History of Grant County Wisconsin
Western Historical Publishing, Chicago, July 1881
Town of Muscoda, Biographical Sketches, Page 964

GEORGE R. FRANK, Muscoda; was born in the town of Gray, Cumberland Co., Me., May
2, 1824. Attended the common school, also the high school at Gray's Corner and
Westbrook Seminary taught school four winters in Maine, commencing at 17 years of
age. Left home in March 1845, went to Boston; thence to Buffalo, N. Y., and, in
September, to Chicago thence to Galena, and from there to Benton, La Fayette Co.,
and taught school during the Winter. In the spring of 1846, came to Grant Co.,
and engaged in teaching, speculating and farming till 1875, and then purchased a
farm just over the line in Iowa Co. Has a farm of about 500 acres, and is engaged
in stock-raising. In 1848, married Matilda Price in the town of Harrison, Grant
Co.; she was born in Indiana, and came to Grant Co., with her parents, in 1836,
when she was but 6 years old; her parents, Zachariah Price and Elizabeth Price,
live at Mankato, Minn., and are engaged in farming. Have seven children - Alpheus
E., attorney, Deadwood, Dak.; Charles E., broker, Virginia City, Nev.; Florence
C., wife of Charles J. McKittrick, merchant, Muscoda; Noma E., William B., George
B. and Freddie are living at home. Has held the offices of Town Clerk, Town
Superintendent of Schools, Justice of the Peace, Town Supervisor and member of the
County Board of Supervisors. Has been Deputy U. S. Marshal, Deputy U. S.
Collector and Assistant Assessor of Internal Revenue. In August, 1862, raised Co.
B, of the 33d W. V. I.; was chosen Captain and commissioned Aug. 16, 1862, and
served three years; was commissioned Major of the regiment, Feb. 4. 1865, and
mustered in as such at Spanish Fort, Ala., April 5, to take effect, March 2, 1865;
was in all the battles and skirmishes in which the regiment was engaged, including
the battle of Goldwater, siege of Vicksburg, Red River expedition, battle of
Tupelo, battle of Nashville and siege of Spanish Fort; was in the charge that
broke the rebel line in the first day's fight at Nashville; was wounded while
leading the advance on Spanish Fort. His father Alpheus Frank, died in Portland,
at the residence of his daughter Mrs. Eliza Haskell. He was one of the
substantial farmers of Gray, a man of the strictest integrity, of quiet and
unassuming manner, and was held in high esteem by a large circle of friends and
acquaintances. He passed his life in Gray, and there reared a large family.
Submitted by David W. Taft, [email protected]

Commemorative Biographical Record of Rock, Green, Grant, Iowa, and
Lafayette Counties, Wisconsin
J. H. Beers, 1901
Pages 15-16

MAJOR GEORGE ROBINSON FRANK (deceased) was one of the distinguished war veterans
of Muscoda. Grant county, and a gentleman who enjoyed to the full the respect and
esteem of his fellow citizens. He was born at Gray, Cumberland Co., Maine, May 2,
1824, a son of Alpheus and Naomi (Stimpson) Frank.

James Frank, the paternal grandfather of our subject, was a soldier in the war of
the Revolution, and a very worthy man. Alpheus Frank and his wife resided in
Maine until their deaths. They were the parents of thirteen children, of whom our
subject was the eldest son and second child. One of our subject's brothers, John
W. Frank, served his country in a Maine regiment during the war of the Rebellion,
and is still a resident of Maine. Another brother, Gen. Royal T. Frank, graduated
from West Point in 1854, and during the Civil war served his country with
distinction, being brevetted major, July 6, 1862, for gallant and meritorious
conduct in the Peninsular campaign. In December of the same year he was further
honored hr being brevetted lieutenant-colonel for bravery at Fredericksburg.
During December, 1870, Gen. Frank was transferred to the 1st Artillery, and Nov.
25, 1888, was made commandant of the Artillery School at Fortress Monroe. When
Gen. Merritt was sent to the Philippines, during the war with Spain, Gen. Frank
succeeded him as commander of the East, with headquarters at Governors Island.
During his long and active career General Frank served his country with marked
bravery, and his honors are but the just reward of his faithfulness and devotion.
Another brother of Major Frank and Gen. Frank is Melvin P. Frank, one of the
distinguished attorneys of Portland, Maine.

George R. Frank grew to manhood in his native State, receiving a good academic
education, and teaching school himself for four winters, beginning when but
seventeen. However, wishing to see something more of the world, the voting man, in
March. 1845, left home and went to Boston; thence to Buffalo; and in September of
the same year to Chicago, which was then a small village. From Chicago he
proceeded to Galena, and thence to Benton, Lafayette Co., Wis., where he taught
school the following winter. In the spring of 1846 Major Frank removed to Grant
county and engaged in farming and teaching, his last term of teaching being at
Boscobel, in the winter of 1861-62. Fired with patriotism, when the war of the
Rebellion broke out Major Frank applied for a recruiting commission, and while
waiting for it sought to stir up his fellow citizens by speeches and enthusiastic
talking. As a result of his efforts, when the commission arrived, he enrolled his
full company in a single day, and it became Company B, of the 33d Wis. V. I., our
subject being its captain, in which capacity he served until the spring of 1865,
when he was promoted to the rank of major. Except for a furlough of sixty days,
Major Frank was with his regiment continuously, and participated in the twenty-
four battles in which it was engaged. The 33d Wisconsin Regiment has a most
honorable record. Its first commander was Col. Jonathan B. Moore, formerly sheriff
of Grant county, Wisconsin, a very able officer. The regiment took part in the
siege of Vicksburg, Meridian expedition, Red River expedition, battle of Tupelo,
and other engagements of equal importance. After the surrender at Mobile the
regiment was ordered to Montgomery, Ala., and moved thence to Vicksburg, where it
was mustered out.

In 1875 Major Frank purchased a large stock farm, just across the line in Grant
county, and became one of the largest stock raisers in that locality. He held
various county and town offices, having been town superintendent of schools,
justice of the peace, member of the county board, deputy United States marshal,
deputy United States collector, assistant assessor Internal Revenue, etc.

The first marriage of Major Frank occurred in 1848, to Miss Matilda Price, a
native of Indiana, daughter of Zachariah and Elizabeth Price, who was brought to
Grant county, Wisconsin, when but six years old, in 1836. The children born of
this marriage were seven in number, and those now (1901) living are: Alpheus E.,
Charles E., Naomi E., William E., George E. and Fred J. The other child, Florence
C., wife of Charles J. McKittrick, died July 10, 1897. On Aug. 4, 1891, Mrs. Frank
died while on a visit to her daughter Naomi, at Fremont, Ohio. On Dec. 2, 1897,
Major Frank was again married, this time to Miss Mary L. Owens, daughter of Thomas
and Mary M. Owens. Mrs. Frank was born in Jo Davies county, Ill., May 25, 1863;
her mother is still living. Mr. Owens died in Richland county, Wis., in 1899.

Major Frank enjoyed the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens, and was one of
the leading factors in the social and political life of Muscoda. Genial, public-
spirited, enterprising, he was a pleasant companion, as well as a good business
man and faithful public official, and his sudden death, on May 20, 1900, at his
home in Muscoda, was deeply and sincerely mourned. After the funeral services,
which were conducted by the A. F. & A. M. and the G. A. R., six of his old company
acting as pall-bearers, the remains were taken to Fremont, Ohio, and buried beside
those of his first wife, in Oakwood cemetery. The Major is survived by a wife and
six children.