BUSY AND USEFUL LIFE
THAT OF 0. H. FRINK
Soldier, Pioneer Farmer, Merchant, County Treasurer, State Legislator—Founder Morton Mutual
It is a pleasure to scan the life of such a man as O. H. Frink, whose career has not indeed been thrilling or adventurous, but rather a steady flow of useful service to his fellows, to the county and the state. He is busy still and will be to the end, for, his good offices are in demand and always cheerfully given. He is so quiet and unostentatious that he has never got half the credit he deserves, for the good work he has, done. As
a summary let it be stated that at the age of sixteen years he entered the service of his country as a soldier, came as a pioneer to Iowa forty-two years ago, improved a farm and reared a model home, became a merchant, then county treasurer for six years, leaving this to fill a higher position in the general assembly of the state, serving three sessions of the legislature, and all this time active in the social welfare, Sunday school, public school and church work. That's a pretty good record. Few there are who have done more or better work in a lifetime of sixty-four years.
Mr. Frink was born in Elkhart, Ind., May 26, 1848. As his parents moved out to a farm about that time there was a little uncertainity as to whether he was city born or a country kid, but a good old lady friend of the family testified that she was there and that it happened in the city. His father died when he was six months old. He remembers living with his mother in a log house. His mother died when he was five years old, which doubtless changed the current of his life, for it is a sad misfortune to any boy to lose his mother. He was taken to Lafayette, Ill., where a sister lived, but soon returned and was taken by a family to raise. Here he attended his first school in the typical log school house of pioneer days. But when his oldest sister married at Kewanee, Ill., she sent for him and her home was his home till he entered the army. But he worked out on a farm at $7 a month in summer, and in winter attended school in town. This was the extent of his
education, reaching perhaps to the eighth grade. Thus he spent four years. Then he went into the store of Miles & Minnick, first as delivery boy and ending as chief clerk. This gave him an insight into business which stood him good in after years.
He enlisted in an old regiment the 124th Illinois, one of a dozen raw-recruits. How he got in at the age of sixteen years it is hard to tell, but he made good all right, stacking arms every night with the older men and never missing a duty. He served one year only, for the war ended, but before he was discharged he was transferred to the 33d regiment and kept in service after the war quelling guerillas in upper Mississippi. While with the first named regiment he saw fight and bloodshed at Spanish Fort at Mobile, where one of his associate raw recruits was blown to pieces.
He stood the service well, although the older men favored him in many ways. Yet he needed no favor. The boy soldier could curl down and sleep anywhere, and so recuperate, and could tramp with any of them. His time out, he returned to Kewanee, married Miss Ellen Minnick in April 1870. The next year, 1871, he came to Iowa and bought some land in Adams county. With his army pay and savings he had a little money. He bought his land for $500 but sold it later for $800 and went back to Illinois. Then he and Robert Moffatt started for Page county overland. This was in March 1871. He bought eighty acres three miles east and two miles south of Shenandoah. He lived with Frank Alden till he built his own house, a wooden box 14 by 16, one room. At that time there was no road to Shenandoah. Everybody cut across the open prairie. Alden made the first angle, or square turn by fencing his field. There were a few deer ano plenty of prairie chickens—could shoot them from the door. Settlers were all poor, so hard run that they deemed it no hardship to miss a meal or go barefoot. Mr. Frink, out of money and out of feed, went down below Coin and broke prairie for a German named John Reimer for money to pay for a cow and also broke prairie for Charley McDonald to get feed for the cow.
Here in this pioneer country home seven of his eight children were born. Around this home the lights and shadows of life played. Love and work, joy and sorrow, hope and happiness filled the years. Mr. Frink had much to do, for his neighbors piled all the offices and duties they could upon him. He was Sunday school superintendent, sometimes of two schools at once, school director, and active in all the social affairs. It was mainly through his efforts and direction that the Morton Mutual Insurance company was established and he became its secretary. It remains one of the successful institutions of the country. He was also an active member of the Anti-horse Thief association that did great good in its day.
At last he quit the farm and opened a general store in Bingham. He had scarcely been two years at this till his neighbors, S. A. Thomas, Mr. Bute and others told him he could be county treasurer if he would seek it. While feeling around for the chances he became a candidate and was nominated and elected by a large majority, over Tom Monzingo, the incumbent. This office he held for six years, handling one million, two hundred thousand dollars of public money and when the final settlement was made there was a balance of twenty-six cents, whether in his favor or against; no matter. What do you think of that?
He was not out of the treasurer's office till he was nominated and re-elected representative in the legislature. He was re-elected without opposition in his party and during his terms on extra session was called to revise the Code of Iowa. The code as it now stands is in part his work. He performed his duties at Des Moines with perfect fidelity. He made no rhetorical speeches, nor sought the limelight, "but when his committees met he was always there. He knew what was before the house and voted intelligently. He made many warm friends—among them Governor Carroll. As members of the ways and means committees of house and senate they met and the friendship then formed is warm today. Colonel W. B. Bell was a member of the house from Washington county, a noble man as he was a brave soldier. He too was at Spanish Port where comrade Wilson was shot to pieces. The incident was sufficient to make these old soldiers lasting friends till Col. Bell died two years ago.
One day the Sergeant-at-arms brought a young lady in and seated her at Mr. Frink's desk. He eyed her quizzically, was puzzled to know what it meant, for the suffragettes had not then invaded the halls of the legislature. She handed him her card. It bore the name of Frink but was not related to him. The sergeant-at-arms thought she was his daughter, hence the mistake.
We do not know when Mr. Frink and his excellent family came to Shenandoah for their final home but we do know they are a part and parcel of the best life of the city.