Charles F. W. Dassler, lawyer, is well known, not only in Leavenworth where he resides, but also all over the country, as one of the ablest and most accurate law writers of the present day. The list of his books at the end of this biography shows that his life has been a busy one, helpful to his profession and casts upon him great credit and honor. Mr. Dassler was born in St. Louis, Mo., Feb. 3, 1852, a son of John G. and Mary (Hintze) Dassler, natives of Germany, who emigrated from the Fatherland about 1849. Seven children were born to them, three of whom are living. The mother died in 1866 and the father carried on his mercantile business until his death at St. Louis in 1889.

Charles F. W. Dassler received his academic education in the public and private schools of his native city. In 1868 he came to Kansas and located at Salina, but returned to St. Louis to fit himself for the profession of law. He entered the law department of Washington University, in which he graduated in 1873 with the degree of Bachelor of Laws. He was admitted to practice in Missouri, but at once came to Leavenworth and was admitted to the Kansas bar. Since that time he has devoted his entire life to the various branches of his profession and the compilation and editing of the various law books which have made his name so well known throughout the state and country. He takes an active interest in local and national affairs. He has been twice elected city attorney, twice elected councilman and has served on the board of education and acted as its president. He is a Democrat in politics. In 1880 he was a candidate for the state senate and, although the district was largely Republican, he was defeated by only thirty votes. Upon several occasions he has acted as judge pro tem of the district court and, in 1910, was the Democratic candidate for judge of the supreme court.

In 1880 Mr. Dassler married Mrs. Lee L. Marsh, a native of Ohio. They have one son, John Carl.

The list of Mr. Dassler's books, referred to above, is as follows: 1874, Dassler's Kansas Digest, 1 vol.; 1876, Dassler's Kansas Statutes, 2 vols.; 1879, Compiled Laws of Kansas, 1 vol.; 1880, Dassler's Kansas Digest, 1 vol.; 1881, Compiled Laws of Kansas, 1 vol.; 1881, Kansas Addendum, Green's Pleading and Practice, 1 vol.; 1881, reprint of McCahon's Reports, and vol. 1, Kansas Reports with notes and additional cases, 1 vol.; 1882, reprint of vols. 2 and 3, Kansas Reports, with notes, 2 vols.; 1883, reprint of vol. 4, Kansas Reports, with notes, 1 vol.; 1883, Leavenworth City Ordinances, 1 vol.; 1884, reprint vols. 5, 6 and 7 Kansas Reports, with notes, 3 vols.; 1885, Kansas Digest, vol. II, 1 vol.; 1885, Compiled Laws of Kansas, 1 vol.; 1885, reprints of vols. 8, 9, 10 and 11, Kansas Reports, with notes, 4 vols.; 1886, Kansas Addendum, Green's Pleading and Practice, Second Edition, 1 vol.; 1886, reprint vols. 12, 13, 14, 15, 21 and 22, Kansas Reports, with notes, 6 vols.; 1887, reprint vols. 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 and 29, Kansas Reports, with notes, 7 vols.; 1893, Kansas Form Book, 1 vol.; 1894, Kansas Digest, new vol. II; 1899, General Statutes of Kansas; 1902, Kansas Digest, Reports; 1901, General Statutes of Kansas; 1905, General Statutes of Kansas; 1907, Supplement of Kansas Digest; 1909, Second Supplement Kansas Digest; 1909, General Statutes of Kansas and several other legal works. At this writing he is engaged on a work on the subject of taxation, and also in the preparation of a book on legal forms.