Frankfort, the third largest town in Marshall county, is located on the Vermillion river and the Missouri Pacific R. R., 18 miles southeast of Marysville, the county seat. It is on the route of the Union Pacific branch which is building from Onaga. All the principal lines of business are represented. The main commodities shipped are grain and produce. There are good schools and churches, weekly and daily newspapers, express and telegraph offices, and six rural delivery routes go out from the Frankfort postoffice.

The neighborhood of which Frankfort became the trading point was settled in 1855-56 by freestate men from Ohio and Pittsburgh, Pa.

After various attempts to make a town, Frankfort was laid out in 1867 by a town company of Marysville men, who bought section 16, township 4, range 9, and started a town by the name of Frank's ford. In consideration of receiving a station, depot and side track, the company gave one-half the town site to the Central Branch R. R., the line was extended to Frankfort that year and the depot built.

The first houses were built by J. S. Magill, R. S. Newell and Frank Schmidt. The first store was erected by O. C. Horr in 1867. The next year seven buildings were erected. Frankfort was incorporated as a city of the third class in 1875 and an election was held in which R. S. Newell was made the first mayor. The population in 1910 was 1,426.