Biographical Note

Frank L. Wood was born in Machester, Indiana, in 1864.  His early childhood was spent in Malden, Illinois.  His family moved to Chicago when Frank was ten years old.  The remainder of his he lived on Chicago’s west side, his last address being 306 S. Hamlin.  As a teenager he worked as a clerk for various companies while going to night school.  He was graduated from Chicago’s Kent College of Law.  He was editor of the west side weekly Enterprise and from 1883 to 1894 was business for himself.  He was assistant chief clerk of Cook County Probate Court from 1894 to 1898 and practiced law until 1903 when he was promoted from this post to assistant probate judge, a position which he held until 1906.  After a brief stint as secretary and treasurer of the Commercial Life Insurance Company he became the editor of the Chicago Daily Law Bulletin from 1909 until his retirement in 1937.  In politics he was a Republican.

Wood’s  avocations were the West Side Historical Society, of which he was treasurer and president in turn, and the Wesleyan Bible Class. This class was organized in 1880 at the Western Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church, with Wood as one of the original members.  He was instrumental in reorganizing the class in the late 1890s, and he spearheaded the class until his death half a century later.  Wood was also a collector of Abraham Lincoln material.  He published one volume of poetry, Khaki and Blue, and numerous single poems appeared in newspapers.

He married Isabel O. Watson, daughter of a pioneer west sider, on March 26, 1889.  The couple had one son, Elmer W. Wood, and three granddaughters.  Frank Wood died at Wesley Memorial Hospital February 7, 1945, of complications from surgery.  He was buried in Forest Home Cemetery.

Scope and Content 

Scrapbooks 1-9 contain correspondence, programs, and newsclips concerning Frank Wood’s numerous speaking engagements.  Scrapbook 10 contains miscellaneous published poems of Wood’s authorship.  The speaking engagement books were apparently largely in one or possibly two projects rather than being added to over the years.  They all match—even the typeface on the covers—indicating a common date of origin.  And annotations concerning various engagements which happened years apart are made on matching pieces of paper in the same ink.  Volumes 1-5 may have been completed some time prior to volumes 6-8, and volume number 9 was never completed.

Not surprisingly, the scrapbooks contain much reference to the Wesleyan Bible Class activities, particularly after 1920.  No effort has been made to annotate these references in the topical list which is part of this guide as there is a separate collection of Wesleyan Bible Class materials which is more complete in its coverage of that organization.  By the same token, 
references to the two churches which hosted the class—Western Avenue Methodist Episcopal and Olivet Methodist—have not been included in this list.

The collection is useful as a cross-section of main-line churches, Chicago city-wide but primarily on the west side.  There are numerous references to Grand Army of the Republicans reunions as well.  With rare exception, only churches or organizations in Chicago or the adjacent suburbs are included in the topic list which follows on pages 3 to 10.  There are many engagements in Wisconsin and Michigan which have not been noted.

Related material is found in the West Garfield Park Community Collection (WGP) 1:15—biography of Frank L. Wood, and 4:9-the Wesleyan Bible Class.  There is also a separate collection of Wesleyan Bible Class materials (WBC).

Provenance

The Frank L. Wood Scrapbooks were accessioned into Neighborhood History Research Collection of The Chicago Public Library’s Special Collections Department with the collection of the West Side Historical Society.  The scrapbook cataloged here as "Speaking 9" was originally cataloged as box 9 of the West Garfield Park Community Collection.

Processed by Galen R. Wilson, April 1993.

Access

The Frank L. Wood Scrapbooks are available to the public for research in the Special Collections and Preservation Division Reading Room on the 9th floor of the Chicago Public Library’s Harold Washington Library Center, 400 South State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60605. The collection does not circulate, although photocopy and photoreproduction services are available depending upon the condition of the original materials. First time patrons to Special Collections must present photo identification and complete a Reader Registration Form. Telephone inquiries on this collection and other Special Collections holdings can be directed to 312-747-4875.

Box Inventory

BOX 1

Speaking 1, 1885-1908
Speaking 2, 1908-1910

BOX 2

Speaking 3, 1910-1913
Speaking 4, 1913-1916

BOX 3

Speaking 5, 1916-1924
Speaking 6, 1925-1929
Speaking 7, 1929-1934

BOX 4

Speaking 8, 1934-1937
Speaking 9, 1938-1941

Poems Published, 1907-1926 

Scrapbook Contents by Page

Speaking 1 1885-1908

3.  12th Ward Prohibition Club
4.  Postcard: Cable Bridge, Garfield Park
5.  Western Avenue M. E. Church
7.  100th anniversary, George Washington’s Inauguration, 1889
10. Normal Park M. E. Church (70th & Union Ave.)

11. Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Association
13. Hamlin Avenue M. E. Church (Hamlin & Huron)
17. Emmanuel M. E. Church (Park and 44th Avenues)
20. Epworth M. E. Church, Hayes School, Wicker Park M. E. Church
21. Hermosa M. E. Church, Hayes School, Wicker Par M. E. Church

23. Centennial Baptist Church
30. First Baptist Church of Austin
31. Hermosa M. E. Church
32. Wicker Park M. E. Church
33. Cook County Sunday School Association, Third Presbyterian Church

34. Central Baptist Orphanage (Maywood), Pilgrim Temple Baptist 
       Church
44. Pullman M. E. Church
45. Chicago Vaporizer Company letterhead (33 Chicago Avenue)
46. Ravenswood Congregational Church
47. First Congregational Church, Park Ridge

48. Jackson Blvd. Church of Christ
49. Park Ridge M. E. Church 
      Julius White Post #70 Grand Army of the Republic
50. Grand Army of the Republic Memorial Association
53-4. George H. Thomas Post #5, Grand Army of the Republic

55. Eighth Presbyterian Church (Washington & Robey)
56-7. Oakland M. E. Church
58. Chicago Training School for City, Home & Foreign Missions
60-1. California Avenue Congregational Church
63. James Monroe School, Logan Square

68. Avondale Presbyterian Church
69-70. Union Park Congregational Church
71. Austin M. E. Church
72. Englewood Baptist Church
73. Waveland Avenue Congregational Church

78. Chicago College of Dental Surgery Alumni Association
      Auditorium Hotel
79. Woodlawn Park M. E. Church
86. Lexington Avenue Baptist Church

90. True & True Company (door moldings)—letterhead
92. Campbell Park Presbyterian Church
94-5. Belden Avenue Baptist Church
99. White’s Class Advertising Company—letterhead
102-4. International Sunday School Association

105. West Pullman M. E. Church
107. Norwegian Lutheran Children’s Home Society
108. West Pullman M. E. Church
113. Edgewater Presbyterian Church

Speaking 2

3. Ada Street M. E. Church
8-11. Cook County Sunday School Association
          Willard M. E. Church (Douglas Blvd. & St. Louis Ave.)
10. Covenant Presbyterian (Belden &  Halsted)
20. Cook County Sunday School Association
 Second Swedish Baptist

21. Metropolitan Church of Christ (Van Buren & Oakley)
 First Presbyterian, Oak Park
30. Englewood Christian Church  (Stewart & 66th)
31. St. Luke’s M. E. Church (Western & Coblentz)
32. Trinity Reformed Episcopal (70th & Yale)

33. Woodlawn M. E. Church (64th & Woodlawn)
40. Union Park Church
 St. Paul’s Reformed Episcopal (Adams & Winchester)
41. Englewood Christian Sunday School
44-5. Wicker Park M. E.

46. Reid, Murdock & Co.—letterhead
       Fifth United Presbyterian (Leland & Lincoln)
47. California Avenue Congregational
48. Brethren Church (1076 Polk St.)
50. St. John’s M. E. Church (Jackson & St. Louis)

51. Moody Church
52. St. John’s M. E. Church
53. Lexington Avenue Baptist Church

54-7. Malden Cemetery (Malden, IL)—Memorial Day, 1909
59-61. 28th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry, 27th Annual Reunion
63-4. Hamlin Avenue M. E. Church

65. Moody Bible Institute
73-5. Morgan Park Baptist Church
76. First Baptist, Oak Park
77. Chicago Training School (50th & Indiana)
79-80. St. Paul’s Reformed Episcopal

85-6. Austin M. E. Church
86. Fernwood M. E. Church
87. Englewood Union of Epworth League
93-7. Christian Endeavor, Englewood Division
      First Presbyterian Church, Englewood

Speaking 3

6. Julius White Post #740, Grand Army of the Republic
11. Mary Thompson Hospital, Fifth United Presbyterian Church
15. Bethany Swedish M. E. Church
16. McKinley Park M. E. Church
17. Berwyn Baptist Church

