| Portrait |
R. W.
FISHEL, an influential citizen of Honey Creek
township, Delaware county, is one of those men who somehow
seem to have a control over their fellow citizens, and at
times are sought by them to take public charge of their
affairs. He was born in Hancock county, Ohio, August 29,
1837, but, at the age of twelve, came to Iowa with his
parents, who settled in Delaware county. At the age of
twenty years, Mr. Fishel left the farm of his father and
went to Minnesota, located some land, passed one season
there, but the same year returned to the home of his
parents in Iowa, and never saw Minnesota again. He was,
however, somewhat adventurous as well as ambitious, and
in 1859 went to Pike's Peak, where he passed nearly a year
of his life; then he returned home, stayed awhile, and
then started off for the lead mines near Dubuque, Iowa,
and remained in them one winter. |
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April 19, 1861, in
response to his country's call to arms, he gladly and willingly
volunteered his services, for the short time that it was thought
by the government it would require to suppress the great
Rebellion. His enlistment was for ninety days in Company I,
First Iowa infantry, but his services did not end at the
expiration of that time, for his country had use for him still
further, and he was still willing to yield to his country's
demand. His next enlistment was in Company H, Twelfth Iowa, and
in this he rendered service, full and faithful, until his
discharge and pay at Nashville, Tenn., November 30, 1864, after
having done army service, in all, three years and six months. It
must be recorded, also, that Mr. Fishel was the first man to
enlist from Delaware county, and that he raised himself from a
private soldier, through his bravery and diligence, to the rank
of first lieutenant; one hundred and four days under fire,
during his service, entitling him to recognition as a soldier
worthy of promotion, and his patriotism and devotion to his
country are well deserving of the gratitude of his fellow
citizens.
On his return home, Mr. Fishel married Miss Annie C. Cole,
who was born in Delaware county, Iowa, January 10, 1847. The
father of this bride was born in New York State, and was named
Liberty Cole; the lady whom he married bore the maiden name of
Jane McClellan. The grandfather of Mrs. Annie C. Fishel was
Captain Cole of the War of 1812, and both paternal grandparents
were natives of Augusta, Oneida county, N. Y. In 1818 they moved
to Lawrence county, Ind., floating down the river in a boat
built by the grandfather. In that county these grandparents
resided two years, and in that county the father of Mrs. Fishel
was born. The family moved to Missouri in 1821, and there the
grandfather of Mrs. Fishel died in 1833. In the spring of 1842
the son, L. W. Cole, came to Iowa and in the fall of 1843
married Miss Jane D. McClellan, daughter of Captain McClellan, a
pioneer of Clayton county, Iowa, in what was then known as
Prairie La Porte, but now as Guttenburg, settling there in 1840.
Mrs. McClellan taught the first term of school in Prairie La
Porte, and the second in Colesburg, Delaware county, and was a
lady generally recognized for her great intellectuality. Captain
McClellan gained his military rank in the War of 1812, and, as a
native of Pennsylvania, served four terms in its house of
representatives.
The parents of our subject were John and Sarah (McKinnis)
Fishel, the former a descendant of an ancient German family, and
the latter a daughter of Robert McKinnis, a Scotchman by birth,
but an American warrior in the War of 1812. John Fishel was born
in Westmoreland county, Pa., in 1805, and died April 6, 1880. Of
the ten children born to John and Sarah Fishel, Philip is a
farmer in Clayton county, Iowa, and is aged sixty-four; John is
sixty-one and lives at Brownsville, Minn.; Charles, a resident
of Nebraska, reared a family and died in 1878; Elizabeth,
married, died in Missouri, in 1879; Robert W. is the subject of
this memoir; Squire C. is a farmer and carpenter, and is a
resident of Iowa Falls; Samuel K. is in Montana, in the employ
of the government at Ft. McGinnis, as a scout; August Gustavus
Adolphus is a resident of Honey Creek township, this county;
Jacob lives in Clayton county, Iowa; and Catherine, the wife of
a contractor and builder, who has his residence at Iowa Falls.
To R. W. Fishel and wife have been born six children in the
following order: Grace N., born October 5, 1866, and married to
Samuel Weltderlin; Ada L, born April 29, 1868, and now the wife
of Byron Smith; Jessie W., born June 29, 1871, wife of Edward
Frentress; Frank, born November 14, 1874; Sarah J., born October
14, 1880, and Robert G., born June 5, 1885.
Mr. Fishel has held numerous public
offices, among them that of township trustee, in which capacity
he has served twelve years and has yet three years to serve in
an unexpired term. His fellow townsmen, having great confidence
in his integrity, also elected him to the office of justice of
the peace, but he declined to serve, much to the disappointment
of his constituents and the public in general. During the last
census enumeration he accomplished the task of filling out the
lists to the satisfaction of the government, and it will be
borne in mind that this no easy task. In politics Mr. Fishel is
republican, and under the auspices of the republican party has
been placed in all the offices of honor and trust which he has
held. For thirty-three years he has been an honored member of
the I. O. O. F., and for twenty-five years a member of the
Masonic order, and of the G. A. R. he has been a member twelve
years. |
