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FRANK F. NOLEMAN.
Among the prominent and prosperous lawyers of Centralia and Marion county, Frank F. Noleman takes enviable rank. He has been a practicing attorney of Centralia since 1889, which year marked the beginning of his legal career, and in the years that have elapsed since then he has made steady progress in the pathway of success.
Born on July 2, 1868, Frank F. Noleman is the son of Robert D. and Anna M. (White) Noleman. The former was born in Adams county, Ohio, in 1816 and came to Illinois in 1843, settling in Jefferson county. He established the first sawmill in Jefferson county, prominently known as Noleman's Mill. He continued to operate this mill until in 1858, when he moved to Centralia and established a lumber yard. In 1861, promptly on the breaking out of the Civil war, he organized Company H, First Illinois Cavalry, known as Noleman's Cavalry, and he served in the war one year as captain of his company. Returning to Centralia, he was appointed postmaster of that point and served acceptably until 1863, when he was appointed to the office of collector of internal revenues for the Eleventh District; which office he filled in a creditable manner for eleven years. He was afterwards a commissioner of the Joliet penitentiary for four years. He was generally regarded in his community as being one of its best citizens, and his success as a man of public position was admittedly good. He died in 1883, leaving a good name and a modest estate, and he was sincerely mourned by all who knew him. His wife was a native of the state of New York. She died in 1902, having survived her husband by a number of years. Both were members of the Methodist Episcopal church. The father of Robert Noleman and the grandfather of Frank F. Noleman was Richard Noleman, born in Maryland. He moved first to Pennsylvania and then to Ohio. In 1843 he brought his family to Illinois, soon after which he died. He was a successful farmer, and a veteran of the Black Hawk war. The maternal grandfather of Frank F. Noleman was James White, born in county Kildare, Ireland, and coming with his wife to this country in about the year 1830. They settled in New York state, where he followed farming and raised a large family, and there he and his wife departed this life.
Frank F. Noleman had the advantage of only a moderate schooling in his boyhood and youth. When he had completed the course of study in the common schools of his town he entered McKendree College at Lebanon, Ohio, taking a two year collegiate course. Following that course of study he entered the law office of Casey & Dwight, of Centralia, reading law with them until 1889, when he was admitted to the bar. He promptly opened an office in Centralia and there began the practice of his profession. From a necessarily small beginning Mr. Noleman has built up a practice wide in its scope and of a remunerative nature. He is the local representative of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company and for the Southern Railway, and is the representative of a number of the local corporations. He has a considerable business of a professional nature in the adjoining counties and in the Federal courts.
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Aside from his legal connections he is affiliated with a number of the more important financial organizations of Centralia, among which are the Old National Bank, of which he is a director; he is the secretary and a director of the Marion County Coal Company; he is vice-president of the Centralia Envelope Company; and is a member of the directorates of the Home Building & Loan Association, the Centralia Water Supply Company, the Centralia Commercial Club and the Centralia Public Library. Mr. Noleman is a Republican in his political adherence, but has never held any public office beyond that of city attorney in the early days of his profession, although he is alive to the best interests of the party at all times. He is a Mason, and a member of the Chapter and the Cyrene Commandery, No. 23, of Centralia.
In 1894 Mr. Noleman married Miss Daisie Schindler, a daughter of F. Schindler, a shoe merchant of Centralia. One child, Irene, was born of their union. In 1902 his wife died, and in 1909 Mr. Noleman married Miss Ella Jones. She is a daughter of James Jones, a native of Perry county, and a farmer. Mrs. Noleman is a member of the Presbyterian church. Mr. Noleman, while a contributor to the Methodist church, of which his mother was a member, has never become a member of any church.