22. North Shore Congregational Church
31. South Park Avenue Methodist Church
34. Maywood Presbyterian Church
35-6. Cook County Sunday School Association
37. Park Manor M. E. Church

39-41. Illinois State Penitentiary, Joliet Includes photo of prisoners being preached to by Mrs. Ballington Booth.
43. Jefferson Park Presbyterian
44. Garfield Park M. E. Church
45-7. Men and Religion Foreward Movement
48. Reid, Murdock & Co.—letterhead

49. Fifth United Presbyterian Church
53. Second Baptist Church
54. Park Manor M. E. Church
55. Avondale M. E. Church
61. Grace Evangelical Church

62. Third Presbyterian Church
63. Englewood Presbyterian Church
66. Second United Presbyterian Church
67. Hermosa M. E. Church
68-73. Illinois State Penitentiary, Joliet

74. George H. Thomas Post #5, Grand Army of the Republic 
75. Lake View Congregational Church
76. Washington Boulevard M. E. Church, Irving Park M. E. Church
77. Halsted Street Institutional Church (Methodist Episcopal)
81-83. Moreland Swedish M. E. Church

84. Berry Memorial Church
86. Union Avenue Swedish M. E. Church
93-4. Gross Park M. E. Church
97. Evangelische Bethania Kirche (Bethany Evangelical Church)

Speaking 4 1913-1916

1. Bethany Evangelical Church
2. First Congregational Church
4. Grace English Lutheran Church
5-7. Northwestern College, Naperville
9-10. Illinois State Penitentiary, Joliet

12. LaSalle Hotel postcard
13-4. Austin M. E. Church
20. Berry Memorial Church
21. Wicker Park M. E. Church
22. Avondale M. E. Church

24. Northwestern University Dental School
25. Central Park M. E. Church, Ravenswood Baptist Church
30. International Sunday School Association
36. Edison Park M. E. Church
37. Jackson Boulevard Christian Church

45-6. North American Union (insurance company)—letterhead
48. Paulina Street Church
51. Norwood Park M. E. Church
52-3. West Pullman M. E. Church
54. Bethany Presbyterian

55. Rotary Club, Hotel Sherman
57. Mayfair M. E. Church
58-9. Eleventh Presbyterian Church
63. Howard-Severance Company Publishers-letterhead
64. Jackson Boulevard Christian Church

66. Grace Reformed Church
70. Volunteer Prisoner League

Speaking 5  1916-1924

1. Willard Memorial M. E. Church, Joyce M. E. Church
2-3. Bethel M. E. Church
4. Buena Memorial Presbyterian Church
5. Bethany Presbyterian Church
7. New First Congregational Church

8. Austin M. E. Church
9-12. Winnebago County Sunday School Association
13-15. Illinois State Penitentiary, Joliet
19-22. David C. Cook Publishing Company, Elgin
23. Lombard Avenue Baptist, Oak Park

24. Calvary M. E. Church
26. Northwestern University Dental School
28, 31. Humbodlt Park Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Mission Church
31-2. Buena Memorial Presbyterian Church
32. First M. E., Downers Grove

33. First Presbyterian, Oak Park
34. Peterson Nursery—letterhead
34-6. Y. M. C. A. Hotel-letterhead
37. Sheridan Road Church
39. Euclid Avenue M. E. Church

41. Albany Park M. E. Church
43. Jefferson Park Congregational Church, Austin M. E. Church
44-5. Peterson Nursery—letterhead
47. Euclid Avenue M. E. Church
49. Garfield Park M. E. Church

51-2. St. Stephen’s M. E. Church
54. Illinois State Penitentiary, Joliet
56. Lincoln Street M. E. Church
59. Boy Scouts of America, Chicago Council
61-2. Austin Hunter (1872-1921)—memorial service

63. John Marshall High School
64. Albany Park M. E. Church
66. Lamon Avenue M. E. Church
67. Rogers Park Methodist Church
68. Grace English Lutheran, Spiegel’s House Furnishings—letterhead

69. Lincoln Street M. E. Church
72. American Legion—Marshall Field &  Co. Post #11
74. Grace English Lutheran Church
75. Euclid Avenue M. E. Church

76. Grand Avenue Congregational Church
77. Second United Presbyterian Church
78. Grand Avenue Congregational Church
79. Granville Avenue M. E. Church

