David Fisher, Jr.
-- History of Upper Ohio Valley, Vol. 2, page 377 (from Marjorie Kientz, undated [about 1890])
David Fisher was born September 4, 1833. He was one of ten children, five of whom are living, born to David and Sarah (Wherry) Fisher. The surviving children are: Samuel, Sarah J., Millian, David and Nancy. The father was born August 3, 1794; the mother, September 27, 1793. They were married September 3, 1819, and removed from Pennsylvania to Ohio shortly after.
David Fisher enlisted in the war of 1812, but peace was declared before his arrival at the front.
He was the son of Samuel Fisher, who was an officer in the war for American Independence. David, Sr., settled on the farm where our subject now lives, and built a log cabin in the woods. After much hard labor and many hardships he succeeded in ridding the land of timber. He lived to be ninety-three years old, and died in the faith of his fathers, having been reared in the Presbyterian church.
His son was brought up after the fashion of those times. In the winter he was permitted to attend the pioneer school-houses, and in the summer detained at home to help in the general work on the farm. After walking two or three miles from school he was obliged to attend to his chores and in the morning, before going to school, the same performance was gone through with.
Mr. Fisher has never married. He had been blessed by the presence of his sister, Millian, in his home since the old farm came into his keeping. The property which his father bought has never changed hands but still remains in the family, a splendid monument to the departed one's heroism in overcoming the difficulties attending the life of a pioneer.
[Comment: David, Jr., traveled to Kansas in 1871, to oversee disposal of his late brother James' estate. James, the first settler of Chase County, Kansas, had been murdered, bequeathing his holdings -- about $3,000 -- to his father, David, Sr.]
James H. Fisher
Chase County's First Settler (Gleaned from Chase County [Kansas] Leader)
James H. Fisher was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, May 13, 1823. He lived with his parents on a farm and attended district school. At the age of twenty years, he went to Indiana where he taught a term of school. He returned to Ohio, but at the end of a year started westward again. He taught school several years in Illinois and Missouri.
In 1855 he came to the new territory of Kansas and located a claim in the Wise County where the South Fork empties into the Cottonwood River. This was the SW 1/4 of Sec. 25, Twp. 19, R. 8 East. Here he built a log cabin. He had a sweetheart in Ohio but she refused to come west and neither of them ever married.
On December 25, 1855, the mercury registered 30 degrees below zero. The winter as a whole was a severe one. James Fisher lived in his cabin alone; his nearest neighbors were Oliver Phillips on 142 Mile Creek, and C.H. Withington on the Santa Fe Trail in Breckenridge County. Aside from the Hayes ranch at the mouth of Diamond Creek, there was no other settlement in the territory now comprising Chase County.
Mr. Fisher was frequently visited by the Indians. They borrowed his frying pan. As they used it to fry dog meat, he kept it well scoured. It was an interesting life but it must have been lonely.
In 1856, Mr. Fisher began to get a few neighbors. Several Dunkard families, the Daniel Holsingers, Nathan Coreys, the Gabriel Jacobs, and Ulrich families moved in and settled near the mouth of Jacob's Creek on the south bank of the Cottonwood. About the same time Patrick Miller took a claim two miles south of Mr. Fisher's. From that time on, settlers came fast, settling on the Cottonwood and its tributaries.
In 1859 Chase County was organized from parts of Wise and Butler and so Mr. Fisher was Chase County's first settler. He continued to live the usual pioneer life on his claim. In 1860 he got his patent from the government to his land but did not record it until 1870. He gradually acquired a little stock and other personal property.
On October 21, 1871, while he was confined to his bed by illness, he was attacked by a man named Martin Goss, who beat him about the head with an iron bolt and left him for dead. This Goss was a farm hand and it is said had planned the crime in such a way as to throw suspicion on a Mexican who was working in the vicinity.
