Frank Charles Bunnell (March 19, 1842 – September 11, 1911) was a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania."Bunnell, Frank Charles, (1842-1911) ", in Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Congress, retrieved online February 14, 2008."Bunnell, Frank Charles (1842-1911)". Kestenbaum, Lawrence. "The Political Graveyard": Retrieved online February 14, 2008.
Formative years Born in Washington Township in Wyoming County, Pennsylvania"Death of Hon. F. C. Bunnell". Honesdale, Pennsylvania: The Citizen, September 20, 1911, p. 8. on March 14, 1842"Frank C. Bunnell", in Death Certificates. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Philadelphia City Archives and Historical Society of Pennsylvania, September 11, 1911. (alternate birth date: March 19), Frank C. Bunnell was a son of Pennsylvania natives James Bunnell (1814–1899) and Mary (Harding) Bunnell (1817–1898). Reared and educated initially with his sister, Savannah (1840–1864), in the common school of Dauphin County, he later attended the Wyoming Seminary in Kingston, Pennsylvania."Bunnell, Frank Charles, (1842-1911)", Biographical Directory of the United States Congress."Bunnell, Frank Charles (1842-1911)", in "The Political Graveyard".
Civil War Frank Bunnell became one of the early responders to President Lincoln's call for volunteers to help preserve America's union. After enrolling on September 20, 1861, at the age of 19 at Mehoopany, Pennsylvania, he then officially mustered in on October 11, 1861, at Camp Curtin in Harrisburg as a private with Company B, 52nd Pennsylvania Infantry. Promoted to the rank of quartermaster sergeant of his regiment on March 1, 1862"Bunnell, Frank C.", in "Civil War Veterans' Card File, 1861-1866". Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State Archives. during the Peninsula Campaign under General McClellan, he fought with his regiment in multiple engagements, including the Battle of Williamsburg (May 5, 1862) and Battle of Seven Pines (May 31-June 2, 1862). He was subsequently discharged from the military on April 2, 1863, on a surgeon's certificate of disability."Bunnell, Frank C.", "Registers of Pennsylvania Volunteers,1861-1865", in "Records of the Department of Military and Veterans' Affairs" (Record Group 19). Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Pennsylvania State Archives."Bunnell, Frank Charles, (1842-1911)", Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
Post-war life Following his honorable discharge from the military, Bunnell returned home to Luzerne County where, from 1864 to 1869, he worked as a merchant. He then relocated to Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, where he worked in the agricultural and banking industries, and began a 20-plus-year tenure as president of the Wyoming County Agricultural Society."Bunnell, Frank Charles, (1842-1911)", Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
On October 1, 1898, he wed Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania resident Martha A. Smith in Tunkhannock."Frank C. Bunnell" in "Married ". Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania: Jeffersonian, October 8, 1868.
An unsuccessful candidate for federal office in 1872, he was elected to the Forty-second Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Ulysses Mercur."Bunnell, Frank Charles, (1842-1911)", Biographical Directory of the United States Congress."Bunnell, Frank Charles (1842-1911)", in "The Political Graveyard".
In 1884, he was elected burgess and borough treasurer of Tunkhannock."Bunnell, Frank Charles, (1842-1911)", Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
A Republican, he was then elected again to the Forty-ninth and Fiftieth Congresses,"Pennsylvania" in "Yesterday's Elections". Washington, D.C.: Evening Star, November 3, 1886. but did not seek renomination in 1888."Bunnell, Frank Charles, (1842-1911)", Biographical Directory of the United States Congress."Bunnell, Frank Charles (1842-1911)", in "The Political Graveyard". Still residing in Tunkhannock two years later, he was documented as suffering from rheumatism and deafness, according to the special census of Union veterans and widows of the Civil War which was conducted that year."Bunnell, F. C.", in U.S. Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War (Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, 1890). Washington, D.C.: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration.
Residing alone in Tunhannock at the turn of the century,"Bunnell, Frank C.", in U.S. Census (Tunkhannock, Wyoming County, Pennsylvania, 1900). Washington, D.C.: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. he relocated to Philadelphia sometime during or before 1911."The Hon. F. C. Bunnell" (obituary), The Citizen.
Death and interment Suffering from Bright's Disease and aortic regurgitation,"Frank C. Bunnell", in Philadelphia City Death Certificates, Philadelphia City Archives and Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Bunnell died at his home at 2320 North 19th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 11, 1911. Following funeral services at the M.E. Church in Tunkhannock on September 15, he was laid to rest at that community's Gravel Hill Cemetery later that same day."The Hon. F. C. Bunnell" (obituary), The Citizen."Bunnell, Frank Charles, (1842-1911)", Biographical Directory of the United States Congress."Bunnell, Frank Charles (1842-1911)", in "The Political Graveyard".
External links "Frank Charles Bunnell" (memorial and gravesite information). Salt Lake City, Utah: Find A Grave, retrieved online September 2, 2018.
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