eighteen he commenced to work in a hardware store in Logan and a year later became a clerk in a dry goods store. He remained in the latter store for five years and then started to work in the grocery store of his father-in-law, John W. STOCKER. After the death of the latter in 1893, he became the manager of the store and continued in this capacity until 1901, at which time his father-in-law's estate was settled, and the STOCKER Mercantile Company was organized. Mr. STEARNS became the president and manager of this company and retained this position until the firm was dissolved. In 1913 he became the manager of the Farmers' Mercantile Company, of Logan, and is now holding this position. Mr. STEARNS has a financial interest in this company and is already giving evidence of his excellent business ability in administering the duties connected with his office as manager.

Mr. STEARNS was married in 1885 to Kate B. STOCKER, who was born in Illinois in 1862, the daughter of Capt. John W. and Susan (BONNEY) STOCKER, both of whom are deceased. Her parents were natives of Ohio and early settlers in Harrison county, Iowa. Mr. STEARNS and his wife are the parents of three children, Benjamin, who is treasurer of Harrison county, and Susan B. and Robert, who are still at home with their parents.

The Republican party has long claimed the support of Mr. STEARNS. He has been a member of the city council of Logan for the past twenty years, a fact which speaks well for the confidence which his fellow citizens have in his ability and integrity. The family are members of the Presbyterian church. Mr. STEARNS is a member of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the Modern Woodmen of America, the Royal Highlanders and the Order of Eastern Star.

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