Biography

Biography

William Franklin Brinton, better known as Frank or W.F, was born in Washington County, Iowa in 1856 to Jonathan and Mary Brinton. Frank, as many describe him today, was an eccentric dreamer. He worked as a farmer early in life, but also was an inventor, creating machines for his farm as well as airships. He would charge people to see his airships, but whether they flew or not is questionable. Brinton also travelled frequently to Jerusalem, often searching for his father who had abandoned his family and moved to Palestine to avoid paying taxes. After several trips, Brinton created a presentation about his time overseas, often using magic lantern slides and other artifacts to illustrate his lecture. This would lead him to establish the Brinton Entertaining Company. Frank Brinton married Indiana Putman (b. 1877), a schoolteacher in the region, in 1898. Throughout the 1890s and early 1900s, Frank and Indiana produced touring shows that performed in opera houses, tents, churches, and other spaces throughout the region, reaching from Minnesota to Texas. These shows featured lectures, magic lantern slides, and some of the earliest commercially available films from companies such as Lubin, Edison, Pathe, and Star Films. At the beginning of the 20th century, Brinton became the manager of the Graham Opera House in Washington, Iowa. Under Brinton’s management, the Opera House would show films, live performances, community band concerts, and even Red Cross events during WWI. In 1918, Frank Brinton became ill and signed over management of the Opera House to George Bickford and Harold Holmes. He died in the early half of 1919. Indiana went on to travel the world for the next 36 years. A savvy businessperson who had kept much of their touring show organized, Indiana bought land throughout Florida, Texas, and Iowa. She would die in 1955, donating her wealthy estate to various charities. Over 100 years later and the collection is still entertaining audiences, as Michael Zahs, who rescued the Brinton collection, continues to show the films and magic lantern slides at the Ainsworth Opera House at the annual Brinton Film Festival.

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