Untitled Document

GEORGE H. FESLER.

George H. Fesler, a retired agriculturist residing in Burns township, was born in Mason county, Illinois, on the 2d of June, 1844. His paternal grand father, John Fesler, a native of Germany, established his home in the United States a short time prior to the Revolutionary war and aided the colonists in their struggle for independence. His demise occurred in Mason county, Illinois, in 1841, when he had attained the remarkable age of nearly one hundred years. Our subject still has in his possession the powder horn and rifle barrel which was carried by his grandfather in the Revolutionary war and also has a clock with wooden works, which was owned by him.

Adam Fesler, the father of our subject, was born in Pennsylvania and came to Peoria, Illinois, in 1836. He was a miller by trade but on arriving in this state could only secure employment by the day. Soon afterward he entered forty acres of land in Mason county and devoted his attention to its cultivation for a few years, when he disposed of the property and entered another tract of eighty acres in the same county. On the latter farm he erected a house and all necessary outbuildings and there carried on his agricultural interests for a period of three years. In 1854 he came to Henry county, taking up his abode on a farm of one hundred and twenty acres which he purchased on section 7, Burns township. Here he made his home continuously until 1863, when he put aside the active work of the fields and removed to Geneseo, where his remaining days were spent. He passed away when sixty-seven years of age and his demise was the occasion of deep and widespread regret, for he had gained an extensive circle of friends during the long period of his residence here.

His wife bore the maiden name of Susan Everett and her parents came from Holland. She died in Geneseo in 1873 at thr age of eighty-four years. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Adam Fesler were born the following children: two who died in infancy; Mary, the wife of William Tell, of Geneseo; Sarah, who is the wife of J. J. Murphy, an agriculturist living in Nebraska; George H., of this review; Maria, the wife of J. A. Rishel, of Cambridge; and Irene, who gave her hand in marriage to Lawrence Cherry, of Geneseo.

George H. Fesler was a lad of ten years when he came to Henry county with his parents and has since continued to reside within its borders. He gave his father the benefit of his services in the work of the home farm until the time of the latter's retirement in 1863, when he took charge of the place. Following the father's death he purchased the interests of the other heirs in the old homestead and since the property has been in his possession he has placed many new improvements thereon, so that it is now lacking in none of the equipments and accessories of a model farm of the twentieth century.

In addition to his farming interests he also dealt extensively in live stock, making a specialty of thoroughbred white faced cattle, polled Angus and Black Mull cattle, Poland China hogs and Norman horses. Aside from the homestead farm of one hundred and twenty acres on section 7, Burns township, he likewise owns forty acres of land in Cambridge township and another tract of forty acres on section 18, Burns township. At the present time, however, he is largely living retired, having won a handsome competence through the careful conduct of his agricultural interests in former years. He is the president of the Mutual Telephone Company of Henry county and has long been numbered among the prosperous and prominent citizens of the community.

On the 6th of October, 1867, in Cambridge, Mr. Fesler was united in marriage to Miss Fannie Green, a daughter of Robert and Sally (Crittenall) Green, who were natives of Steuben county, New York. Mr. and Mrs. Fesler were the parents of six children, namely: Susan, who died at the age of eight years; Ray, who passed away when five years of age; Albert, who is married and operates the home farm; Sadie, the wife of W. A. Fell, an agriculturist of Burns township; Edith, the wife of J. F. Johnson, who follows farming in Cambridge township; and Roland, who is married but still lives at home and is also engaged in the operation of his father's farm.

Mr. Fesler exercises his right of franchise in support of the men and measures of the democracy and is an active worker in the local ranks of the party. The cause of education has ever found in him a stalwart champion and he has served as a school director for twenty-five years. Coming to this county as a lad of ten, he has lived here continuously throughout the intervening fifty-five years and that his life has at all times been upright and honorable is indicated by the fact that the associates of his youth and early manhood are still numbered among his stanch friends and admirers.

History of Henry County

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Illinois Ancestors