FROST, Richard Douglas 145-146 - 16
WI BIO - Dane Co - FROST, Richard Douglas
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893, Vol , pp 145-146

Hon. Richard Douglas FROST, one of the first settlers of Blooming Grove, Dane 
County, Wisconsin, a well known resident, was born in the town of 
Schaghticoke, Rensselaer County, New York, 09 October 1821. His father, 
Stephen FROST, was born in Washington County, New York, and his grandfather, 
Ezra FROST, was born in New England of Scotch ancestry, later removing from 
Massachusetts to Washington County, New York, and settling at Union village, 
where he was engaged in mercantile lie and so continued until death. Stephen 
FROST received a good education, and when he grew to maturity, he engaged in 
clerking, later in bookkeeping, and from Union village went to Brooklyn, New 
York, where he continued as an accountant, and remained until his death.

The maiden name of the mother of Richard Douglas FROST was Elizabeth COOPER, 
born near Fort Edward, [Washington County], New York, daughter of Richard and 
Sarah (OSBORNE) COOPER. She died at her home in Schaghticoke, Rensselaer 
County, New York. The maternal grandparents of our subject were of English 
ancestry. The grandfather, Richard COOPER, was born in New York on 12 May 
1771, and spent his entire life in the State of New York. His parents were 
born in England. His wife was born in New York on 02 April 1783, and her 
father was born in England and came to America during colonial times, dying 
in New York at an advanced age. Sarah (OSBORNE) COOPER married, for her 
second husband, John DUSENBERRY, and by this marriage reared two children, 
Joseph and Mary. Our subject was the only child of the first marriage.

Richard Douglas FROST was about eleven years of age when he lost his father. 
He grew up in his home until manhood, attending school steadily, and obtained 
an excellent education. After marriage he went to Troy, NY, and assisted in 
starting a gingham factory, the second institution of the kind in America, 
superintending the operation of that factory until 1850, when ill health 
compelled him to change his business. He had purchased a tract of land in 
1848, in the great West, on Section 20, Blooming Grove Township, Dane County, 
Wisconsin, where he now resides, and when he knew that he must change his 
mode of life he started toward his western purchase. [Land purchased in 1848 
would have been in the Territory of Wisconsin if bought before 29 May 1848, 
when Wisconsin became a State.] By way of railroad he reached Buffalo [Erie 
County], New York, thence to Milwaukee, and then by stage to Madison [Dane 
County, Wisconsin]. The pleasant old days of stage coaching have passed 
away, only now enjoyed by the votaries of fashion, as they make a summer 
tour, [p 146] but in the days of which we write that was the only possible 
way to quickly cover long distances, as there were no railroads so far in the 
wilderness. At the present time Mr. FROST rents his fine farm, having 
retired from active labor.

Richard Douglas FROST was married 04 February 1841 to Miss Sarah M. VAN 
ANDEN, a native of Schaghticoke, Renssalaer County, New York, and her father, 
Bernard VAN ANDEN, was born in the Mohawk Valley, and was of Holland 
parentage, but married and spent his last days in New York. The maiden name 
of the mother of Mrs. FROST was Clarissa ROBINSON, born in Rensselaer County, 
New York, and her father, Nathaniel ROBINSON, was a native of New England, 
and had been a soldier in the Revolutionary War. He spent his last days in 
Schaghticoke, New York. Clarissa (ROBINSON) VAN ANDEN came to Dane County, 
Wisconsin, and spent her last years with her daughter.

Richard Douglas and Sarah M. (VAN ANDEN) FROST reared a family of three 
children: (1) Lewis, the first child and only son, enlisted in 1862 in 
Company I, 23rd Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. Among the many battles in 
which he participated was then at Carrion Crow, Louisiana, where he was 
severely wounded. He was mustered in as a Private, was promoted to 1st 
Lieutenant, and as such commanded his company, and was honorably discharged 
with it at the close of the war, and is now in business at Winona [Winona 
County], Minnesota. Lewis FROST married Miss Julia Karns, and has a family 
of three children: Gertrude B., Lewis V., and Donald K. (2) Emma E., 
married M. E. FLESH, and resides in Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, and has 
two children, Sarah B. and Linnie. (3) Sarah M., was born in 1849 and died 
in 1865.

Richard Douglas FROST has been a Republican since the formation of the party. 
He has served as Township Assessor, and for a period of twelve years he 
represented the town on the County Board of Supervisors, and in 1887 was 
called still higher, being elected to the State Legislature, and cast his 
vote for Hon. Philetus SAWYER for State Senator. He was for several years a 
member of the Executive Committee of the State Grange, and was also Director 
of the Northwestern Relief Association, and also Director and Treasurer of 
the Cottage Grove Fire Insurance Company. He is one of the most prominent 
men of Dane County, progressive and popular, the model of a good citizen of 
State and county as well as of his town.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly