Historic Hood River
Frankton School, 1893
Notes
This is a great early school photo. The print was so faded you couldn’t make out any faces, but fortunately the scan captured enough detail to coax this image out of it. It looks like it was a relatively long exposure as several of the students are blurred, so it was probably a gloomy day. Notes indicate it was taken in May, 1893.
Amazingly we have names for all 38 people labeled in faded ink on the reverse, matching the carefully placed numbers on the front. I’ve done my best to transcribe them: 1) RS Andrews (teacher), 2) Caesar Absten (non pupil), 3) Louis Campbell, 4) Ida Nickelsen, 5) Maggie Nickelsen (non pupil), 6) Tom Calkins, 7) Gertrude Bishop, 8) May Boarman, 9) Eddie McFarland, 10) Edith Potter, 11) Margaret Locke, 12) Will Ellis, 14) Don Ellis, 15) Ralph Bishop, 16) Clara Blythe, 17) Elton Hayden, 18) Mary Foley, 19) Martin Nickelsen, 20) Rosa Nickelsen, 21) Bernice Foley, 22) Grace Campbell, 23) George Boarman, 24) Laura Ellis, 25) Luke Absten, 26) Helen Absten, 27) Roy Ellis, 28) Emory Davenport, 29) Ned Blythe, 30) Madge Warren, 31) Dasie Campbell, 32) Alf Eastman, 33) Mattie Foley, 34) Eben Boarman, 35) Elmer Campbell, 36) Edith Eastman, 37) Mell Foley, 38) Willie Warren, 39) Earl McFarland.
If you are looking really closely you may notice there is no #13. Apparently the recorder was superstitious.
L.E.
Thanks for your work on this photo. I was curious if #21 Bernice Foley, in the back row, was a student or teacher. I found this little bit. From the Sept. 05, 1902 HR Glacier:
"At the United Brethren manse, Hood River, Wednesday, September 3, 1902, Joseph Frazier, Jr., and Miss Bernice Foley; the Rev. H. C. Shaffer officiating. Mr. Frazier is one of the young, progressive men of Hood River valley, interested in fruit growing. Miss Foley is numbered among the young people, who by her gracious and modest womanliness has won for her a host of friends and admirers. Mr. and Mrs. Frazier left on the afternoon train for Portland. In a few days the will be at home in the Hood River valley. Congratulations are extended."
Some of these names we have seen in previous photos, such as Tom Calkins, who lived down the hill from Frankton School.
https://www.hoodriverhistorymuseum.org?showimage=166
Jeff Bryant
Mary Vaughan married Mel Foley, b. 1880. His siblings included Bernice b. 1878, Mary b. 1882, and Mattie (labeled Nettie) b. 1872 d. 1897.
L.E.
There are 4 Nickelsen children. Not sure who Martin is, since Martin was the father of the family. Here is some of their history.
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63866809/martin-henry-nickelsen
L.E.
Do you think Margaret Locke #11 traveled from here, https://sites.google.com/view/recreatingthecrh/historic-columbia-river-highway/mitchell-point-east-to-ruthton-point/lockes-highway-palace
to attend the Frankton School?
Jeff Bryant
The Abstens lived in the Ruthton area
Norma
Joseph Frazier, Jr. was my maternal grandmother’s brother. He built some of the earliest cement sidewalks in Hood River. He was a deputy sheriff of Hood River County, Fire Chief of the city and for years the night Marshall of the town. He and Bernice had one daughter, Kathryn Frazier Smith. He died at an early age from a condition brought on from influenza.
ArthurB
Thanks, I changed 33 from Nettie to Mattie. The notes are in reasonably neat script, but I had to make a couple of guesses.
starboard
Hey Arthur, might not be a #13 on reverse list of names, but there is a 13 on front.
ArthurB
Good point Starboard. Maybe it’s just a coincidence that the recorder didn’t know the name of #13.