George W. Fisher

As printed in 1882

GEORGE W. FISHER, farmer, P. 0. New Antioch, was born in Clinton County, Ohio, October 13, 1826; is a son of David and Hannah Fisher, natives of Virginia. David lost his parents when a child, and was bound out to Thomas Thatcher, who emigrated to Ohio when David was a boy of fourteen, coming through with a four-horse team and one of the Old Virginia wagons, and on arriving at the Ohio River, the ferryman being on the opposite shore was hailed, and, not giving a very satisfactory reply, Mr. Thatcher determined to swim the river with his team, and he drove right into the stream, his family in his wagon, Mr. Thatcher on the near lead horse and the boy, David, on the off horse, the people on the shore expecting to see them all carried down the stream and drowned, but the noble horses carried them safely over, while some one on the housetop waved a flag, directing Mr. Thatcher to the right or to the left as safety indicated. This was a feat never before accomplished, and never since such a thing known in history. They settled in Clinton County near Cuba, and here David grew to manhood, married and became the father of thirteen children, ten now living — Samuel, John, Andrew J., William, George W., James, Thomas, Eliza Ann, Maria and Elizabeth. Mr. Fisher lived in this county till about 1858, when he removed to Illinois, and about 1862 or 1863, died of the cholera, aged sixty-seven years; he was a soldier in the war of 1812, and was one of the troops surrendered by Gen. Hull, at Detroit, and shared with many others their hatred of Hull for that uncalled-for surrender. George W., our subject, was the fifth son of his father now living, and on arriving at manhood was cast upon the world without means, and left to fight his own way through life; he entered upon the trade of brick-making, which business he followed fifteen years in Cincinnati, Shelbyville, Ind., in this county, and in other places; thence, in the spring of 1857, he entered upon farming, purchasing seventy-five acres, a part of the tract of land where he now lives. Mr. Fisher and wife have continued their united labors, and from time to time have added more land by purchase, till now they own 235 acres of excellent land with good buildings and improvements, and clear of debt. Thus we have a living example of what energy and industry can be made to accomplish. The noble wife above spoken of, who has proven so worthy a help-meet, was Martha Fife, who was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, August 20, 1828, and with her parents, David and Nancy Fife, came to Philadelphia in 1840, and a few years later came to Clinton County, Ohio, where her mother died. Subsequently, he removed to the State of Illinois, where he died. Mr. Fisher and wife were married February 15, 1850. and unto them have been born eight children — Jennie, born June 21, 1852; David July 18, 1854; John W., September 11, 1856; George L., November 8, 1858; Thomas, December 29, 1860; Matthew, January 17, 1865, and died December 29, 1881; Maggie L., April 23, 1869, and James, born July 25, 1873. During the war, Mr. Fisher was a member of the Ohio National Guards. In the spring of 1864, when their services were deemed necessary at the front, he left his plow in the furrow, and, instead of hiring a substitute to represent him in war, the substitute took the plow and our subject went to the front, serving under Capt. Wilson, in Company “ K,” One Hundred and Forty-ninth Regiment Ohio National Guards. It was in May that Mr. Fisher enlisted, having just planted thirty acres of corn, which was to be cultivated by the home substitute, but not long after Mr. Fisher’s absence, if occurred to the wife of Fisher that the substitute’s presence was needed more by the Government on the field of battle than among the peaceful fields of growing crops, and he, too, was permitted by this patriotic woman to go to the front, and to her was left the care of the farm; and well fitted for that care, too, was she, for with only the assistance of a son and daughter, aged nine and eleven years respectively, she plowed and cared for the thirty acres of corn, besides attending to the many duties of the house.

As printed in The history of Clinton County, Ohio (1882). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.