Franklin H. Scobey
Franklin Howard Scobey emphasized the importance of diversity of personalities and character when recruiting new members embodying the philosophy set forth in the "Spirit of Sigma Chi." He was instrumental in recruiting four of the others into Dekes and later recruited Lockwood. Runkle had this to say about his soft-spoken friend: "Without Frank Scobey I do not believe that Sigma Chi would have succeeded and endured. We had our disappointments, our months of gloom and times when it seemed that we had no chance of success. But Frank Scobey was never discouraged. Always looking on the more hopeful side, his very smile and cheerful words of encouragement gave us new heart." And he was only 18! After graduation he studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1860, but suffered from increasing deafness which hindered him in later life. Finally settling on a farm near Oxford, he became intensely involved in horticulture and unfortunately became afflicted with an acute facial inflammation causing him to become isolated. At the age of 41 he died. He is remembered for his congeniality and courtesy in his dealings with others and for his cheerfulness when faced with adversity.