< CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO 1909 BIOGRAPHICAL INDEX >
< CLICK HERE to RETURN to LIST OF BIOGRAPHICAL INDEXES >
 

Mr. & Mrs. J. A. Fancher	J. A. FANCHER.  One of the most influential farmers of Greenwich township is the gentleman whose name heads this review.  He is an ex-commissioner of then county and has held many offices of public trust during a long and useful life.  Mr. Fancher is a native of Greenwich township, born near the place where he now resides, Nov. 1, 1829, his parents being Daniel and Polly (Mitchell) Fancher.  His father's people were natives of Connecticut, his grandfather, Thaddeus Fancher, removing from the Nutmeg sate to Dutchess county New York, and thence in 1820 to Greenwich township, Huron county, Ohio.  He was a harnessmaker, by trade, but farmed during the latter portion of his life.  Daniel Fancher reared a family of five children: Lorana, Moses, Belinda, Emily and James A.  The father was a respected and highly successful farmer, owning some three hundred acres of choice land, which he had cleared of heavy forest.  His wife died in July, 1840, when the youngest son was but one year old, but the husband, surviving her many years, passed away Apr. 16, 1885.  Daniel Fancher was a man of quiet tastes, revered by all classes for his many splendid traits of character.  Originally a whig in politics, he became one of the founders of the republican party and throughout life consistently supported its politics.      James A. Fancher thus grew up under the mater hand of a skilled agriculturist, and on attaining his majority found himself splendidly equipped for the further development, along scientific lines, of the farm which came into his possession, his education being such as could be secured in the rather rudimentary country schools of the day.  He has been twice married, his first wife, Barintha Brown, having died a year after their union, which occurred in October, 1861.   Her father, Luther Brown, was a prominent citizen of Greenwich township.  On Feb. 9, 1864, Mr. Fancher married Miss Louisa M. Sutton, a daughter of Aranson and Emeline (Brady) Sutton, his family also being one of the pioneers in Greenwich township.  The children born to this union are: Jennie B., Charles D. and Fred S., only the youngest of whom is living.  Fred S. was educated for the ministry of the Methodist Church, his scholastic training being obtained at the Ohio Wesleyan college, and his professional training at the Boston Theological school.  He married Miss Lena Strimple, of Richland county, by whom he has two interesting children, and he is now a successful minister of the gospel at Bloomville, Seneca county, Ohio.      James A. Fancher settled down to farming after marriage, and has tilled the ground consistently and persistently to the present day, prospering in his life work.  A successful grower of other stock, he interests himself especially in sheep, of which particular animal he is a splendid judge.  In its every appointment his farm shows how nature responds to the mind that understands her.      The life of James A. Fancher has been marked by fine public-spirit and an alertness to every movement which has looked to the betterment of society.  Serving faithfully in the minor offices of trustee and member of the board of education of his township, he has always given his support to that which would elevate the standard in each department.  Faithful to these minor trusts, he was selected by his party in 1887, as one of the commissioners of the county and again in 1890, serving six years.  It is of record that at his second election he carried the county by more than sixteen hundred plurality.  He points with pride to the work accomplished during his period of service, the present substantial sheriff's residence and county jail being completed during his first term, also the enlargement of the county infirmary, and a system of county pike building being inaugurated, which will give to Huron county one of the best systems of roads of the state.  All of these public matters were attended to with the same careful and considerate attention to detail which characterizes Mr. Fancher's private business.      It will be understood that Mr. Fancher is a power in republic politics, his face being a familiar one at county and state conventions.  He and his family are members of the Methodist church, in which they are active, both in church and Sunday school, Mr. Fancher being superintendent and teacher of the latter for some thirty years.  Judged by the standards of efficiency obtaining in Huron county, and which are of a high order, James A. Fancher's life has been an unqualified success. Source: History of Huron County, Ohio - Vol. II - By A. J. Baughman - Chicago - The S. J. Clarke Publ. Co. - 1909 - Page 144
	M. M. FAST Source: History of Huron County, Ohio - Vol. II - By A. J. Baughman - Chicago - The S. J. Clarke Publ. Co. - 1909 - Page 336
