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Page content last modified: October 15, 2006, revised and added text.
May 18, 2006, added text, link to marriage license.
April 24, 2006, added text, military service, 1850, 1860, 1880 census transcriptions.

MAJORVILLE   CEMETERY
HANCOCK COUNTY, ILLINOIS

 

 MAHLON P. FRANK 1845-1874  
BERTRIE M. FRANK 1874-1876          WILLIE FRANK 1897

 

A photograph of the Frank tombstone, the side bearing Mahlon Frank's inscription.
MAHLON P.
FRANK
DIED
JUNE 17, 1874
AGED
29Y. 4M. 17D.

An enlarged view of the inscription.

BERTRIE M.
SON OF
M. P. & ANN E.
DIED
May 26, 1876
AGED
1Y. 5M. 9D.
~ ~ epitaph ~ ~
A photograph of the Frank tombstone, the side bearing the inscription for Bertrie.
A photograph of the Frank tombstone, the side bearing the inscription for Willie.
WILLIE
(illegible, probably SON OF)
W. B. & DORA J.
FRANK
BORN
MAY 19, 1897
~ ~ epitaph ~ ~

An enlarged view of the inscription.

An outline map of Ohio counties, illustrating the location of Champaign County.
In 1850 William Frank (59, born in Virginia) and his wife, "Catharin" (48, born in Virginia), were farming in Salem Township, Champaign County, Ohio.  One member of the household was "Mahlan", who was shown at 5 years of age and born in Ohio. Whether the youngster was their son or grandson is unclear.

 

1850 Ohio Census, Champaign County, Salem Township
page 277B, enumerated July 17, 1850, dwelling #139

Wm Frank, 59, male, farmer, value of real estate 2000, born VA
Catharin, 48, female, born VA
John, 27, male, laborer, born VA
Leanari ? Kite, 26, female, born VA
Mahlan Frank, 5, born OH
Irena ? Kite, 3, female, born IN

 
William apparently died before 1860 and John Frank (we presume a son) kept the farm going, with Mahlon pitching in.

 

1860 Ohio Census, Champaign County, Salem Township, page 45
enumerated June 2, 1860, dwelling #60

Catharine Frank, 58, female, value of real estate 6750, value of personal estate 3360, born VA
John Frank, 30, male, farmer, value of personal estate 225, born VA
Jane Anderson, 16, female, housework, born NJ
Mahlon P Frank, 15, male, farm laborer, born OH, attended school within the year

 
Mahlon served in the 95th Ohio Infantry during the Civil War.  We have not been able to establish his whereabouts in 1870, nor can we locate Catherine or John.

Mahlon came to Hancock County, Illinois, where David Frank and family had resided since 1850 at the latest.  Like William Frank, David was originally from Virginia; he had married in Champaign County, Ohio, in 1832, and continued to live in Ohio until 1845.  We cannot firmly state that a relationship existed between Mahlon and David, but it seems a strong possibility.  We suspect Mahlon was David's nephew or grandnephew.

Whether there was a family connection or not, come to Hancock County he did, where Mahlon wooed and won the hand of Ann Elizabeth Callihan, daughter of John Callihan and Elizabeth Long. On January 27, 1872, Mahlon went to the office of the Hancock County Clerk, where an affidavit was prepared requesting a marriage license for Mahlon and Miss Elizabeth "Callahan".  The affidavit stated that both Mahlon and Elizabeth were of age, single and eligible for marriage.  On January 30th, they were joined in matrimony by the Rev. Thomas M. Walker.  We can reasonably guess the ceremony was conducted either at the Callihan home or at the Walker residence.
Marriage License  (45k)

William Bishop Frank was born on April 13, 1873, and Ann was expecting another baby when Mahlon died in June of 1874.  The baby, Bertrie, was born the following December, but Ann lost this little one when he was not quite a year and a half old.

An image of the pension card.In June of 1881, the widowed Ann married George Cuba.

In 1891 Ann filed for and received a pension based on Mahlon's military service - most interesting considering that she had no young dependent children and was married to a man who, as best we can tell, was healthy and capable of supporting her.

For more information on Ann, follow the above link to George Cuba.

