Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1900, volume 2).djvu/495

Rh of the Presbyterian church in West Bloonifield. now Montdair, N. J. lie was pastor there for three and a half years, and then for fonr years in Albany, where he achieved a high reputation as a pulpit orator. From Albany he was called in 1847 to Cincinnati, as a successor to Rev. Dr. Lyman Beecher. This pastorate he always considered the most effective work of his ministry, but resigned in 1858 to accept the presidency of Hamilton col- lege, Clinton, N. Y. Here his scholarship, his elo- quence, and his executive ability effected a more liberal endowment and increased efficiency. In September, 1867, finding his pulpit work more con- genial. Dr. Fisher resigned and accepted a call from the Westminster Presbyterian church in Utica, but in May, 1870, he was stricken with paralysis. From the first attack he recovered, but did not regain the full use of his speech, and tlierefore resigned his pastorate in 1871, and was able to partially resume his duties, but a second attack compelled iiis res- ignation of all active duties, and he removed to Cincinnati. He was the author of " Three Great Temptations of Young Men, with several Lectures addressed to Business and Professional Men " (Cin- cinnati, 1852). Only a few of his sermons, orations, and addresses were published. A volume of " Oc- casional Sermons and Addresses " appeared in New York in 18G0, and a course of sermons on the " Life •of Christ " at Utica after his tleath. — His nephew, Samuel Sparks, lawyer, b. in St. Joseph county, Mich., 11 April, 1882; drowned in the Susquehan- na river, in Luzerne county. Pa., 14 Aug., 1874, studied law in Philadelphia, went to Cincinnati in 1854, and was for many years engaged there in the managing of patent cases. He was colonel of the Ohio national guard, and during the last four months of the civil war, was in active service as acting brigadier-general on the eastern shore of Virginia. In 1869 he was appointed by President Grant commissioner of the patent-office, but re- signed early in 1871, to devote his attention to pri- vate business. He was following up the Susque- hanna on a pleasure journey with his son when both were drowned. He published six volumes of " Reports of Cases Arising under Letters-Patent for Inventions m the Circuit Courts of the United States" (Cincinnati, 1868-74).

FISHER, Theodore Willis, physician, b. in Westboro, Mass., 29 May, 1837. He was gradu- ated in medicine at Harvard in 1861, was in that year resident physician of the city institutions in Boston harbor, a surgeon in the volunteer army in 1862-'3, and from 1863 to 1870 assistant superin- tendent of the Boston lunatic hospital. He then •established himself in practice in Boston, making a specialty of mental diseases, and became exam- ining physician for the board of directors for pub- lic institutions, and a frequent expert in the courts in cases of insanity. In 1881 he became superin- tendent of the Boston lunatic hospital. Since 1884 he has been clinical instructor in mental diseases in Harvard. He prepared a report to the state hoard of health on the '• Ventilation of Steam Cars " in 1875, contributed " Reports on Progress in Men- tal Diseases " to the Boston "Medical and Surgical Journal " annually from 1873 to 1877, besides an article on " Aphasia, or the Physiology of Speech," and other papers published in journals devoted to his specialty. He also published a popular treatise called " PJa'in Talks about Insanitv " (1872).

FISHER, Thomas, author, b. "in Philadelphia, Pa., 21 Jan., 1801 ; d. there, 12 Feb., 1856. He en- tered upon commercial pursuits, and at the same time was an active member of the Academy of natural sciences. He published " Dial of the Sea- sons"' (Philadelphia, 1845); "Song of the Sea- Shells," and other poems (1850) ; and " Mathe- matics Simplified and made Attractive" (1853).

FISHER, William Mark, painter, b. in Bos- ton, Mass., 15 Dec, 1841. He is of Irish pai'entage. He first studied at the Lowell institute, Boston, then with George Innes. and in 1864 at Paris in the Life school and with Gleyre. After painting for some years in Boston. Mass., Mr. Fisher went to London, where he has exhibited in the Royal acad- emy. He lias painted landscapes from studies m the neighborhood of Paris, also genre paintings and cattle-pieces, including " Noon " (1872) ; " On the Cam " (1876) ; and " The Meadows " (1877).

FISK, Clinton Bowen, lawyer, b. in York, Livingston eo., N. Y., 8 Dec, 1828 ; d. in New York city, 9 July, 1890. After a successful career as merchant, miller, and banker in Michigan, he re- moved to St. Louis in 1859. Early in the war he became colonel of the 33d Missouri regiment in the National army, was promoted to be brigadier- general in 1862, and brevetted major-general of volunteers in 1865. After the war he was assist- ant commissioner under Gen. O. 0. Howard in the management of the Freedmen's bureau in Ken- tucky and Tennessee. He afterward removed to New Jersey. Gen. Fisk actively aided in estab- lishing Fisk university, Nashville, Tenn., in 1865, and it was named for him. He had been iden- tified with its financial and educational interests, and was president of its board of trustees. He was also a trustee of Dickinson college, of Drew theo- logical seminary, and also of Albion college, Mich. He was trustee of the American missionary asso- ciation, and also a member of the book committee of the M. E. church. He had rendered conspicuous service to Methodism in his efforts toward a re- union of the northern and southern branches of the church. He had also been identified with the temperance movement, and was the Prohibition candidate for the governorship of New Jersey in 1886. He was president of the board of Indian commissioners for sixteen years.

FISK, Ezra, clergyman, b. in Shelburne, Mass., 10 Jan., 1785 ; d. in Philadelphia, Pa., 5 Dec, 1833. He was graduated at Williams in 1809. studied theology, and was licensed to preach in the Pres- byterian church on 19 April, 1818. He was then ordained as an evangelist, and entered on mission work in Georgia and Philadelphia. He became in 1813 pastor of the Presbyterian church in Go- shen, N. Y., where he remained twenty years. In May, 1833, Dr. Fisk was elected to the professor- ship of ecclesiastical history and church govern- ment in the Western theological seminary, and was on his way to enter on the duties of the office when he died. He published an oration, delivered at Williams college in 1825 ; a lecture on the " In- ability of Sinners " (Philadelphia, 1832), etc

FISK, James, jurist, b. about 1762 ; d. in Swanton, Vt., 1 Dec, 1844. He was self-educated, studied law, and rose to eminence in the profession. He was a member of the lower house of congress from 1805 till 1809, and served from 1811 till 1815. He was appointed by President Madison judge of the territory of Indiana in 1812, but declined the office after confirmation in 1815-'16, He was one of the judges of the supreme court of Vermont, and in 1817 was chosen U. S. senator, but resigned after one years service, and subsequently was collector of customs for eight years in the district of Vermont. — His son, Wilbur, educator, b. in Brattleboro. Vt.. 31 Aug., 1792 ; d. in Middletown. Conn., 22 Feb., 1839, was graduated at Brown in 1815, and studied law, but, after a long