Biographies from Historical and Biographical Annals by Morton Montgomery

FISHER,
J. WILMER

p. 434

Surnames: JOHNSON, KEEVER, SOUDEN, ERMENTROUT

Johnson Wilmer Fisher was born in Reading, June 18, A. D. 1870.

Henry B. Fisher, his grandfather, was born in
Oley township, Berks county, and was well known in the
manufacturing world in his day. For many years he operated the well
known Fisher’s Woolen Mills, located on the Swamp Creek, near New
Berlinville, in Colebrookdale township. He came to Reading in 1857,
where he continued the same business for some years and where he
died March 16, 1887. He married Mary B. Johnson.

Henry J. Fisher, his father, was born near New
Berlinville, Colebrookdale township, Berks county, Pa., and moved
with his parents to the city of Reading in 1866, where has since
resided and been actively engaged in the grocery business. He was a
loyal defender of the Union, having served for three years in the
Civil War as a member of Company H, 104th Pennsylvania Volunteers.
He married Mary C. Keever, daughter of Henry V. and Lydia C.
Keever, of Reading, and had two children: Johnson Wilmer, and Mary
L.

J. Wilmer Fisher attended the old Friends’
School of Reading, and the public schools, leaving the public
schools at the age of fourteen to take up the battle of life. He
was not satisfied with his education, however, and after his day’s
work as an errand boy in his father’s grocery store, he attended
night school and prepared to take up civil engineering. He thus
gained sufficient knowledge to enable him to accept a position as
rodman in the city engineer’s office at the age of sixteen, where
he remained for some years, filling successively, the positions of
rodman, transitman, assistant engineer and general superintendent
of the department. In the spring of 1894 he resigned his position
in the city engineer’s office to accept the position of assistant
to the superintendent of the Water department and while acting in
this capacity prepared the first detailed plan of the water pipe
system of the city. Having formed the determination to adopt the
law as a profession, he resigned his position in the Water
department in the fall of 1894 and matriculated as a student at the
Dickinson School of Law, at Carlisle, Pa., from which institution
he graduated in 1896. He registered as a law student in the office
of Judge Sadler in Cumberland County and was admitted to the
examination for admission to the Berks County Bar, to which he was
admitted Nov. 9, 1896, and has since been admitted to practice in
the Supreme and Superior Courts of Pennsylvania, the United States
District and the United States Circuit Courts. Since his admission
to the Bar he has continued in the active practice of his
profession and enjoys a large clientele at the present time.

Mr. Fisher is active in the affairs of the
Republican party and his face is a familiar one at all its
conventions, to many of which he has been a delegate, and he is an
exceedingly valuable man in the field, having been very useful in
State and National campaigns. In 1901 he was nominated for district
attorney. In 1904 he was chairman of the Congressional Conference
of the Berks and Lehigh Congressional District, which placed in
nomination William H. Souden of Allentown, Lehigh county. In 1906
he was the Republican Congressional nominee for the Berks and
Lehigh Congressional District and received a large complimentary
vote, and in 1908 was prominently mentioned for the appointment to
the Common Pleas Bench to succeed the late Judge Ermentrout. He is
at present treasurer of the Republican county committee, having
served in that office for many years. Mr. Fisher takes a keen
interest in local affairs. He served as a member of the Reading
School Board for eight years, during which time he was chairman of
many important committees, and as chairman of the Finance committee
for a number of years inaugurated many reforms in conducting the
business of the board. He is an active member of the Board of Trade
and a member of its committee on Legislation. He is a member of
Trinity Lutheran Church, his maternal ancestors having been members
of that Church, since its organization in 1748. He is active in
Masonic circles, and is a charter member of Isaac Hiester Lodge No.
660, F. & A. M.; a member of Excelsior Chapter No. 237, R. A.
M.; Reading Commandery No. 42, K. T.; Philadelphia Consistory, 32d
degree; and Rajah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S. He is also a member of
Gen. George G. Meade Camp No. 16, Sons of Veterans.

FISHER,
NICHOLAS HOFFMAN

page 924

Surnames: FISHER, HOFFMAN, HERBER, KELLER, RAMER, MERKEL,
DREIBELBIS, SONDAY, FILBERT, DUNKEL, STETZLER, LESHER, GERBER,
PHILLIPS, GRAEFF, STROHECKER, SCHLONECKER, HEPNER, KECK, ZECHMAN,
RAPP, LENHART, HEINLY

Nicholas Hoffman Fisher, of Windsor township, Berks county, who for
a number of years has been engaged in school teaching, was born in
that township, Sept. 22, 1867, son of Samuel K. and Hannah Hoffman
Fisher.

Henry Fisher, grandfather of Nicholas H., was a
farmer in Windsor township for several years. About 1860 he removed
to Muncy, Lycoming Co., Pa., where he conducted a grist and saw
mill. He was a leading man of churches in Greenwich township, and
was the owner of 342 acres of good land in Windsor and Greenwich
townships, including the original fisher homestead near Dreibelbis
Station, now owned by Wallace Herber. He married Lovinia Keller,
and to them were born children as follows: Jacob and Philip settled
in Lycoming county; Samuel K.; Daniel died aged thirty years;
Nicholas died aged thirty-six years; John m. Medora Ramer; Sally
Ann m. Jacob Merkel; Eliza m. Jacob Dreibelbis; Maria m. Jacob
Sonday; and Florenda m. William Filbert.

Samuel K. Fisher, ex-county commissioner from
1881-1884 and a prominent farmer and citizen of Windsor township,
was born near Dreibelbis Station. He owned the Fisher homestead of
227 acres of land, was a school director of his district for a
number of years, and with his family attended Dunkel’s Church. He
married Hannah Hoffman, daughter of Samuel and Hannah (Dunkel)
Hoffman, and to this union there were born these children: Caroline
died aged two years; Lovina m. Jacob Stetzler; Nicholas H.; Walter
H. m. Mary Lesher; Annie m. Charles Gerber; Hannah m. (first) Henry
Phillips, and (second) Jacob Graeff; Mary m. Ed Strohecker;
Florence m. Daniel Schlonecker; Samuel H. resides at Chico, Cal.;
and Hettie m. Charles Hepner.

Nicholas H. Fisher spent his boyhood days on his
father’s farm, where he worked when quite young and secured his
first educational training in the district schools, this later
being supplemented by a course in the Keystone State Normal School
at Kutztown. At the age of eighteen years, when still in his junior
class, Mr. Fisher left school to begin teaching, was licensed to
teach by former superintendent D. S. Keck, and was given a
professional certificate in 1893 by superintendent William M.
Zechman. Two years later he was awarded a permanent certificate by
the State, after passing a severe examination. Mr. Fisher began
teaching in Greenwich township for two terms, went thence to Perry
township for four terms, and spent six terms in Richmond township,
and nine in Windsor township. In this time he instructed over 500
different children. In the spring of 1894 Mr. Fisher taught select
school at Virginsville. He was selected by Professor Rapp to audit
the accounts concerning the county institute expenses for the past
six years. In politics Mr. Fisher is a Democrat, and has served his
town as auditor for six years. He and his family worship in the
first Reformed Church of Hamburg, where he is assistant
superintendent of the Sunday-school. He is also greatly interested
in the young People’s Society of Christian Endeavor. On Jan. 21,
1889, Mr. Fisher was married to Fianna H. Lenhart, daughter of
James and Elizabeth (Heinly) Lenhart, and to this union were born
these children: Robert, James. William Hiram and Samuel Paul.

FISHER, OLIVER H. E.,
(D.R.)

p. 719 Surnames: FISHER, HARTMAN, DIETRICH,
WEAVER, RICHARDS, HANKEY, HEILIG, WILSON

Dr. Oliver H. Fisher was born Oct. 23, 1850, in Douglass township,
Berks Co., Pa., son of Silas W. and Anna (Hartman) Fisher, and
grandson of Jacob and Anna (Weaver) Fisher and of Conrad and
Elizabeth (Richards) Hartman. The other children of Silas W. and
Anna (Hartman) Fisher were: Wellington (deceased), Luther, Jacob,
and Rebecca (m. Alfred Dietrich).

Oliver H. Fisher was educated in the common
schools of Douglass township and in Kallynean Academy, Boyertown,
under Prof. I. B. Hankey, principal. In the fall of 1870 he entered
the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania, and
graduated there from in the spring of 1872. He engaged immediately
in the practice of his profession at Amityville, Berks county, but
in the fall of the same year went to Pikeville, where he practised
until 1879. In the latter year he moved to Pottstown, and also took
a special course at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1880 he
moved to Graters Ford, on the banks of the Perkiomen, in Montgomery
county. In 1885 he came to Reading where he has been practising for
twenty-four years.

Dr. Fisher has been twice married. On Oct. 23,
1873, he m. Mary Heilig, daughter of Edward Heilig, of Pottstown.
To this union were born three children: Charlie, Lester and Edward.
In February, 1883, Mrs. Fisher died at Graters Ford. In 1890 Dr.
Fisher m. (second) Ida Wilson, daughter of Joseph Wilson, of
Reading.

FISHER,
WESLEY H.

p. 1084

Surnames: FISHER, McFARLAND, MUSSER, MURDOCK, IRWIN, RHOADS

Wesley H. Fisher, who is engaged in a butchering business at
Fritztown, was born in Spring township, Berks county, Feb. 28,
1867, son of Absalom H. and Rachael E. (McFarland) Fisher.

Absalom H. Fisher is a native of Berks county,
born at Reading, Sept. 30, 1833, son of David Fisher. His early
life was passed in his native county, and at the age of seventeen
he went to Adamstown, where he clerked for nine years in what was
then the John Musser store. For twenty-four terms he taught school
in Spring township — at Merkels, Mohns Hill and Fritztown schools.
For ten years he served as justice of the peace, and in many ways
made himself one of the most useful men in his vicinity. Some
fifteen years ago he retired, and he still makes his home in Spring
township, near Adamstown, where he has a fine tract of thirty-five
acres of land. In politics he is a Democrat, and in religious
belief is Reformed. On Oct. 4, 1860, he married Rachel E.
McFarland, daughter of Andrew H. and Mary (Murdock) McFarland, the
former of whom came to America as a young man and located in
Philadelphia, but died in Spring township and was buried in the
Charles Evans cemetery at Reading. He was a strict Presbyterian in
faith. To Absalom H. and Rachel E. Fisher were born children as
follows: Andrew H. died aged twenty-eight years; Allen; Wesley W.;
Lorenzo H.; Mary C.; Daisy N.; Absalom E.; William I.; and Esther
E.

Wesley H. Fisher attended the township schools
in Spring township, and early became familiar with the work on the
farm. When eighteen years of age he learned the cigar maker’s
trade, and followed this at different factories for six years. In
1897 he began butchering at his present location, and has built up
a fine trade in Reading and in the vicinity.

Mr. Fisher married Katie Irwin, daughter of
William J. and Elmira (Rhoads) Irwin, now of Cumru township, and
two children have blessed this union: Catherine and Allen. In
politics Mr. Fisher is a stanch Democrat, and has served on the
election board of his township, and in many ways has evinced a keen
interest in his party’s success. He is a member of St. John’s
Lutheran Church at Gouglersville. Fraternally he is a popular
member of the P. O. S. of A.

FISHER, WILLIAM E

p. 511

Surnames: GRUBER, ERMENTROUT, LAMM, RUTH, BROSSMAN, STUMP, FOX,
CHRISTMAN, MINNICH, BROWN, SCHELL, ZECHMAN, RUHL, STEVENS, MOYER

William E. Fisher, one of the leading young attorneys of Reading,
is descended from an ancestry who were sturdy yeoman in Germany
prior to the days of the American Revolution. They emigrated to
this country before that great struggle and were leading farmers in
Berks country during its continuance, and indeed to the present
time.

John Fisher, great-grandfather of William E. was
a soldier of the war of 1812, and participated in the battle of
Baltimore, in August, 1814. He was engaged in boating on the
Schuylkill and Union canals. He reared of a family of four sons and
one daughter, one of whom, Daniel Fisher, was the grandfather of
the subject of this sketch.

Daniel Fisher was also engaged in boarding up to
the time of his marriage with Sarah Gruber, daughter of John Adam
Gruber, of Heidelberg township, after which he was engaged in
farming up to the time of his death. He reared a family of two
sons, John W. Fisher, born Nov. 9, 1844; and Albert A. Fisher, born
June 4, 1852.

John W. Fisher (father of William E.) in his
early days worked on a farm, and was a student at Freeland
Seminary, now Ursinus College, Collegeville, Montgomery Co., Pa. At
the age of seventeen years he began teaching school, making his
first teachers’ certificate under John S. Ermentrout, county
superintendent of Berks county. He taught school for twenty-five
years in all: The first term in Centre township, and the balance in
North Heidelberg.

At the age of twenty-one years, he was appointed
justice of the peace of North Heidelberg township and was
re-elected for nine successive terms, holding that office up to the
time of his removal from North Heidelberg township in 1907. In
1864, Mr. Fisher married Ellen M. Lamm, the youngest daughter of
Benjamin Lamm, now deceased, who for many years was an influential
and well-to-do farmer of North Heidelberg township. Benjamin Lamm’s
father was John Lamm, and he had four sons and four daughters.
Benjamin Lamm was married to Lydia Ruth, daughter of Frederick
Ruth, of Lower Heidelberg township, and he had four sons and four
daughters. To John W. Fisher and Ellen M. his wife, were born
twelve children, as follows: Adelaide E., who died March 25, 1881,
aged sixteen years; Lillie A. m. to Nelson Brossman, of North
Heidelberg township; Emma V., m. to Henry G. Stump, of Heidelberg
township, Sallie L. m. to Michael A. Fox, of Jefferson township;
Heela M. who dies Aug. 11, 1878, aged six years; Ellen Nora, at
home; Diana R. m. to William Alvin Christman of Womelsdorf; William
E.; John C. a Lutheran clergyman of Germantown, Philadelphia; Cora
C. m. to Lloyd K. Minnich, of Robesonia; Anna G., married to Howard
E. Brown, of Robesonia, and F. May, married to Herbert C. Schell,
of Oley.

William E. Fisher was born in North Heidelberg
township, July 11, 1878, and passed his youth on the farm,
developing a good physique and laying the foundation for his future
education. He attended the country schools in the winter and
assisted on his father’s farm in the summer. At the age of fifteen
years he attended the Bernville Grammar School for five months. At
the age of sixteen years he successfully passed the teachers’
examination under William M. Zechman, county superintendent of
Berks county, and during the winter of 1894 and 1895 he taught
Lengel’s school in North Heidelberg township. In the spring of
1895, he entered the Keystone State Normal School, at Kutztown, as
a student, and subsequently was a student there during the fall and
spring, when not teaching school. During the winter of 1895 and
1896 he taught the Forge School in North Heidelberg township, and
in the spring of 1897 he graduated from the Keystone State Normal
School at Kutztown. For a time thereafter, Mr. Fisher continued his
studies under private instruction, giving particular attention to
Latin and mathematics. On Nov. 6, 1897, he successfully passed the
preliminary examination as a student at law, and registered as a
student in the office of Ermentrout & Ruhl, and for the
following three years he studied law under the preceptorship of
Christian H. Ruhl, one of the foremost practitioners at the Reading
Bar. During the winter of 1897 and 1898 he taught school at
Newmanstown, Lebanon county, in connection with his legal studies.
During the winter of 1898 and 1899 he taught in the public schools
of Robesonia. On Nov. 12, 1900, he was admitted to practice law in
all the courts of Berks county, and immediately thereafter opened
an office at No. 38 North Sixth street, where he practised his
profession until March 25, 1908, when he removed his office to No.
541 Court street. On Nov. 11, 1902, on motion of his preceptor,
Christian H. Ruhl, he was admitted to practice in the Superior
court of Pennsylvania, and on Jan. 56, 1903, on motion of William
Kerper Stevens, at present a Judge of the court of Common Please of
Berks county, he was admitted to practise in the Supreme Court of
the State. Since his admission to the Bar he has enjoyed a large
practice, principally in the orphans’ Court of Berks county, where
he has been engaged in the settlement of a large number of
decedents’ estates.

On Oct. 1, 1904, he in connection with his law
practice, engaged in the building business, and since that time has
erected in the city of Reading one hundred and ninety-five houses.
Mr. Fisher has the confidence of his clients and those that are
doing business with him as a builder.

In 1895, Mr. Fisher married Minnie Ellen,
daughter of John E. Moyer, a retired farmer of Robesonia, Berks
county. They have two children: Earl Eugene and Mildred May. They
reside at No. 145 West Douglass street, Reading, Pa. Mr. Fisher has
always taken an active part in the political life of the county,
engaging in every campaign since he arrived at voting age. He is a
Democrat, and was solicitor during 1902 for the board of directors
of the poor of Berks county. He is a member of St. Mark’s
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Reading, Pa., and a vestryman of
that church since Easter, 1900, and takes an active part in all
that pertains to church life. Mr. Fisher is a member of the
following Masonic organizations: St. John’s Lodge, No. 435, F.
& A. M.; Excelsior Chapter, No. 237, R. A. M.; Reading
Commandery, No. 42, K. T.; Reading Lodge of Perfection, A. A. S.
R.; Philadelphia Consistory, A. A. S. R.; Rajah Temple, A. A. O. N.
M. S.; and of Progressive Lodge No. 470, I. O. O. F., of Reading,
Pennsylvania.

FISK,
WILLIAM E.

p. 1577

Surnames: FISK

William E. Fisk, of Reading, manager of the Atlantic Refining Co.,
was born in Dutchess county, N.Y., and was educated in the schools
of that state, his first employment being with the Atlantic
Refining Co., at New York City, where the main office was situated.
Beginning as a clerk, he was promoted to assistant manager, and
later to the position of manager, with headquarters at Reading.
This plant, which was organized in 1881, was begun in a very humble
way, but has now become one of the chief distributing concerns of
Berks, Lebanon, Lancaster and Montgomery counties, handling
lubricating and lighting oils, petroleum and all products. Mr. Fisk
has been located at Reading since 1892.

Mr. Fisk is fraternally connected with Reading
Lodge, No. 62, F.&A.M., the Lodge of Perfection, and the Royal
Arcanum. In political matters he is independent. He is also
connected with the Commercial Travelers Association. 52-1395 Fix,
Charles H.

FIX, CHARLES
H.

p. 1395

Surnames: FIX, KEEFER, MILLER, HEIFER, PHILLIP, HALL, WALL,
CORNMAN, SOWDERS

Charles H. Fix, engaged in the truck and general merchandise
business, at Reading, Pa., is a native of the city, born March 8,
1868, son of Harrison and Sarah (Keefer) Fix, and grandson of
Samuel L. Fix.

Samuel L. Fix was a native of Berks county, and
followed farming all of his life. He was considered well to do for
his day, and was a representative citizen of his locality. A
consistent member of the Lutheran Church, Mr. Fix was politically a
Republican. He died in 1894, aged ninety-four years, and his wife
in 1870, when seventy years of age, they being the parents of:
Charles; Frank; Hiram; Thomas; Harrison; Amanda, deceased, who
married Daniel Miller; Ann, who married David Heifer; Caroline,
single; Charles, who owned considerable land in the oil regions of
Pennsylvania, and Emma, who married William Phillip, of
Philadelphia.

Harrison Fix, was educated in the common schools
of Exeter township, after leaving which he worked on a farm for
several years, and then turned his attention to boating on the
Canal, supplying the Reading furnaces with iron ore from Fritz’s
Island, an occupation which he carried on for seven or eight years.
At the time of his death in 1893, he owned considerable property on
South Sixth street. Religiously he was a Lutheran. He was one of
the first to answer the call for troops in the Civil war, enlisting
with a regiment of Pennsylvania volunteers and serving throughout
the war with an excellent record. Politically he was a Republican,
and was always greatly interested in public matters although he
never sought office for himself. He was a member of the Liberty
Fire Company. To Mr. and Mrs. Fix were born: Mary, who married
William Hall; Samuel L.; Charles H.; Edward; William; Flora, who
married Martin Wall, and Harrison. After Mr. Fix’s death, Mrs. Fix
married Rev. Mr. Cornman.

Charles H. Fix was educated in the schools of
Reading, and as a boy worked for the Reading Iron Company, with
which company he remained for fifteen years as foreman over the
trough gang. He then engaged in the grocery business, in 1897
locating at No. 600 South Sixth Street, and here he carried a full
line of canned goods, groceries, smoked meats, bread, pies and
cakes, fruits, vegetables, dry goods, notions and ready-made
clothing. He gained a large and constantly increasing trade, the
excellence of Mr. Fix’s goods insuring him a steady patronage. He
owns three properties in Reading. Although a loyal Republican, Mr.
Fix is no office seeker, preferring to give his time and attention
to his business interests.

In 1890 Charles H. Fix and Elizabeth B. Sowders
were united in marriage. She is the daughter of William Sowders of
No. 519 South Tenth Street, and four children have been born to the
union: Paul, Harry, Esther, and George.