Biographical Sketch of Jonathan Fairbanks, Greene County, Missouri,
Springfield

>From "History of Greene County, Missouri," St. Louis: Western
Historical Company, 1883.

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This gentleman is the son of Varnum and Margaret (Haddin) Fairbanks,
and was born in Andover, Massachusetts, January 7, 1828.  When he was 
about a year old his parents moved to New York, and his father, being
a manufacturer, took charge of large factory.  His father died in 1832
and the family returned to Massachusetts.  Mr. Fairbanks is a fourth
cousin of Fairbanks, the inventor of the celebrated scales of that
name.  Jonathan lived with an uncle at Sudbury, Massachusetts, until he
was eighteen years of age, and then went to school for three years.
First went to New Ipswich, and from there went to Wilmington, Delaware,
and taught school just out of the city for several years.  He next went
to St. Mary's, Ohio and taught as first assistant there, and went to 
Piqua and took charge of the high school for a year.  He then returned
to St. Mary's, where he remained six years as superintendent of the
public schools.  He again went back to Piqua where he was superinten-
dent of the high school there for five years.  He resigned his position
in the fall of 1866, and came to Springfield, Missouri where he engaged
in the lumber and real estate business for about ten years.  Subsequen-
tly he accepted the superintendency of the public school here, to which
position he had been elected in 1875.  He has held the position ever
since, save one year when he traveled.  R. L. Goode, Esq., was in 
charge of the school during Mr. Fairbanks' absence.  Mr. Fairbanks has 
been mayor of the city, member of the council, member of the board of
education three years, and president of the board two years.  During 
the time he had been traveling he has done hard and faithful work, so
hard, indeed, that his health ran down under it, and he had to desist
from overwork.  He taught his first school at Ashby, Massachusetts, and
it was pronounced the best in the place.  He was married August, 1855,
to Miss Angie Bowker, daughter of Noyes and Mary Bowker.  They were
educated together at Sudbury, Massachusetts.  By this union they have
four children living, viz.: Annie P., George B., John W. and James O.
Mr. Fairbanks is one of the best educators in the country and deserves
his popularity.

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