Multnomah County OR Archives Biographies.....Wilcox, Frank 1873 - 
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Ila L. Wakley iwakley@msn.com April 16, 2008, 9:42 pm

Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company

     FRANK WILCOX.  To Frank Wilcox, of Vancouver, belongs the distinction of 
being one of the real pioneers in the automobile business in this locality. He 
sold his first car over twenty years ago, and has been identified with the 
business here continuously since. During this period he has enjoyed a splendid 
business, owing to his energetic and progressive methods, and is regarded as 
one of the most capable and successful dealers on the coast. Mr. Wilcox was 
born at Portland, Ionia county, Michigan, in 1873 and is a son of H. H. and 
Sophia (Burns) Wilcox, both of whom are deceased, and neither of whom ever 
came to the coast to live.
     Mr. Wilcox secured his educational training in the public and high 
schools of Portland, after which he went to work in the railroad shops there. 
A short time later a friend said to him one Saturday night, “Let’s go west.” 
The suggestion appealed to him, so they got out a map and studied the 
northwestern coast country. Portland seemed to be the only large city and, in 
1889, they bought their railroad tickets for that destination, the journey 
requiring seven days and six nights. Mr. Wilcox looked over the country from 
Portland to Seattle, seeking work, and finally, when the finances of the two 
boys had dwindled down to a total of six dollars, they secured work at the old 
Ross sawmill at Vancouver, in which Mr. Wilcox was employed in running a 
cutoff saw, making slat wood. A month or so later he secured employment with 
Frank Suhl, a blacksmith, and in this connection formed the acquaintances of 
employees on the old logging road, the outcome of which was that he secured 
work as a brakeman on that road, at a wage of one dollar and seventy-five 
cents a day. He followed that line of work about two years, when he was made a 
locomotive fireman, having had some experience in the east. Shortly afterwards 
he was made engineer, in which capacity he was employed about eight years, 
running between Vancouver and Battle Ground. About 1900 Mr. Wilcox quit 
railroading and engaged in the sporting goods business in Vancouver, his place 
of business being at Fourth and Main streets. His first practical experience 
with automobiles was with a machine which he made about 1904. He built the 
frame and springs, sent east  for the front and rear axles, and mounted a two-
cylinder steam engine, without transmission. He made his own flash boiler, 
and, after assembling a seat, found that he had an automobile, which he 
successfully ran for a year or so. He carried from one thousand to twelve 
hundred pounds of steam and from seventy to eighty pounds pressure in the 
gasoline tank, not realizing the danger which he was running. Becoming 
convinced that there was a great future for the “horseless carriage,” he 
decided to go into the automobile business and in 1907 made his first sale, 
which was a two-cylinder Maxwell car, which was the second car sold in 
Vancouver, the first one being a two-cylinder Buick which had been sold but 
two days previously. One of his early sales was to Dr. R. D. Wiswall, who 
wanted a car that would not run over eight or ten miles an hour. Some time 
later the Doctor returned to Mr. Wilcox and said, “This speed thing sort of 
grows on one, don’t it. I just went out to Fourth Plain and drove fifteen to 
eighteen miles an hour.” About 1911 Mr. Wilcox secured the agency for the 
Buick car and has handled this well-known make ever since, He was then located 
at Seventh and Washington streets, where he remained until May, 1927, when he 
moved into his present fine building at 1014 Washington street, which is one 
hundred by one hundred feet in size, two stories high. Here he has a splendid 
salesroom, an adequate office and complete accessory and repair departments. 
He employs seven men and his volume of business has steadily grown until he 
now handles new cars to the value of between one hundred thousand and one 
hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars a year, his sales territory embracing 
Clark and Skamania counties. In the fall of 1927 Mr. Wilcox had a chance to 
dispose of his agency at a very satisfactory figure, but the Howard Auto 
Company, distributors for this district, made such strenuous objections to his 
quitting the business that he has remained in it.  However, in order to 
lighten his own work, on January 1, 1928, he incorporated the business under 
the name of Wilcox Motors, Inc., the officers of which are, Frank Wilcox, 
president and manager; C. C. Turley, sales manager, and Harry Marble, shop 
manager.
     In 1900 Mr. Wilcox was united in marriage to Miss Minnie F. Proebstel, of 
Vancouver, a daughter of Andrew J. and Minnie (Nye) Proebstel, who, on January 
16, 1928, celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary. For further reference 
to the Proebstel family, the reader is referred to the personal sketch of Mr. 
Proebstel on other pages of this work. Mr. Wilcox is a member of the Ancient 
Free and Accepted Masons, in which he has received the degrees of both the 
York and Scottish rites; the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, the Knights of 
Pythias and the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. Industry has been the key 
which has unlocked for Mr. Wilcox the portals of success and thoroughness and 
diligence have characterized his business career. He has taken an active and 
helpful part in promoting the development and progress of his locality and 
holds a high place in local business circles. He has been found trustworthy in 
every relation of life and commands the unqualified confidence and respect of 
all who know him.



Additional Comments:
History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. II, 
Pages 408-409



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