NANCY E. FISHER

MRS. NANCY E. FISHER is one of the wealthy residents of Allen county and is numbered among its pioneer citizens, having come to this portion of the state at an early period in its upbuilding. She was born in Franklin county, Illinois, on the 13th of June, 1840, a daughter of Aaron Neal, a native of Virginia. Her father was born April 28, 1811, and in an early day he removed to Illinois in company with his parents, finding the Prairie state almost one vast undeveloped tract of land. The city of Chicago, whose growth is regarded as one of the miracles of the age, was then undreamed of, Fort Dearborn standing on its site as a protection against the Indians for the few white settlers who resided in that section of the country. Mr. Neal was reared upon the frontier amid the wild scenes of pioneer life, and after arriving at years of maturity married Elizabeth Clamppett, who was of Irish lineage. He was the owner of a horse and a sled and with them he hauled his few household effects to his little cabin on the frontier. He and his bride began their domestic life in true pioneer style. He was a very industrious and energetic man, and before his death had accumulated ten thousand dollars, which was considered a handsome competence in those days, and he was regarded as one of the rich men of his neighborhood. He died in the prime of life, passing away in 1855, at the age of forty-four years. His wife lived to the age of sixty and was called to her final rest in 1875.

This worthy couple were the parents of ten children, of whom two died in early life. The others were Moses, who is well known throughout Kansas and is a leading politician of the west, his home being now in Oklahoma; Mrs. Fannie Whiteside; Thomas J., who died in 1862; John A., who resides in Missouri; Mrs. Fisher; William, also a resident of Oklahoma; Mrs. Sarah Todd, deceased, and Robert, of Washington.

Nancy E. Neal, the fifth of the family, spent the days of her girlhood

in the state of her nativity, and pursued her education in one of the oldtime, log school houses, conning her lessons while sitting upon a rude bench without a back or a desk. When a young lady of twenty years she came to Kansas to visit her brother Moses, who was then living in Leavenworth, and while there she became acquainted with Paul Fisher, a young man who had removed from Texas to Allen county, Kansas. They were married in 1862. A married life of thirty-five years was vouchsafed to them, Mr. Fisher taking his bride to his farm, three miles west of Humboldt.

Mr. Fisher was a native of Ohio and removed from that state to Texas, whence he came to Kansas. For seven years he and his wife resided upon one farm, after which they spent three years in Humboldt. On the expiration of that period Mr. Fisher purchased a farm a mile from the town, on the river bottom, and for twelve years it was their place of abode, after which they again became residents of Humboldt, occupying one of the finest dwellings in the place. Mr. Fisher was a man of marked diligence and executive ability and his indefatigable labor, guided by sound judgment, enabled him to acquire very extensive realty holdings, so that he left to his family a handsome estate. He died on the 30th of December, 1897, at the age of seventy-five years, and thus the community lost one of its reliable and valued citizens, and his neighbors a faithful friend.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Fisher were born six children, but three died in early childhood. The others are Katie, the wife of O. H. Stewart, president of the State Bank of Parsons, Kansas; Maggie, wife of L. P. Stover, County Surveyor of Allen county; and Nannie, the wife of A. F. McCarty, of Humboldt.

Mrs. Fisher has always been a very energetic woman, and since her husband's death has given evidence of the possession of superior business and executive qualifications. She has very important business affairs, superintended by Mr. A. F. McCarty, and her efforts are attended with prosperity. After the estate was divided each of the daughters had one thousand acres of land while there remained to Mrs. Fisher, in addition to her large farming interests, considerable business property in Humboldt and Iola and her beautiful residence in Humboldt. She is one of the oldest residents of Allen county in years of continuous connection with this portion of the state, for she has lived here through thirty-nine years. She has therefore witnessed almost the entire development and upbuilding of southeastern Kansas for at the time of her arrival the homes were widely scattered and Indians were frequently seen in the neighborhood. Great changes have since been wrought, and as the population has increased the circle of Mrs. Fisher's acquaintances and friends has been continually enlarged. She enjoys the warm regard of many with whom she has come in contact, and well deserves representation in this volume among Allen county's leading citizens.

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