The victim, however, recovered sufficiently to call for help and was removed to the home of Archibald Miller, where he died two days later, the 23d of October, 1871. He was able to make a statement of facts before his death. Martin Goss was convicted of the crime and sentenced to twenty-one years in the penitentiary. Thus ended the life of James Fisher, Chase County's first settler at the age of 48.
Mr. Fisher's estate went to his father, David Fisher of Columbiana County, Ohio. He was not able to come west and a son, David Fisher, Jr., came to Kansas to look after the business. Archibald Miller was appointed administrator of the estate and the property amounting to over $3,000 was gradually sold.
(Chase County Historical Sketches, Pages 204-5, Fort Wayne Public Library, 978.101 C38 v. 1)
[Comment: In 1871, at the time of his son James' murder, David Fisher, Sr. was 77 years old. David, Jr., at 38, was obviously a better choice for the Ohio-Kansas trip. His brother, Samuel, had already migrated from Ohio to Indiana, marrying Hannah Bowman in Allen County in 1859. For David, Jr., the trip was likely a one-of-a-lifetime experience -- he never married, inheriting his father's farm as his lifetime residence.]
Samuel Fisher Dies Saturday
Was an Old Resident of Lafayette Township and Extensive Land Owner
Samuel Fisher - "...Republican ... and Township Supervisor..." |
Samuel Fisher was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, May 16, 1825 and at the time of his death was 85 years, 6 months and 28 days old.
He was one of the most widely known farmers at Lafayette township, having lived there since the year 1853. He was married to Hannah Bowman in 1859 who survives him. He followed the trade of blacksmith in the early days and was known throughout the country for his physical prowess.
Sam and Hannah's first Allen County home. "...finished throughout in black walnut..." |
He was a man of sterling character and of a disposition that made him beloved by all who knew him.
Surviving relatives are his wife, two sons, Ivester, living on the homestead, Henry, employed as engineer on the Pennsylvania out of Ft. Wayne, and two daughters, Mrs. Hugh McFadden of Aboite township, Mrs. Josiah Johnson of Ft. Wayne, and Mrs. Edn [Etta] Faulk [Foulks] of Lafayette township.
In addition to the above relatives the deceased is survived by nineteen grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
The funeral was held from the resident Wednesday at 10 o'clock and from the Methodist church at Roanoke at 11:30 a.m. Interment was made at the Odd Fellows cemetery.
(Newspaper clipping is undated, and does not show publishing source. Clipping and photos of Samuel Fisher and his first log cabin, near Freemont School, are from files of Marjorie Kientz.)
Hanna Ann (Bowman) Fisher
Hanna Ann (Bowman) Fisher, widow of the late Samuel Fisher, long a prominent resident of Roanoke, and herself one of the foremost women of the community, was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, on November 12, 1835, and is the daughter of Henry and Harriett (Armstrong) Bowman, who were natives of Ohio and Pennsylvania, respectively.
Hannah Ann (Bowman) Fisher - "...one of the foremost women of the community..." |
Henry Bowman was a prosperous stockman all his active life. He came to Indiana in 1853, at a time when travel was difficult and only hard work was rewarded with any measure of prosperity. He drove his family and household possessions through from Ohio, the familiar ox team and wagon of the day being an important factor in the journey, and in 1852 bought a tract of two hundred acres of wild land.
They experienced all the rigors of early life in the wilderness, subjected to the dangers from wild animals and Indians, but they fared well in spite of those difficulties, and became one of the prominent and well-to-do families of the community as the years passed. Mr. Bowman was township trustee for a number of years, and also served some years as post master at Aboite. The last ten years of his life were lived in quiet retirement on his home place.
Ten children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Bowman. Hannah Ann, the immediate subject of this review, was the first born. Sarah is the wife of Thomas Crawford, of Roanoke. Elizabeth is deceased, also Malinda. Harriet Jane is the fifth child. Mary Elizabeth was the next born. Mathias Walter, Henry, Calvin and Charles are all deceased.
