Columbia County PA Archives Biographies.....KITCHEN, Frank R. 1857 - living in 1899
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  FRANK R. KITCHEN. Prominent among the business men of the town of Berwick who
  have contributed largely toward the growth and prosperity of that town, is the
  subject of this sketch, who is justice of the peace and secretary of the council
  of the borough. He was born in Berwick and is a son of Oliver H. and Evangeline
  (Johnson) Kitchen, grandson of Amos and Margaret (Campbell) Kitchen, and a
  great-grandson of Enoch and Jerusha (Moore) Kitchen.
  
    Enoch Kitchen's father was a native of England and of Quaker descent; he was
  the first of the Kitchen family to immigrate to America. Enoch Kitchen, the
  great-grandfather of our subject, was a chairmaker by trade and followed that
  occupation nearly all his life. In those days furniture was made principally by
  felling trees and making it up into chairs and other furniture by hand. Later in
  life Mr. Kitchen moved to Montour County, Pa., and located six miles from the
  town of Danville, where he remained the remainder of his active days, dying at
  the age of eighty years. He was united in wedlock to Jerusha Moore and four
  children were reared by them: Andrew; Uriah; Amos; and Jerusha.
  
    Amos Kitchen, grandfather of our subject, during his early days learned the
  trade of a tailor and conducted a tailoring establishment in the town of
  Danville, Pa. In 1823 he moved to Berwick, Columbia County, and for many years
  conducted a tailor-shop where Heller's saloon is now located. He married
  Margaret Campbell, a daughter of Alexander Campbell, and the following children
  blessed their home, namely: Matilda; Oliver H.; Pemberton;.Edwin; Permelia;
  John; Clinton; William; Ely, who died young; and Ely. Mr. Kitchen passed from
  this earth aged forty-two years; his wife died at the age of eighty-three years.
  
    Oliver H. Kitchen, the father of our subject, when but a mere lad learned the
  trade of tailor from his father and when his father passed from this life he
  succeeded him in the business; his workmanship was of first-class order and he
  established a regular trade and was the leading tailor of Berwick. His
  establishment was located in the Seesholtz property on Market Street, and in
  1892 the building was burned down, and with his son, our subject, immediately
  rebuilt the present fine block. In 1868 he built a fine residence; later he
  built another residence on the rear end of the lot, facing the other street, and
  in 1898 our subject built another on the same lot. Mr. Kitchen has been in the
  tailoring business for fifty years and is now passing the sunset of life in
  retirement. He is truly a self-made man, having accumulated what he has of this
  world's goods through his own energy and good judgment, and is one of Berwick's
  recognized business men of push and tact. He has assisted in building up the
  county and community, and has watched with interest its progress. It has been an
  interesting review in which he may justly feel pride in having been a sharer.
  Mr. Kitchen has served thirty-eight years as overseer of the poor of Columbia
  County. He takes great interest in the old cemetery, and he formed a company and
  raised funds to put it in good shape, and built a fence around it. He was
  assisted by Leroy Thompson and E. A. Wilson, and the three gentlemen had charge
  of the cemetery until 1892. It always has been one of the best kept cemeteries
  in Columbia County, and is such at the present time. Mr. Kitchen formed a
  matrimonial alliance with Mary Conyus and two children are the result of this
  happy union, as follows: Margaret, the devoted wife of E. Clinger, a resident of
  Berwick; and Annie, who married M. L. Thornton, and resides in Huntington, West
  Va. Mr. Thornton is general agent for the Ensign Car Works of Huntington. Mr.
  Kitchen's second union was with Angeline Johnson, daughter of Barter Johnson, of
  Briarcreek township, and by this union two children blessed their home: Frank
  R., the subject of this sketch; and Jennie E., who resides at home.
  
    Frank R. Kitchen, the only son of his parents, was born in the town of
  Berwick. Pa., November 10, 1857, and received his intellectual training in the
  public schools and high school of Berwick; upon his graduation from the latter
  institution he clerked in a general merchandise store at Espy, Pa., for two
  years. Our subject then learned the trade of a molder which he followed until
  1892, when he was appointed justice of the peace, the duties of which position
  he is honestly and faithfully discharging. He has also served as secretary of
  the town council. Mr. Kitchen is the manager of the P. O. S. of A. opera-house,
  a position he has held since the erection of that building. He has won the
  confidence and esteem of his fellow-citizens and is recognized as one of the
  solid citizens of Berwick. He possesses force of character, is decided in his
  opinions and fearless in the expression of that which he believes to be right.
  He is now attending to the care of his beloved parents.
  
  
  Additional Comments:
  Extracted from:
  
  Book of Biographies of the Seventeenth Congressional District
  Published by 
  Biographical Publishing Company of Chicago, Ill. and Buffalo, NY (1899)
  
  
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