Frank Posegate facts for kids

Frances Marion Posegate (1838–1917) was an important American figure. He was a soldier in the American Civil War, a journalist who wrote for newspapers, and even served as the mayor of St. Joseph, Missouri from 1882 to 1884.

Early Life

Frances Posegate, often called Frank, was born in Lafayette, Indiana on October 11, 1837. He grew up in the frontier areas of Missouri and Iowa. His family lived near the Missouri River. Frank's father, Isaac Posegate, named Frank and his brother after famous generals, even though their family had Quaker beliefs and were against war.

For a while, the Posegate family lived in Fort Des Moines, Iowa. There, Frank worked for Lamson Sherman, who was the brother of General Sherman. Frank helped deliver newspapers and learned about printing. When he was 13, his family moved to St. Joseph, Missouri. His father worked there as a gunsmith.

Newspaper Career

In St. Joseph, Frank Posegate started working in the printing business. He helped print a newspaper called the Adventurer. In 1856, he opened the first job printing office in St. Joseph with a partner, James A. Millan.

After about a year and a half, Posegate sold his share of the business. He wanted to start his own newspaper, called The West. The first issue of The West was published on May 1, 1858.

The West was published in a town near the border of Missouri and Kansas. Frank Posegate had strong views about keeping the country united, which were not always popular there. In 1859, The West became a daily newspaper. Posegate strongly supported the Union, which wanted to keep the United States together. However, he was against the views of another paper, the Free Democrat, which supported ending slavery.

In February 1860, Posegate bought out his partners and became the only owner of The West. He sold the paper a few months later, in August of that year. The printing equipment was sold to Colonel C.B. Wilkinson, who started a new newspaper called the St. Joseph Morning Herald.

After selling The West, Posegate moved to Memphis and worked as a printer for a newspaper called the Eagle and Enquirer. But his pro-Union views caused problems in the South. So, Posegate moved back to Ohio.

He returned to St. Joseph in 1867 and began managing the Herald. He later became a partner in the company. In 1869, Posegate and his partner sold the paper.

On June 1, 1870, Posegate started his own company, The St. Joseph Steam Printing Company. He ran this business for many years. In 1891, his company joined with another to become the Posegate Printing and Lithographing Company, with Frank Posegate as its president.

Military Service

After leaving Memphis, Frank Posegate settled in Ohio and joined the 48th Ohio, Company A, as a soldier. He also helped recruit other people to join the volunteer army.

Frank Posegate is believed to have written the first eyewitness account of the start of the Pony Express ride. This account appeared in a newspaper and described the beginning of the Pony Express on April 3, 1860.

In 1861, he joined the army as a private. He was promoted to 2nd lieutenant on September 18, 1861, and then to 1st lieutenant on January 23, 1862. On September 6, 1862, he became a Captain. He wrote about his experiences, including an article called The Sunday Battle at Shiloh, which described the Battle of Shiloh.

Posegate also fought in the Siege of Vicksburg. He left the army on June 25, 1863, because of problems with his eyesight. A doctor confirmed that his vision was getting worse. However, in September 1864, Posegate helped form the 175th Ohio regiment and became a second lieutenant in that group.

Political Career

On December 12, 1877, President Hays appointed Frank Posegate as the Postmaster of St. Joseph, Missouri. He held this important position until June 15, 1881.

Later, Posegate served as the Mayor of St. Joseph from 1882 to 1884.

Personal Life

In 1858, Posegate married Sarah (Sallie) Johnson from Ohio. Sarah was the daughter of a successful farmer and merchant. They were married on September 6, 1858. Sarah passed away on July 23, 1878. They had two daughters, Kate and Mamie.

Five years after his first wife died, Posegate married Emma Cushman. In the 1890s, they moved to Kirkwood, California. However, they later returned to Missouri, where Posegate became the editor of the St. Louis Star newspaper.

Frank Posegate passed away on January 19, 1917. He is buried in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis.