John Augspurger invented a distinctive portable fence and patented his version on April 16, 1867. The invention won the grand prize at the 18th Ohio State Fair in 1867, brought him immediate statewide notoriety among those attending, and earned him a premium prize of $3.00. He described it as a light portable fence that could be easily moved from place to place and quickly set up and connected without digging post holes, while still forming a firm barrier that swine could not lift or disconnect to get under, cattle could not push over, and wind could not easily blow down, yet the proprietor could quickly separate and remove it when desired. The fence was useful to farmers because it could be moved from flooded ground to a safe location, shifted to let livestock graze on fresh pasture, and disassembled and stored when necessary.