Louis K. Franks
The Franks family is one of the best known in Wayne county, members of which have been prominent in private and public life since the pioneer days, and the present representatives of the honored name are seeking to bear aloft the high standard of excellence maintained by their forbears, being active in the affairs of the general public and never shrinking from their duties as citizens.
L.K. Franks was born in Chippewa township, Wayne county, November 29, 1854, the son of Abram Franks, who was born in Fayettte county, Pennsylvania, where he lived until he was twenty-eight years of age, then moved to Wayne county, Ohio, where he was married in 1848 to Amanda Franks, daughter of Abram Franks, Sr., a second cousin. Abram Franks, father of L.K. Franks, was educated in the common schools and followed teaching for a time. He was also engaged in the mercantile business at New Geneva, Fayette county, Pennsylvania, before coming to Ohio, Soon after coming to Wayne county he opened a store at Doylestown, where he remained for some time, then went to New York City and engaged in the wholesale business. He was successful as a merchant. But turning his attention to politics, in 1848, soon after his marriage, he was elected to the state Legislature on the Democratic ticket, and so faithfully did he serve his constituents that he was re-elected the following term.
After his time in that office expired he turned his attention to farming, which he followed for a period of ten years, then moved to Doylestown and engaged in merchandising for sixteen or seventeen years, then retire, having made a great success of the same.
On December 3, 1887, Mrs. Franks died, at the age of fifty-eight years. She was the mother of the following children: Jennie, wife of Rev. J. W. Law, of Richland County, Ohio; L. K., of this review.
The father of these children was for many years justice of the peace in Doylestown. He was a very versatile writer and contributed many interesting and entertaining articles to the papers of his day. He was a man of unusual force of character and his ability was recognized by all who knew him. His death occurred in January, 1891.
L.K. Franks was educated in the public schools of Doylestown. Early in life he took up the mercantile business; for three years he was a junior partner in the firm of Charles McCormick & Company, of Doylestown. August 1, 1883, he was married to Linda V. Wharton, daughter of James and Nancy (Williams) Wharton, a prominent family of Ashland county. To this union three children have been born, Metta L., Kent W. and Carrie L.
Mr. Franks has been in the mercantile business nearly all his life, following in the footsteps of his honored father , and he has been scarcely less successful than the elder Franks. He is also largely interested in agricultural pursuits in Chippewa township. He is a member of the firm of Franks & Cleckner, engaged in the lumber and saw-mill business, and with Dr. A. E. Stepfield he is interested in a fruit farm of seven hundred apple trees in Chippewa township, one of the valuable farms of its kind in this part of the state. In all these varied and extensive interests he is having great success owing to his splendid management and natural business ability, always paying close attention to details and being able to foresee the future outcome of present transactions.
Mr. Franks is justly proud of his family history and likes to tell of his ancestors, the Franks family being of mixed German and French blood, the earliest members of which came to America long before the Revolutionary war. Michael Franks, grandfather of L. K. Franks' maternal grandfather, Henry Framks, took part in the war of 1812, was captured by the Indians at Sandusky, Ohio, and compelled to run the gantlet, but fortunately escaped. From such hardy ancestry it is no wonder that the subject is a man of action and force of character.
In politics, Mr. Franks is a Democrat and has always been prominent in public affairs. He has been rewarded for his valuable services to his party by being elected township clerk, township treasurer and deputy county treasurer, in all of which he very faithfully represented his constituents. He and his wife are members of the Presbyterian church, and fraternally he is a member of the Independent order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias.
Mr. Franks is a public-spirited man, always interested in whatever tends to promote the general good, and he is known to be a man of the highest integrity of purpose.
From The History of Wayne County, Ohio, B. E. Bowen & Co., Indianapolis, 1910