Frank K. Wilson (Butte Hotel founder) biographical sketch — Hennessy's-Centerville location origin
Butte Montana county-history reference book (specific publisher TBC, c. 1900) · Butte, Silver Bow County, Montana · ~1900
date confidence: estimated
Summary
Biographical sketch of **Frank K. Wilson**, proprietor of the Butte Hotel, from an unidentified Butte county-history book (published c. 1900 based on internal date references). - **Frank K. Wilson** b. 15 June 1862 Palmyra, Portage County, Ohio - Father: **John Wilson** b. 1827, d. 1891 (Ohio livestock raiser) - Mother: **Sarah E. Wilson** (still living in Ohio, age 78 at writing) - Brother: **Hugh Wilson** - Frank + Hugh both attended Valparaiso Indiana school; Frank graduated 1883 - Came to Butte 1883 with brother Hugh - **Started men's furnishings + grocery business at the place where Hennessy's store now stands in Centerville** — historical origin of the Centerville Hennessy's location (where JJM Sr would later be branch manager 1915-1920) - 1895: **sold out to Patrick Mullens**; same year bought East Broadway ground and built the **Butte Hotel** - Frank served in Montana legislature 1892-93 (Democrat) - Wilson brothers also mining in Arizona + California KEY for the JJM story: 1. The Centerville Hennessy's branch (which JJM Sr managed 1915-1920) was originally a Wilson brothers' store before 1895. Patrick Mullens bought it from the Wilsons in 1895; Hennessy's later acquired/replaced. 2. **Patrick Mullens** → likely the source of the "Mullins house" name on Mullins street, Centerville, where John Kelly was proprietor 1914 (per the 1914 John Kelly funeral notice). Spelling drift Mullens → Mullins is common. 3. This Frank K. Wilson (b. 1862 Ohio) is a DIFFERENT Wilson from Lewis Wilson (b. St. Paul MN per his 1944 obit, Daniel L. Murphy's father-in-law). Two distinct Wilson families in Butte; the Daniel-Murphy Wilson connection is via Lewis + Clara Belle, not Frank K.
People
- Frank K. Wilson (b. 15 June 1862 Palmyra OH; founded Butte Hotel)(as printed: Frank K. Wilson)role: subject · family confidence: 0 not family
Not family. Background civic figure — origin of the Centerville Hennessy's location.
Also mentioned
- Hugh Wilson · brother_business_partner
- John Wilson (b. 1827 · father
- Sarah E. Wilson · mother
- Patrick Mullens · business_successor_1895
Bought the Centerville Wilson store in 1895. Almost certainly the namesake of the 'Mullins house' that John Kelly later operated (per 1914 funeral notice) — spelling drift Mullens → Mullins is common.
Places
- Centerville (district of Butte) (primary)
- Butte, Montana (primary)
- Montana (primary)
- Columbus, Ohio (secondary)
Themes
Story threads
Tags
- reference_book
- context_for_book