	JOHN FEICHTNER Source: History of Huron County, Ohio - Vol. II - By A. J. Baughman - Chicago - The S. J. Clarke Publ. Co. - 1909 - Page 15
	F. G. FENTON Source: History of Huron County, Ohio - Vol. II - By A. J. Baughman - Chicago - The S. J. Clarke Publ. Co. - 1909 - Page 497
	W. G. FERVER Source: History of Huron County, Ohio - Vol. II - By A. J. Baughman - Chicago - The S. J. Clarke Publ. Co. - 1909 - Page 479
	J. M. FINK Source: History of Huron County, Ohio - Vol. II - By A. J. Baughman - Chicago - The S. J. Clarke Publ. Co. - 1909 - Page 514
	JOSEPH FISHER, devoting his time and energies to the work of general farming, is the owner of a well improved tract of seventy acres in Ridgefield township, on which he makes his home.  His birth occurred in Peru township, Huron county, Ohio, on the 25th of March, 1855, his parents being Andrew and Stephenia (Rimmley) Fisher, both the whom were natives of Germany.  It was in 1848 that the father crossed the Atlantic to the United States, taking up his abode in Peru township, this county, and opening a blacksmith shop at Macksville.  He thus remained an active factor in the industrial interests of the county until the time of his demise, passing away when he had attained the age of sixty-three years.  His wife had accompanied her parents on their emigration to the new world in 1848, the family home being established in Peru township, this county.  She was sixty-seven years of age at the time she was called to her final rest and left an extensive circle of friends to mourn her death.  By her marriage, she had become the mother of eight children, namely: Frances, who is the widow of Joseph Shaffer; Lawrence; Joseph, of this review; Andrew; Lanie, the wife of Joseph Weisenburger; Albert; Rosie, who is the wife of George Smith; and Minnie, who gave her hand in marriage to Russell Page.      In the acquirement of an education Joseph Fisher attended school at Macksville and also spent one year in the high school at Norwalk.  He continued a resident of Macksville until nineteen years of age and since that time has carried on general agricultural pursuits in Ridgefield township, where he owns a rich and productive tract of land of seventy acres.  As the year have gone by, he has placed many substantial improvements on the property and in the conduct of his farming interests, has won a measure of success that entitled him to recognition among the prosperous, progressive and enterprising citizens of the community.      On the 9th of October, 1883, Mr. Fisher was united in marriage to Miss Lizzie Gefell, who was born in this county in May, 1856, and is a daughter of Hugo and Josephine Gefell, of this county.  Unto Mr. and Mrs. Fisher have been born six children: Mary; William, who wedded Miss Rose Cramer and makes his home in Ridgefield township; Florence; Maud; Albert; and Robert.  Fraternally, Mr. Fisher is identified with the Red Men at Norwalk.  Both he and his wife have an extensive circle of warm friends throughout the county in which they have spent their entire lives, having ever displayed those sterling traits of character which in every land and clime awakens admiration and regard. Source: History of Huron County, Ohio - Vol. I - By A. J. Baughman - Chicago - The S. J. Clarke Publ. Co. - 1909 - Page 462
	W. S. FOSTER Source: History of Huron County, Ohio - Vol. II - By A. J. Baughman - Chicago - The S. J. Clarke Publ. Co. - 1909 - Page 396
	AMBROSE FRAYER .  The man to whom above all others the village of Greenwich owes its progress and the excellence of its municipal improvements and also its financial prosperity, in Ambrose Frayer.  This public-spirited citizen was born in Greene county, New York, in the Catskill mountains, July 7, 1820, and is a son of Isaac and Charity (Leming) Frayer, who came with their family to Huron county, Ohio, in 1832, and engaged in farming.  They had seven children: Ambrose, Loren, Philea Ann, Elliott, Earl, Amanda and Evaline, all of whom grew to maturity, though Ambrose and Evaline are the only ones who have survived to the present.  The father died in 1880 at the age of eighty-three, outliving his wife by twenty years, she having died at the comparatively early age of forty.  They were a highly respected couple, for they possessed many sterling traits of character.      Ambrose Frayer grew up at home and remained under the guidance of his parents until he was twenty-one years of age.  He received his education at the little log country school and by reading at home in the chimney corner, with a hickory torch for a light.  These were not large opportunities for winning a knowledge of books and men, but even as a boy he was a great reader, and through his association in later years with persons of high education has become a man singularly well informed upon matters of general interest and competent to render discriminating and good judgment.  