Photo Detail

IOWAN ANCESTORS

OF SOUTHEAST IOWA

FRANK DOAK 1886-1964

Occupation= carpenter/ building contractor

Religion = Methodist

Frank Doak was born the 7th of September 1886 in Highland Center, Iowa. He was married at the Methodist Church in Farson, Iowa the 9th of October 1907 to Miss Hillian Bender. To this union was born eight children:

Donald William Doak (husband of Louise Gestel)

Lucille Irene Doak (wife of Evan Bowlin & Walden Gullet)

Geneva Pauline Doak ( wife of Vic Daughtery)

Virginia Ellen Doak (wife of Bob Ramey)

Frances Elizabeth Doak (wife of Pete Lint)

Dallas Robert Doak ( died age 2)

Twin Roger Rease Doak (husband of Joyce Best)

Twin Regina Rae Doak (wife of Leland Capps)

On the 6th of October 1957, Frank and Hillian

celebrated their Golden wedding anniversary with a

cooperative dinner and reception. It turned into a family

reunion of the Frank Doak family with all but one living

child present. Fifteen grandchildren and 3 great

grandchildren also attended. The reception table was

covered with a linen cloth over 100 years old, having

been Mr. Doak’s grandmother Butler’s. There were

70 guests present.

Frank resided in the Hedrick, Iowa and Highland

Center, Iowa communities all his life Following an

extended illness, he suffered a stroke and left this world

the 5th of October 1964 at the age of 78. He was laid to

rest near his parents in the McCormick Cemetery,

Wapello county, Iowa.

His wife:

HILLIAN HAZEL BENDER 1886-1972

Hillian Bender was born near Highland Center, Iowa the eldest child of George William Bender and Elizabeth McCormick on the 21st of September 1886. Her father George was an implement store owner and lived his entire life in Iowa. George’s father Conrad Bender was a shoemaker in Ioka, Iowa and immigrated as a child from Hechingen Germany. Hillian’s mother Elizabeth was the daughter of the Hon. William McCormick, an Iowa State legislator in 1848 and the donator of family land to the McCormick Cemetery. Elizabeth’s mother Elizabeth was born in Indiana the daughter of Jacob Rhoda Stevens. Jacob Stevens moved the family from Indiana to Iowa in 1848.

Hillian was the eldest of six children:

Hillian Hazel Bender (wife of Frank Doak)

Ralph Raymond Bender (husband of Avis)-lived in Idaho

Paul Leroy Bender (husband of Mary Lena Davis)-lived in Nebraska

Lela Bender (wife of James Morgan)

Marguerite Bender (wife of Bottorff, Williamson, Venator)

Ruth Elizabeth Bender (wife of Lyle R. Whitehead)

A lifetime resident of the area, she was a member of the Hedrick United Methodist Church and the American Legion Auxiliary. On the 9th of October 1907 she married Mr. Frank Doak at the Methodist Church in Farson, Iowa. To this union were born 8 children:

Donald William Doak (husband of Louise Gestel)

Irene (Doak) Bowlin, Gullet (wife of Evan Bowlin)

Geneva (wife of Vic Daughtery)

Virginia Ellen (wife of Bob Ramey)

Frances Elizabeth (wife of Pete Lint)

Dallas Robert Doak (died age 2)

Twin Roger Rease (husband of Joyce Best)

Twin Regina Rae (wife of Leland Capps)

Mrs. Doak passed away the 2nd of June 1972 from

leukemia and was laid to rest beside her husband in the McCormick Cemetery, Wapello County, Iowa.

The Doak men

left to right