Multnomah-Lane County OR Archives Biographies.....Drinker, Frank P. February 24, 1870 - November 10, 1923
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Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com January 26, 2007, 10:39 pm

Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

	FRANK P. DRINKER.  Wisely choosing the vocation for which nature 
intended him, Frank P. Drinker devoted his energies to the banking business, 
in which he achieved the full measure of success, and for many years was a 
commanding figure in financial circles of St. Johns, whose growth and 
prosperity he influenced to a notable extent.  He was born February 24, 1870, 
in Gouldsboro, Pennsylvania, and represented an old and prominent family of 
that state.  His great-grandfather was the subject of the following article, 
which was published in the Scranton Times:
	“In Daleville, Moscow, Thornhurst, Clifton, Turnersville, Covington 
and the surrounding country are still living descendants of sturdy English and 
German pioneers who more than a century ago were induced to settled in 
the ‘Beeches’ by Henry W. Drinker, promoter and builder of the Drinker 
turnpike, the centenary of the opening of which is to be observed in Dunmore 
in the fall of 1927.  The ‘Beeches’ was the name given all that section east 
of Dunmore now included in Covington, Clifford, Lehigh, Madison, Spring Brook 
and Roaring Brook townships as well as Moscow and Elmhurst boroughs, some 
fifty thousand acres all told.  This tremendous tract had been purchased from 
the state about 1791 by Henry Drinker, Sr., of Philadelphia.  Its development 
was due principally, however, to his son, Henry W., who not only promoted and 
built the Drinker turnpike or as it was originally known, the Philadelphia and 
Great Bend turnpike, but was the first to project a railroad into what is now 
Scranton.  That railroad was never built, but it wasn’t for lack of trying on 
Henry W. Drinker’s part.  The charter for the Drinker railroad later came into 
possession of the organizers and builders of the Delaware, Lackawanna & 
Wheeling Railroad.  Henry W. Drinker was an exceptional man.  While not all of 
the projects he initiated seem to have been put through by him, yet he did 
much to interest capital in the possibilities of the Lackawanna Valley and 
made it easier for others who came after to get funds to develop mines and 
build needed railroads.
	“To Henry W. Drinker, Dunmore owes more than the building of the great 
turnpike which passes through the village and helped ‘put the town on the 
map,’ so to speak.  Mr. Drinker gave the town its present name.  Very early in 
the last century what is known as Dunmore was called ‘Bucktown’ from the 
abundance of deer in the locality and display of a buck’s head outside the 
door of the village tavern.  That was an era of designating settlements from 
some individual of prominence, physical or other feature connected with it.  
Scranton was Slocum Hollow, Providence was Razorville.  But let me get back to 
the naming of Dunmore.  Mr. Drinker had been trying to induce capitalists to 
invest in his railroad but without much success.  Finally he met an English or 
Scotch nobleman, Sir Charles Murray, son or nephew of the Earl of Dunmore.  
Sir Charles after meeting at Easton with Drinker and other promoters of the 
proposed railroad and promising financial aid, accepted an invitation to spend 
some time in the ‘Beeches’ hunting.  He put up at the Drinker home in what is 
now Clifton Township, not far from the present day Horn’s Hotel.  They visited 
Bucktown in the quest for deer and in recognition of Sir Charles’ interest in 
the railroad project Drinker proposed that the village name be changed to 
Dunmore, after the father of the distinguished visitor.  It was so ordained, 
but locally, Bucktown stuck for many years, and even to this day Dunmoreans 
are frequently referred to as Bucktowners.
	“Edward E. Dale, of Daleville, whose grandfather was induced in 1813 
by Henry W. Drinker to settle in the ‘Beeches,’ is my authority for the 
statement that a number of descendants of these first families to settle in 
Drinker’s woods are still on the old places and some even recall the children 
of Drinker, all of whom have since quit the scene.  David Dale, grandfather of 
Edward E. and also of the late Hon. Thomas H. Dale, had originally intended to 
settle West of Scranton.  Together with a number of other English immigrants 
Mr. Dale was attracted by an offer of Mr. Drinker, who met the ship on which 
they arrived in Philadelphia.  He offered land to the immigrants in 
the ‘Beeches’ at about five dollars an acre on easy payments and promised work 
on new roads he was building as well * * *  Daleville was named after David 
Dale, who soon became a leader in the community and whose sons or grandsons 
have lived there ever since.  Edward Dale inclines to the belief that it was 
shortly after – a year or so – his grandfather took up his section of land 
that the Drinker turnpike was built.  In this he was mistaken, as the records 
show that the turnpike company was chartered in 1819, and from what I can 
glean the project took several years (probably for want of funds) in building 
and was not opened for general traffic until 1826.
	“I have a personal interest in the forthcoming centenary celebration 
of the opening of the road.  About a year and a half ago I accepted an 
