Santa
Clara County
Biographies
DANIEL
BENJAMIN FRINK
DANIEL BENJAMIN FRINK. The mercantile interests of Mountainview are ably represented by Daniel Benjamin Frink,
a man of pronounced business ability and integrity, well worthy of the
prominent position he holds in the community.
He is a native and to the manner born, and the descendant of an honored
and eminently influential pioneer settler of California, being a son of
Daniel Frink, who came to the coast as a soldier during the Mexican
war. He was born November 7, 1857,
in Marin county, Cal.
A native of New York state,
Daniel Frink was born August 7, 1827, in Chenango county, where he grew to
man’s estate. During the Mexican war he
enlisted in the First New York Volunteer Regiment, commanded by Colonel
Stephenson, and with his comrades was sent in the ship Loocho,
by way of Cape Horn, to the Pacific coast, and August 15, 1847,
disembarked in San Francisco, where the regiment was stationed until the
members were honorably discharged from service, August 15, 1848. After working for a month in the Eldorado county
mines, Daniel Frink returned to San Francisco and subsequently went to Chili,
South America, where he spent the winter of 1848-49. Locating in San Rafael, Marin county, Cal., in the spring of 1849, he established a mill
in the near-by town of Redwoods, and operated it about a year. Going then to the Yuba River mines, he
prospected for gold for a time, but was not very successful, so turned his
attention to agriculture, buying in Marin county a
farm which he managed for about eight years.
Disposing of his ranch in 1859 he removed to Santa Clara county and bought four hundred acres of land adjoining the
present site of Mountainview, where he was afterwards
numbered among the influential and respected citizens of the place. In 1851 and 1852 he served as justice of the
peace; was subsequently advocate justice; and in 1879 was elected to represent
his district in the state legislature.
Politically he was a stanch[sic]
Republican. He married Pauline Reynolds,
who was born in Vermont, and died, at the age of fifty-eight years, in San
Jose, Cal. Of their family of four sons
and two daughters, Daniel Benjamin was the third child in order of birth.
After obtaining a practical common
school education, Daniel B. Frink assisted his father in the management of
the home farm until 1878, when he began life for himself as a stock
raiser. Giving up that occupation in
1889, he was employed for five years as clerk in a general store in Mountainview. Having
by observation and experience acquired a thorough knowledge of the mercantile
business in 1894 Mr. Frink embarked in business on his own account. Opening a store in Mountainview,
he put in at first a small stock of general merchandise, and as his patronage
increased added to the original stock all articles demanded by the trade, and
has since built up an extensive and lucrative business as a general
merchant. As a business man and a
financier he has met with signal success, and in his years of labor has
acquired a good share of wealth, and in addition to other things owns valuable
residence property in Mountainview.
In 1878, in Mountainview,
Mr. Frink married Alice Hitchcock, who was born
in Calaveras county, Cal., where her father, Isaac
Hitchcock, settled as a pioneer, and subsequently spent his remaining
year. Of the union of Mr. and
Mrs. Frink two children have been born, Lewis H. and
Lester D. Politically
Mr. Frink is one of the leading Democrats of his community, and is now
serving as president of the town council, being the first person to fill this
office. Fraternally he belongs to Mountainview Lodge No. 194, F. & A. M., and to
Eastern Star Chapter No. 141.
He is also a member of the Independent Order of Foresters.
[Inserted by D.
Toole.]
Daniel Benjamin Frink
Daniel
Frink, the father:
1891
Apr 4, Evening News, P2, San Jose, California
Died
Frink – In San Jose, April 4, 1891, Daniel Frink, a native of New York, aged 64 years. Friends and acquaintances are respectfully
invited to attend the funeral from the Cumberland Presbyterian Church at
Mountain View, at 2:30 p.m. TO-MORROW, Sunday, April 5th.
1891
Apr 6, San Francisco Chronicle, P2, San Francisco, California
Daniel
Frink, who at 19 years of age enlisted in the First
New York Volunteers, raised to take part in the
Mexican war, and was assigned to California, arriving in San Francisco in 1849,
died at his home at Mountain View on March 4th at the age of 64.
1909
Oct 22, Anaconda Standard, P12, Anaconda, Montana
Mr.
Frink’s Mother Dead
Lester
D. Frink of the Speculator mine received the sad news
yesterday of the death of his mother.
Mr. Frink left last night for his home in
California to attend the funeral.
1912
Mar 12, San Jose Mercury News, P5, San Jose, California
Town
Clerk’s Funeral is Set for Tuesday
Services
Will be Held Under the Auspices of the Mountain View
Lodge No. 194
(Special
to the Mercury)
Mountain
View, Mar. 11 – The funeral services of Daniel B. Frink,
Town Clerk, will be held from his late residence Tuesday at 2 p.m. The services will be under the auspices of
Mountain View Lodge No. 194, F. and A. M., and will be attended by members
of Mira Monte Chapter, Order of the E astern Star, in
a body. Burial will be at Alta Mesa
Cemetery. Mr. Frink
was a native of California, aged 54 years.
He leaves two sons, Lester D. and Louis H. Elder
1912
Mar 13, Evening News, P3, San Jose, California
Letters
of Administration
A
petition for letters of administration of the estate of the late Daniel B. Frink has been filed in the Probate Department of the
Superior Court by Louis H. Frink. The estate is valued at about $7500.
1919
Jul 6, Anaconda Standard, P7, Anaconda, Montana
Lester
Frink and Miss Bullard Wed
It
was announced yesterday that Lester D. Frink,
superintendent of the North Butte Mining company’s properties, and Miss Anna M.
Bullard had been married on Thursday night in the presence of a number of
intimate friends. The ceremony was
performed at the superintendent’s home by the Rev. B. H. Lingenfelter,
pastor of the Christian church. The
bride was attended by Mrs. W. T. Groom and Miss Leah Amstutz. Mrs. Frink has been an employe of
Connell’s for some time and has made her home at 503 West Galena street. After a
wedding trip Mr. and Mrs. Frink will make their home
in Butte.
Transcribed by Donna Toole.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 1153-1154. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Donna Toole.