Frank D. Spafford, secretary and treasurer of the Laramie Republican, started out in the business world on his own account when a youth of fourteen years and early entered upon an apprenticeship to the printer's trade, with which he has since been identified, working his way upward step by step through the stages of an orderly progression until he is now prominently connected with newspaper publication.
    He was born October 20, 1866, in Fremont, Nebraska, a son of William H. Spafford, a native of New York and a representative of an old New England family of English descent. The founder of the American branch of the family came to the new world about fifty years after the first landing of the Pilgrims. William H. Spafford is a pioneer of Nebraska and of Wyoming and assisted in the building of the first line of the Western Union Telegraph Company from the Missouri river to Denver, Colorado. He was connected with the Western Union for a period of thirty years during the early days in the construction department and afterward in charge of various offices in Wyoming and Nebraska. At the time of the Civil war he responded to the country's call for troops and served in the First Ohio Artillery until disabled at the battle of Shiloh. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic and gives his political allegiance to the republican party. He is now living retired from active business and makes his home in Oregon. He married Phoebe Day, a native of Michigan, who was of English descent. She was born in 1846 and died in 1902. In the family were thirteen children.
    Frank D. Spafford, who was the eldest, pursued his education in the public schools of Wyoming and started out to provide for his own support when a youth of fourteen years. He was first employed in a drug store, having determined to follow that occupation as a life work, but he did not find it congenial and a year later he entered the printing business in the office of the Laramie Sentinel and there served an apprenticeship, working also on the Laramie Times. He has continued to follow his trade from 1880 to the present and in 1896 he became part owner of the Laramie Republican, on which paper he had first been employed in 1890. On the 7^th of February, 1905, the business was incorporated and Mr. Spafford became secretary and treasurer of the company, which position he still fills. There is no phase of the printing business with which he is not thoroughly familiar and he is well qualified to undertake the executive work which falls upon him in this connection.
    In 1891 Mr. Spafford was married in Laramie, Wyoming, to Miss Anna R. Washburn, a native of Nebraska and a daughter of C. D. M. Washburn, a pioneer of Grand Island, and of Mary J. (Martin) Washburn. The father is now deceased but the mother is still living. To Mr. and Mrs. Spafford have been born two children: Frank W., who was born in Laramie April 27, 1892; and Mary O., born in 1894.
    In politics Mr. Spafford has always been a stalwart republican since age conferred upon him the right of franchise. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias lodge and to the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks and he has membership with the Commercial Club of Laramie. He stands for progress and improvement along all lines which lead to the city's upbuilding and development and in matters of citizenship he is actuated by the same spirit of progressiveness that has characterized him in his business career. What he has purposed and planned he has accomplished, never stopping short of successful fulfillment and ever recognizing the fact that when one avenue of opportunity seems closed he can carve out other paths whereby he can reach the desired goal.