About 1893 William Bishop Frank married Isadora J. "Furgusin".  That surname comes from the death record of their son, Mahlon Elbert Frank, but we are unable to locate Isadora or her family in the years prior to her marriage.  "Dora" was born in Illinois about 1861, based on census records, to a father born in Kentucky and a mother born in Illinois.

William and Dora lost their first son, Willie, born May 19, 1897, buried at Majorville Cemetery.

They were living in Colchester, McDonough County, Illinois, in 1900, but by 1910 had made their way to Los Angeles County, California.  And in that year, another local man, Roy C. Way, was staying with W. B. and Dora.

William Bishop Frank died August 18, 1953, in Los Angeles.

Mahlon Elbert Frank was born November 28, 1898, in Illinois, probably in the Hancock - McDonough County area.  He married a woman named Agnes who was born in Maine about 1901. He died November 11, 1951, in Los Angeles.

1880 Illinois Census, Hancock County, Hancock Township, page 124A
enumerated June 7, 1880, dwelling #39

Frank, Ann E, white, female, 38, widow, keeping house, born PA, both parents born PA
William B, white, male, 7, son, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born PA
Callihan, Emma P, white, female, 36, sister, single, keeping house, born IL, both parents born PA
Day, John W, white, male, 22, nephew, single, farmer, born IL, father born IL, mother born PA

1900 Illinois Census, McDonough County, Colchester Township, Colchester, page 81B
enumerated June 20, 1900, dwelling #51, R.R. Street

Frank, William [initial, if present, obscured], head, white, male, Apr 1873, 27, married for 6 years, born IL, father born OH, mother born IL, day laborer, could read, write and speak English, paying on a mortgage on his home

Dora F, wife,white, female, July 1860, 39, married for 6 years; mother of 2 children, 1 living; born IL, father born KY, mother born IL, could read, write and speak English

Elbert, son, white, male, Nov 1898, 1, single, born IL, both parents born IL

1910 California Census, Los Angeles County, Pasadena Township, Samanda Precinct 2, page 6B
enumerated April 26, 1910, dwelling #174, street name illegible

Frank, William B, head, male, white, 37, married (1st) for 15 years, born IL, father born OH, mother born PA, spoke English, carpenter, home finishing, employee, whether out of work on April 15, 1910 - no, number of weeks out of work during 1909 - 0, could read and write, owned his home free of mortgage

Dora J, wife, female, white, 37, married (1st) for 15 years; mother of 2 children, 1 living; born IL, father born KY, mother born IL, spoke English, could read and write

Elbert M, son, male, white, 11, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Way, Roy C, friend, male, white, 27, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, electrician, "acqueduct" work, employee, whether out of work on April 15, 1910 - no, number of weeks out of work during 1909 - 3, could read and write

 

1920 California Census, Los Angeles County, Pasadena Township, page 63B
enumerated January 5, 1920, dwelling #120, 55 Allen Avenue

Andrews, Bessie, head 1, renter, female, white, 40, married, could read and write, born ME, both parents born ME, spoke English

Frank, William B, head 2, owner, free of mortgage, male, white, 46, married, could read and write, born IL, father born OH, mother born PA, spoke English, carpenter, house, working for wages

[continued on next page]

Isadora, wife, female, white, 58, married, could read and write, born IL, father born KY, mother born IL, spoke English

Elbert M, son, male, white, 21, single, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, salesman, cigar store, working for wages


1930 Census Record for William B. Frank and family not found.  If his mother,
Ann Cuba, was still living, she would probably have been residing with or near
William and Dora.  We have not been able to find any of them in 1930.

 

1930 California Census, Los Angeles County, San Gabriel Township, page 203B
enumerated April 10, 1930, dwelling #178, 3044 Main Street, family #201

Frank, Mahlon E, head, renter, monthly rental - 25, owned a radio, male, white, 31, married, age at first marriage - 24, could read and write, born IL, both parents born U.S., spoke English, salesman, firearms, whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition - no

Agnes, wife, female, white, 28, married, age at first marriage - 21, could read and write, born ME, mother born England, father born France, spoke English

 

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