My Genealogy Hound

IRWIN FISHER, long a member of the Norristown school board, and one of the most progressive citizens of Norristown, resides at 211 East Chestnut street. He holds the position of assistant cashier of the Centennial National Bank, Philadelphia. Mr. Fisher was born at Blue Bell, Montgomery county, November 28, 1864. He is the son of Jacob and Sarah (Lightcap) Fisher, both natives and lifelong residents of Montgomery county.

Jacob Fisher (father) was a farmer and auctioneer, the latter occupation being his principal business. He removed to Norristown from Whitpain township in 1866, and lived at the county-seat until his death, which occurred in 1873, in his seventy-second year. He was born January 5, 1801. Sarah Fisher (mother) survived him until 1899, and was seventy-one years of age at the time of her death. Both were members of the Lutheran church. Mr. Fisher was a justice of the peace for a number of years. He was previously married to Rachel Barnes, and there were nine children born of that union, only one of whom is now living: Sarah, wife of Samuel D. Shearer, residing at Blue Bell. His second wife was also previously married, her first husband having been Paul Kenderdine, and they having four children, two of whom are now living: Charles L. Kenderdine, of Reading, and Maggie A. Kenderdine, of Reading. Heinrich Fisher (grandfather) was of German descent. He lived in Upper Dublin township.

Irwin Fisher has lived all his life in Montgomery county, and in Norristown since he was two years of age. He attended the public schools, passing through all the different grades, and graduated from the high school in the class of 1882. He then engaged in the newspaper business for one year, being employed on the Norristown Times, and doing occasionally special work for other newspapers. He studied for a year in Treemount Seminary, and then took a position in the Centennial National Bank of Philadelphia to learn the banking business, and since 1899 has been assistant cashier.

On November 22, 1888, he married Miss Annie Amelia Schall, daughter of J. Calvin and Susanna (White) Schall. They have four children, two sons and two daughters-Jacob Calvin, Ellwood Corson, Edith Caroline and Susanna Schall Fisher. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher are members of the Evangelical Lutheran church of the Trinity on DeKalb street, Norristown. He belongs to Norris Lodge, No. 430, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, and Norristown Encampment No. 37, I. O. O. F. Mr. Fisher is an earnest and uncompromising Republican. He has been secretary of the borough executive committee of the Republican party of Norristown for the past ten years. He was borough auditor for three years from 1894 to 1897, and has been a member of the Norristown school board since 1897, representing the fourth ward in that body.

The parents of Mrs. Fisher were well-known residents of Montgomery county, the Schall family having been long prominent. Mrs. Fisher has an only sister, Caroline, wife of Robert Barry, of Jersey City, and a half-sister Delia H., wife of James B. Senior, of Louisville, Kentucky. Her father, J. Calvin Schall, was in the iron trade in Norristown for a number of years. His wife died November 8, 1872, aged thirty-six years, Mr. Schall being her second husband. Mrs. Irwin Fisher’s paternal grandfather was William Schall, a native of Oley township in Berks county. His wife was Caroline Trexler. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Fisher was John White, a native of Montgomery county. His wife was Maria L. White.

In the school board of Norristown, Mr. Fisher has been a useful and valuable member, having served on several important committees and taken an active interest in every movement in favor of progress in public education. He was elected secretary of the board in June, 1903, and still holds that position.