FRANK H. NOVAK

FRANK H. NOVAK, a leading attorney of West Pullman, was born near Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa, on the 16th of November, 1862, and is a son of Frank and Barbara Novak, who are still living on a farm near Iowa City. The former is a native of Vienna, Austria. He crossed the Atlantic to America in 1858, and became one of the pioneer settlers of Johnson County, Iowa. He is now one of its most extensive farmers and representative citizens. His wife, who was born near Praug, Austria, is a daughter of Frank and Mary Hiek, early settlers of Lynn County, Iowa, who emigrated to America from Praug, Austria, in 1855.

In taking up the personal history of our subject, we present to our readers the life record of one who is both widely and favorably known in this section of Cook County. After attending the common schools, he entered the Iowa City Commercial College, from which he was graduated in the Class of '85. He then engaged in teaching for several terms, and met with good success in that line of work. He afterward became a student in the Iowa State University, of Iowa City, and, on the completion of the collegiate course, entered the law department, having determined to become a member of the legal profession. He received his diploma in 1889, and was thereby entitled to admission to the Bar and to practice in the federal courts.

Immediately after completing his law studies, Mr. Novak opened an office in Iowa City, and was there engaged in business until August, 1893, when he crossed the Mississippi into Illinois and located at West Pullman, where he has since made his home, becoming the leading attorney of that growing suburb, and doing business as a lawyer and loan and collection agent. He is also interested in real-estate and in live-stock investments near Iowa City, where the breeding of English Shire horses and Red Polled cattle is made a specialty.

On the 28th of March, 1890, Mr. Novak was united in marriage with Miss Nellie M. Burke, daughter of Thomas Burke, a resident of Oxford, Iowa. The lady is a native of Ottawa, Illinois. Their union has been blessed with one child, Marie Barbara.

The parents both attend the Catholic Church. Mr. Novak is a member of the Knights of Pythias fraternity, the Knights of the Maccabees and the Order of Red Men. In politics, he is a Democrat, and warmly advocates the principles of that party. He has held a number of public offices, was Township Clerk both in Lucas and Monroe Townships of Johnson County, Iowa, was Assessor of Monroe Township, and filled other positions of public trust. Mr. Novak is a gentleman of pleasing address, good business judgment and marked professional ability, making friends of all with whom he comes in contact in either business or social relations.

— Submitted by Sherri Hessick on February 11, 2002

DISCLAIMER:  The submitter is not related to the subject of this biography nor is she related to anyone mentioned in the biography.