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Ninth Generation
56. Frank
HODGES1 was born in
1863. He was born on 19 Sep 1863 in Orion, Richland Co., WI.
He appeared in the census enumerated on 25 Jun 1870 in The federal census of
1870 enumerates Francis Hodges with his grandparents George and Betsy Hartshor.
[NEED TO DEFINE SENTENCE: AKA (Facts Pg)] He died in 1962 in Olathe,
Johnson Co., KS. He was buried in Olathe Memorial Cemetery, Olathe,
Johnson Co., KS. He was in Business man owning a lumber yard, Olathe, KS.
The Federal U. S. census of June 12, 1900 enumerates the family of Frank Hodges
as living in original Town, Olathe; Olathe Twp., Johnson Co., KS as follows.
Hodges, Frank Sr.; born 9/1863; age 36; married 6 years; born WI;lumberman.
Jessie; born 11/1868; age 31; married 6 years; born KS; 1 child born 1 child living.
Frank Jr.; born 7/1898; age 1; born KS
Copied from the Johnson County Democrat of September 4. 1947
An interview with Frank Hodges and a young contestant in a model airplanemeet.
There will be plenty young citizens of every age in Olathe (Johnson Co.KS) Friday
night as the old settler's celebration opens with a preview of the Midwestern
States Championship Model Airplane Meet by youngsters from Johnson county at the
court house square.
Friday night at 7:00 contestants, who will compete at the all day mee there next
Sunday, will invade the Olathe gathering of seniors and show them the speedy planes
that interest old and young in our air age.
This afternoon at his spacious home, Frank Hodges, Kansas financier, publisher,
and lumberman compared notes with Bobby (Red) Sutton who proudly told Mr. Hodges
the performance of of his 75 mile-an-hour model airplane. Mr. Hodges, who vividly
recall his arrival by covered wagon to Olathe on August 12, 1869, told Sutton
that the little plane covered more miles per hour than the wagon train in a week
then.
" I remember the date, August 12, 1869 because there was a total eclipse of
the sun that day, and the superstitious natives and the Shawnee Indians thought
it was the end of the world. While we had come from Wisconsin where there were
lots of Indians, we thought all the rough ones in the world were right here in
Olathe," he said.
Mr. Hodges recalled his grand father, Dr. George Hartshorn, was a man of many
talents who formed this wagon train complete with outriders and buggies, and that
the train had gathered Mason City, Iowa, for a general exodus to more open and
"wilder" country
"My grandfather Hartshorn was a Physician, ordained minister, and lawyer,and
he had made and lost several fortunes by 1869. He was a great, husky man who left
the lush lands of Wisconsin for the wild state of Kansas. We ferried across the
Misouri (River) on a little boat at Kansas City and parked the somewhat imposing
cavalcade on the west side of Main Street at about where 12th street is now. I
remember there were cornfields stretching out to the west."
"We finally stopped a Olathe-- my father, mother, brother, sister and I--because
my mother was ill, and we have been here ever since-- at least my brother, Govenor
George H. Hodges and I are still here. Our grandfather went on to Princeton while
we were bound for Texas, I've never regretted our decision to grow with Kansas."
"We settled in Olathe on West Park street where we now own three store buildings;
we later moved to a place on west Loula. I remember that there wasn't anything
between our house and the Pacific Ocean
except a little back fence."
Mr. Hodges, immaculate in a cool summer suit, rumpled Bobby Sutton's flaming red
hair and chuckled, "I wonder what those Shawnees, with their war-paint and
black braided hair, would think of this little airplane that flies faster than
the eagle."
From the Olathe Daily News July 7, 1988
Old Settlers
How it was then, later, now
Pat Davis, who used to work at this newspaper, dropped by a copy of an item that
Frank Hodges, Hodges Brothers Farmers' and Builders' Supplies,later the Hodges
Lumber Yard had printed up in the form of a hand bill in 1921. It makes pretty
good reading in 1988. I starts out.
"fifty-two years ago (1869) on a hot August day two canvass covered wagons
, a top buggy and other vehicles, drew up in the shade of a high board fence surrounding
the old Fair Grounds east of the Frisco railroad tracks. The day was blistering
hot, the sky was cloudless, the burning wind from the southwest came across a
thousand miles of scorching prairies. Bye and Bye a black piece seemed bitten
out of the side of the sun and then a total eclipse blotted out the sun out of
the sky, chickens went to roost and an unearthly light filled the Heavens.
"The cavalcade had driven from near the Minnesota Line. Composing the caravan
was W.W. Hodges his rosy cheek black-eyed little wife , two boys and a girl, Dr.
George Hartshorn (physician) and his wife, parent of Mrs.Hodges. That's how we
happened to be Old Settlers, and here we will abide forever.
"The prairies were of an emerald grass, now gone forever, a kind when once
plowed under will never come again. The Sweet Williams starred the prairies as
far as they could reach; the flocks of prairie chickens flew up in every slough,
the creeks were clear for the water ran off the sod....free land could be had
only a few miles away. the finest quarter section (of land) could be bought for
$800, a Price which three acres commands now. (1921). A few dollars cash outlay
would keep a family in comfort for a year. Hard wood could be had for a dollar
or two a cord; Coal was only $2.50 a ton; corn was 15 to 20 cents a bushel; quails
50 cents a dozen; choice beef steaks eight cents a pound.
