Bio of FISHER, Edwin J. (b.1861 d.1915), Hennepin Co., MN
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EXTRACTED FROM: History of Minneapolis, Gateway to the Northwest; 
Chicago-Minneapolis, The S J Clarke Publishing Co, 1923; Edited by: Rev. 
Marion Daniel Shutter, D.D., LL.D.; Volume I - Shutter (Historical); 
volume II - Biographical; volume III - Biographical
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EDWIN J. FISHER - Vol III, pg 110-114
Edwin J. Fisher, one of the honored citizens and leading business men of
Minneapolis, in which city he made his home for more than three decades, was
identified with what is now Winston-Harper-Fisher & Company as first vice
president, from 1894 until his demise, giving his attention almost exclusively
to the credits and finance. He was fifty-four years of age when called to his
final rest on the 5th of May, 1915, for he was born in Hamilton, Ontario,
Canada, February 23, 1861, a son of Ira Judd and Sarah (Green) Fisher. His
education was acquired in the schools of Kincardine, on Lake Huron, Canada, and
he also pursued a course of study in a business college at .London, Ontario.
Crossing the border into the United States, he made his way to Detroit,
Michigan, where he obtained a position with an expert accountant. Two years
later, in 1886, he became identified with the wholesale grocery firm of
Harrison, Farrington & Company. Mr. Fisher made a special study of credits and
when eight years later the company was reorganized he became a member of the
firm. He was one of the charter members of the Minne­apolis Association of
Credit Men when that body was organized and was chosen its third president. He
was also a prominent member of the National Credit Men's Association. With the
development of business in the Northwest, the credit system changed and Mr.
Fisher contributed much to the adoption of thorough scientific methods. The
rather haphazard policies of former days by which each firm managed its own
affairs, gave way to cooperation between companies and the interchange of credit
information. Mr. Fisher was largely instrumental in bringing about this change.
In 1887 Mr. Fisher was united in marriage to Isabel Ruettell, a daughter of John
and Elinor (Armstrong) Ruettell of Canada. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher became the
parents of two children: Elinor, who is now the wife of Walter M. Ringer of
Minneapolis and the mother of three sons, Edwin Fisher, Walter M. and Charles
Wesley; and Marguerite, the wife of John Howard McLean of Duluth, Minneapolis.
Mr. Fisher was an active member of the Civic & Commerce Association and was
engaged in important enterprises of that organization, serving on the industrial
relations committee. His appreciation for the social amenities of life was
indicated in his identification with the Minneapolis, Minikahda, Interlachen and
Minneapolis Automobile clubs. He was also one of the board of directors of the
Young Men's Christian Association and devoted a great deal of his time to its
affairs, always giving enthusiastic assistance in the work of raising funds. As
a member of the Hennepin Avenue Methodist Episcopal church his position for
years was that ot chairman of the finance committee, whose duty it was to raise
and disburse funds for the maintenance of the church. When the building of the
new structure was projected at Lyndale and Groveland avenues he was made
secretary of the special finance committee appointed to obtain building funds.
Dr. Andrew Gillies, at that time pastor of the church, pronounced the following
eulogy when death had terminated the labors of Edwin J. Fisher: "In the solemn
sorrow of this hour it has fallen to me to pay a tribute of loving respect to
the memory of him who has gone. I am sure that you will know how hard is that
task, not only because of his nearness to me, but also because I am speaking not
so much to you as for you. It is not mine to tell you that which you do not
know. Rather is it mine to give utterance, however imperfectly, to that which
every mind here knows, and that which every heart here feels. We are all
mourners here today, and we are but a part of that vastly larger number who feel
that the world has lost a true and noble man. In the days of ancient Israel,
when Abner was slain, David, the king, fasted and wept and said unto his people,
'Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?'
I do not exaggerate when I say that that cry can be lifted across the centuries
and used this day with pathetic and appro­priate significance.
"Edwin J. Fisher was a princely man, a gentle-man; he was one of God's noble­men
in the deepest meaning of that term. It would be a very easy thing for me to
recount the things which he did, and the offices which he held; to tell you and
the world how he was an important official in an important business concern; a
respected member of public organizations; a director in the Young Men's
Christian Association, and a leading official in the church of God. These are
the things which appear in the public print, and of which the world at large is
thoroughly informed. But these things no more give us the character and life of
this princely man than a botanical formula can give us the lily, or a chemical
analysis the golden sunset. In his biography of Henry Drummond, George Adams
Smith says, 'I cannot do it. It is like trying to write the history of a
fragrance.' I feel that I can justly say that same thing today. The glory and
beauty of Edwin J. Fisher's life is not what he did, but the spirit in which he
did everything. It is not what he did, but what he was. In the world of business
he was a man of the strictest and most high-minded integrity. No lure of gain
could draw him for a moment from the path of truth and uprightness. In the world
of recreation he was known for his clean and noble living. In the world of
friendship he was loyalty incarnate. He was critical of none. He found good in
all. And in the church of God he was known and honored, not merely as a man who
did this or that, who held this or that office, but as a man to whom the world
could point, and say: 'That man is a Christian.' He did not shout his faith from
the housetop. He lived it. He did not try to force his convictions upon others,
but modestly and quietly he so lived those convictions that he compelled the
respect of all, and inspired genuine affection in a multitude.
"And I would be untrue to my trust if I did not say that in the home this great
and good man was always at his best. In that place where so many fail he shone
with the clearest, purest light. There his quiet modesty flowered into tenderest
affection, and there his genial kindliness came to its finest fruition. In all
worlds and under all circumstances he was what he was because of God. As a
little boy he was led by his parents to Jesus Christ as his Savior, and during
all his youth and all his manhood he never strayed from the way. He was upright
and honor­able in business because uprightness and honor are of God. He was
patient and kindly toward all because patience and kindliness are of God. He was
pure in heart and clean in life because purity and soul cleanliness are of God.
His was a radiant soul and his a beautiful life because he lived day by day for
Him whose, he was and whom he served.
"May I say, too, that his friendship was to me more than could be put into
words. It was a great privilege to know him and know him well. To have felt the
impact of his splendid spirit will always make life the richer and make it
easier to attain the high ideals of the Christian faith. And so while we mourn
this day I feel that we must also rejoice. We rejoice in a blessed memory which
no circumstance can lessen or destroy. We are grateful for a spiritual influence
which time and eternity will not bring to an end. And we who do not understand
the reason for his going will bow in humble and trustful submission before his
God and ours. If a wife will gladly give her husband to her country in its time
of crisis; and if a mother will gladly lose her son that the needy world may
gain him, we who believe must bow the head and give to God those whom He calls
to Himself. He who has gone did not need to get ready. His life was one of
preparedness for the great promo­tion. His service is not finished. It will
continue on earth while time shall last, and in heaven forever and ever. His
growth is not ended. He will grow forever into the image of Him whose name is
even now in his forehead.
"We will mourn, but we will not rebel. We do not understand, but we do love and
trust. We will grieve, but we will also rejoice in what he was, in what he is,
mad in what he will be forevermore. And shall we not, too, give ourselves to the
life he so magnificently embodied? Because of his glorious example and perfect
preparedness, because of God's own word and work, because the final message of
an hour like this is not of those who have gone, but rather to those who are
here; yes, my friends, because I feel that it would be his own word, I cannot
help remind­ing you of that strong and triumphant exhortation, 'Be ye therefore
also ready, for ye know not in what hour the Son of Man cometh.' Ready, not in
mystic dream­ing or in hurried repentance, but in the daily living which honors
God and makes the world nobler and better."