PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.
page 393
JOHN FANSLER came to Ohio in pioneer days before he had
attained to manhood, and for more than half a century has been a resident of this State, and has been an
interested witness of much of its development from the wild prairies and
primeval forests of former days to its present prosperous condition as one of
the leading commonwealths in the part of the United States which was known in
the early years of this century as the Northwest Territory. By frugality and energetic labor he has accumulated a competence
and established a comfortable home, which, when he purchased it thirty-five
years ago, was isolated on the outskirts of Springfield, but is now in the heart
of the city, surrounded by substantial buildings on every hand, such has been
the progress of this municipality since he settled here permanently.
Mr. Fansler was born in Franklin County, Pa.,
May 6,1818. His father, Henry Fansler, was a native of the same State, and was
there reared, and after his marriage with Mary Deulabaum, also of that State, he
located in Franklin County. Residing
there until 1836, in that year, with his wife and six children, he emigrated to
Ohio, the entire journey being made with one horse and a wagon. He located at
Massillon, where he rented a farm. Four years later, in 1840, he removed from
there to this county, and renting a home one mile front the center of this city,
the closing years of his life were passed here, he being quite old at the time
of his settlement here, and living in retirement until his death.
The mother of our subject spent her last days in his home.
The following is recorded of her six children: John is the subject of our
sketch; James died here in 1887; Ann lives with our subject; Mary is deceased;
Margaret lives in California; Madeline lives in this county.
John Fansler was the second son in the family,
and was eighteen years old when he accompanied his parents to this State.
He assisted his father in the management of the farm that he rented in
Stark County, and came with the family to this county in 1840.
Soon after he entered the employ of John Lance as a teamster, there being
no rail ways in this section at the time, and all transportation was with teams.
He worked for Mr. Lance one year and then David Shaffer hired him to
drive a six-horse team between Springfield and Cincinnati, and also between the
former city and Columbus. The charge for drawing merchandise from Cincinnati to
Springfield was from fifty to seventy-five cents per one hundred pounds, and was
was quite a profitable business. Mr. Fansler, while thus engaged, had a fine
opportunity to see a good deal of the country embraced in Southwestern Ohio and
to witness its gradual development, and can have a keener perception of the wonderful changes
wrought here by the hand of man within the last half a century. The country
hotels, which abounded when he traveled over the road, are now things of the
past. They were not more than four or five miles apart on the main
thoroughfares, and good entertainment for man and beast was provided at
reasonable prices. Thus for lodging, supper and breakfast for the driver, and
feed and stabling for six horses the entire bill was but $1.50.
Our subject continued teaming until the
railways were built, and then bought a team for himself, and was employed by Mr.
Shaffer to draw stone the succeeding ten years until the latter's death. He then
engaged with William Thompson the following fifteen years, and that gentleman
closing his business at that time, he was employed by different persons.
He judiciously saved and invested his earnings, and was thus enabled to
establish himself comfortably in his present home on West Main Street, where he
has lived for the last thirty-five years.
Mr. Fansler lives in retirement, enjoying the well-earned fruit of his early toil, gladly sharing his home with his sister, who materially contributes to his comfort. In the community where so many years of his life have been passed, our subject is well known, and is held in general esteem for those qualities of head and heart that make him a good neighbor and a desirable citizen.
16 Jan 2000