From A
Biographical History of Central Kansas, Vol. I, p. 392
published by The Lewis Publishing Co, Chicago & New York, 1902
FRANK A. FRY
Frank A Fry is the proprietor of the Stone Corral ranch and occupies an enviable position among the leading and successful farmers and stock-raisers of Rice county. He has gained prominence as a leading cattle man, and his extensive interests have been acquired through his own efforts and bring to him a justly merited return for his labor. He came to the county in 1885 and has since been an important factor in the agricultural interests of his township.
Mr Fry was born in Clark county, Indiana, November 26, 1862, and is a son of Abraham Fry, who was a prominent and well-to-do citizen of Clark county, where his birth occurred. The grandfather, John Fry, was a native of Pennsylvania and belonged to one of the old families of that state, being of German lineage. The representatives of the name have ever been noted for industry, honesty and morality. John Fry became one of the pioneer settlers of Clark county, Indiana, where he spent his remaining days. His son, Abraham Fry, was reared and educated in that locality, and after arriving at years of maturity wedded Miss Margaret Mann, a most estimable lady, who was a good wife and devoted mother. She was born in New Albany, Indiana, a daughter of Peter Mann, proprietor of one of the largest flour mills in that part of the state. The marriage of Abraham and Margaret Fry was blessed with eight children, namely: Mrs Emma Johnson, Frank A (of this review), Mrs Cora B Graham, Mrs Ethel M Jacobs, Abraham Reddings, Walter Thomas, Harry James and Grace. Throughout his business career the father of this family has devoted his energies to the tilling of the soil and to the raising of stock, and has found both branches of industry profitable sources of revenue. He is a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, takes an active interest in its work and contributes liberally to its support. In the Masonic order he has attained the Knights Templar degree, and his life has ever been such as to command the esteem of his brethren of the craft and all with whom he has been associated in other relations.
Mr Fry, whose name forms the caption of this review, pursued his education in the schools of Indiana and received his business training as a farmer and stockman under his father’s direction. Lessons of industry, economy and honesty were early instilled into his mind and have largely shaped his career in manhood. He has fed cattle from the time he could carry a basket of corn and there has long been familiar with the best methods of caring for stock. At the age of twenty-two he left his native state, making his way to Ringgold county, Iowa, where he resided for two years, when he came to Rice county, Kansas. Since that time he has been a well-known resident of the Sunflower state, and as the years have passed he has prospered in his undertakings, his perseverance, labor and keen business judgment enabling him to overcome all obstacles and work his way steadily upward. His landed possessions now aggregate nine hundred and sixty acres, and his corn crops yield from thirty to fifty bushels per acre. Most of his fields are planted to that cereal, in order to provide an excellent food supply for his stock. He is one of the most extensive cattle-raisers in the county, feeding on an extensive scale. He raises excellent grades, and his barns and feed lots have somewhat the appearance of a fat-stock show, owing to the excellent condition of the cattle which he prepares for the market. He keeps from one to two hundred head all of the time and the same number of hogs and has a large number of horses. Long experience has made him perfectly familiar with the best methods of caring for stock and feeding them for sale, and his well-directed business affairs have brought to him splendid success.
In Rice county, on the 17th of March, 1887, Mr Fry was united in marriage to Miss Lapoldena Dewees, an estimable lady, who was born in Louisville, Kentucky, but was reared and educated in Rice county. Her father, George W Dewees, is a prominent and influential citizen of Sterling, Kansas. He was born in Kentucky and during the Civil war espoused the cause of the Union, fighting for its defense on many a southern battlefield. He was joined in wedlock to Mary M Knoblock, a native of Germany, and their children are Mrs Fry, Frank, Lillie, Reams, Effie D, Mattie and Georgia. The father is a miller and farmer and through his energetic business life has provided comfortably for his family. He now belongs to the Grand Army of the Republic, and through his membership maintains pleasant relations with his old army comrades among whom he fought for the preservation of the Union. The marriage of Mr and Mrs Fry has been blessed with four children, namely: Maggie Lena, Arthur Abraham, Grover Cleveland and Clifford Leroy.
In his political views Mr Fry is independent, and he has been honored with various local offices, having served as treasurer of his township for a number of years, while for eight years he was a member of the school board of his district. He and his wife are active and zealous members of the Methodist Episcopal church. Their home is celebrated for its gracious hospitality and is the abode of good cheer, culture and refinement. Music, books and other evidences of refined taste are there seen and a cordial welcome is ever extended to their large circle of friends. Mr Fry is a man of frank and jovial disposition, warm-hearted, liberal-minded and at all times true and faithful, and is numbered among the popular residents of Rockville township.