Longenecker, Frank

Posted By: Wally Garchow
Date: 21 November 2004

transcribed from A Biographical History of Darke County Ohio, Lewis Publishing Company, part II, pp 569-570

FRANK LONGENECKER.

Elsewhere within these pages will be found a review which takes into account the ancestral and personal history of Harvey Longenecker, who is associated with his brother, the subject of this review, under the title of Longenecker Brothers, in the manufacture of the duplex and spiral duplex penholders, with headquarters at Beamsville, Darke county, Ohio, the unique and valuable penholders being the invention of Mr. Harvey Longenecker. In the sketch of the latter gentleman, which may be found on another page, more complete details are given in regard to the invention and the reception, which has been accorded it, and to that review we are pleased to refer our readers, while incidentally will be also found interesting data in regard to the genealogy of the family of which our subject is a worthy representative.

Frank Longenecker is of pure German lineage in the agnatic line, four brothers of the name having come from Germany to the United States about the beginning of the sixteenth century, and these four being undoubtedly the progenitors of the numerous branches of the family in the Union today. Our subject is a native of the county in which he now makes his home, his birth having occurred November 28, 1857, he being the eldest of the three children of John and Elizabeth (Beam) Longenecker, both of whom are living, the father being one of the honored old residents of the county, where he has had a long and active career as a carpenter and builder, being a natural mechanic and having made many ingenious devices in a mechanical line. Frank Longenecker seemed to inherit the mechanical skill and taste of his ancestors, and in his youth he learned the carpenter's trade under the effective direction of his father. Since his marriage, however, he has devoted his attention principally to agricultural pursuits in which line of endeavor he has been very successful. He received a common-school education, which has served as the basis of a broad fund of exact and valuable knowledge which he has acquired in his peculiarly active association with the affairs of life.

On the 12th of January, 1881, was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Longenecker and Miss Ella Plessinger, and to them have been born three children,-- Charles C., Arthur B. and E. Ruth, all very bright and interesting children and an honor to their devoted parents. Mrs. Longenecker was born in Richland township, this county, May 25, 1861, being the daughter of William and Amy Jane (Byrom) Plessinger, and the only child of their marriage. Mrs. Longenecker was reared by her paternal grandparents, David and Elizabeth Plessinger, the former being of Pennsylvania Dutch stock and the latter of Welsh extraction. William Plessinger was born in Montgomery county, Ohio, May 17, 1835, and is now living in southern Indiana about fourteen miles from Madison, being a farmer by occupation. He his now about sixty-five years of age. He is a Democrat in politics and within his lifetime has been a great traveler. The mother of Mrs. Longenecker passed away when the latter was a mere infant, and she knows little regarding this ancestral branch of the family. Her death occurred June 4, 1861, at the age of twenty-four years, two months and twenty-six days. She was a woman of gentle character and intellectuality, having been a teacher for some time prior to her marriage.

In his political adherency, Mr. Long enecker is an ardent Democrat, and he cast his first presidential ballot for General W. S. Hancock. He has been often solicited to accept offices of local trust and responsibility, but has invariably declined, though appreciative of the honor. He is a staunch friend of the public schools and is now one of the board of directors of the school district in which he lives, being in favor of maintaining the highest possible standard in all branches of the school work. Fraternally he is a member of Lodge No. 356, Knights of Pythias, at Ansonia, and he also has a membership in the Darke County Horse Thief & Protective Association. He and his wife are consistent members of the Christian church at Beamsville and they have contributed their means to the support of the church and all worthy benevolences collateral thereto. They are representatives of old and honored families and are themselves to be considered among the representative citizens of our county, peculiarly worthy of representation in this work.

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