Hannah Ann Bowman was married on July 4, 1859, to Samuel Fisher, the son of David and Sarah Jane (Wherry) Fisher, who came from Pennsylvania to Ohio in early life. Samuel was educated in the public schools of his time and worked on his father's farm after the manner of farmer's sons. He came to Allen County in 1855, and found work there, later buying a farm of eighty acres. It was unclaimed land, without a cleared spot large enough to erect a little home upon.
The Fisher home was the first plank house in the neighborhood, and was one of the finest places in the community at that time. It was finished throughout in black walnut, that fine old wood of which so much was found in Indiana at that time, and the family lived there for many years.
Mr. Fisher was an energetic and progressive man and gained a considerable prominence in his town during his lifetime. He was a Republican and was township supervisor for seven years. He died on January 14, 1911, and his widow is living on the old home place, practically alone.
They were the parents of eight children. Ivester lives in Huntington County. Harriet Amanda is deceased. Lucinda Alice became the wife of Hugh McFadden and lives in Aboite Township. Ida and Sarah Jane are deceased. Leona Dell married Cyrus Johnson and is a resident of Lafayette township. Mary Luetta is the wife of Albert G. Foulks, and Henry D. is a resident of Fort Wayne and a conductor on the Pennsylvania road. There are eighteen grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren in the family at the present time. Ivester, the eldest child of Mrs. Fisher, has nine children, named Irma, Edna, Elda, Eva, Esther, Marion, Lennie, John and Florence. Lucinda also has nine children, named Edith, Anna, Russell, Otis, Mode, Elizabeth, Fay, Lester and Wilma.
The great-grandchildren are as follows: Irma, eldest child of Ivester, now deceased, left Helen, Eldon and Evelyn. Edna, the second daughter of Ivester, has Audra, Francis and Ruth. Elda is the father of Harley and Maxine. Lennie has one child -- Wilhelmina. Edith is the mother of a son, Royal. Anna has three children -- Hugh, Helen and Ethel. Etta has four children -- Arval, Mabel, Glenn and Wybourn, and the first born of these is the father of one son, Arthur Aaron. Mrs. Fisher has thus, at the age of eighty-two, the distinction of being great-great-grandmother, and she is still enjoying good health and finds much pleasure in the contemplation of the activities of the younger generations that have come up about her.
(Pictorial History of Ft. Wayne, B.J. Griswold, 1917, Volume II) Hannah (Bowman) Fisher photo from files of Marjorie Kientz.
Fisher, Mrs. Hanna Ann
Mrs. Hanna Ann Fisher, aged 86, died at her home, one and one-half miles south of Aboite station, in Lafayette township, Wednesday. The funeral services will be held at Roanoke at 10 o'clock Saturday morning in the Methodist Episcopal church.
(Thursday, Feb. 2, 1922, Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Sec. 1, Pg. 16, Col. 4)
Mrs. Hanna Fisher Funeral
Funeral services for Mrs. Hanna A. Fisher who died at her home east of Roanoke Wednesday evening, will be conducted at 10:30 o'clock Saturday morning at the M.E. church in Roanoke, with the Rev. Gillespie officiating. Interment will be in the I.O.O.F. cemetery.
Mrs. Fisher was born in Columbiana county, Ohio, November 12, 1835. She married Samuel Fisher who is deceased. Surviving are two sons, Inesto [Ivestor] and Henry Fisher and three daughters, Mrs. Alice McFadden, of Allen county, Mrs. Della Johnson, of Yoder, and Mrs. Etta Foulks, of Lafontain township. Three sisters and twenty grandchildren are also living.
(Newspaper clipping, source not noted.)
Hannah Ann Fisher Will
I, Hannah Ann Fisher, of Lafayette Twp. Allen Co. Indiana being of sound mind and memory and being desirous of disposing of my worldy effects so that my children may have advantage of the same in proper proportion according to their desserts, I hereby make and publish this my last Will and Testament.
1st. It is my will that at my death my just debts and funeral expenses shall be paid out of my property I may leave at the time of my death and as soon thereafter as possible and this to include the carving of my name and proper inscription upon the tombstone in Odd Fellows Cemetery in Roanoke, In.
