Frank Darrow

Frank Darrow was born May 14, 1883 in Fort Dodge, Webster County Iowa. His mother's name was Annie Colvin and his step father was John Darrow. He married Lillie May Pauley on Febuary 25, 1907 at Red Lodge, Carbon County Montana. They had one daughter, Anne Caroline Darrow who was born Dec 29, 1907 in Red Lodge. On May 19, 1908 Lillie died. Shortly after this is where the mystery begins. Anne was left in the custody of her maternal Grandparents, James and Candice Pauley(nee Moose). According to family stories, Frank Darrow worked on a ranch near the Pauley ranch. He was told that his daugheter was ill, and left his place of employment to go see his daughter. He never arrived at the Pauley ranch, but his horse was seen in Bridger Montana. this was sometime in 1909-1910. After this the family never heard from Frank Darrow again.
Anne (my grandmother), once told my mom about playing under the kitchen table, around 1917, while her Grandmother had coffee with a family friend. The gentleman told Candice Pauley that he had seen Frank Darrow in Billings a month or so before. Anne said that Candice Pauley got very upset with the man and told him he was lying that Frank Darrow was dead.
After Anne had married Maynard Bean they where going into a store when a man stopped Maynard and asked him if he knew who the young lady that just went into the store was. Maynard said yes that is my wife, and told this man her name. This stranger told Maynard that Anne was the spitting image of a Frank Darrow that worked for the CB&Q railroad in Nebraska. An Uncle of Anne, either Dave or Ed Pauley, sometime in the 1930's, also reported seeing Frank Darrow hiring people for then CB&Q railroad in Greybull Wyoming. When he saw Frank Darrow they got out of line and didn't talk to him. When my mother started looking for Frank Darrow in the early 70's she contacted the CB&Q railroad and they had no record of a Frank Darrow, or George Frank Darrow, or George Darrow having ever been in their employee.


The picture of Frank Darrow on this page is the only picture that my mother or I have ever seen of him. We got this picture in 1999. It was given to my mother by, Elsie Pollock, the wife of a cousin of Anne Darrow. We very much appreciate having this picture.


As mystery's of this is not a earth shaking one, yet in our family it is very important to us. We would like very much to know what happened to Frank Darrow. Where he lived, did he have another family, why did he leave his daughter? The chances of finding answers are very slim. In the 1950's Owen Bean was able to look for Frank Darrow in WWI miltary records, with no results. Since the early 1970's Sharon Reinhardt has been looking for her Grandfather. She did find a Frank Darrow in Lincoln NE who worked for the CB&Q railroad, but the information on his parents didn't match our Frank Darrow. Perhaps you may have a peice of information that help us find the answers were looking for.

If you have any information or suggestions please e-mail Rod Reinhardt.

Return to The Rosebud

Return to Rod Reinhardt's Homepage