Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-07-12

nVei Republican, un IN.
Mr.. Tansill the founder of the house
OF II. W. Tnnsill & Co., is still young
man, although he has been in active
business for over quarter of n century,
and is now numbered among those sue
cessful and prosperous business men Of
Chicago who have acquired wealth and
independence through their own talents
and exertions. Mr.. Tansill was born in
the State of virginia in 1874 His
mother died in 1916, md his father
being nm officer in the u. ). Marine
Corps, the duties of which required
cruises of three years duration. the
subject of our sketch was practically
left an orphan when less than two
years ot age. In 1861 he accom- panied
his maternal grand parents, w GEMS,
to Illinois, where he decided TO remain.
Mr.. Tansill is the lineal descen dnnt Of
the Rev. Mason Locke Weems, who was
ut one time the rector of Pohic. General
Washington's church, and is Familiarity
known rs the historian OF the revolution.
His works included, among many 9TH
ers, the life of Washin gton which con-
contains the orr ginal hatchet
story. On January !, 1867
he married Mary Il. Motter, of Clayton,
ILL.,, and it was in this town that he
first engaged in the cigar business. At
an early date he became convinced that
Chicago was the coming city OF the
west and in 1868 he decided - remove
his business 20 that city. where. in the
great fire of 1871, his entire capital was
swept away. Like n great many other
Of Chica Lo's Young business men. he
l.. A A. r -. L. =
making fresh start in busin ess, paying
his creditors 100 cents on the dollar, lie,
for n number of years conducted one Of
the largest cigar factories in Chicago.
The enormous growth of his business,
covering ns it did the whole country, to-
cether with the increased demand for
manufacturing and shipping facilities,
caused him to transfer the manufacture
of his cigars to New York, the wisdom OF
which move has been demonstrated by
the continued expansion OF his business.
so that he now Ell oys the distinction OF
having the largest mail order cigar
honse in America.
The causes of Mr. Tansll's success arc
not hard to find He is man of orig
inality and action. In carrying out an
idea lie has the rare faculty of ADAPTING
the means To the end, and once satisfied
of the soundness of his plan, he exc.
cutes it energetically. These qualities
are perhaps best illustrated by his
unique achievement of binding up md
maintaining great business with
ont drumming. 1t is needless to
say that this desirable result could not
hive been brought about had lie not
possessed an intutive genius for
advertising. 1t is Mr.. Tansill pol
icy to. in all cases. do better by his
patrons than he agrees to do, but back
of NIL this remains the fact that he is far
too shrewd TO expend brain and money
in pushing an article which lacks the
merit to back MP its claims. His goods
are never allowed to deteriorate. no
matter what the demand for them may
he. The wisdom of his policy is dem
onStrnt~d by the enormous business
which he has developed.
Mr.. Tansill is probably better known
to the smokers of the country as the
originator of the celebrated "Tansil' 8
Punch" This brand he placed on the
market nearly quarter of cen
tury ago. Its popularity WAS phe-
nomenal from the start. Its sales
have been unparalleled in the his
tory Of the cigar trade, and it il recog-
nizel to-day by the smoking public US
the leadinr5 cent cigar of the L. s.