2. After payment of my debts and funeral expenses as provided in the first item herein is my will, and I do hereby give, devise and bequeath all the personal property and real estate of which I may die possessed to my children Alice McFadden, Leona D. Johnson, Mary L. Foulks, and Henry B. Fisher share and share alike.
3rd. As to my son Ivestor Fisher, I make no provisions for the reason that he had already received from my late husband, Samuel Fisher and myself in the way of advancement and assistance in the use of the farm for 20 years without rental and financial aid so that he has already received more than his proportionate sh are of the estate of my husband and myself.
4th. I do hereby nominate and appoint Hugh McFadden, executor.
5th. I hereby revoke all former wills by me made.
In witness whereof the said Hannah Ann Fisher has hereun to set her hand this 19th day of Dec. 1911.
Witnesses: Joseph A. Dennis, George Smith
-- (Will Book #19, Allen County, Indiana)
[Hannah Fisher died Feb. 1, 1922, at the age of 86. Samuel Fisher had died Dec. 14, 1910, at the age of 85. A 1982 photograph of their tombstone, in Roanoke's IOOF Cemetery shows a double monument shared by Hannah and Samuel.]
Henry Fisher Former Pennsy Engineer Commits Suicide
Henry Fisher, veteran engineer Pennsy Railroad, who was recently retired after many years of service shot and killed himself Friday at his home in Valparaiso, relatives were informed of his death after news of the suicide were broadcast from radio station WOWO and relatives had called the station.
Mr. Fisher formerly worked out of Fort Wayne. For a number of years, he was a passenger engineer running a local between Valpo and Chicago. Among the survivors are 2 sisters, Mrs. Mabel Foulks of this city, and Mrs. Della Johnson of Yoder, and several nieces and nephews in and around Fort Wayne. Mr. Fisher was a member of the B. of L.F.
(Fort Wayne Journal Gazette, Jan. 28, 1933, Page 2, Column 3)
March 18, 1933
Statement of Heirs of the late Henry D. Fisher
To Whom It May Concern:
This is to certify that Henry D. Fisher, who died Jan. 26, 1933, did not marry after his divorce from Emma Beyer Fisher and that there are no children.
This is to further certify that the father and mother of the deceased Henry D. Fisher are dead. His father, Samuel Fisher died Jan. 14, 1911, and the mother Hannah Ann Fisher died Feb. 1, 1922.
This is to certify that the late Henry D. Fisher left as his only heirs, the following sisters:
* Mrs. Alice McFadden, sister, age 68, 1008 W. Washington St., South Bend, Ind.
* Mrs. Della Johnson, sister, age 61, R.R. #4, Ossian, Ind.
* Mrs. Mary L. Foulks, sister, age 58, 1325 Stophlet St., Ft. Wayne, Ind.
One deceased brother, Ivester A. Fisher, who leaves the following nieces and nephews who are heirs to the deceased Henry D. Fisher.
* Edna Dewitt, daughter, age 44, Route #1, Roanoke, Ind.
* Eva Griffith, daughter, age 41, Route #6, Huntington, Ind.
* Florence Peters, daughter, age 35, 2617 Clara Ave., Ft. Wayne, Ind.
* Lennie Rindchen, daughter, age 39, 435 Poplar St., Ft. Wayne, Ind.
* Marion Fisher, son, age 37, 435 Poplar St., Ft. Wayne, Ind.
* Elda Fisher, son, age 41
* John Fisher, son, age 36, 2118 Oliver St., Ft. Wayne, Ind.
This is to further certify that Irma Fisher Hartman is a deceased daughter of Ivester Fisher, the deceased brother of the later Henry D. Fisher, leave the following heirs.
Eldon(*) Hartman is a deceased daughter of Ivester Fisher, the deceased brother of late Henry D. Fisher, leaves the following heirs:
* Eldon Hartman, age 23, 914 W. Fourth St., Mishawaka, Ind.
