Hiram Frakes
Missionary to the Kentucky Mountains
Fire in the Hills
Biography
Hiram Frakes was born in Branchville, Indiana in 1888. He was the son of Mary Ann Esarey and Grayson Frakes, and grandson of Hiram Marcus Esarey (the elder) and Sophia Walker.
He married Leota Walker of Branchville (daughter of Lacrosse and Fanny Walker).
Missionary Work
Hiram and Leota Frakes worked as missionaries deep in the western Kentucky mountains from 1925 to 1950. Their exciting (and occasionally dangerous) work is documented in the popular volume Fire in the Hills: The Story of Parson Frakes and the Henderson Settlement by Lee Fisher [1971], which features an introduction by the Reverend Billy Graham (Abingdon Press, New York).
Henderson Settlement
The Henderson Settlement in western Kentucky continues the work that Hiram and Leota Frakes began. The book Fire in the Hills has recently been reprinted by the Henderson Settlement.
Branchville School Photos
Photos from 1896, 1900, and 1906 Branchville school children include images of Hiram Frakes and other family members.