"we never heard of thoroughbred chickens then. Chickens were chickens except
the Dominecks.. Bird dogs were not pedigreed then. In those days you merely whistled
up your dog, threw your muzzle loading gun over your shoulder, arranged your shot
and powder flask , saw to it that you had your cap box in your pocket and trudged
out across Myers Gant's fields and there scare up flock after flock of prairie
chickens and kill as many as you could carry. quails were to small to waste load
upon.
"In those good old days we had $1 a day hotels, haircloth sofas,tintypes,
congress shoes, livery stables, hoop skirts, kerosene lamps,red underskirts,
natural complexions, parlor sea shells, mustache cups,buggy rides, real blonds,
sideburns, ten cent shaves, stovepipe hats,hitching posts."
But today (1921)
Hodges goes on under this subtitle"But today we have;
"The movies, manicures, automobiles, 50-cent haircuts, joy rides, tightskirts,
$18 shoes, wrist watches, $2.50 wheat, daily baths bridge, whist,silk hose, the
shimmy tea wagons, 25-cent shaves, wireless, $100 suits,traffic cops, plucked
eyebrows, aeroplanes, and we do business by;telephone, telegraph, trucks, and
automobiles and we handle more of it inone day than we used to in six months.
The early days were happy carefree days; they were full of joy, but we would not
go back to them if we could."
And today (1988)
And if he were writing today (1988) he would say:
Today we have video tapes for television, $14 haircuts, tighter skirts,$150 shoes,
digital watches, $3.80 wheat (start to get the picture why farmers complain?),
teens who take two showers a day, make overs, gourmet TV dinners, desktop publishing,
stress seminars, and guided tours to find prairie chickens.
The following excerpts are taken from the publication for the 1957 Centennial
celebration of Olathe, Johnson Co., KS, "Arrows to Atoms 1857-1957"
a historical album of Olathe. Kansas:
Hodges Bros. Lumber Co are listed as sponsors.
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Frank Hodges is listed on page 18 as a teacher at one time in the Olathe Red Brick
high school which had a meager beginning in1865.
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Olathe Centennial Organization ,page 30, named Frank Hodges as a member the committee
established to entertain the Celebrities.
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Page26, The power of the press... THE JOHNSON COUNTY DEMOCRAT
The Johnson County Democrat under the ownership of George and Frank Hodges and
the editorship of S. T. (Sam) Seaton began publishing November 25, 1921. To start
the paper, the subscription list and franking rights of the DeSoto Eagle Eye were
purchased from Mr and Mrs Charlie Ward.
The paper set up shop with a used Linotype machine, small presses and a staff
which in the early years included Frank Hodges Jr., Anna Grieves, William P. McGee,
Ignatz Adamek, Blanch Wiswell Corlett, Powrie Doctor and others. It was housed
at its present location across the street from the Courthouse on the west side
of the square. In November 1928 the Olathe Register was purchased from Charles
O. Horner, well known figure in the Chautauqua business.
Through the years. men of widely varying attributes have occupied the editor's
chair, each leaving with the paper some of the essence of his intellect and personality.
The List of editors includes Sam Seaton, John Hipp, Vaughn a. Kimball, Paul A.
Guess, Charles A. Sanders and William W. Reddig
In a hundred years Johnson County had few Democratic Newspapers. The first newspaper
in the county, The Olathe Herald, a democratic paper started by John M. Griffen
on August 29, 1859 was destroyed during Quantrails raid on Olathe on September
6, 1862 . and not revived. At the dedication of the courthouse in 1892, a second
Olathe Herold , Also a Democratic paper was in existence with T. P. Fulton as
editor.
The second Democratic paper in Johnson County started on May 18, 1882, by W. C.
Paul was called the Johnson County Democrat. It was considered second to none
in the state in editorial and typographical excellence. The Paul family, who were
related by marriage to the Taylor Family of DeSoto, moved to Nashville, Tennessee
and the paper went out of business.
When George and Frank started a Democratic newspaper 1n 1921 they revived the name
of its predecessor, The Johnson County Democrat, to define its politics and it's
intended scope of coverage.
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Past president of "The Old Settlers Club" 1917
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The First National Bank
The First National Bank of Olathe on the southeast corner of the courthouse square
for the past seventy years, received its charter from the treasury dept, bearing
the date , June 7, 18887. After informal meetings early in 1887 , opening its
doors for business the following month......
...on the site 1887 stood the grocery store of Price and Welch. J. L.Price ,
son of a Carolina planter gave up his grocery when he was elected the first cashier
of the bank and utilized his building to house the bank. As secretary of the
bank he kept meticulous minutes recorded in his beautiful script which are
highly prized by the bank today...