* Helen Johnson, age 26, Yoder, Ind.
* Evelyn Blanchard, age 21, Millersburg, Ind.
[Background: The above note, on ruled paper, is not signed. It has the appearance of something which may have been drafted for an attorney to use. It was found in the papers of Mabel Foulks Schmidt, the daughter of Mary Luetta Fisher -- the Mary L. Foulks shown above.]
(*The reference to Eldon Hartman as a "daughter" is a quote; but, in error. The person referred to is Irma Hartman, daughter of Ivester.)
Mabel (Foulks) Schmidt
Fisher recollections, as related to Marjorie Kientz. (Date unknown)
[Note: Mabel Schmidt was an aunt to Thom Foulks, Sr., who visited the Schmidt farm many times.]
Ivester and Emma (married in 1886) lived first on Grandpa Fisher's (Samuel and Hannah) farm close to Aboite on Roanoke route. From there they moved to a mile north of Laud (north of Roanoke). From there they moved south of Roanoke on an Allred farm - then back north of Roanoke on a farm Ivester purchased. Then they moved into Roanoke in a house he purchased.
At this time, Ivester and Emma separated and Emma and moved to Fort Wayne. Helen took the 8th grade in Fort Wayne - Miner School on Miner and DeWalt Street. Then Helen started to work at the Knitting Mills. Emma babysat for Florence - they lived with Florence and Hank when they first moved to Fort Wayne. Then Emma and Helen moved back to Roanoke for a summer. Then Emma bought a house - 1030 Swinney Ave. There were 2 light housekeeping apartments and 2 sleeping rooms upstairs.
Emma died in January (1924) and Helen stayed on at Swinney St. Florence and Hank (Florence and Henry Peters, Emma's youngest daughter and son-in-law) and their family lived at this address also. Helen married in March. The year Emma and Ivester lived at Laud was the year Irma died (1913). They went to the funeral in a carriage - two seated buggy.
One time when the family of Emma and Ivester was young, they were fighting upstairs after they had gone to bed. Ivester went upstairs and quieted them. He paddled one of them. When he came downstairs, Emma asked him who he paddled. He said, "Marion, of course." Emma called upstairs and said, "Linnie, who did Pa paddle?" Linnie answered "Meeee!"
There were two houses on the Fisher farm. The one Ivester and Emma lived in was located 1/2 mile back a lane. Ivester left the family farm because of Henry Fisher, his brother. Mabel Schmidt said she always heard that Henry caused this. He wasn't satisfied with the way Ivester was running the farm, evidently.
Eva, daughter of Ivester and Emma stayed with Hannah and Samuel to help them.
After Mary Luetta Foulks was separated from her husband (1907) Samuel Fisher told her she could not stay by herself and for her to move back home with him and Hannah. Mabel (born 1906) grew up in the home of Samuel and Hannah. She remembers many stories told in the home. She remembers hearing how they came to Indiana on the canal. She remembers Samuel telling that the first Fisher to come to America, came on a cattle boat from Holland.
Ivester raised racing horses, sheep and black Angus cattle. His breeding start of cattle - he went back to Ohio to get. One of the cows had a red calf just before Etta married her husband (a red head) and the calf was given to Etta (1903).
Mom (Helen Forrest) always got the black lambs. When Ivester's girls were married, they each received a cow.
Samuel Fisher built his new home with money he inherited from his brother James, who was murdered in Kansas.
Ida Fisher taught school - she was a sister of Ivester.
Ivester was called Ivy. Sarah Crawford was called Sade. Molly was Mary Elizabeth. Samuel Fisher was called Pap by his children. Sade had bobbed hair, which was unusual for the time. This was because she had severe headaches.
Samuel Fisher (had) worked for Hannah Bowman's father. On the Fourth of July [1859], they all loaded into a wagon and went into Fort Wayne to celebrate. Hannah and Samuel slipped away to the court house and were married.
[The above information was from Mabel Schmidt, as told to Marjorie Kientz.]
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