Representative Frank John Sokol View All Years
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Frank John Sokol
Jones County
One of the prominent citizens of Jones county who has made for himself an enviable position in commercial and financial circles, yet without allowing personal interests or ambitions to dwarf his public spirit or activities. His is the record of a strenuous life-a record of strong individuality, sure of itself, stable in purpose, quick in perception, swift in decision, energetic and persistent in action. Born in Bohemia on the 22d of October, 1841, Mr. Sokol is a son of Frank and Josephine (Mishka) Sokol, who were likewise natives of Bohemia. They came to the United States in the spring of 1854, settling in Jackson county, Iowa. F. J. Sokol spent the first nineteen years of his life under the paternal roof and then went with a party overland to California, attracted by the recent discoveries of gold on the Pacific coast. They traveled with ox-teams, making their westward way over the long, hot stretches of sand and through the mountain passes, and when five months had elapsed they reached the Golden state. Mr. Sokol first went to where Lathrop now stands. It was then a ranch and there he remained for four years, working a part of the time in the gold fields and the remainder of the time on the farm. Upon his return to Iowa in 1865 he rented his father's farm in Jackson county for a year but in the spring of 1867 turned his attention to merchandising in Monmouth, Iowa, continuing in business at that point for ten years. He prospered in his undertaking so that during that decade he was enabled to purchase his father's farm. In the fall of 1880 he bought another farm in Jones county adjoining Onslow and to that place removed, residing on this farm for twenty-one years. The residence having in the meantime been taken into the corporate limits of the town. He did not operate the farm, however, but gave his attention to his business. In 1881 he purchased a lumberyard in the village of Onslow and carried on business in that line for a quarter of a century, enjoying an extensive and growing patronage. During the same period he bought a half interest in the Onslow Savings Bank with which he has since been identified in the capacity of vice president. In politics Mr. Sokol is a republican and in 1892 was appointed supervisor of Jones county to fill out an unexpired term, after which he was twice regularly elected to the office, serving on the board for a period of seven years. He was twice elected to the state legislature, serving in the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth general assemblies with honor to himself and credit to his constituents. Mr. Sokol was united in marriage to Miss Anna Bezdicheck a native of Bohemia. Their family numbered four children. While neither Mr. nor Mrs. Sokol are affiliated with any church they are both believers in the Christian faith and Mrs. Sokol is active in both church and charitable work. Mr. Sokol has always been friendly to educational interests and has provided each of his children with advantages for college education. He stands for all that is progressive in the life of the community and for all that is essential to the welfare and up building of the state.
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