John Fisher, born on April 8, 1819, in Pennsylvania, moved to Illinois in 1849 and settled in Winnebago County in 1865. He married Sally Mason, born in December 1819, and they had thirteen children. John operated a successful flour mill in Cherry Valley with his son Solomon. He and Sally lived at 417 Genoa Road before retiring to Louisiana. Their son William F. Fisher, born on September 20, 1858, in Ogle County, Illinois, married Phoebe Castle and had four children. William and Phoebe retired to Cherry Valley. Their son, Herbert William Fisher, born on April 14, 1889, was a carpenter and businessman in Cherry Valley.
John Fisher was born in Pennsylvania on April 8, 1819. He came to Illinois in 1849 and to Winnebago County in 1865. He married Sally Mason who was born December 1819 in Pennsylvania, the same area as her husband. They had thirteen children.
In an August 20, 1873, issue of The Cherry Valley News this item appeared: “We have a large and expensive flour mill in our town run by John Fisher and his son Solomon. The Mill is doing a good business and they turn out first class flour. They have had some bad luck this spring, as during the high water a part of the mill foundation was undermined and fell out, which caused them quite a large amount of expense.” John and Sally lived at 417 Genoa Road, Cherry Valley, where Georgia Fitzgerald now lives. They retired and moved to Louisiana to live with their son Grant until their deaths.
Another son of John Fisher was William F. Fisher, born September 20, 1858, in Monroe Center Township, Ogle County, Illinois. He married Phoebe Castle February 15, 1887. Phoebe was born February 22, 1860, in Shirland, Wisconsin, Rock County. They had four children, Herbert, Mabel, Edna and Harry. In 1908 William and Phoebe moved from Ogle County to a farm purchased from Walter McLarty on Harrison Avenue known as the Dr. Swanson farm. When he retired, they moved to 130 South Van Buren Street in Cherry Valley where their daughter Edna Howenow lives. This was their home until their deaths. William died in December 1925, and his wife, Phoebe, died in May 1941. They are both buried in Cherry Valley Cemetery.
Mabel lives at 5822 Alma Drive, Rockford. Harry lived at 727 Elgin Street, Cherry Valley. He died April 2, 1965.
Herbert William Fisher was born April 14, 1889. He was a carpenter by trade for many years. Among the many homes he built is the lovely country home of Edwin and Dagmar Nelson on River Road. He also owned Fisher’s Tap in Cherry Valley for about ten years. He opened the tavern in August, 1942.
From his first marriage he had one daughter, Natalie Pike, who lives in Belleville, Michigan. He married Mildred Nelson November 2, 1934. Herbert built their home at 701 East Elgin Street where they lived until their deaths. To this union were born three children, William, Janice and John. William is the President of Fisher’s Appliance and TV Centers. He married Charlene Elander. He and his family formerly lived in Cherry Valley but recently moved to their new home in Roscoe, Illinois. Bill and Charlene have four children, Kevin, Lori, Kim, and Jennifer.
Janice married Edward Bauer of Cherry Valley. They formerly lived in Cherry Valley but now reside in Coventry Hills in Rockford. Ed is the owner of Valley Jig Grinding, Rockford, Illinois. Janice and Ed have five children, Juli, Natalae, Jodi, Jeffrey and John.
John Fisher is Vice President of Fisher’s Appliance and TV. He married Shirley Eksten. They formerly lived on the outskirts of Cherry Valley but are now residing in Coventry Hills in Rockford. They will soon be moving to their new home in Roscoe, Illinois. John and Shirley have two children, Deneen and Holly.
Herbert William Fisher died June 2, 1967. Mildred Ida Fisher died February 28, 1976. They are both laid to rest in Cherry Valley Cemetery.