The Bank has had only five presidents in it's seventy years, Lewis Bryfogle, 1887-1907;
John L. Pettyjohn, 1907- 1920; Frank R. Ogg,1920-1930; Frank Hodges, 1930-1955,
now board chairman Murray H. Hodges.Present day bank directors are...Frank Hodges,
Murray H. Hodges. (page39&54)
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Fank Hodges, senior member of the Hodges Lumber Company, and one of Olathe's most
capable business men, was born in Wisconsin, September 19,1863, and came to Kansas
in (August 12) 1869, in a prairie schooner with his parents, his brother, George,
and his sister, and settled in the then frontier town of Olathe.
In his early years Mr. Hodges taught Olathe schools, later becoming engaged in
the lumber business with his brother. While he had a very active business career,
he has given generously of his tome to public affairs. He serve as mayor of Olathe
for two terms and remembered as the mayor "who took the town out of the mud."
During his terms as mayor the plan for water and sewage system and universal grading
of streets was sponsored and the 20-million gallon reservoir for the waterworks
wasbuilt.
Mr Hodges has been Identified with the Democratic party all his life and has taken
a active part in the welfare of the party. During World War II,he was appointed
by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to the Reconstruction Finance Corporation.
Mr. Hodges is a 32nd degree Scottish Rite Mason and is an ardent lover of the
out-of-doors, and is known as a big game hunter. (Page 46)
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The Hodges Brothers Lumber Company had its beginning in 1889 when George H. Hodges
, a young man, who had worked for the G. B. Shaw and the F. R.Lanter lumber yards,
borrowed money from W. H. Betts, Cashier of the Patrons Cooperative Bank, and
bought out the Charles Pettigrew lumber yard. This yard was located just west
of the Sante Fe tracks diagonally across from the present location of the Hodges
Brithers lumber warehouse.
A year or two later Frank Hodges, an older brother joined the firm and thus began
a joint association in business which has continued unbroken throughout the years,
although the brothers engaged in wide and varied fields of activity George becoming
a prominent politician, statesman and banker; Frank, a leading businessman, banker,
realtor, sportsman and big game hunter.
The original company expanded until it owned and operated fourteen builders supply
yards located in various towns in eastern Kansas. Eleven of those branches are
still being operated as home-owned yards and their managers live in and are part
of the communities which they serve.
It is a significant fact and a point of pride that many of the early employees
of the Hodges Brothers company spent almost their entire whole lifetime in the
service of the organization:.........(no Hodges mentioned)(Page 46)
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In 1934 George H. and Frank Hodges gave a block of land which lies at Popular
and Woodland. (This is the site of the Olathe Swimming Pool)(Page 51) Frank
HODGES and Jessie McKOIN were married in 1892. They were married.
Jessie MCKOIN1
was born in 1868. She died in 1906 in Olathe, Johnson Co., KS.
She was buried in Olathe Memorial Cemetery, Olathe, Johnson Co., KS.
Frank HODGES and Jessie MCKOIN had the following children:
The Federal U. S. census of April 10,1910 enumerates the family of Frank Hodges
Sr. as living at 420 Water St.; First Ward, Olathe, Olathe Twp.,Johnson Co.,
KS as follows.
Hodges, Frank Sr.; age 47; born WI; married 4 years; owner, lumber yard.
Hodges George; age age 44; married 11 years; born WI; owner, lumber yard.
Ora M.; Sis-in-law; age 37; married 11 years; born KS.
Georgia; niece; age 5; born KS.
Jessie; daughter; age 4; born KS.
Frank Jr.; son; age 12; born KS.
Lydia A.; mo-in-law; age 71; born OH; 3 children 2 living; widow.
The Federal U. S. census of January 2,1920 enumerates the family of Frank Hodges
Sr. as living at 432 South Water St.; First Ward, Olathe, OlatheTwp., Johnson
Co., KS as follows.
Hodges, Frank Sr.; age 56; born WI; partner, retail merchant, lumber.
Eunice; age age 37; born KS.
Frank Jr.; age 21; born KS.
Jessie; age 13; born KS.
The Federal U. S. census of April 3,1930 enumerates the family of Frank Hodges
Sr. as living at 432 South Water St.; First Ward, Olathe, Olathe Twp., Johnson
Co., KS as follows.
Hodges, Frank Sr.; owns home $5000 age 66; married at age 25 ; born WI;partner,
retail lumber.
Eunice; age age 47; married at 21; born KS.Eunice DANIELS1 was born in Nov 1882 in KS.
She died in 1961 in Olathe, Johnson Co., KS. She was buried in Olathe
Memorial Cemetery, Olathe, Johnson Co., KS. The following excerpts
are taken from the publication for the 1957 Centennial celebration of Olathe,
Franklin Co., KS, "Arrows to Atoms 1857-1957" a historical album of
Olathe. Kansas: Page 16 The ladies Reading Circle cites Mrs Frank (Eunice Daniels)
Hodges. The reading circle is a ladies organization dedicated in the establishment
and support of a public library for Olathe The group photo depicted in thearticle
was taken in 1897 Frank HODGES and Eunice DANIELS had the following children:
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