Kenosha County Wisconsin Biographies

Thomas E. Cootey
Little Sketches of Big Folks in Minnesota (Publ. 1907) Transcribed by Liz Dellinger

COOTEY Thomas E. Minneapolis. Res 2316 Aldrich av S, office Flour Exchange bldg. Lithographer, printer. Born Aug 6, 1860 in Kenosha Wis, son of John and Jane (Coyle) Cootey. Married Sept 9, 1885 to Cora M Hamen. Educated in common schools Kenosha Wis and Chicago. Commenced as errand boy Sept 27, 1875 with Culver, Page, Hayne & Co Chicago and remained with them and their successors the John Morris Co until Jan 30, 1887; became identified with Brown, Treacy & Co, St Paul Feb 1, 1887 and opened branch for this company in Minneapolis Dec 29, 1890 which was known as the Northwestern Lithographing & Printing Co; succeeded the latter company as propr and changed name to Cootey Lithographing and Printing Co June 28, 1898 which was incorporated as the Cootey-Blodgett Co in 1906. Member Minneapolis, Commercial and Lafayette clubs; Knights of Columbus and B P O E.

Hon. M. Frank.
M. Frank is a native of the State of New York; born in the town of Virgil, county of Cortland. He did not receive a collegiate education. His father was a respectable farmer of moderate means, and unable to incur the expense of sending his sons to college. His education was in the common schools and academic institutions in the vicinity of his home. After passing the period of his schooldays, his occupation was divided between working on his father's farm in summer, and teaching school in winter. As soon as he had attained to years of majority, he was elected town inspector of common schools, and was re-elected to that office several successive years. He was also elected, two successive years, a member of the county board of supervisors.
He took an active part in the reformatory movements in Cortland County at this early period, especially the cause of temperance. In 1829 he gave the first public temperance address, which resulted in the organization of a temperance society in the town where he resided. He has ever since been a friend and advocate of the temperance reform.
In 1830 he went to the town of Preble, in another part of the same county, to reside, where he engaged in the mercantile business, and continued in the trade two years. He was married in that town in 1837. During his residence in Preble, he was elected a member of the board of county supervisors, also town clerk.
He moved to Wisconsin in 1839, and settled at Southport (now Kenosha), where he continued to reside, with the exception of a few months at Beloit, until his appointment to a government clerkship in 1870. He still holds his residence in Wisconsin. Southport, at the time he came to the place to reside, contained about two hundred and fifty inhabitants.
In 1840 he became associated with Hon. C. L. Sholes, in the publication of "The Southport Telegraph. There were at that time but few newspapers published in Wisconsin. The Telegraph," under the editorial management of Frank and Sholes, became largely influential in Territorial politics. Mr. Frank was editorially connected with "The Telegraph" at various periods, both under Territorial and State government, equal to a continuous time of about twelve years.
In 1843 he was elected a member of the Territorial legislature (council), for a term of one year, from the district of country now comprising the counties of Racine and Kenosha. He was re-elected to the same office in 1844, for a term of two years. His chief efforts while a member of the Territorial legislature were for the adoption of preliminary measures to the formation of a State government, and for a change in the common school law of the Territory, with a view to the early establishment of free schools. In both of these measures, he was unsuccessful, but did not relax the advocacy of them through the press, until the public mind was prepared for their adoption.
At the first corporation election of Southport, in 1840, Mr. Frank was elected president. In 1850 the name Southport was changed to Kenosha, by act of the legislature and the village became an incorporated city. Mr. Frank was elected the first mayor. This was a year involving much responsibility on the chief officer of the city. In it had occurred the great "wheat riot" (so called), in which the city was for days kept in intense excitement, and serious consequences impended. It was also a year of frightful visitation of the cholera.
On the adoption of the State constitution, in 1848, Mr. Frank was elected one of the commissioners to revise the laws.
In 1854 Mr. Frank was elected county treasurer of Kenosha County for a term of two years. He was elected to the same office for a second term of two years in 1856.
In 1860 he was elected a member of the assembly, and served during the session as chairman of the Committee on Railroads.
He was also, the same year, appointed by the governor to fill an unexpired term on the Board of Regents of the State University; and. was subsequently chosen, on joint ballot of the legislature, to a full term of that office.
In April, 1861, he was appointed by Pres. Lincoln postmaster at the city of Kenosha at the expiration of the term of four years, he was re-appointed and, after continuing in that office about six years, he was removed by Pres. Johnson for political reasons.
In matters pertaining to morals and religion, Mr. Frank has always maintained a good standing, ever evincing a readiness to aid in such enterprises as gave promise of public good. He became a member of the Congregational Church at Southport (Kenosha) in 1840, which had then just been organized. His relations to that church continued until his business took him to Washington, where his church relations for the present are.
[Source: "An Illustrated History of the State of Wisconsin"; By Charles Richard Tuttle; Publ. 1875; Transcribed and donated by Andrea Stawski Pack.]