Frank Walter Koch, son of Thomas and Elizabeth (Snyder) Koch, was born Dec. 10, 1850, on a farm near Kuhnsville, Lehigh county, Pennsylvania. He attended the local country schools and worked on his father's farm until he was some fifteen years or more of age, and then determined to learn the tailor's trade. For that purpose he worked under a Mr. Lohrman for two or three years at Claussville, and then went to Allentown, where he secured employment with Breinig & Leh, as a garment cutter. This firm was afterward succeeded by H. M. Leh & Company. Young Koch continued in their employment until early in the year 1876; meanwhile, he became not only an expert garment cutter, but familiarized himself with the details of the entire clothing business as then conducted.

He formed a partnership with Wilson Shankweiler, March 3, 1876, and they began a retail clothing business at 618 Hamilton Street, Allentown, under the name of Koch & Shankweiler. The enterprise proved to he a profitable venture, the business increased rapidly, and became permanent. In 1884 or 1885, the firm bought the old Allen House site at the corner of Seventh and Hamilton streets and erected the Hotel Allen building thereon, using the upper floors for a hotel and the first floor for a clothing store. They moved into the new quarters in the hotel building on Feb. 1, 1886, and in July following, Mr. Shankweiler died. The Shankweiler interest was soon purchased by Thomas J. Koch and Lewis Shankweiler, and later the business was conducted under the firm name of Koch Brothers. This arrangement was continued until the death of Frank W. Koch, and was uniformly successful in the years that followed; in a few years it became the largest retail clothing business in eastern Pennsylvania. The firm at different times bought adjoining lots and expanded their building until it became the most valuable piece of real estate in the city.

Frank Walter Koch married Mary Irene Heller, daughter of Peter and Anna (Hartz) Heller, the 24th day of July, 1886, at Allentown, Pennsylvania. She was born April 3, 1860, at Allentown, and is descended from the Christopher Heller family. She travelled extensively with her husband during his life-time, spends her days out of doors in recreation and in the management of the varied interests of her husband's estate and towards fostering many private charities. In 1907, she had a large memorial window erected in Christ's church, Lutheran, to her deceased husband, and still resides in the elegant home at 1208 Hamilton street, which he built during his lifetime for their domicile.

They have one daughter, Anna Elizabeth Koch.

Mr. Koch was the owner of much real estate in Allentown; was one of the largest stockholders and a director of the Allentown National Bank; a trustee of Muhlenberg College, and of the Allentown Hospital; also a member of the Livingstone Club; and of the Lutheran church at Allentown. He contributed generously to church and charitable enterprises and always took an active interest in such enterprises that had for their object the good and welfare of the community. He travelled extensively in America during the later years of his life, and was on his third trip to Europe when he lost his life in the great Salisbury, England, railroad disaster. He and his wife had planned the trip as a duplication of their honeymoon trip of twenty years before; and to give their daughter, Anna Elizabeth Koch, then fifteen years old, her first glimpse of foreign lands. They had sailed from New York on June 23, 1906, to join the Raymond and Whitcomb party in London on a tour through the British Isles and the continent of Europe when the fatal accident occurred. His wife was seriously injured in the same wreck, but she recovered.

Frank Walter Koch died on Sunday, July 1, 1906, at Salisbury, England. His remains were shipped to the United States aboard the steamship Minneapolis, and the body arrived in Allentown July 17, 1906, where the funeral services and interment took place. In passing, it may be added that many prominent citizens of Allentown paid tribute to the dead in both public and private eulogy.

The deceased was the city's most distinguished and successful merchant; he was always a leader in the development of every laudable public enterprise; and a citizen noted alike for his piety and benevolence. He was a member of Christ's Lutheran church, in Allentown, but had formerly attended St. John's church, of which he was a member of the vestry, and held the office of ruling elder of Christ's church at the time of his death. He was ever alert in the advancement of the Christian religion, liberal in his charities, and attained the respect of all who knew him. In his demise, the community and state lost an honored citizen, and the church a pillar of strength in the passing of a noble Christian character.