Frank Frondorf
Frank Frondorf, an enterprising farmer, lives about two miles from Cheviot, Green township, on the Cleves turnpike. His farm consists of over two hundred acres of choice lands, which he has secured for a homestead, having bought the same in parts at different times as opportunity and business prosperity would permit,
His father, George Frank Frondorf, his wife Catharine, Elizabeth, their daughter, and four sons, Phillip, Frank, Christopher, and Henry the youngest who died soon after their arrival left Hesse Darmstadt in the year 1840, and after landing in New York made their way to the State of Iowa, where the father and part of the family remained.
Frank Frondorf came back to Ohio after a short stay of three months, and began life working for himself, remaining thereafter in Hamilton county. He was born the tenth of March, 1819; was about twenty-one years of age when he first began working for R. H. Fenton, who kept the tavern at the Seven Mile house. After a stay here of three years he worked about five years at the Buckeye house for Reid & Anderson, who were proprietors. During the second year of his stay at the last named place he became acquainted with Miss Mary Elizabeth KOelling, from Melle Hanover, who came to this country alone in the year 1842, arriving first in New Orleans, from there coming to Cincinnati, where she married Mr. Frondorf in the year 1846. She was born December 26, 1818. The young couple, after working two or three years longer in the hotel, added their pennies together and bought eighty acres of the present homestead, to which they added, at different times, from thirty to filly acres, until finally the farm increased to two hundred and forty acres, the amount of which he owns at present. He also worked two years at the Mill Creek house. This was previous to going to the Buckeye hotel, and making in all several years service as a hired hand, by which he saved earnings sufficient to start him as a farmer.
After Mr. Frondorf moved to his farm the young couple began a system of labor and economy that laid the basis of their future wealth. They not only worked and economized, being sparing of their earnings, but they added improvements, from time to time, to their little home until now their beautiful place somewhat resembles a miniature town. They not only have an elegant mansion (the second one, the first burned down) for the rest and repose of themselves, but by a singular foresight, common only to the most industrious and thriving classes of society, have looked as closely after the wants and necessities of their stock and domestic brutes as to themselves.
Phillip, the oldest brother, joins farms with Frank. He came to America in 1837.
George Frank Frondorf, the father, lived in Iowa until 1856. His wife died in 1843. He was a shoemaker, and also owned a fine farm, but seemed never contented in America, and died in the seventy-third year of his age in the year 1856. The last two years of his life were spent with his son Frank in Ohio.
Mr. Frondorf has also been a useful member of society in various ways. He was the founder and chief supporter of the Catholic church in Cheviot, being not only the prime mover but a munificent giver until the church building was erected and the church established, having furnished the brick for the building himself. He is the father of three children. The son has charge of the farm entire, Mr. Frondorf having retired from business altogether. One daughter is a member of the Sisters of Charity; the other remains at home.
From History of Hamilton county, Ohio, Henry & Kate Ford, L. A. Williams & Co., Publishers, 1881