Frank W. Wilt, manager of the extensive Cline-Wilt lumber business at
Portland, an active member of the Portland Chamber of Commerce and one of
the important factors in the general commercial and industrial life of Jay
county, is a native of the Buckeye state, but has been a resident of Indiana
and of Portland since he was thirteen years of age and has thus been a
participant in the wonderful development which has marked this section
during the past few decades. Mr. Wilt was born in Darke county, Ohio,
September 24, 1866, and is a son of John S. and Martha A. (Evans) Wilt, the
former of whom was for years engaged in the lumber business at Portland.
John S. Wilt was born in Darke county, Ohio, where he remained until 1879,
when he moved over into Indiana withhis family and became engaged in the
grocery business at Portland. Two years later he established a sawmill at
Portland and was engaged in operating the same until 1884, when he became
associated with Daniel Spade in the general lumber business in that city and
thus continued until the business was taken over by the present Cline-Wilt
firm, with Frank W. Wilt as general manager of the business.
As
noted above, Frank W. Wilt was but thirteen years of age when he came to
Indiana with his parents in 1879, and his schooling was completed in the
schools of Portland. He "grew up" to the lumber business, becoming
thoroughly schooled in all details of that business during the time of his
father's long connection with the lumber industry hereabout, and has been in
business for himself, a member of the well-established Cline-Wilt firm since
that firm was organized in 1901.
Mr. Wilt is a Democrat, is a member
of the Portland Chamber of Commerce, the Kiwanis Club, the Knights of
Pythias, the Elks, the Modern Woodmen and the Country Club and he and his
wife are members of the Methodist Episcopal church. In 1892, Frank W. Wilt
was united in marriage to Judith Metz, who was born in this county, a
daughter of Cornelius Metz, a prominent contractor of Portland, and to this
union have been born nine children, seven of whom are still living, Mildred,
Ralph M., Mabel, Robert L., Hugo M., Frank, Jr. and Judith A.
SOURCE: Milton T. Jay, M.D., History of Jay County
Indiana, Historical Publishing Co., Indpls. 1922, Vol. II, pp. 135-136.
Transcribed by Eloine Chesnut