Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County,
Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with
portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States,
and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890;
page 548-549; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
Frank M. Fisher, a butcher at Middle Grove, and ex-Postmaster of
that village, has been prominently identified wit its development from
its foundation. His was the third house built in the village, and
is the most attractive residence therein. Mr. Fisher is a man of
sterling worth, honest and honorable, intelligent, and of good
judgment, and is justly classed among the representative citizens of
the county, and the most influential young men of his township.
Mr. Fisher was born at West Newton, Westmoreland County, Pa.,
November 19, 1850, and was but a boy of five years when the family came
to the Mississippi Valley. His father, with his family, his tool
chest and other worldly effects, sailed down the Ohio River to its
mouth, then up the Mississippi and Illinois to Copperas Creek, where he
landed May 11, 1855. A settlement was made in Young Hickory
Township, where our subject grew to maturity, acquiring such an
education as the township schools made possible. His father being
a hard-working, industrious man, taught his sons the value of practical
and applied industry, while they were yet in tender years.
Our subject learned the details of farm work at an early age,
and also became acquainted with the use of the plane, saw, hammer,
compass and square, being of a naturally ingenious turn of mind, a
trait undoubtedly inherited. He had the carpenter’s trade
thoroughly learned before his marriage, which took place February 11,
1875. His bride was Miss Lydia Louisa Swigart, a native of
Fairview Township. She had education advantages as the public
schools of the township afforded, and in addition to her mental
training, was well-schooled in principles and practice of true
courtesy, making the term “gentlewoman” one specially applicable to her.
The parents of Mrs. Fisher are John and Mary (Tipton) Swigart,
who are now living on a farm in Young Hickory Township, the father
being sixty-five and the mother sixty-six years of age. The
former was born in Franklin County, Pa., and the latter in Franklin
County, Ohio. Mrs. Swigart is a near relative of Judge Tipton, of
Bloomington. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Swigart consists of nine
children, the wife of our subject being the fourth in order of
birth. The oldest son, Jerry, is a merchant in Missouri; William,
a farmer in Farmington Township; Lydia Louisa, wife of our subject;
Samuel live in Chicago, being general agent for Andrews & Co.’s
School Supply Company; Sarah is the wife of William Gardner, of Harper,
Kan.; Frank lives on a farm in Fairview Township; George is a traveling
salesman; Annie is the wife of Gus Taylor, a farmer of Knox County;
Belle married Fred Voorhees, and lives on a farm near Fairview.
Mr. Swigart owns two farms, one consisting of one hundred and sixty
acres in Young Hickory Township, and the other of the same amount in
Fairview Township. He has made his home on each of these tracts.
In 1883 the village of Middle Grove was in it incipiency, and
known as Claire. It had been so named in honor of the daughter of
Superintendent Phelps of the Iowa Central Railroad. The name was
changed in 1889. It was during the year first mentioned that Mr.
and Mrs. Fisher took up their residence here, and two years later our
subject engaged in storekeeping. On account of failing health, he
gave up the business and in 1890 sold out his interest in Hoxworth
& Son. His health having greatly improved, he opened a
butcher shop during the same year, and has a good trade in this line.
Mr. Fisher was appointed Postmaster by President Cleveland in
1884, and held the office until 1890, when he resigned. He has
been School Trustee three years, and served in the position of Township
Collector one year. Both he and his wife belong to the Methodist
Episcopal Church, and are now identified with the congregation at
Middle Grove, in which Mr. Fisher holds the office of Trustee. He
is greatly interested in Sunday-school work, and his own consistent
life adds weight to his words of counsel. He exercises the
elective franchise in behalf of the Democratic candidates, and finds a
measure of social enjoyment in the lodge of the Odd Fellows.
Mr. Fisher is one in a family of eleven children born to his
parents, of whom nine reached mature years. Their record is as
follows: Christopher P., a farmer, lives in Butler County, Neb.;
Joseph W. resides in Middle Grove, and is the subject of a biographical
sketch included in this Album; Daniel M., a carpenter and machinist,
lives in Peoria; Edward J., a prominent attorney at Harper, Kan., has
for several years been States Attorney for Harper County; Jane E. is
the wife of Daniel Fulmer, a farmer in Fairview Township; Homer C. is a
carpenter and builder living in Middle Grove; Laura K. is the wife of
Luther C. Barlow, one of the leading teachers of the county, whose home
is in Canton; William, a twin brother of our subject, died in his
eighteenth year. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher have six children as
follows: Colin R., Charles W., Myrtle L., Neal R., Roscoe F., and
Lela Maude, all at home with their parents.
