Franklin P. Mt. Pleasant

Franklin Mt. Pleasant was a Seneca Indian from the Tuscacora Indian Reservation in the Niagra Falls, New York area. The Seneca tribe was part of the Iroquois tribe which created the 6 Nations of the East. He was born in 1884. In 1904, at the age of 20, he enrolled at the Carlisle Indian School. His widowed father sent Mt. Pleasant and his sister, Mamie Mt.Pleasant Printup to the school . At the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, he learned how to play football, basketball, baseball and he ran track. Franklin learned how to be an accomplished person by learning how to play the piano while being the quarterback and left halfback for the Indian school football team . Glenn S. “Pop” Warner was the coach for the Redmen, the Indian school football team . In order to attend Dickinson College, Mt. Pleasant attended Conway Hall in order to attain a college preparatory education. He entered Dickinson College as a sophomore at the class of 1910. As some schools did not approve of Mt. Pleasant playing football at Dickinson College, they refused to play against the Dickinson College football team. His longest punt was 80 yards against Gettysburg College in 1909. He was the leading scorer in 1908 and 1909 and the team elected him as team captain in 1909 . He is spoken highly of in the college. “We are fortunate in the possession of such genial “good fellow” as he proved to be on all occasions. The crowd is always jolly when Frank’s around. A good student, a true friend, “Mount” is one of the most popular fellows in college” . Franklin Mt. Pleasant is the first Native American to graduate from Dickinson College . Mt. Pleasant competed in the 1908 Olympics in London, England. Despite sustaining a ligament injury, he placed sixth in the broad and triple jumps. Later, he defeated Francis Irons, the U.S. gold medalist, by setting a new French record at the Paris games. Till the early 21st century, Mt. Pleasant was the long jump record holder at 23’3.5” . After Dickinson College, Mt. Pleasant coached football at Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pa., Indiana University of Pennsylvania, West Virginia Wesleyan University, and the State University of New York. He was decorated for his bravery in World War I as a lieutenant in the United States Army. After his service in the Army, not much is known about Mt. Pleasant. It is believed that he moved back to New York State. He died in 1937 as a postal clerk of injuries from a hit-and-run car accident. Mt. Pleasant was 53 years old .