Sacramento County
Biographies
GEORGE S.
FISHER
GEORGE S. FISHER, one of the best known men in the employ of the railroad company at Sacramento, is a native of New York State, born August 27, 1843, his parents being Rev. C. L. and Almira Teresa (Kinsey) Fisher. His mother came of one of the old families of central New York. A brother of her father served on the staff of General Gates, and her father was, for many years preceding his death, manager of the great Eagle Mills, at Utica. Rev. C. L. Fisher, father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Norwich, England, and came to America with his parents when nine years old. They located at Utica, New York, and there he was reared and educated. In that city he was ordained a minister of the Baptist faith in 1847. He was married there, and after his marriage he removed to Whitehall, New York. From there he removed to Wisconsin, when much of that State was wild, and Indians and wild game plentiful. He located at Shield, Marquette County, and afterward removed to Del Prairie, Adams County. From there they removed in 1857 to Minnesota, settling in Money Creek Valley, eighteen miles west of La Crescent. In March, 1860, they joined a large wagon train bound for Oregon. Starting with four yoke of oxen, they reached Oregon City after a journey of six months lacking five days, with three oxen and the rear wheels of one wagon, which was hauled as a cart. While on the North Platte they had a little trouble with the Sioux. The horse train and ox teams were encamped some distance apart, and there were not a great number of men in the latter party. A band of Sioux Indians rode up, and one of them, drawing a sabre, playfully took off the hat of an old man named Allen. Allen returned the compliment by throwing a stone at the Indian, who then hit Allen on the back with the flat side of his sabre. A young man then drew a bead on the Indian with his rifle, but Mr. Fisher stopped him almost in the act of shooting. When they reached Fort Hall, they met the commanding officer of the department, who gave them a company of soldiers to escort them through a country filled with savage Indians, where a whole train had been massacred the year before. Every night they could see the Indian signal fires burning brightly on the hills. They proceeded to Oregon by Landers’ cut-off, which had not been used for two or three years, and they had to cut and clear away trees that had fallen across the road. One of the party died on this road, and was buried in a beautiful valley. The Meyers family, refugees from a train which was attacked and dispersed by the Indians, were only a few days behind them, and were picked up by the Government escort. On reaching Oregon City, they remained there until 1861, when they went to Salem, and were located there eight years, during which time the Rev. Mr. Fisher built the first and only Baptist Church there, and served as pastor of the congregation for some years. He helped on its construction also as a carpenter. In 1868 he brought his family to Columbia, Tuolumne County, California, where he served as pastor of the church there until removing to Santa Clara. There he was pastor for three years, then at Marysville for a time, next to Santa Clara again, and from there went to Virginia City, Nevada. He built a church at Virginia City and one at Carson, and officiated as pastor at both. He next went to Reno, thence to Santa Cruz, from there to Red Bluff, and then back to Reno, where he is now pastor of the First Baptist Church. He is at this writing in his seventy-third year, having been born at Norwich, England, December 26, 1817. She (sic) was married June 13, 1841, by Rev. C. P. Sheldon, pastor of the Baptist Church at Whitesborough, Oneida County, New York, to Miss A. T. Kinsey, who was born in Otsego County, New York, November 16, 1821. George S. Fisher, subject of this sketch, received his first schooling at Dell Prairie, Wisconsin, afterward received instruction at different places where the family resided, and from his father, who is a fine classical scholar. When a boy he learned the painter’s trade. On the 12th of December, 1864, he enlisted at Salem, Oregon, in Company C, First Oregon Volunteer Regiment. He went to Fort Vancouver, thence by the steamer Pacific to Fort Steilacoom, on Puget Sound. He was there appointed Corporal of the company, which was commanded by Captain Paul Clark Crandall, who is now in the department of justice, Washington, District of Columbia. He was stationed there until the 1st of July, 1865, when he was appointed to the hospital of the First Oregon Infantry Regiment, and went to Fort Stephens, at the mouth of the Columbia River, on the Oregon side. He remained in charge there until mustered out of the service, having been honorably discharged on the 31st of October, 1865. He rejoined the family at Salem, and then he and his father kept hotel, at two houses, for two years. After that they were in the wholesale and retail grocery and crockery business for about a year. After that he studied dentistry. At Sonora, three miles south of Columbia, Tuolumne County, he finished the acquirement of the profession of dentistry under Doctor Monendez. He rejoined his father’s family at Santa Clara, and practiced his profession there a short time. He clerked and drove on long trips for John Woodney, who had the telegraph and Wells-Fargo offices. Leaving there he came to Sacramento, and thence proceeded to Marysville, where the family then were. He remained there about a year, clerking for Mr. Cooley, in the crockery business. His next employment was with Thomas Dougall, and after that with Mr. Walsh, both of whom were in the dry-goods business. Tiring of indoor employment, he applied for a situation to Superintendent Bowen, of the Oregon Division of the Central Pacific Railroad, and on March 20, 1870, he went to work as a brakeman for a time, next as freight conductor and extra on passenger, and finally as conductor on regular passenger train for seven years, for the past five years of which he has been on the short run from Sacramento to Knight’s Landing. While on this run he was collector for the Southern Pacific Company’s steamers, and deputy constable, but gave that up to take a better position as deputy sheriff under Moses Drew. He holds that position by re-appointment under Sheriff McMullen, and is Southern Pacific Company’s officer at the depot and vicinity. Mr. Fisher was married in Sacramento, September 2, 1874, to Miss Alice M. Powell, a native of South Adams, Massachusetts, and daughter of George L. and Lydia R. (Burlingame) Powell, who are now residents of San Francisco. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher have three children, viz: Lowrena L., Georgie A., and Willie A. Mr. Fisher is a member of Industrial Lodge, No. 157, I. O. O. F., of Ben Bow Lodge, No. 229, Sons of St. George, and of Sierra Nevada Division, No. 195, Order of Railway Conductors. Politically he is an active Republican. Under Governor Gibbs’ administration in Oregon, he was enrolling and engrossing clerk in the State Legislature, his father being at the same time sergeant-at-arms. For the past four years he has been aide to grand marshal in the Fouth of July and memorial day parades. In the memorial parade day of 1889, he was chief aide to Grand Marshal George W. Railton, and on July 4, 1889, he was aide to Grand Marshal R. D. Stephens.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Davis, Hon. Win. J., An Illustrated History of
Sacramento County, California. Pages 742-743. Lewis
Publishing Company. 1890.
© 2007 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.