William Joel Fantle Biography


	This biography appears on pages 157-158 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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			WILLIAM JOEL FANTLE. 

	William Joel Fantle scarcely needs an introduction to the readers 
of this volume beyond the statement that he is one of the partners in 
the firm of Fantle Brothers, dry goods merchants of Yankton, for this 
house in which he is interested is one of the foremost mercantile 
enterprises of the state and its policy is largely accepted as the 
standard of activity in that field. He bends every energy to the 
further upbuilding and development of the business and he comes of a 
family of merchants, so that his inherited tendency is in the line of 
his chosen vocation. 

	Mr. Fantle was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on the 1st of March, 
1870, and was educated in the schools of that city and of St. Paul, 
Minnesota, the family having removed to the latter place when he was in 
his twelfth year. After leaving school he was employed in a wholesale 
millinery house for one year and then entered his father’s store, in 
which he was employed through the succeeding nine years, thoroughly 
acquainting himself with every phase of the business and gaining 
intimate and accurate knowledge of modern commercial methods. He 
recognized the fact that close application and unremitting energy are 
necessary to meet the competition of the present day and he has always 
cultivated those qualities. In 1893 he located in Yankton and entered 
the dry-goods business in partnership with his brother, Moses Fantle, 
of whom mention is made elsewhere in this work. The venture was 
immediately successful, for their business methods at once won for them 
the confidence and patronage of the general public. Soon afterward they 
purchased the store of John McElroy, which they conducted until 
February, 1902, when the building with its contents was entirely 
destroyed by fire. The new store, however, rose Phoenix-like from the 
ashes, for they immediately began rebuilding and in February, 1903, 
their present store was opened to the public. Their business today 
constitutes one of the finest mercantile establishments of the state 
and is a monument to the genius, enterprise and progressiveness of the 
owners. The brothers constitute a strong combination, the efforts and 
ability of one ably supplementing and rounding out the labors of the 
other. 

	On the 12th of July, 1898, Mr. Fantle was united in marriage to 
Miss Carrie E. Eiseman, a daughter of Charles and Seba (Lehman) 
Eiseman, who were pioneer settlers of Yankton, and the father was one 
of the city's earliest merchants, continuing active in business there 
for a number of years. He is deceased but his wife now resides in Sioux 
City, Iowa. Mr. and Mrs. Fantle are the parents of four children, 
namely: Larena May, Willard Eiseman, Karl S. and Marion Belle. 

	Mr. Fantle holds membership in the Commercial Club and is in 
hearty sympathy with its purposes and its efforts to upbuild the city 
and extend its business connections. For five years he served as its 
president and under his administration the club accomplished 
substantial results. In politics he is independent. In Masonry he has 
attained the thirty-second degree of the Scottish Rite and he also has 
membership with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks. He indulges in 
hunting, fishing and motoring when business leaves him time for 
recreation and he is a devotee of all healthful outdoor sports. He also 
greatly enjoys travel and has made extensive trips both in America and 
abroad. Genial, generous, and with well earned and well deserved 
prosperity, he is one of Yankton’s solid citizens.