My Genealogy Hound

Hon. E. F. Frost, farmer and stock raiser of Big River Township, was born in Jessamine County, Ky., in 1820, and is the fourth of eight children born to Simeon and Mary (Woods) Frost, natives of Kentucky, born in 1789 and 1790, respectively. They were married in 1809, but the mother died in 1889, in Crawford County, Mo. He was married the second time, to Margaret Garven, of Crawford County, Mo., in 1840. In 1822 he removed from Kentucky to Washington County, Mo., and from there to Crawford County, in 1835, where he made his future home, but died ten miles west of Independence, while on his way across the plains to California, in 1849. He was a man of fair education, good judgment and ability. In 1838 he was elected by the Democratic party, in Crawford County, to represent them in the Legislature, and served one term. He was justice of the peace for some years in Crawford County, Mo., and was a member of the Baptist Church, as was also his first wife. E. F. Frost was but two years old when he was brought from Kentucky to Washington County, was reared there and in Crawford County, when there were no public schools, and what education he obtained was in attending the subscription schools a short time during the winter, and one winter term at Potosi, during the years 1837 and 1838. At the age of twenty he learned the cabinet-maker’s trade which he followed for several years. In July, 1841, he married Miss Catherine M., daughter of Ephraim and Fannie Wilson (whose history appears in the sketch of J. M. Wilson). To Mr. Frost’s marriage were born five children, four of whom are now living: William J., of Franklin County; George R., also of Franklin County; Melvina C., wife of William T. Lee, and Kansas V., wife of David Perkins. In 1844 Mr. Frost removed to Jefferson County, and settled on Government land, on which he has since lived, with the exception of about three years, when he resided at St. James, in order to educate his children. He at one time owned 600 acres of land, but after giving his children each a good home he has but 200 acres left. For several years after coming to Jefferson County he worked at the cabinet-maker’s trade, carpentering and blacksmithing, in connection with farming. Prior to the war he served several years as justice of the peace, and was instrumental in establishing Greenville post-office, of which he was postmaster for several years, being the first one to occupy that position. He served as public administrator of Jefferson County from 1860 to 1864; and in 1874 he was elected to represent Jefferson County in the State Legislature, and served one term. He is a consistent Democrat, and his first presidential vote was cast for James K. Polk, in 1844. He is a long standing and prominent member of the Masonic fraternity, of Joachim Lodge, at Hillsboro, and he and wife are members of the Baptist Church. His brother, Elder James M. Frost, was a well- known Baptist minister, who began his ministerial duties in Crawford and Washington Counties, but afterward removed to Kentucky, while yet a young man, and there spent a long and successful career in his noble work. He died in 1876.