William Robert Fisher

William R. is a resident of Douglas Township; he was married March 9, 1887, to Miss Mary Elizabeth Dotson, who was born in Clarke County, Iowa, May 12, 1870. Her father is Pleasant Dotson, born in Tennessee, near the Holston River; his mother belonged to the Shelton family, prominent in that region. The wife of Pleasant Dotson was Mary Campbell, a native of Kentucky. Mr. Dotson owns a large farm near Kirkman. Ellis Harl, the one child of Mr. and Mrs. Fisher, was born February 29, 1888. Mr. Fisher is at present engaged in teaching school; he has taught two terms at Kimballton, Audubon County, Iowa; three terms in Jackson Township, Shelby County; a part of one term near Bowman's Grove, which he was prevented from finishing by sickness; one term at Mount Zion, Audubon County; one term in Brown County, Nebraska; he is now teaching his fourth term at Hillside, Shelby County. Mr. Fisher was for some time a compositor in the office of the Harlan Hub, and of the Shelby County Republican. He spent some time at Eureka College in Illinois, also at Drake University, Des Moines. At the age of eighteen be published a small volume of poems. He has contributed some to literary papers, and is now engaged in writing a book of poems, of which, at this date, December, 1888, 9,000 lines are completed. The work will consist of original poems and translations from the German and Danish-Norwegian languages. Source: 1889 Biographical History of Shelby County, Iowa, pp. 326-327

William R. Fisher, farmer and author, is well known as one of the first settlers of the Deer Flat district of Canyon county and he has contributed in large measure to its development and up building along material, educational and other progressive lines. He was born near Pleasant Plain, Iowa, July 12, 1865. His father, Azariah Fisher, was of Quaker stock and was a native of Ohio but in his infancy was taken to Illinois by his parents, whose ancestors came to America about 1690 and settled in Pennsylvania. After reaching adult age Azariah Fisher married Malinda Stanley, a native of Ohio, who was also taken to Illinois by her parents during her infancy. After living for a time in Illinois Mr. Fisher and his wife removed to Iowa while the Civil war was in progress and there he followed farming until his death, which occurred in 1874. His widow long survived him, departing this life in 1907.

It was during the early boyhood of W. R. Fisher that the family home was established at Harlan, in western Iowa, where he attended the public schools, while afterward he became a student in Eureka College of Illinois and still later matriculated in Drake University of Des Moines, Iowa, thus acquiring a liberal education. He made excellent use of his opportunities in that direction, manifesting special aptitude in his studies, and for twenty years he was a capable and successful teacher, in the schools of Iowa and Nebraska. In 1903 he removed from the latter state to Idaho and settled in the Deer Flat district in January, 1904, securing a homestead claim. In 1910 he disposed of his land and removed to Boise, where he resided for four years, after which he returned to the Deer Flat district, purchasing farming property and resumed agricultural pursuits. He is now carrying on the work of general farming. The attainment of prosperity, however, is not the sole end and aim of his life, for he is keenly interested in other lines. He is a man of literary tastes and has published three volumes of poems, which have had wide circulation. He has also contributed some verse to the Youths Companion. He is a great lover of nature and his poems have found their inspiration in outdoor life.

In 1887 Mr. Fisher was married to Miss Mary Dotson, a native of Iowa and a daughter of Pleasant and Mary (Campbell) Dotson. They were married at Harlan. Iowa, and are the parents of five living children. Robert Clive, twenty-nine years of age, married Euna Phillips and is a business man of Boise. Joel Franklin, twenty- five years of age, is a graduate of the Boise high school and of the Idaho College and is now a minister of the Free Methodist church at Spokane, Washington. He married Olive Ramsey. Arthur Hallan, twenty-three years of age, was in the Naval Reserve and was in active service daring the World war for five months. He is still in the service, subject to call until 1922, although at present he is at home and is engaged in farming near his father. He married Edna Mills, of Greenleaf, Idaho, who died in August, 1919. Paul R., sixteen years of age, is also at home. Ethel is now attending Greenleaf Seminary. Mr. and Mrs. Fisher also lost two children. Ellis Harl, who died when thirty years of age, left a widow, Mrs. May (Darling) Fisher, and two children, Leonard and Vera. Ellis H. Fisher was one of the best known and most popular young men of Canyon county. The other child, Amy, died in infancy.

Mr. Fisher has always been keenly interested in the cause of education and it is partly due to his efforts that the first schools of the Deer Flat district were built. He has always given his support to the school system and there are no better schools in the state than are found in his locality. He has served as Justice of the peace in his precinct and as school trustee.

Source: History of Idaho the Gem of the Mountains, Volume III, By James H. Hawley . The S. J. CLARK Publishing Company 1920. Pages 337-338

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