When he attained his majority he left the parental roof and engaged in farm work for others by the month.  He soon was able to buy a tract of wild land, which he cleared, and to this kept adding until he had a farm of two hundred acres.  He was successful from the start, and this place was but the nucleus of the six hundred and forty acres which he afterward possessed, all excellent land.  For a number of years, in addition to his farming he raised fine thoroughbred horses and was about the first to introduce full blood merino sheep into Huron county.  In these lines, as in agriculture, he prospered well, and he became known throughout the state and elsewhere as the breeder of roadsters of the finest quality.  Upon both sheep and horses his judgment was often eagerly sought.  Always alert to see the possibilities for improvement, he patented a fanning mill and a gate, the right to manufacture which he sold in other states, thereby reaping a considerable amount.  He established a factory for the making of the fanning mills at Plymouth, which was successfully conducted for a number of years.  At the same time he engaged in general farming and the success of one seemed never to be gained at the expense of the other.      His interests in the welfare and advancement of Greenwich are just as numerous and have borne just as profitable returns.  The size of the village and business conducted there demanded a local bank and Mr. Frayer was foremost in the organization of the Greenwich Banking Company - the first Bank established there.  It was incorporated under the banking laws of the state of Ohio, with a capital of twenty-five thousand dollars, Mr. Frayer being vice-president at the time of its organization, and at one time president  Later he severed his connection with that bank and assisted in the organization of the First National Bank of Greenwich, with a capital of fifty thousand dollars, becoming vice-president, which position he ahs held to the present time, in this way having a guiding hand upon its affairs.  It has been a very successful institution and has always been conducted along conservative lines.  His other important commercial interest is that of the Greenwich Creamery Company.      As both township trustee and treasurer he served the people for a number of years, and for a long period was a member of the village council.  While filling the latter office he proposed and carried to completion many municipal improvements of which the residents are now very proud, though in the beginning they opposed such progress.  It owes its splendid water system and electric lighting plant to his agitation and also the brick paved streets.  In short he has always stood for advancement and better condition.      Mr. Frayer has been married twice, his first wife being Miss Adeline Lee, a daughter of Benjamin and Mary (Smith) Lee, of Huron county.  Of this union there were born five children: David O.; Luella, deceased, the wife of Samuel Kelso of Mussell Fork, Missouri; Eugene; Mary, now Mrs. Arthur t. Burnell; and Lina, who married Dr. Harry Fulstow, of Norwalk.  Of these Eugene is a lawyer in New York city, and Mr. and Mrs. Burnell are prominent educators.  Mrs. Frayer died Sept. 19, 1874, and  Mr. Frayer married Mrs. Lucy A. Mickey, the widow of Thomas Mickey.  She passed away Mar. 26, 1901.  Appreciating from his own lack of it the value of a fine education Mr. Frayer has given his children the best that could be obtained, and they have all made excellent use of the advantages thus put within their reach.  They are well established in life, and all are progressing in their various vocations.      Mr. Frayer has always been a very active man and at the age of eighty-nine, he retains his interest in public affairs and looks after his business concerns although Mr. Nelson Van Aken, who has been in his employ for twenty-six years, superintends it.  In the fraternal organization to which he belongs he is also active.  He was one of the charter members of the Greenwich Lodge, No. 543, F. & A. M., and has held all offices in the blue lodge.  He is also a Royal Arch Mason, and has been connected with the order for fifty-three years.  In religious matters he gives his support to the Congregational church and has always been intimately identified with the affairs of that body.  In short, to sum up the results of his many years, no man has wielded a broader influence for good and progress than has Mr. Frayer.  If the good health of the past is vouchsafed him in the future - an ideal of which may be gained from the fact that he has never found the need of glasses for even the finest print - there is every reason to look for the extension of this influence. Source: History of Huron County, Ohio - Vol. II - By A. J. Baughman - Chicago - The S. J. Clarke Publ. Co. - 1909 - Page 212

NOTES: