This contains a transcription of the John B. Fisk of Chesterfield, NH biography from Biographical Review Volume XXIII: Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Cheshire and Hillsboro Counties, New Hampshire, Biographical Review Publishing Company, Boston, 1897.

Pages 11-13

 JOHN B. FISK, an influential citizen of Chesterfield, N. H., widely known and highly respected as the “Veteran Justice,” was born in this town on the farm which is still his home, on April 10, 1816, son of Thomas and Lucinda (Trowbridge) Fisk. The Fisk family, which is of English origin, has been identified with the industrial development of different parts of New England, and has produced men and women of ability and solid worth. John B. Fisk is a descendant of Nathaniel Fisk, who was great-grandson of Robert and Sybil Fisk, of Broad Gates, England. Nathaniel settled in Watertown, Mass., in 1642. His son John was the father of John Fisk, second, who settled in Shelburne Falls, Mass., and whose son Isaac died in Framingham. Isaac was the father of John, third, grandfather of John B. Fisk. Grandfather Fisk was born in Framingham, and died there in 1819. He and his wife, Abigail Howe, had eight children.

Thomas Fisk, above named, son of John and Abigail, was born in 1774. When about two years of age he had a severe attack of scarlet fever, which left him deaf. He consequently never learned to talk, but was able to read intelligently and to handle numbers accurately. When fifty years of age he was admitted to the school for deaf-mutes at Hartford, Conn., where he remained for one year, making remarkable progress, and learning much that was of value to him during the rest of his life. He died on July 25, 1861, at the age of eighty-seven years. The farm he bought was then known as the Ezra Davis farm, and the house built by him in 1807 is the last one in Chesterfield on the Hinsdale side. The place is now known as the “Fisk Homestead,” a sign on the front of the house telling its name to the passer-by. When living in Dorchester, Mass., in his early years of activity, Thomas Fisk manufactured playing cards, being under bonds to the amount of seven hundred dollars, not to reveal the secret of the process. After coming to Chesterfield he engaged in farming, and was successful and prosperous. His wife, Lucinda, who survived him for some years, died at the same age as himself, eighty-seven. The children of Thomas Fisk were: Thomas T., who was born November 27, 1806; Lucinda, born March 4, 1809; Mary Ann, born June 28, 1814; and John B. Thomas T. Fisk resided in Hinsdale. He was twice married, the first time to Emily, daughter of Elijah Hildreth, the second time to Adeline Goodnow; and his children were: George C., Lucius G., Noyes W., and Addie E. Lucinda Fisk, now deceased, married Nathaniel Hildreth, of Charlestown, Vt. Mary Ann, who married Hosea Newton, died in Keota, Ia.

John B. Fisk was educated in the district schools and in the academy at Chesterfield, and in his early manhood he taught school during the winter and worked at farming in the summer. He finally decided to make farming his occupation, and has since resided in Chesterfield, with the exception of three years spent in Hinsdale. He was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1854, and held the position until 1896, when poor health constrained him to resign his commission. He was also for twenty-five years a Justice of the Quorum; and, being for many years the only Trial Justice in town, he tried many cases, some of them criminal cases which he sent up to the grand jury. His title, the “Veteran Justice,” bestowed by courtesy, it is thus seen has been well won. In his official capacity Mr. Fisk has settled a large number of estates, probably more than any other man in town, and has often acted as guardian and trustee. This business has, in many cases, made it necessary for him to visit different parts of the country, and he has been West on eight different trips. He was for many years agent for the Cheshire Insurance Company, but gave up the position twenty years ago.

In politics Mr. Fisk was an old-time Whig. Later he joined the ranks of the Republican party, and has since been one of the most loyal members of that organization. He has been an active political worker, and his views have carried great influence; but he had not desired political preferment for himself. He served the town as Selectman for one year, and he has been sent as delegate to party conventions times innumerable. When the movement was made to open a post-office at Spofford Lake, Mr. Fisk remonstrated, and his arguments and statement of facts to Senator Gallinger were so effective that the movement fell through. Mr. Fisk is a strong temperance advocate, and is interested in the advancement of religious work, although he is not connected with any church.

Mr. Fisk has been twice married. His first wife, to whom he was married in 1838, was Arabel Robertson. She died in 1876, having borne three children, namely: Harrison F.; Martha D., who died in 1893; and Frank D. The second wife, to whom he was married on November 21, 1877, was Mrs. Pierce, whose maiden name was Elizabeth Ann Chandler. Frank D. Fisk is a commercial traveler. He is married and resides in Brattleboro. Harrison resides in Springfield, Ill., and is agent for a whip-manufacturing concern. Martha D. was twice married. Her first husband was Henry C. Walker, of Portsmouth, N. H., a wealthy man and son of a well-known Portsmouth family. He died on January 7, 1874; and she subsequently married Edward Stebbins, now a leading man of Hinsdale.

George C. Fisk, mentioned above, son of Thomas T., and a nephew of the subject of this sketch, was born on March 4, 1831, was married on June 7, 1853, to Maria E. Ripley, and resides at Brightwood, Mass. He is president of the Wason Car Company and of the Fisk Manufacturing Company, of Hinsdale. He has worked his own way from being clerk in a store in Hinsdale to be the head of numerous successful enterprises. A reputed millionaire, he is considered one of the wealthiest men of the city of Springfield. He is modest and simple in his tastes. Noyes, his brother, is treasurer of the soap company; and Lucius, another brother, now deceased, was a member of the same concern.