Frank Harper was my great-uncle, an older brother to my maternal grandfather Clinton Harper.
Frank was the fourth of ten children born to John Anderson Harper and Florence Madalena Wells; the first two children died as infants, so Frank was actually the second-oldest and oldest son of John and Florence Harper. His parents had met and married in Pontiac, Illinois; their first five children were born there. In 1879 they moved to Fairbury (Jefferson County), Nebraska and several years later to nearby Washington County, Kansas, where they had a farm. Frank helped his father farm and took over as the head of the house when his father died when Frank was twenty-two years old.
On 11 Mar 1903 Frank married Ada Spradling at Ada's parents's home in Haddam (Washington County), Kansas. Her parents had come from Iowa to Washington County, Kansas when she was a young girl. Shortly after, they moved first to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where their two children, Irene and Frank Jr. were born. By 1910 they were in Los Angeles, where Frank was a carpenter, owning his own business; the rapidly-increasing population with new homes probably provided him ample work. However, when he registered for the WWI draft, he was employed as a Shipwright for an L. A. Ship bldg. dry dock Co. headquartered out of San Pedro California. The 1920 census showed that he had returned to being a carpenter.
Frank died at the young age of 50; his widow outlived him by 29 years.
His son Frank Junior is buried nearby; his daughter and wife are buried in the Palmdale Cemetery in Palmdale (Los Angeles County), California cemetery.
Frank was the fourth of ten children born to John Anderson Harper and Florence Madalena Wells; the first two children died as infants, so Frank was actually the second-oldest and oldest son of John and Florence Harper. His parents had met and married in Pontiac, Illinois; their first five children were born there. In 1879 they moved to Fairbury (Jefferson County), Nebraska and several years later to nearby Washington County, Kansas, where they had a farm. Frank helped his father farm and took over as the head of the house when his father died when Frank was twenty-two years old.
On 11 Mar 1903 Frank married Ada Spradling at Ada's parents's home in Haddam (Washington County), Kansas. Her parents had come from Iowa to Washington County, Kansas when she was a young girl. Shortly after, they moved first to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where their two children, Irene and Frank Jr. were born. By 1910 they were in Los Angeles, where Frank was a carpenter, owning his own business; the rapidly-increasing population with new homes probably provided him ample work. However, when he registered for the WWI draft, he was employed as a Shipwright for an L. A. Ship bldg. dry dock Co. headquartered out of San Pedro California. The 1920 census showed that he had returned to being a carpenter.
Frank died at the young age of 50; his widow outlived him by 29 years.
His son Frank Junior is buried nearby; his daughter and wife are buried in the Palmdale Cemetery in Palmdale (Los Angeles County), California cemetery.
Frank Harper was my great-uncle, an older brother to my maternal grandfather Clinton Harper.
Frank was the fourth of ten children born to John Anderson Harper and Florence Madalena Wells; the first two children died as infants, so Frank was actually the second-oldest and oldest son of John and Florence Harper. His parents had met and married in Pontiac, Illinois; their first five children were born there. In 1879 they moved to Fairbury (Jefferson County), Nebraska and several years later to nearby Washington County, Kansas, where they had a farm. Frank helped his father farm and took over as the head of the house when his father died when Frank was twenty-two years old.
On 11 Mar 1903 Frank married Ada Spradling at Ada's parents's home in Haddam (Washington County), Kansas. Her parents had come from Iowa to Washington County, Kansas when she was a young girl. Shortly after, they moved first to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where their two children, Irene and Frank Jr. were born. By 1910 they were in Los Angeles, where Frank was a carpenter, owning his own business; the rapidly-increasing population with new homes probably provided him ample work. However, when he registered for the WWI draft, he was employed as a Shipwright for an L. A. Ship bldg. dry dock Co. headquartered out of San Pedro California. The 1920 census showed that he had returned to being a carpenter.
Frank died at the young age of 50; his widow outlived him by 29 years.
His son Frank Junior is buried nearby; his daughter and wife are buried in the Palmdale Cemetery in Palmdale (Los Angeles County), California cemetery.
Frank was the fourth of ten children born to John Anderson Harper and Florence Madalena Wells; the first two children died as infants, so Frank was actually the second-oldest and oldest son of John and Florence Harper. His parents had met and married in Pontiac, Illinois; their first five children were born there. In 1879 they moved to Fairbury (Jefferson County), Nebraska and several years later to nearby Washington County, Kansas, where they had a farm. Frank helped his father farm and took over as the head of the house when his father died when Frank was twenty-two years old.
On 11 Mar 1903 Frank married Ada Spradling at Ada's parents's home in Haddam (Washington County), Kansas. Her parents had come from Iowa to Washington County, Kansas when she was a young girl. Shortly after, they moved first to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where their two children, Irene and Frank Jr. were born. By 1910 they were in Los Angeles, where Frank was a carpenter, owning his own business; the rapidly-increasing population with new homes probably provided him ample work. However, when he registered for the WWI draft, he was employed as a Shipwright for an L. A. Ship bldg. dry dock Co. headquartered out of San Pedro California. The 1920 census showed that he had returned to being a carpenter.
Frank died at the young age of 50; his widow outlived him by 29 years.
His son Frank Junior is buried nearby; his daughter and wife are buried in the Palmdale Cemetery in Palmdale (Los Angeles County), California cemetery.
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