Tehama County CA Archives Biographies.....Fish, Erskine 1829 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com February 21, 2007, 11:44 pm Author: Lewis Publishing Co. (1891) ERSKINE FISH, a prosperous and influential rancher of Tehama County, was born in Cattaraugus County, New York, June 23, 1829. His father, Prince William Fish and his grandfather, Nathaniel Fish, were both natives of Vermont, of English descent; the latter was a soldier in the war of 1812. P. W. Fish married Miss Lois Grover, also a native of Vermont. To them were born five children, only two of whom are living. The subject of this sketch was the fourth son, and he was fifteen years of age when his father removed to Iowa, then a Territory, and settled in Scott County, near Davenport. There he was reared, received a common-school education, and became a "tiller of the soil." On June 1, 1852, Mr. Fish was married to Miss Mary C. Freeman, a native of New York, and they had three sons: Charles E., Prince William and Lafayette,-all born in Scott County and in what was known then as Winfield Township. Prince William died in infancy. Mr. Fish and his father-in-law were the men that were instrumental in organizing the Republican party in Hickory Grove Township, and has ever since been a true and consistent Republican. In the summer of 1860 Mr. Fish and family, in company with two of his brothers including their families, crossed the plains to the far-famed California. He settled in Tehama County, on Thomes' Creek, seven miles west of Tehama, and followed the vocation of rancher. In the fall of 1863 Mr. Fish returned, by the way of Panama and New York, to his old home in Iowa, leaving his family in California; they joined him in August, 1864. In the fall of 1864 Mr. Fish went into the service of his country and was assigned to the Eighteenth Battalion of Illinois, as all of the Iowa regiments were full. From that time until the closing of the war, he was on garrison duty at Camp McClellan opposite Rock Island. After the close of the war he, like hundreds of thou sands of honest men, went back to the plow. In 1869, his health having failed, he once more started for the sunny plains of California; coming this time by cars, arriving in Tehama County November 25. Here he purchased a farm of 240 acres, and subsequently another of 340 acres, both of which he sold at a good profit five years afterward. He and his sons followed the butcher business for a few years, first in Tehama and afterward in Red Bluff. They sold their butcher business and in 1881 Mr. Fish bought 400 acres of the finest land in Antelope Valley, one and a half miles east of Red Bluff, on which he was engaged in farming until 1887. In that year he sold out at a handsome profit and moved to Red Bluff again, where he still resides. He owns one of the handsomest business houses in Red Bluff; also a farm of 320 acres one and a half miles northwest of the town. Mr. Fish did not forget his sons in his prosperity, but provided for them with a father's lavish hand. For his eldest son, Charles E., he bought a half interest in one of the finest ranches in Tehama County. It comprises nearly 2,000 acres, situated thirteen miles north of Red Bluff, and is known as Jelly Ferry ranch. For his youngest son, Lafayette, first he gave him a ranch of 200 acres three miles northwest of town, and in January, 1890, he bought and gave to him one of the finest little farms in Northern California, comprising 140 acres and situated a mile and a half below town. Mr. Fish has always been an energetic, honest and upright man; his word is equivalent to his bond. He has held several minor positions, such as Justice of the Peace and Supervisor,-the former for several terms. His eldest son, Charles E., was elected Sheriff of Tehama County November 4, 1890, by an overwhelming majority. 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. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/tehama/bios/fish780gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/ File size: 4.9 Kb