Frank R. F. Harrison (1854-1936)
Local Merchant and One of the first Onset Fire Department Chiefs.
Frank served as a public servant of Onset for many years of his life. He served for two years as chief of the Onset Fire Department in 1894 and 1895 before resigning and eventually returning as chief.
He served as harbor master at Onset from 1906-1910.
He also was superintendent of the business of the trolley cars which operated between Onset station and Onset, and when the trolleys came he was an operator on the Onset line. More of that service will be described in the Onset Train History.
In 1900, his occupation was listed as a Teamer. A teamer, also known as a teamster, was a person whose occupation was driving a team of animals, typically horses or oxen, to haul goods, often using wagons or carts as seen in this ticket.
Ticket with picture of Frank Harrison
In 1908, Frank was elected the President of the New Bedford-Onset Street Railway Organization. The organization was formed to “foster a spirit of fellowship” amongst the men.
Frank was a roadmaster for the same New Bedford Onset street railway in 1910.
In 1924 he again was named as head of the Onset Fire Department. In October of that year, he faced his greatest challenge as a fireman when a large fire destroyed the old and new catholic churches. The old St. Mary’s Catholic Church was completed sometime around 1909 and needed to grow after doubling its congregation during that time span. Two smaller cottages also were destroyed in the fire. Frank’s experience helped recognize that his smaller department needed immediate assistance as a result of gale force winds. Frank quickly called in other fire departments from Wareham, Buzzards Bay, Falmouth, and Cotuit. His quick thinking may have saved a much larger catastrophe.
In 1926, as Onset Fire Chief and a member of the New England Firemen’s Association, Frank organized the meet and the contests that were to be presented to the firemen.
Mrs. Frank Harrison, Nettie, was also well known in town as a leader, host, and organizer. She belonged to the Onset Grange Patrons Of Husbandry, abbreviated as “P. Of H”. For example, she was in charge of a costume party that was held on April 6, of 1932. The ribbons below were from that organization.
And there is so much more to tell about this man of public servitude. Maybe we can get more from local relatives of Frank that are still in the area.