BIOGRAPHY: Henry FISHER, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 309-310
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HENRY FISHER, deceased, was born May 13, 1811, at Stoyestown, Somerset county, 
this State, and died in Johnstown, April 6, 1883. He was a son of Henry and 
Susan (Cauffman) Fisher. On both sides of the family line, he was descended from 
old and substantial families of Somerset county. Henry Fisher, his father, was 
born in the vicinity of Stoyestown, and lived there all his life. He was a 
saddler by avocation, and a Lutheran in religious faith and following.
     Henry Fisher, the subject of this biographical record, spent his early life 
in the vicinity of Stoyestown, where he attended the schools as they existed at 
that early day. He learned the trade of a saddler with his father, and followed 
it for a number of years. Later he embarked in mercantile pursuits at Stoyestown 
and pursued both lines of business until he came to Johnstown, in 1853. Upon 
coming to the latter place, he entered the employ of the Cambria Iron company, 
where he followed his trade until 1876, when failing eyesight compelled him to 
give up his trade. From that time until his death he lived a retired life. For 
thirty-four years the residence of the family was a frame house situated on 
Haynes street, and which was carried down by the flood of 1889.
     In political as well as religious matters, Mr. Fisher was a man of strong 
beliefs and intense feelings. He was a devout member of the Methodist church, 
and a staunch whig, anti-slavery man and republican politically, and was a 
member of the Union League in the days when anti-slavery agitation was rife. He 
married Catharine Little, a daughter of Jacob Little, a native of Germany, who 
came to this country and settled in York county, this State. His name before 
coming to America was Kline, but Little being the English meaning of Kline, his 
name was changed to the above. In after years one of his brothers in Germany 
died and a large fortune was to be divided among the different members of the 
family, but on account of this change in name, the American branch of the family 
were unable to establish their identity, and thus failed to secure what they 
were justly heir to. To the marriage of Henry Fisher and Catharine Little were 
born five boys and four girls; John H., who was lost in the flood; Pearson, who 
for a number of years was head clerk in the Cambria Iron company, and who died 
in 1894; Helen, the wife of Isaac Jones, a pattern maker in the employ of the 
Cambria Iron company; Laura, died young; Emory who lost his life in front of 
Petersburg, during the late Civil War, June 15, 1864.
     In August, 1860, the Johnstown Zouaves were organized by Capt. John M. 
Power, and he was one of the first to enlist. The Zouaves early in 1860 offered 
their services to Governor Curtin in case of any trouble in inaugurating Lincoln 
as president, and were awaiting orders when Fort Sumter was fired upon April 15, 
1861. On the 17th, late in the afternoon, they started for Harrisburg, arrived 
there early the next morning and were the first troops in Camp Curtin; on the 
19th they were mustered into the service of the United States as Company K, 
Third regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer infantry, and ordered to Baltimore where 
a riotous mob had that day attacked and fired into a body of Massachusetts 
volunteers en route to Washington through that city. His regiment served three 
and one-half months under Maj. Gen. Robert Patterson, and then, his time of 
enlistment having expired, he returned home and immediately began to help to 
enlist a regiment to serve for three years or during the war, which culminated 
in the Fifty-fourth regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteer infantry. Most of the 
Zouaves re-enlisted, and served in Company A of this regiment, and Emory was 
made second sergeant. This company was mustered into the service about September 
20, 1861. In the early fall of 1863 he went to Washington, D.C., and was 
examined by the Board of Examiners, of which board Maj. Gen Silas Casey was 
president, for promotion. Emory passed as a first-class first lieutenant, and 
was ordered to report to Camp William Penn, Philadelphia, and was commissioned a 
first lieutenant, and continued in active and honorable service, until his life 
was given up on the alter of his country. Emory Fisher Post, No. 30 of 
Johnstown, is named for him, a graceful tribute to his bravery and sterling 
soldierly qualities, and an evidence of the high esteem in which he is held by 
his brothers in arms. The sixth child born to this union was George C., who also 
served a long time in the war in the One Hundred and Thirty-third regiment, 
Pennsylvania Vols.; Milton B., who died in the spring of 1896; Annie C., and 
Susan E., wife of Ralph A. Byron, of Johnstown.