SOME LINKS IN THE MCELWAIN WEBSITE
INDEX TO THE MCELWAIN FAMILY WEBSITE
BERTHA THOMPSON wife of FRANK MCELWAIN
JOHN ALLEN MCELWAIN-Franks Father
EDWARD P MCKENNA
nfarmilo@litestream.net
FRANK MCELWAIN b. 4/30/1872 Cedar Rapids IA d. 4/15/1947 Laguna Beach, Orange, CA m. 6/6/1900 to BERTHA THOMPSON (See Link). His parents were JOHN ALLEN MCELWAIN (See Link) b. 11/29/1831 Grange, Cook, IL m. 4/1925 to CATHERINE JANE MCKENNA(See McKenna link) also, WILLIAM THOMPSON MCELWAIN (See link) b. 1904 d. 9/1996 age 92 Big Rapids, McCosta, MI m. a Catholic and was an outcast of this Episcopal family. Another child Ruth Ann McElwain b. 3/1912 d. 3/15/1912 is buried in Fairview Cemeter in Cedar Falls Tw. Block 16, lot 12 with grandparents. It is unsure who the mother is.
There are probate papers (#1247) in Cedar Falls IA for the Guardianship of Frank McElwain b. 30 Apr 1872. H. C. Hemenway was appointed guardian for Frank upon his posting a $10,000 bond. This was shortly after his father died. His mother was still living so I find this odd. Hemenway also signed Frank's Matriculation Papers for Northwestern University in Evanston IL on Sept 16, 1890. Frank was 18 at the time.
Franks Obituary in the Northwestern says: "Frank McElwain - Arts 95 - died Apr 15 (1947) at his home in Laguna Beach, California at the age of 75 years. He had moved to California from Evanston (Illinois) in 1932 after retiring from the dry goods trade-paper publishing business in Chicago, in which he was for 30 years associated with Charles W. Spofford - Arts 96. Shortly after graduation from Northwestern, Mr McElwain was for some time an editorial writer on the Chicago Tribune.
A graduate of both the Northwestern Academy and the University, Mr McElwain was a campus leader for many years. When the class of 1895 had its 50th reunion in 1945 he was a member of the reunion committee and assisted in the publication of the reunion book of the class. Referring to his college years, he wrote: "Of great practical benefit was the extra-curricular work I did - the business management of the college paper during my sophomore year, and the part I took in the management of editorship of the 1895 Syllabus. These enterprises gave me an impetus toward journalism, which late became my chief vocation."
The obituary in the South Coast News, April 15, 1947, Laguna Beach, California says "Frank McElwain, 74, passed away this morning at his home at 00 Thalia Street. "I AM" services will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at H.R. Brown Colonial Chapel, 17th at Sycamore Street, Santa Ana. Private cremation will follow.
Mr McElwain, who had been a resident of Laguna for 15 years, was born in Cedar Falls, Iowa. He was a retired publisher of trade magazines.
Survivors of the deceased are his wife Bertha E. McElwain (the second Bertha) of Laguna; two sons, John A(Allen) of Chicago and William T(Tompson) of Big Rapids, Mich.; a sister, Mrs. Grace Brown of Mount Dora, Fla.(Florida), and four grandchildren."
The Northwestern University Alumni Record shows that he was Ph.B. Beta Theta Pi. He was a Dry Goods Reporter, Chicago 1895-97; President of the International Fur and Robe Co 1898-1901 and Frank McElwain & Co wholesale fur dealers, Chicago. He had been editor of Hay & Grain Reporter, Chicago; Editor of The Milliner, Toys & Novelties - 1916.
This Frank McElwain is not the same person as Frank Arthur McElwain b. 11/14/1875 (whose father was also John Allen McElwain) in Warsaw NY who m. Helen Cantwell DeMuth on 11/17/1902. This Frank Arthur McElwain was the Bishop of Minnesota in the Episcopal Church. (See: Who's Who in America # 761448&9 vol 31875 - 1956 & 1051 -1960.
