Benton Co., AR - Biographies - William H. Fry

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William H. Fry was born in Schuylkill County, Penn., in 1850, and is a 
son of Henry and Rebecca Van Reed (High) Fry, and grandson of Conrad 
Fry. Henry Fry was born in Dauphin County, Penn., in 1823, and was 
there reared and married. About 1848 he began merchandising at 
Pottsville, Penn., and afterward followed the same calling at Reading, 
and at the same time was engaged in oil refining and in the milling 
business. He was a very successful business man, and died in 1872. 
The last four years of his life he was unable to carry on an extensive 
business, owing to ill health. His wife was born in Berks County, 
Penn., in 1827, and is yet living. William H. Fry is the eldest of her 
five children. He was educated at Reading, and at the Tremont 
Seminary, at Norristown, Penn., the Kutztown Normal, and took a course 
in the Commercial Business College at Philadelphia. He clerked in a 
store in Reading for one year, and in 1873 went to Larned, Kas., 
where he was engaged in merchandising for five years. Owing to ill 
health he then abandoned the business and purchased a farm of 400 
acres near the town, but sold out in 1887, and came to Benton County, 
and purchased 102 acres of land east of Bentonville, where he has 
since made his home. His farm is in a very fine state of cultivation, 
and he is doing well. In June, 1887, he became a director and 
stockholder of the People's Bank, at Bentonville, and still retains 
that position. He is a Republican in politics and his first 
residential vote was cast for Grant. He is a Knight Templar Mason. In 
1877, he was married to Miss Posie Bowman, a daughter of Jacob and 
Letitia (Fry) Bowman. Mrs. Fry was born in Greene County, Ill., in 
1855, and is the mother of three children: Clara M., Harry R. and 
Alice B.