Speaking 6 1925-1929

4. Second United Presbyterian Church
4,7. Buena Memorial Presbyterian Church
8-10. Rogers Park M. E. Church
12. Howard Severance Co. Publishers—letterhead
13-14. Illinois State Penitentiary, Joliet

15. Irving Park Presbyterian Church
18-9. Auburn Park Trust and Savings Bank—letterhead
18. Calvary M. E. Church
21. Granville Avenue M. E. Church
22-3. Washington Boulevard M. E. Church

24. Garfield Park Club
25. Englewood Y. M. C. A.
27. Grace Reformed Church
29. Irving Park Presbyterian Church
30-1. Austin M. E. Church

37. Second United Presbyterian Church
38. Olivet M. E. Church (first notice of this church)
39. Lamon Avenue M. E. Church
40. Eleanor Club Five (430 S. Ashland)
42. Austin M. E. Church

46-7. Avondale Presbyterian Church
48. Grace Reformed Church
48-9. Lawrence Hall, Inc. (boys’ home)
50. Grace Baptist, Roseland
53. Lamon Avenue M. E. Church, Eleanor Club Five

55-60. Memorial Day address at cemetery near Delaware, Ohio with visit to Warren G. Harding’s grave in    Marion, Ohio—includes snapshots, p. 59 
61. WMBI radio
65-6. Avondale M. E. Church

Speaking 7  1929-1934

2-4. Humboldt Park Community M. E. Church
8. Winona Summer School of Missions (Winona Lake, Indiana)
9-11. Buena Memorial Presbyterian Church
12. Woodlawn Baptist Church, Third Reformed Church
13. Grace [Community] Church

15-6. Granville Avenue M. E. Church
16-7. Farragut Junior High School
21. Grace Reformed Church, Euclid Avenue M. E. Church  (Oak Park)
31. Euclid Avenue M. E. Church
34. Death of David C. Cook Jr., 1932

37-8. First Baptist Church
43. Euclid Avenue M. E. Church
46. Grace Evangelical Church
49-51. Illinois State Penitentiary Church, Joliet
54. Washington Boulevard M. E. Church
55-6. Moody Bible Institute

Speaking 8  1934-1937

1. Austin M. E. Church
2. Avondale Presbyterian Church
7. Garfield Park Baptist Church, Grace Evangelical Church
9. Washington Blvd. M. E. Church
11-13. Central Chicago Sunday Evening Club

15. Granville Avenue M. E. Church
16. National Builders Bank of Chicago—letterhead
17-21. Arnold Memorial M. E. Church
23, 28. Judson Baptist Church, Oak Park
29. Centennial M. E. Church

31. Austin M. E. Church
33, 39. Buena Memorial Presbyterian Church
40-41. Moody Bible Institute (centennial of Dwight L. Moody’s birth)
42. Hotel Wacker—letterhead
53. National Live Stock Commission Company (Union Stock Yards)—letterhead
54. G. A. R. auxiliary:  Farragut Woman’s Relief Corps #92

Speaking 9  1938-1941   disbound

3. Third Unitarian Church
4-5. Buena Memorial Presbyterian Church 
6-7. Berry Memorial Methodist Church
8. Salvation Army—Young People’s Legion
9. Riverside Methodist Church

12. Calvary Presbyterian Church
13. Chicago Daily News—Vaughan Shoemaker, cartoonist
15. Grace Evangelical Church, Logan Square
17-18. Illinois State Penitentiary, Joliet
18. Volunteer Prison League

19. Churchmen’s Brotherhood (Evangelical & Reformed Church)
30. West Side Historical Society 
33. Woodlawn Baptist Society
35. Woman’s Home Missionary Society of the Methodist Church
42. Austin Methodist Church

51. Austin Methodist Church
64. Ravenswood Baptist Church, Austin Methodist Church
83. Immanuel Lutheran Church
84. Grace Evangelical Church, Logan Square; Garfield Park Baptist Church

Folder of loose material never pasted into "Speaking 9"

First Presbyterian Church
Memorial Church (McLean and Drake)
Calvary Presbyterian Church
Austin Methodist Church
Greyhound Bus Lines—letterhead

Poems Published  1907-1926

A few pages only of this book are used.  They are occupied, indeed, with poems of Frank L. Wood  which were published.