Fry - William T. (Prof)
WILLIAM T. FRY (Prof.)
Source: 1881 H. W. Beckwith History, Montgomery County, Indiana (Chicago: HH Hill) p 314
Prof. William T. FRY, teacher, Crawfordsville, was b. in Ohio May 14, 1840. He lived on the farm and had the advantages of the public school until he was 17; he then entered Oberlein College and went about 3 years. He enlisted May 1861 in Co D 11th Ind Vols and served about 4 months. His father having died he returned to his home in Ohio and taught school that winter. May 30 he enlisted in Co. h, 18th Inf 1st bat for 3 years and served full time. He was in the battle of Stone River; Hoover's Gap and Chicakamauga. In this last battle he was captured and was a prisoner 17 months in Richmond, Danville, Andersonville and Charleston. in 1865 he again attended school at Oberlin and in 1866 began teaching. He has been principal of the schools at Trenton one year; at Uhricksville 2 years; Upper Sandusky 3 years. He then traveled 3 years in the interest of GH GRANT, dealer in school furniture. In Sept 1874, he became superintendent of the schools at Washington in Daviess Co., Indiana. He resigned his position there in 1877 to accept the superitendency of the city schools of Crawfordsville, which position he now successfully fills. Prof. Fry is considerable of a reader, and keeps up with the times. He was marr. Sept 27, 1867 MIss Mary FENNER a member of the Center Presbyterian Church. Prof. Fry belongs to the Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, the Presbyterian Church and is a republican. Their children are: Ernest E; Oliver R; William F; John CE and Mary. As proof of Prof Fry's efficiency and popularity we will state that he has never asked for a school. - kbz
Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal, December 13, 1910,pg 1, col 7
Prof. W.T. Fry Died Suddenly, the end came unexpectedly in Washington D.C., on Monday. Former Superintendent of City schools here. Was employed by Census Bureau- His Funeral and Burial will be in Ohio.
Prof. W.T. Fry, formerly Superintendant of the City Schools here from 1877 until Dec 1882, died very suddenly in Washington, D.C. on Monday, aged seventy. Chief Allen Michaels received a telegram late Monday eveing from Richard Sylvester, Chief of Police of Washington, D.C., noting the sudden demise and asking Mr. Michaels to notify the dead man's son, Benjamin Fry, and have him advise as to the disposal of the body. Upon inquiring the Chief found that none of the sons except Oliver Fry, 203 Oak Street, was residing here now. He was out of town, but his wife was notified and in turn she telephoned Benjamin, who is living at South Bend. He will go to Washington and return with the body to New Philadelphia, Ohio where the funeral and burial will take place. His only daughter, Mrs. Mary Meese, resides there. Two years ago last October his wife died and was buried at that place. Prof. Fry was here to vote in November and was apparently in his usual health. The message did not state what was the cause of his death. He is survived by six children: Prof. Eugene Fry, superintendent of Schools in Romney, IN.; Oliver Fry, traveling salesman for Poole-Bosworth and company of Crawfordsville; William Fry, advertising writer of Birmingham., Alabama; Rev. John Fry, Presbyterian minister of Bisbee, Arizona; Mrs. Mary Meese, of New Philadelphia, Ohio and Benjamin Fry, who is employed by the Oliver Chilled Plow Company of South Bend.
When Prof. Fry resigned as the superintendant of the city schools here he was succeeded by Prof. Dunn. This ended the career of Prof. Fry as a teacher and for several years he reminded in this city and traveled for a school company in Chicago, except for the time he served one term as superintendant of Montgomery Co. He was quite active in his politics here for a time and up to this time has claimed this as his home and always voted here. He was chairman of the Republican central committee during the campaign of 1898. In 1900 he secured an appointment in the census department at Washington, D.C. thru Senator Beveridge and has been there ever since.
Prof. Fry was born in Ohio May 14, 1840. He lived on the farm and had the advanges of the public schools until he was seventeen years old, he then entered Oberlin College and went about three years. He enlisted in May 1861, in Co. B, 11th Indiana Volunteers and served about four months. His father having died he returned to his home in Ohio and taught school that winter, on May 30th he enlisted in Co.H, 18th Infantry, First Battalion for 3 years, and served full time. He was in the battles of Stone River, Hoover's Gap, and Chicamauga, in this last battle he was captured and was a prisoner 17 months in Richmond, Danville, Andersonville and Charleston. In 1865 he again attended school in Oberlin and in 1866 began teaching. He was Principal of the schools of Clinton one year, at Uhricksville two years, Upper Sandusky, three years. He then traveled three years in the interest of G.H. Grant, dealer in school furniture. In Sept 1874 he became Superintendant of the schools at Washington, Daviess Co., IN. He resigned his position there in 1877 to accept the Superintendency of the city schools of Crawfordsville which position he held for several years. He then went to Washington city where he had a position in the census bureau, a place he held until he died. He was married September 27, 1867 to Miss Mary Fenner. Prof. Fry belonged to the Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of the Pythians, and a member of the Presbyterian Church. In politics he was a Republican. He was also a member of McPherson Post #7, G.A.R. of this city.
Source: Crawfordsville, Indiana Weekly Review Dec 15, 1910
William T. Fry, formerly a well known citizen of Crawfordsville who had been employed in the census department of the government in Washington DC for the past 10 years or more, died suddenly Monday in the nation's capital, presumably from a paralytic stroke. News of Mr. Fry's sudden death was conveyed in a telegram received Monday evening at 8 o'clock from Washington. His body will be taken to New Philadelphia, Ohio, for burial beside that of his wife, who died there at the home of her daughter in October 1908. Mr. Fry had not been in the best of health for sevearl months. He was in Crawfordsville in November, coming home to vote. His friends then noted how poorly he appeared to be but he returned to Washington after a short visit here with his son, Oliver Fry and family of Oak Street, much better physically than when he came. Mr. Fry lived alone in Washington.
Mr. Fry was a native of Tuscarawas County, Ohio, where he was born 72 years ago. He grew to manhood in Ohio and at the breaking out of the Civil War he enlisted in Company H of the 11th Ohio Regiment. Later he was Company H of the First Battery of the US Infantry. Mr. Fry removed to Crawfordsville for residence a few years after the close of the war. During his residence in Crawfordsville Mr. Fry was prominent in the city's educational circles. He served 8 years as superintendent of the city'[s schools in the early 80s and later was county superintendent of schools for two terms. He was a staunch Republican in politics and served his party as county chairman in the early 90s. For a number of years before going to Washington, Mr. Fry was a traveling representative of the American Book Co and other companies publishing school books. He was a member of McPhersonm Post No. 7, GAR of this city and was also prominent in Masonic circles being a member of all the Masonic bodies here, including Crawfordsville Commandery, No 25. Knights Templar. Mr. Fry secured his appointment in the US Census Department in 1900 at the time of the census enumeration of that year. He was recommended strongly for the place by John R. Bonnell.
Mr. Fry is survived by six children, five sons and one daughter, all of whom are well known here. They are EUgene Fry, principal of schools at Romney; Oliver Fry, employed as a traveling salesman for the Poole-Bosworth Co of this city; Will F. Fry, who is in the advertising business in Birmingham; the Rev. John Fry a Presbyterian minister in Bixbee, Arizona; Benjamin F. Fry, employed with the Oliver Plow Manufacturing Company of SOuth Bend and Mrs. Mary Meese of New Philadelphia, Ohio. Four of the sons are Wabash College graduates. Eugene was with the class of 1891; Will 1894; John 1895 and Benjamin was graduated in 1906. John and Will were both prominent in athletics, being on the Wabash football and baseball teams while in college.