He came to America for economic opportunity, but arrived in the midst of the American Revolutionary War and decided to join the rebel cause.

At the time, abolitionism was seen as a fringe ideology and the few abolitionist papers in the country were denounced by the major parties and their publications.

Nevertheless, Frank subscribed to the abolitionist paper the Emancipator, but his postmaster refused to deliver it until he pledged not to distribute it further.

[1] In January 1840 he met Christopher Latham Sholes, and, in June of that year, they partnered to publish and co-edit the Southport Telegraph.

In 1860 he hosted a number of prominent lecturers, including Horace Greeley, Frederick Douglass, and John P.

[1] Perhaps the issue he is best known for was his act passed during the 1845 session, after several earlier attempts, to establish a free public school in Southport.

Initially, childless Southport residents thought that it was unreasonable to tax them to pay for schools, but the village eventually approved.

His idea proved popular when framed that education was public property and essential to good government.

[1] During that year, he was also appointed to a special commission to compile the revised statutes of Wisconsin, which were published in the Fall of 1849.