Frank W. Fanslow Biography


	This biography appears on pages 858-860 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.

	This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here 
	Inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door 
	is at

	http://www.usgwarchives.net/sd/sdfiles.htm


	FRANK W. FANSLOW is a native of the state of Wisconsin, having 
been born in the town of Beaver Dam, Dodge county, on the 6th of 
October, 1862, the son of Michael and Bridget (Kuich) Fanslow, of whose 
thirteen children six are living, namely: John, who is associated with 
the subject in business; Frank W.; August, a mechanic employed at the 
state hospital for the insane at Yankton; Adam, a resident of Des 
Moines, Iowa; Anna, who resides in Chicago, Illinois, is the widow of 
Henry Gottschalk; Martha is the wife of Clarence Fisher, of Yankton.  

	Michael Fanslow was born near Bromberg, Germany, in 1819, being a 
son of Francis Fanslow, who was of French lineage and birth, having 
been an active participant in the war between France and Germany in 
1812. He was captured by the German forces and later was released, upon 
swearing allegiance to Germany, in which country he passed the 
remainder of his life. His son Michael was thus reared and educated in 
the German empire, and there he learned the trade of blacksmith, while 
he was in service in three different wars in which Germany was engaged. 
In 1856 he emigrated to America, landing in New York city, where he 
remained six months, at the expiration of which he went to Buffalo, 
that state, thence to Detroit, Michigan, later to Chicago, and thence 
to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from which point he made his way to Beaver 
Dam, where he took up his abode in 1858, becoming one of the pioneers 
of the place. He there continued to reside until 1877, having become 
one of the representative business men and honored citizens of the 
town, and he then came to what was then the territory of Dakota, 
locating in Milltown, Armstrong county, in what is now the state of 
South Dakota. He was there engaged in the flouring mill business for a 
number of years, and in 1882 he came to Yankton and purchased property, 
and here he has since maintained his home, being eighty-three years of 
age at the time of this writing. It may be further stated that his 
father held a permanent government position in Germany and accumulated 
a considerable fortune. Bridget (Kuich) Fanslow, the subject's mother, 
was born in Lissa, province of Posen, Germany, where she was reared and 
educated, and her marriage to Michael Fanslow was solemnized in her 
native country. She is still living and both she and her husband are 
communicants and worthy members of the Catholic church, while in 
politics the latter gives his allegiance to the Democratic party. He is 
one of the venerable pioneers of the state and is well known and highly 
honored in Yankton.  

	Frank W. Fanslow passed his boyhood days in his native town in 
Wisconsin, receiving his early education in the parochial schools of 
Beaver Dam and later continuing his studies under the private 
instruction of old Professor DeGrote an able educator of that place. 
While still a boy he began to assist in the work of his father's 
blacksmith shop, and attained proficiency in the trade, as well as in 
that of wheelwright. He thus learned to appreciate the dignity of 
honest toil and recalls the fact that in his boyhood days he arose at 
four o'clock in the morning and put in good time at work before going 
to school, while his services were also in requisition after the close 
of the school day. He was about fifteen years of age at the time of the 
family removal to what is now South Dakota and thus he has been a 
witness of the inception and rise of this great and prosperous state 
and has contributed in no small degree to its civic and industrial 
development. In 1882, when his father removed to Yankton, the subject 
became associated with his brother John in the establishing of a 
blacksmith and wagon-making establishment at Milltown, where they 
continued operations until 1886, when they also came to Yankton and 
here effected the organization of the firm of Michael Fanslow & Sons, 
engaging in the operation of the grist-mill which their father had 
previously acquired, and also conducting a blacksmithing business. In 
1888 the partnership dissolved and the subject and his brother John 
thereafter continued the blacksmithing business, to which they have 
since added a complete line of agricultural implements and heavy 
hardware, doing a wholesale business in the latter line, while they 
also handle heavy and light vehicles, their stock in the various 
departments comprising one of the largest in this section of the state, 
while the trade of the concern is widely disseminated and of 
representative character. The enterprise is conducted under the firm 
name of Fanslow Brothers, and the interested principles are numbered 
among the wide-awake and public-spirited business men of the city, 
while their course has ever been such as to retain to them the fullest 
measure of popular confidence and regard. In politics the subject of 
this sketch gives an unqualified support to the Democratic party, in 
whose cause he takes a lively interest, as does he also in all that 
concerns the welfare of his home city. In 1898 he was elected a member 
of the board of aldermen of the city, and served two terms in this 
capacity, or four consecutive years. That his services in this office 
did not lack of proper appreciation is evident when we take cognizance 
of the fact that in 1902 he was further honored by the voters of this 
city by being chosen as the chief executive of the municipal 
government, while his administration was so acceptable that he was 
reelected mayor in 1903, and is incumbent of this office at this time. 
His policy has been a progressive one, and vet marked by discrimination 
and wise economy. He is a man of distinct individuality and has ever 
shown the courage of his convictions, and he has made his 
administration of municipal affairs a thoroughly businesslike one, 
sparing no pains to secure the most effective service in all 
departments of the local government. He is an earnest and ardent 
advocate of municipal ownership and has made a strenuous fight against 
the iniquitous practice of indiscriminately granting private 
franchises. In October, 1903, the Yankton Electric Lighting Company 
passed into the hands of private parties, who, seeing the advantage of 
operating a water system with the power wasted at the lighting plant, 
applied to the city council for a franchise. Mayor Fanslow, however, 
firmly opposed the grant and was supported in his stand by a part of 
the city council. Finally the owners of the plant made an offer to sell 
it to the city at a fraction of its original cost, and of this move the 
Mayor at that time said: "This is he opportunity of a lifetime for 
Yankton. At present our city water system is in a deplorable condition. 
We have let the contract for a new artesian well, but that does not 
promise permanent pressure. If we buy the electric lighting plant we 
will have power enough to pump Missouri river water into the city and 
maintain a pressure sufficient to safeguard the city against fire. We 
will increase the number of arc lights on the streets to fifty and will 
be able to double that number later on. We will be able to cut the cost 
of private lights squarely in two and we will improve the service a 
hundred-fold. In place of Yankton paying thousands yearly for street 
lights, the city will be receiving a substantial revenue from private 
lights. We have tried artesian wells and they have failed. We have 
private ownership of the lighting plant and it has been unsatisfactory. 
By the proposed combination we can do away with the former bad 
conditions and in their place will be ideal conditions. If the people 
of the city will stand behind me and the city council, and I am sure 
they will, we will give to the city pure water, ample fire protection 
and the best of lights. I have gone into this fight for the benefit of 
the city of Yankton and I expect to win." 

	On the 14th of November, 1886, Mr. Fanslow was united in marriage 
with Miss Eunice E. Gray, of Milltown, this state, and of their six 
children all but one are living, Lilly having died at the age of seven 
weeks. The five surviving all remain at the parental home and are 
named, in order of birth, Geneva, Clarence, Ruth, Frank E. and Sylvia.