CENTRE LINES

The FRANK Family

This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on Frank. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

There are no books in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte that apparently deal in part with the Frank family.

There are 28 first-name entries for Frank/Franck in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are several mentions of the name in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898), with George S. FRANK (b. 22-Oct-1859, Rebersburg, and s/o Samuel and Sarah (Brungart) Frank) getting a full-length profile.

And, now, your ancestors' Frank neighbors in 1890:

FERGUSON Township:

Thomas, 45, laborer--Rock Springs Mahala E. William C. 14

HAINES Township:

Lydia--Aaronsburg Sarah--Aaronsburg Thomas, 57, hotel keeper--Aaronsburg Susan Catherine

MILES Township:

Annie M.--Rebersburg Della--Centre Mills Jacob, 53, laborer--Madisonburg Catharine James P., 41, farmer--Rebersburg Maggie S. Samuel S. 18 Charles O. 10 Samuel 69 Luther B., 34, merchant--Rebersburg Mary C. Philip, 39, laborer--Madisonburg Kate Gertrude Maggie E. Lillie P. Washington, 20, Wolfs Store

MILLHEIM Borough:

Alleman A., clerk Harry K. 12 Thomas T. 9 George S., 31, physician Selissa John H., 54, retired Sarah

PENN Township:

Anna--Millheim

RUSH Township:

Charles C. FRANCK, 39, laborer--Philipsburg Mary E. Morris E. 18 Mary E. Annie Delia M. Rebecca Abraham, 78, retired--Philipsburg Ellen Charles C., 25, carpenter--Philipsburg Sarah E. Gertrude A. Howard F. 2 mos.