Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-03-30
A PAPER ON JOHN FISHER.

torical Society of Delaware on Monday
evening last, Henry G. Conrad read
the following paper:
John Fisher, the second Judge of the
United States Court for the District of
Delaware, was born May 22d, I'LL.
He was descendant, in the fifth
generation, from John Fisher, who
emigrated from England and landed at
Philadelphia. This first John Fisher
accompanied William Penn on the Wei
come on his first voyage to America,
in 1852, and is supposed to have come
from Clitheroe, Lancashire, Eng. He
was member of the Society of
Friends. A few years after his arrival
Cape Henlopen in Sussex county. He
bought land in Sussex county in 1855.
The first John Fisher had son John
and he in turn had a son John, these
three Johns being the direct paternal
| ancestors of the subject of this sketch.
The father of John Fisher, the judge,
was Jabez Mand Fisher. born in 1913.
| died 1856, and his mother was Eliza
beth Purnell, born 1880, died 1776,
daughter of Thomas and Mary Purnell
of Somerset county, Md. She married
first Anthony Wright, who died about
| 1850, and afterwards married Jabez
| Mand Fisher. OF the later marriage
there were six children, of whom John,
! the subject of this sketch, was the
youngest. At the age Of 5 his mother
died, and by the death of his father, at
| the age Of 10, he was left largely to the
care of his brother, Gen. Thomas
Fisher, through whom he was enabled
| to get classical education; and after
wards he studied law with his cousin.
Joshua Fisher, at that time leading
member of the Dover bar; John Fisher
being admitted as practicing attorney
under date of August 18th, 1901. For
about 20 years he was an active
practitioner, and recognized as among
the leading and most influential mem
bers of the bar at the State Capital.
| In 1888 he was clerk of the State
Senate and in 1907 Clerk of the State
House of Representatives. In 1902 he
was appointed Secretary of State under
Gov. David Hall, and in 1911 was
again made Secretary of State by Gov.
Joseph Hazlet. While holding the
latter Office the United States judge
ship for the district of Delaware be-
came vacant by the death of Cunning
Bedford, Jr.
James Madison was ct that time
President and his first choice for the
vacant judgeship was Caesar A. Rod
ney, the recognized leader at that time
of the Democratic party in New Castle
county. Henry M. Ridgely was one OF
the United States Senators from Della
ware and he and Fisher were warm
personal friends. The following cor
respondence, the originals of which
are in my possession, will show that
human nature was much the same al
the beginning of the nineteenth cen
fury as at its close. and that there was
then the same anxious solicitude for
public Office as is prevalent among the
politicians OF today. The following
letter from John Fisher to Henry M.
Ridgely explains itself:
| Dover, April, 1872.
Dear Sir,
The Wilmington papers which ar.
rived the evening before last. announced
the death of Judge Bedford this I'm.
J fortunate event, unfortunate for his
family, happened ON Monday last.
Several of my friends have urged me tc
an application for the vacancy occa
stoned by his demise. I have Away:
} thought that personal application fol
J judgeship, was matter Of indelicacy
and inconsistent with the modesty
which such candidate ought to pro
TESS. / have, however, thought, on re
flecting how the loaves and fishes are
now distributed, that there can be bu
one rival, and but one man, on tn,
, same political side, whose pretension'
are in any was superior to my own
! This gentlemen's legal requirement.
are superior to mine; but in nothing
| else can yield to him. There is on
qualification of judge in which
think him not my equal-this | shall
not name, but will leave you to con
} lecture. Under all circumstances, anC
especially knowing that Mr.. Rodne,
! would not accept Of the appointment,
have made up my mind to state m,
claims to the vacancy in such name
! as is customary. May l calculate upol
your friendship to me on this interest
: Ing occasion? The Chancellor, / an
: informed, writes ON by the ensuing
I mail, in a friendly manner to me
r Would the recommendation of Governo
, Haslet sent on to the President, avail
t any thing? If yea, l think it can b
4 procured by the next mail. wrote /
. Mr.. Bayard by the last mail, requestin
r him to communicate the substance O
+ my letter to yourself and Mr.. Horsey
n This application is, my friend, mos
Z important to me. Such another OF
8 portunity of providing for my numel
= Gus and expensive family, will neve
s occur. The very respectable repre-
r sentation Of this State, in Congress:
may do much for me. if so disposed
$ Their attempts to effectuate the ad
Il vancement now desired, will claim an
receive the sincere gratitude of whic
IS the human heart is capable. | al
q already under many obligations to 20
n for your kindnesses heretofore. and
], still calculate on your benevolent di,
n position on this application of sue
n high Importance to my future pro-
> perity.
|, am, DIR. r,with sentiments of perfet
10 esteem and respect your most
IS obed'n. humb. servt.
70 John Fisher.
3 -Four days after, no reply havin
l. been received from the foregoin
70 letter, Mr.. Fisher writes again to Nj
O. Ridgely as follows:
2, Dover, TIN April, 1912.
Is DIR. Sir,
"a Il hope by this time yc
y have received my communication
y the Both current Since then / ha'
90 obtained Inter nos) the letter of Co
e. e, Haslet to the President-will this ava
~ any thing? 1t was written by Il
u point l learn from Wilmington tn
90 probably Mr.. Rodney will accept M
OF Bedfords place, if offered Shou
ne this be the case, / am lost in wond
y. at Mr.. Rodney; for he declared
20 December last, that he should thir
III himself unsuited by an offer of M
ne RS office HOWaVar ha wisely thinl,