Lockley, Fred.  "History of the Columbia River Valley, From The Dalles to the
Sea." Vol. 2.  S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1928.  p. 306.

SHERMAN J. FRANK

Sherman J. Frank is another of the sons of Oregon who have seen no good reason
for leaving their favored state. He has here lived a busy and useful life,
during which he has been rewarded with a satisfactory measure of success, and is
now one of the respected and popular citizens of the Hood River valley. Mr.
Frank was born at The Dalles, Oregon, February 2, 1877, and is a son of Leonard
and Etta (Dailey) Frank, both of whom were natives of Geneseo, Illinois. His
paternal grandfather, Jacob Frank, who was of German descent, came overland to
Oregon in the early Ô70s and located on a tract of land a few miles southwest of
Hood River, in Oak Grove district. It was heavily timbered land and there he
built a sawmill, which he ran for about a year, at the end of which time he sold
out and returned to Illinois, where he spent his remaining years, dying about
1900. Leonard Frank learned the trade of a saddle and harness maker under his
father, whom he accompanied to Oregon. He ran his father's sawmill near Hood
River until about 1876, when he sold it and moved to The Dalles, where he opened
a harness and saddlery shop, in which business he met with marked success,
having from eighteen to twenty employees during the greater part of the time.
Among them were a number of Spaniards, who were experts in silver inlay work on
saddles and bridles, and Mr. Frank's saddles were famous all over the range
country of the northwest. He continued his business until his death, which
occurred in 1884. To him and his wife were born two children, Sherman J., of
this review, and William, who was in the moving picture business in Hollywood,
California, and died there in 1925. Some time after the death of her husband,
Mrs. Frank became the wife of G. J. Fancy, and to them was born a daughter,
Etta, who now lives in Eugene, Oregon. Mr. Frank took an active interest in the
welfare of his community and in the early days served as chief of the fire
department at The Dalles. He was a member of the Masonic order.

Sherman J. Frank received a good education, attending the public schools at The
Dalles and old Wasco Independent Academy, under Professor Gatch, where he was a
schoolmate of Congressman N. J. Sinnott, Judge Fred W. Wilson and other noted
citizens of The Dalles. He later went to Portland and took a commercial course
in Armstrong's Business College. He then returned to The Dalles and learned the
trade of saddle and harness making under his father, continuing there until
1903, when he moved to Hood River and established a harness shop, which he ran
until 1909, when he sold it and bought a twenty-acre apple orchard near the
town. He lived there until 1915, when he sold the place and bought twelve acres
of land on the Belmont road, adjoining the city limits of Hood River, and
entered the employ of the Dupont Powder Company, having charge of the
distribution of explosives in the eastern Oregon territory. For several years
Mr. Frank also ran a dairy, keeping a herd of purebred Guernsey cattle, and
retailed milk in Hood River.

On October 24, 1904, in The Dalles, Mr. Frank was united in marriage to Miss
Annie O'Brien, who was born at Happy Home, Klickitat county, Washington, and is
a daughter of L. and Margaret (Macken) O'Brien, both of whom were natives of
Ireland. Her father came to the United States in young manhood and located on a
homestead in Klickitat county, where he engaged in the stock business, running
cattle and sheep, and as he prospered he bought more land, until today he is the
owner of several thousand acres of fine farming and grazing land in that county.
A few years ago he leased his holdings and, retiring from active business, is
now living in Goldendale, Washington, being now ninety-five years old. His wife
is deceased. Mrs. Frank, who is an only child, was educated in St. Mary's
Academy, at The Dalles. Mr. Frank is a keen sportsman, loving to hunt and fish,
and every autumn he takes his guns to eastern Oregon, and never fails to secure
his limit of deer. He is a man of cordial and friendly manner, enjoys a wide
acquaintance throughout this section of the state, and is held in the highest
respect and esteem.



Submitted to the OR. Bios Project in September 2006 by Jeffrey L. Elmer

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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Oregon Biographies Project. 
The submitter has no further information on the individual featured in the
biography.