The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-03-19

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The name John Danner Ia familiar
one In almost every hamlet OF this cOun'
try, and is well known In the larger
cities OF the other continents. Wherever
civilization has penetrated, there the
mama OF John banner has reached and
there his revolving book cases can be
found. No man In late years has adj
vertised the city o. Canton In foreign |
countries more than Mr. Dinner, and
his invention IL found In The households,
offices, libraries, stores and public build
ings, Of almost every civilized nation.
The revolving book Ca4es, print shelves,
etc., manufactured by Mr.. Danner In
this city have become such cOnYen.
ienca and necessity 10 such large pro
portion Of tho people, that brief sketch
OF the gentleman, 10 whose inventive |
genius the world IL inde ted for these
models OF beauty ana neatness and nc.
cOmm0datlon, may prove Of Interest TO
the reader.
BIOGRAPHY.
Mr.. John Dannpr was born In Canton |
March 10, 1898 and IL a aOn OF Jacob and |
Anne (Slu77er) Banner, natives OF Penn.
aylvanla, the former OF whom came TO |
Ohio about the year 1912 with hA par
enta, who were also natives Of Ptnnsyl
Yanin. le was raised In country vii
lage In Pennsylvania, learned the gun
smiths ir1de, AID upon coming TO Ohio,
engaged In that trade In CantoL, He
was q great hunter, and, II Ia said
killed the last Wolf IN Stark county, He
died In 1874; hll widow Il etilI living
with her daughter In Canton. Mr,
John Danner WIS raised In Canton, and
q tho age Of l3 became u CLARK for Mar.
tin WikilAl Hud remained with him
four years. then went 10 MQ9qillOn.
where he was similarly employed, until
at the end " lye years he engaged In the
clothing business on HIS own account
for four years, ard then removed 10 Can.
ton, continuing IN tho same bushes,
most OF tho time until 1873 when he
a0ld out. He was married O'tOb0f ith,
lSi7, TO Misa Theresa A hillird, n ma
tive OF Pennsylvania. Her father was
an hOnOred soldier IN the war Of 1912
and llrat cousin 10 Milard Fillmore, Vice
President Of the United 5atea, under
Zachary Taylor, aud President after
TaylOr's death.
Mr. Dancers mother was a sister OF
DR.. l., SluaSef'a father, aud Mira Joseph
saxtOn 10 Mr., Danners only sister. hr
banners mother and sister are yet liy'
lug on the same lot on West Tuscarawas
street, the Joseph SaxtOn property,
where his parents first lived aitgr they
were married,
Alr Danuer Is OF an inventive turn,
and has taken out letters patent o.
eOne twenty or mCr Inventions Of hla
own In the past fifteen years, among
which ara patents on sleeping cars. [
now embodied In the Woodruff aud Pull
man ear. He patented the revolving ,
book and goods cases In 1874 ana has
since made number Of other improve
ments. Since 1876 Ia has dey0 Oh his
entire attention 10 the manufacture OF
these articles, increasing tho Gu ines7,
until at tho present time he sells goods
In every State aud Territory OF the
Uuion, aud In almost every foreign
TaE INVENTIONS.
Mr., banners long experience In the
dry goods business and the lnr0ayenient
method Of shelving goods led him
10 turn hls thoughts 10 the luytn.
tien Of some labor saving appliance, and
In 1874 no made u revolving goods case
This casn wa inspected by a number Of
all Of whom c0lncIded with
the Inventor that II wa m excellent
Idea. Among other gentlemen, who ex
lmned Tho case was Mr w. Il, Pefkils,
Di this city who wa1 NJ that time run.
Ming u large stationery aud book store
here Ho suggested that u similar case
10 hold books would be u grand thing,
Mr.. banner wis struck with the idea
lnd not long thereafter made aud
patented revolving book cale, This
nyentl0n has since been supplemented y
by eight or ten improvements, all .
" which are covered by letters
,atent, Th' important work OF .
)atenting was carefully performed
md the Dlnner cases are no Y no well
protested by patents M TO ward of any =
attempt at infringement Many nc a
empts OF this kind have been made, Y
lut mono were successful, Like oil !,
Ither prominent inventors Mr.. Danner \
has had 10 contend with imltatora, who, u
lplng hls Inventions, tried 10 reap some =,
v the harvest OF hll skill and industry. !,
Early experience with his sleeping car u
INVENTIONS taught Mr., Dauner 10 be U
,areiul, aud oil OF his Inventions are =
,uorded on oil sides by patents. In .
1850 and 1860 Mr.. Danner took out the "
,riglnal sleeping oar and sleeping chair I
PATENTS. The latter WAS n double back, "
olding down chair the same IN IN now a
lsed on oil eleepiDg cars. Armed with "
heso patents Mr., Danner went TO Al
oona, Pa.. TO see Tom Scott, the great "
PRESIDENT OF the Pennsylvania Railroad "
ystem, only 10 DO told that no was Just u
mo week too late. Mr.. Scott said hlg ~
)atent was better than the one that had ~
,een accepted, but NJ Mr.. Danner was o
lot "in the ring" hle chances Of getting y,
lis patents introduced were poor Indeed. ,
Mt scott. gave him u pass TO Albany, q
where Mr, banner went 10 500 the New v
iOtk central management Here he !,
Iouhu woodruff ahead Of him, TO whom VI
no sold out his patents, realizing but
,mal sum out OK tho Inventions, which
y later years made Woodruff u million.
Ire.
Among MIR, banners Inventions was n \
,lothes dryer, which was sold all over !,
he country. With this invention Mr.,
banner travelled through New York. !,
n chigsn, Indiana and other States, y
ceiling 10, On one trip TO Decatur, HIN. y
,is, he disposed OF $500 worth OF dfy.
prs. while engaged In this work, Mr..
Danner continued his business In Can.
ton and did not sell out until the do
manda OF the revolving book and goods
case bu ineaa demanded his entire at
lenliOn. Altogether Mr.. Danner has
taken out twenty patents, all Of which
were useful and paying inventions.
rLounisuiNG BUSINESS.
In 1870 Mr.. Dauner sold out hla store
and devoted his entire attention 10
20 .ntuslun Ia, tt. "A s.ll a.. il,al |