Biographical Sketch of Elwood W. FISHER (1893); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris . *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: Printing this file within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged, as long as all notices and submitter information is included. Any other use, including copying files to other sites requires permission from the submitters PRIOR to uploading to any other sites. We encourage links to the state and county table of contents. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsyl- vania, comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Phila- delphia, PA, 1893, pp. 675-6. "ELWOOD W. FISHER, the largest landholder and a prominent and influential citizen of Charlestown township, and who was a foreman for two years on the construction of the Centennial buildings at Philadelphia, is a son of Abraham and Anna (McDowell) Fisher, and was born in Upper Dublin township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, August 3, 1851. His paternal grandfather, William Fisher, was a native of Wales, who came to America and, during the latter part of the eighteenth century, settled in Bucks county, this State, where he purchased and tilled a farm. He was an old-time whig, and a mem- ber of Abington meeting of the Society of Friends. He married and reared a family of five children: Daniel, William, Gen. John, Abraham, and Ann Divine. Abraham Fisher (father), was born in Bucks county, July 29, 1804, and died April 15, 1889. He followed farming during the early part of his life in Bucks and Montgomery counties, and then came to Tredyffrin town- ship, this county, where he purchased two farms - one of one hundred and the other of ten acres of land. He was an active republican in politics, and a prominent member of the Society of Friends. In 1835 he married Anne McDowell, and to their union were born four sons and five daughters: Mary E. Sperry (dead), Malachi (deceased), Rebecca Nice, Susanna (dead), Daniel, Sallie Haupt, Amanda, Elwood W. and William. Mrs. Fisher was a daughter of William and Margaret McDowell, and died March 19, 1884, when in the seventy-fifth year of her age. "Elwood W. Fisher was reared on the home farm, received his education in the common and select schools of his neighborhood, and then learned with H. C. Cook, of Philadelphia, the trade of carpenter, which he followed for five years in the Quaker City, where he was foreman for twenty-six months on the construction of the Centennial buildings. Returning from Philadelphia to Tredyffrin township, he was engaged in farming, and in butchering and attending the city market until 1886, when he removed to Charlestown township, where he resided on a farm adjoining the one he now owns until 1890. In that year he purchased his present home farm of one hundred and sixty-three acres of choice and well improved land. He also owns an adjoining farm of one hundred and eighteen acres of fertile and productive land. In his barn Mr. Fisher has an engine and machinery with which he grinds all his feed, saws wood, does his threshing, and cuts fodder and steams feed for all the cattle on both farms. Beside farming he operates a large dairy, and owns a first-class creamery at Williams' Corner. He is a republican in politics, has been serving for some time as a school director, and always takes an active part in political mat- ters. He is also a trustee of the Presbyterian church, of which he and his wife are members. During the late war in 1861, when only nine years of age, he served as drummer for Co. I, 51st Pennsylvania infantry, while it was being drilled on his father's farm. "On October 19, 1882, at Webster City, Iowa, Mr. Fisher wedded Mary Funk, a daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth (Davis) Funk. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher have three children, one son and two daughters: Harvey, Sallie, and Amanda."