PROF J. L. FROHOCK
Prof.
J. L. Frohock, a school commissioner of Madison County, and
superintendent of the public schools of Fredericktown, Mo., is a native
of Waldo County, Me., where he was born July 11, 1827, being the son of
Jonathan and Lydia (Rhea) Frohock.
The father was born in the State of New Hampshire, was of English
and a farmer by occupation. While
still quite young he left his native State and went to Waldo County,
Me., when it was a perfect wilderness.
He here purchased a track of land, made a home and was one of the
first settlers in the county, also one of the best farmers.
He lived on the same farm for over sixty years.
He died in 1860 at the age of seventy-five years.
His wife was a native of Maine, was of French descent, and died
in 1885 at the advanced age of ninety-eight years.
She was for eighty years a consistent and exemplary member of the
Methodist Episcopal Church and at the time of her death was the oldest
member of the denomination in the State of Maine, if not in the United
States. She was a niece of Gen. Putnam, of Revolutionary fame, and the
mother of eleven children, five of whom are now living, Prof. J. L.
being the youngest. He was
educated at Kent’s Hill Institute or Maine Wesleyan Seminary.
At the age of seventeen he began teaching and followed this
profession in the district schools in his native State for two years.
He then went to Point Pleasant, VA., and established a seminary
by voluntary contribution and was the superintendent of the same three
years. In 1848 he became
principal of the schools at Wellsville, Ohio, and after remaining there
one year was called to Wheeling, Va., as superintendent of the public
schools, and held that position three years.
In 1852 he returned to Point Pleasant and after remaining there
two years was elected to the superintendency of the schools at
Wellsville, Ohio, which position he occupied for nine years.
In 1864 he was employed by the school board of Mount Carroll,
Ill., as superintendent of their schools, and held that position for two
years. His next position
was superintendent of the schools of Joliet, Ill., which position he
occupied three years and was then for three years general agent for the
National Life Insurance Company of Chicago, traveling over Indiana,
Illinois, Ohio and Iowa. In
1872 he returned to the profession of teaching and became superintendent
of schools at Centralia, Ill., where he remained two years.
The following seven years he was superintendent of the public
schools of Mount Vernon, Ill. In
1883 Prof. Frohock came to Fredericktown, Mo., was employed as
superintendent of public schools, and has since held the position to the
satisfaction of the citizens of that city.
In July, 1887, he was appointed by Gov. Marmaduke as school
commissioner of Madison County, to fill out the unexpired term of J. E.
F. Edwards. The Professor
has been engaged in school work nearly his entire life, and it is only
just to say that he has met with remarkable success wherever his lot has
been cast. He has been almost constantly engaged in school duties for
the past forty-four years and is one of the best educators in Missouri. In 1847 he married Miss Caroline Melissa Mahoney, a native of
Waldo County, Me., born in 1831. She
was educated at Belfast, Me., and commenced teaching with her husband
soon after marriage. She
has been assisting him at various times ever since, all her teaching
comprising over twenty-five years. She is engaged in the profession at
the present time and is a lady of culture, literary attainments and
refinement. To Professor
and Mrs. Frohock were born these children: Emily L. (wife of Thomas H.
Hatch of Chicago), and Julian L. (teacher by profession and
superintendent of schools at Ashley, Ill.).
Prof. Frohock is a member of the I.O.O.F., a member of the K. of
H., and has been a life-long Democrat in his political views.
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