Napa County CA Archives Biographies.....Fisher, W. F. 1834 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 24, 2007, 2:59 pm

Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891)

W. F. FISHER, who ranks as a leading citizen of Calistoga, has lead a very busy,
active and useful life, and has proved himself possessed of the sterling
independence and go-ahead instincts that we recognize as the best characteristic
of the American people. A sketch of Mr. Fisher's life, although necessarily
short and imperfect, will yet be found of unusual value and interest, and we are
glad to present it herewith.

  Mr. Fisher was born December 14, 1834, in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, his father
being a farmer of German parentage, being born in Stuttgart, Germany. His mother
was also of German descent, but born in Pennsylvania. Mr. Fisher was brought up
on a border Western farm, as farmers' boys of that day were raised, to hard work
and economical habits, and gaining thereby the energy and independence that have
made him the man he is. He came to California in the spring of 1856, via Panama.
During his stay upon the Isthmus occurred the riots of that year, which took
place under his eyes. Upon reaching California Mr. Fisher engaged in the stage
business at Napa for the late Hon. Nathan Coombs of that city, running a line
from Napa to Benicia, remaining with Mr. Coombs for seven years. Later Mr.
Fisher started a line of stages from Napa to Calistoga after Brannan bought and
improved the hot springs at the latter point. This line also served the white
sulphur springs at St. Helena. When the railroad was built up the valley as far
as Oakland Mr. Fisher became agent for the railway at that point, continuing
there until the road was extended to Calistoga. He then became messenger for the
Pacific Union Express Company on the route from Calistoga to San Francisco, a
position he held until the company sold out to Wells-Fargo some eighteen months
later. Then Mr. Fisher put on a line of stages between Healdsburg and Calistoga,
doing a large and profitable business until the construction of the Donahue line
up through Sonoma County took away the profits. He then sold out and purchased
the livery stable and business formerly conducted by Clifford in Calistoga. He
immediately organized the Clear Lake & Navigation Company and began to run a
line of stages from Calistoga into Lake County. Of this company he was general
superintendent and a director as well as stockholder. He had four partners,-such
men as Tibureio Parrott and others. After two years he bought out the lines from
the company, continuing the livery business. Finally, in 1884, he sold out the
stage line to Mr. Wellington and the Lodi stable to Mr. Spiars, the present
proprietor, in 1886. It is as a live stage and livery man that Mr. Fisher made
his reputation as a man of unconquerable spirit and enbending integrity,
hard-working, energetic and untiring, he won the confidence and esteem of every
one and gained almost a national reputation for promptness and ability.

  After selling out his stage and stable business, it would seem as if Mr.
Fisher had earned the right to spend the remainder of his life in ease and
comfort; but no, he at once turned his attention to benefiting his chosen town
of Calistoga. He went to work to build water-works, constructing a reservoir in
Fieg's Canon a couple of miles away, piping down to the town, giving an
inexhaustible supply of pure, cold water at the pressure of seventy pounds. By
this means Calistoga has been greatly benefited, though at no personal gain to
Mr. Fisher. He was also largely interested in having the town incorporated, and
thus clearing the place of the strong rowdy and saloon element that formerly
predominated, raising the license for saloons from $15 to $400 a quarter and
diminishing their number from fourteen to four. He is a Republican in politics
and a most active and effective worker for his party, always striving to
benefit-the better side and to advance the general good, public-spirited and
generous in good causes. He was the chairman of the last Republican convention
at Napa, but although active and influential yet never a self-seeker. He
possesses the most handsome and comfortable risidence in his town and is rightly
considered as the leading citizen. At present he is engaged in the real-estate
and insurance busines, conducting most of the business of the town in that
direction.

  Mr. Fisher was married in 1874 to Miss Agnes M. Safley, a native of Iowa and
of Scotch parentage, the daughter of Andrew Safley, now deceased, one of the
prominent older settlers of the county. They have had three children: Howard F.
and Alice Hortense, one son and one daughter, being still alive, and promising
to reproduce physically and mentally the good examples of their parents. Such in
brief is an account of the busy life of W. F. Fisher, the pioneer stage man of
Napa County, a man of immense determination and consequently of deserved success.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California.

Illustrated, Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast
from the Earliest Period of its Occupancy to the Present Time, together with
Glimpses of its Prospective Future; Full-Page Steel Portraits of its most
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers and also of
Prominent Citizens of To-day.

"A people that takes no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendents." – Macauley.

CHICAGO
THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY
1891.

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