The Lexington progress. (Lexington, Tenn.) 1884-current, 1919-12-26
BY w. v. BARRY
IN NASHVILLE TENNESEAN. DEC. 81 1919

and who died in Decatur county, Ten
nessee, few years ago, past age Of
80, was a unique character-in class
by himself. Where he came from, his
tecedents, ETC., do not know, but
| do know that just few years ago,
the Hon. D. E. Scott, who died here
early in the last year, (1918), was en-
ployed to go to Philadelphia to inves-
tigate large estate, in which the
surviving members of the Fisher fam
lily in Decatur county thought they
ought to share-and in which it was
fould they might have shared but for
the discovery of nearer relatives.
My first knowledge of Uncle Jake"
was in the spring of 1881, when !
went to Decaturville and took charge
of the Decatur Beacon, which had
been founded in 1880 by my elder
brother, Charles d. Barry who died in
Purdy the fall following-and the
Beacon, by the way was the first
newspaper ever printed in Decatur
county.
/ soon learned that Mr.. Fisher,
while a large land owner and regard
ed as one of the shrewdest business
men in the county, could not write,
but early in life he had been taught
to make a combination of hierogly-
phics which passed current for u.
F. Fisher" signed to such papers as
notes and bonds-and it can be said
for him that he made that signature
to many such instruments. However,
| can state, and prove it if necessary,
that the aforesaid combination of
marks no more resembled u. F. Fish
er" than it did the signature Of my old
friend, C. r. Morrow, of the Tennes-
sean and American. In fact, Mr.. Fish
er's alleged signature was said to be
remindful Of the string Of marks one
used to see across the end Of bunch
of Chinese firecrackers.
The first story / ever heard in
which Mr.. Fisher took a part, dates
back into the seventies of the last CEN
fury, when the late Judge John M.
Taylor, citizen ofLexington and who
died several years ago when member
of the State Court of civil Appeals,
was filling the office Of attorney gem
eral in the present twelfth Judicial
circuit, 1t seems that Mr.. Fishers
second wife bad been persuaded ~ +
sumably by her mother) to leave him
and on certain day Mr.. Fisher,
knowing that his wife was to be found
at the home of her mother, mounted
his horse and went after his spouse.
The story goes that after reaching the
home of his mother-in-law, Uncle
Jake had an encounter with her which
resulted disastrously to the lady and
Uncle Jake taking his wife up behind
him on the horse and leaving for his
home. 1t was told, however, that be-
fore leaving the premises, Mr.. Fisher
administered to his mother-in-law a
gentle tap of Fredericksburg for the
tap 12-inch, Tennessee river bottom
roasting ear of corn. On that account
Uncle Jake was hailed into court and
when on the witness stand, Attorney
General Taylor asked him to state
why he struck the old lady over the
head with the ear of corn, the witness
said: "Playin' with her, playin' with
her. Do you think I'd hit woman
over the head to hurt her when she
was settin' thar stringin' beans for
the chil'ens dinner"
The late W. I. Logan, who died in
Lexington more than twenty-five
years ago, who was himself an ex-
cellent and successful practitioner of
law, said Uncle Jake was the best
lawyer he knew-that Mr.. Fisher on
ly employed him to conduct his law
suits because he (Mr. FISHERY had not
taken out license to practice. After
l went to Decaturville in 1881, Mr..
Fisher took hold Of and began to un-
ravel the affairs Of the defunct and
bankrupt Brownsport furnice business
in Decatur county, which he pushed to
a successful conclusion and distribu-
ton Of the proceeds recovered was
made through the Chancery Court Of
Decatur County, Judge Jas. A. Eng
land, who yet lives in Decaturville, be-
ing clerk and master of the court at
that time. The owners Of the
Brownsport Furnace were Young 4
Walker and it was said that when the
business began operation Charlie
Young brought with him cool half
million dollars in cash. Young made
trips to Europe and brought back with
his paintings said to have been valua-
ble-which after the sale of his ef-
fects in the lawsuit, saw hanging
in Decaturville saloon and which
went in the sale at dollar each. Still
later these naintinrs drifted into a