William Frankfurth (1829–1891) was a German American businessman and founder of the German-English Academy (today University School of Milwaukee).
He joined the Freie Gemeinde or "Free Thinkers" movement that arose in Germany and after the failed revolution of 1848, he immigrated to the United States in 1850, settling in Milwaukee.
[3] In 1875, the company expanded into the wholesale business[1] and by 1885, exited the retail side of the business, becoming one of the largest hardware wholesalers in the Midwest distributing to over 1,200 retail stores in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Illinois.
[3] Frankfurth was an incorporator of the Milwaukee Turnverein Association, a German-American gymnastic club; a founder, along with Peter Engelmann, of the German-English Academy (now known as the University School of Milwaukee); and a member of the first public library board.
[1] He was a collector of ancient European artifacts and his family donated his collection to the Milwaukee Public Museum.