The Frank Farm: 1011 Lititz Pike. Lititz, PA
Above: The Frank Farm as seen on Google Earth Street View
These long lanes are entrances to the former farm of Mennonite Deacon John Franck (1777-1858) and wife Maria (Bowman) Franck (1779-1849). John had received the farm from the estate of his father Henry Franck, who died in 1794. The farm later was was the home of their son Christian Franck (1810-1866) and wife Catherine (Snyder) Franck (1812-1885).
This farm was patented (first deeded) in 1744 to Hans Koch, as 154 acres. Deacon John Franck was occupying this farm by 1800. It is likely that his widowed mother Christina Koch Franck (born 1757) was also living here in the household. John, Maria, and his mother Christina are all buried in the Franck family graveyard on the northern boundary of this farm. The 1815 Direct Tax indicates that the farmhouse at that time was constructed of logs. A two-story brick farm house later replaced the log house.
The Frank ownership of this farm was continued by the grandson of Deacon John Franck. This was Christian S. Frank (1846-1889) and wife Mary N. Risser (1850-1935). Christian's sister Annie S. Frank married Preacher Jonas H. Hess, and they lived at the Hess Homestead.
Satellite View:
View this farm in a larger Google map.
A Lititz Leather Trunk from the Frank Farm,
Owned by Deacon John Franck:
This leather trunk spent many years here on the Frank Farm. It was owned by Deacon John Franck (see above.) The trunk was made in Lititz by Moravian saddler Frederick Keller (1794-1852). Frederick Keller's saddle shop was five doors east of today's General Sutter Inn, which in the 1820s was known as Zum Anker (The Anchor Inn). The innkeeper at that time was Moravian clockmaker Christian Hall.
The trunk's interior is lined with an 1822 Lancaster newspaper, the Lancaster Journal. The trunk was decorated with brass tacks. The initials "I F" for John Franck appear in brass tacks on the lid. (The letter "I" served as both "I" and "J" in the German alphabet.) Later, brass tacks were added to the letter "I" to convert it to an "H", when John's grandson Henry S. Franck (1837-1913) became the trunk's owner. (Trunk: Clarke Hess Collection)
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An 1820 Pennsylvania German Sampler made on this Frank Farm,
By 13-Year-Old Catherine Frank:
Image: Samplers of the Pennsylvania Germans, Tandy and Charles Hersh, Pennsylvania German Society (1991)
Teenage needleworker Catherine Franck stitched this cross-stitch sampler, above, while she was living here at the Frank Farm. She lived here with her parents Deacon John Frank and Maria (Bowman) Franck. Catherine later married Christian Hostetter (1805-1879). They lived on their farm along the Fruitville Park in Manheim Township. Catherine's sampler is unusual because it includes samples of her drawn-work needle lace, along the left border. Needle lace was used to decorate textiles including men's shirts, and to join center seams of table cloths, etc. (Sampler: Private collection)
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German-Language Bible Manuscript Family Records,
Owned by John S. Frank and wife Anna (Hess) Frank
(John was born and raised on this Frank Farm.)
These hand-written family records, above, tell a story of the Frank family who lived on this Lititz farm. Included in the text are birth, marriage, and death dates for two generations of Franks. Also included are records of parents and siblings of Anna (Hess) Frank, who was born and raised on the Hess Homestead on Lititz Run Road.
John was born on this Frank Farm. After his marriage to Anna Hess, he received a farm from his parents in Manheim Township, near Reidenbaugh Elementary School. The farm buildings are no longer standing, having been replaced by houses. The farm buildings consisted of a stone-gabled bank barn with a datestone naming the builders: John's parents, Christian and Mary Franck. The brick farmhouse was two-and-one-half stories, and was probably constructed ca. 1850. (Bible: Clarke Hess Collection)
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An 1832 Decorated Towel by 20-Year-Old Catharina Schneider,
Who Married Christian Franck, and Lived the rest of her Life on this Farm.
(Her sister-in-law Catherine made the sampler above.)
Catharina Schneider (1812-1885) stitched this decorated towel before she married Christian Franck and moved to the Frank Farm. Catharina was a daughter of Peter Schneider, a miller living in Rapho Township, Lancaster County. Her sister Polly (Mary) married Christian Risser, and lived on the Balmer-Risser Farm north of Lititz. (Towel: Clarke Hess Collection)
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Portrait of Annie (Franck) Hess,
She was Born and Raised here on the Frank Farm.
Her Mother Catarina Made the Decorated Towel shown Above.
Annie S. Frank (1843-1929) was the daughter of Christian and Catherine (Snyder) Franck, who lived on this Frank Farm. Annie married Jonas H. Hess, who became preacher of the Hess Mennonite congregation. After their marriage, the couple lived at the Hess Homestead.
The Frank and Hess families were intimately connected through various marriages. Annie's brother John S. Frank married Annie's sister-in-law Anna Hess, and Annie's brother Henry S. Frank married Susanna Hess, the only surviving child of Jonas Hess' brother Jacob Hess, the miller at the Hess Homestead. (Portrait: Clarke Hess Collection)
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Portrait of Two Sisters, Ada and Mamie Frank,
Born and Raised here on the Frank Farm:
Ada R. Frank (1874-1963) and Mary S. (Mamie) Frank (1875-1903) were daughters of Mennonite farmers Christian S. Frank (1846-1889) and Mary N. (Risser) Frank (1850-1935). Ada married David S. Stauffer (1875-1963), and Mamie never married. Many of these Frank family members are buried at Hess Mennonite Cemetery. (Portrait: Clarke Hess Collection)