invitation to address the Dunmore Business & Professional Men’s Club.  It so 
happened that I had just been reading something about Henry W. Drinker and his 
early efforts to develop the ‘Beeches,’ build turnpikes, canals and railroads 
through the lower Lackawanna coal fields.  Recalling the approaching centenary 
of the opening of the Drinker turnpike, which had helped so much to attract 
attention and travel to early Dunmore, I suggested that 1926 be made the 
occasion of some fitting celebration.  The chairman of the meeting and others 
said they would keep the suggestion in mind.  Some little while ago, when 
Dunmore firemen were considering plans to raise funds to entertain visiting 
firemen of the Tri-County Firemen’s Association in 1927, it was proposed that 
the centenary of the opening of the Drinker turnpike, now a part of the far-
famed Lackawanna trail, be utilized for the holding of a carnival.  It was so 
decided and plans for the celebration are now (1927) under way.  My good 
friend, Victor Burschel, is chairman of the celebration.  I hope that some 
thought will be given in the affair to enlightening the good people of Dunmore 
on the life and work of Henry W. Drinker and what he tried to do for not only 
Bucktown and the ‘Beeches’ but the entire Lackawanna valley.  His memory is at 
least worth of a permanent tablet.  His career has the making of a worth while 
book.”
 	The parents of Frank P. Drinker were Albert E. and Elizabeth (Walker) 
Drinker.  His grandfather was an officer in the Bank of Philadelphia, the 
first moneyed institution established in North America, and the building is 
still standing.  About 1872 the family went to Kilbourn, Wisconsin, and there 
Frank P. Drinker received his public school training.  This was followed by a 
two years’ course in the University of Wisconsin and while a student at that 
institution he became a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.  For a time he 
worked for his father, who was one of the pioneer lumbermen of Wisconsin, and 
then entered the First National Bank of Portage, Wisconsin, in the capacity of 
a collector.  The institution was capitalized for seventy-five thousand 
dollars and for eighteen years he served it with faithfulness and efficiency, 
eventually becoming cashier.  Meanwhile his parents had migrated to the 
Pacific Coast and in 1906 he came to the west, locating in Portland, Oregon.  
In 1907 his initiative spirit led to the organization of the First National 
Bank, the first financial institution established in St. Johns.  On the 9th of 
March, 1908, the bank opened its doors for business with H. W. Coe as 
president, A. R. Jobes as vice president and Frank P. Drinker as cashier.  The 
bank was started with a capital of twenty-five thousand dollars and its 
surplus fund amounted to five thousand dollars.  Later Mr. Drinker was called 
to the presidency of the institution and in 1917 it was merged with the 
Peninsular National Bank, of which he became vice president.  Thoroughly 
understanding the complex details of modern finance, he labored effectively to 
broaden the scope of these banks and his associates had implicit confidence in 
his judgment and integrity.  The Peninsula Security Company was organized in 
1917, at which time Mr. Drinker was elected as its president, and under his 
able administration the business enjoyed a steady growth.
	Mr. Drinker was married September 15, 1898, to Miss Emma Russell, a 
daughter of Jesse Marion and Ella (Burdick) Russell, who were then living in 
Portage, Wisconsin.  To Mr. and Mrs. Drinker were born three children.  Henry 
Russell, the eldest, is engaged in the insurance business and represents the 
old and reliable house of Lloyds.  Endowed with mechanical skill and 
ingenuity, he owns a fine radio, which he constructed.  It is equipped for 
sending as well as receiving and he has established connections with every 
country in the world except Africa.  He married Miss Gladys Collinon, of 
Portland, and they have one child, Henry Russell Jr.  Francis Burdick, the 
second in order of birth, lives at home and is associated with his brother in 
the insurance business.  He received his higher education in the University of 
Oregon at Eugene and Henry R. Drinker attended the University of Washington at 
Seattle.  The daughter, Mary Elizabeth, remains at home and is pursuing her 
studies.
	Mr. Drinker is an adherent of the republican party and manifested a 
deep interest in community affairs, exerting his efforts as readily for the 
general welfare as for his own aggrandizement.  Along fraternal lines he was 
affiliated with the Knights of Pythias and Portland Lodge, No. 142, of the 
Benevolent Protective Order of Elks.  A Knight Templar Mason, he belonged to 
the Commandery at Portage and was also a Noble of Al Kader Temple of the 
Mystic Shrine at Portland.  Death summoned him November 10, 1923, when he was 
fifty-three years of age, and he was buried with Masonic honors.  Mr. Drinker 
was a useful and influential member of society and a man of irreproachable 
character, esteemed and respected by all with whom he was brought in contact.  
Mrs. Drinker resides at No. 510 East Twelfth street, North, and among her 
family and many friends her influence has been a potent force for good. 


Additional Comments:
History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Pages 215-216

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