An Illustrated History of Central Oregon, Western Historical Publishing Company,
Spokane, WA. 1905, page 316

FRANK G. CHURCH resides three miles from town on Belmont street, where he owns a
choice fruit farm and a beautiful residence. Everything about his premises shows
thrift, good taste, and neatness, and his is one of the choice and happy homes
of the valley. Mr. Church has a bright and interesting family and they are all
popular people in society and in church work.      

Frank G. Church was born in Lacrosse, Wisconsin, on June 10, 1858, the son of
Archibald L. and Susan (Cheney) Church, natives of Pennsylvania. The father
followed carpentering and died at Grand Forks, North Dakota, in 1897, September
26. His ancestors were of English, Scotch and Welsh extraction and were
prominent people in colonial days and since. The mother's grandfather, who was a
noble Christian worker, was one of the organizers of the First Baptist church in
Wisconsin, and preached without pay. The Cheney family is prominent not only in
Wisconsin, but also on the Atlantic coast. There are many professional men among
them and statesmen as well as commercial operators and bankers. Farther east,
they are engaged in manufacturing, and are people of ability and enterprise. Our
subject was educated principally in Michigan, wither the family had moved when
he was ten years old and when fifteen, he started to assume the responsibilities
of life for himself, first following working for wages a few years. When
eighteen he went to Iowa and four years later went to Wisconsin again, engaging
in a flour mill, and in a store. Later we see him in Minnesota where he resided
for twenty years, seventeen of which were spent on the farm and the balance in
mercantile pursuits. He lived just across the line in Minnesota from Grand Forks
and was employed in a store in that city. In 1900, Mr. Church came to the Hood
River valley and bought twenty acres where he now resides. He has the estate
well planted to berries and fruits and is one of the prosperous fruit raisers of
this section. The place is called the Ideal Fruit Farm, and is certainly a
choice spot.      

On January 5, 1881, Mr. Church married Miss Sarah S. Sproat, the daughter of
William C. and Ann (Hoover) Sproat, natives of Vermont and New York,
respectively, and both descended from prominent New England families. Mr. Church
has one brother, Daniel, while his wife has two brothers, Charles and Boyd, and
one sister, Mrs. Jessie Gleason. Mr. Church is a member of the A.O.U.W., while
he and his wife belong to the Methodist church, being associated with the
Belmont class, of which Mr. Church is a trustee. Two children have come to
gladden the home of, Mr. and Mrs. Church, Alice and Ethel, both at home and the
latter organist at the Belmont church, and a music teacher.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in January 2005 by Jeffrey L. Elmer. 
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.