On June 19th at 10am we will be dedicating an ISHS marker in Woodrow cemetery that recognizes Nathan Dillon, Samuel Woodrow, and Johnson Summers for their daring 1827 ride to St. Louis to save Millie Shipman and her family.

All history is local until it is woven together with other stories to become part of the National fabric and there is no aspect of National history that doesn’t touch Tazewell County.  We touched on the Fisher family last month when we shared the image of Fred Fisher.  As it turns out the Michael-Fisher siblings were prominent local citizens at one time so it was baffling to find that nothing much had ever been written about them.

Susan White Michael Fisher was born in Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania 11 March 1807 where she first married Benjamin Michael (ca.1800-ca.1840) and later Michael Fisher.

Susan had three known children with each husband and the family was living in Mannheim, Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania in the 1850 census before making the move to Pekin sometime before 1860.  

The 1860 census lists Michael Fisher as a watchman but the 1861 Pekin City Directory lists him as City Marshal, Harbor Master, and Street Commissioner.  The residence was at the NE corner of Fifth and State streets.  He was also a member of the local I.O.O.F.

Michael joined the 3rd Cavalry, Co. B when the war broke out in 1861 but resigned at the end of that year.  He was listed in an 1863 registry but sometime after that just vanished, leaving his widow and children.

Susan died 19 January 1889 and was buried at Lakeside cemetery. 

Frank Benjamin Michael was born 12 April 1828 in Lancaster Co., and appears to have headed west before the others as he was married 26 September 1849 in Miami, Indiana to Tellula Scheffert.  They were still in Peru, Miami Co., Indiana in 1860 but by 1870 had joined the family in Pekin. Frank was always employed as a carpenter.  Frank passed away 6 February 1917 and was buried at Lakeside.

Frank and Tellula had five children: Susan Ihben (1850-1936), Benjamin F. (1856-1931), Rachel (1860-?), Clara Agnes Richiger (1864-1936) and John E. (1866-1914).

Their son, Benjamin F. Michael was Mayor of Pekin at the time of his death in 1931.  His home was located at 412 Haines Ave., and he had been a deputy sheriff under Chris Fluegel and served two terms as Mayor.  He was a mason contractor and had been married twice, first to Marie Breaden then Minnie Cohenour.  He left 3 sons, George, Ben, and Daniel plus a daughter, Mrs. Mildred Schermer.

John Michael was born in 1830 in Lancaster Co. and in 1870 was a Pekin Saloonkeeper, married to Charlotte with a daughter Katherine.  By 1880 he had moved to Farmer City but was still a Saloonkeeper.  He died in Farmer City in 1893.

Cyrus Benjamin Michael was born 5 June 1836 in Lancaster Co. and was living in Pekin, working as a plasterer in 1860.  He married Mary Rachel Gantty in Pekin 9 January 1861.  They had 4 children, Katie, Charles, Fred, and Mary.  He returned to Pennsylvania where he died 31 March 1887 in Lebanon.

Fred L. Fisher was born 15 Nov 1844 in Manheim, Pennsylvania.  He was a moulder but also served for a time as City Marshal.  He married Caroline Snell 4 October 1868 and the couple had four children: Clara B. Finney (1868-1897), John, Cora (1871-1892), and George T. (1874-1834).  Caroline and Cora were on the ill-fated Freddie Folsom when it floundered after leaving Peoria and they both drowned.  He was a prominent member of the local I. O. O. F.  Fred passed 25 Jul 1909 and was buried at Lakeside cemetery.

Jerome Fisher was born 14 May 1847 in Mannheim as well.  He was married 27 December 1871 to Jennie Gordon (1850-1920) and the couple had eight children: Ida M. Zuckweiller (1872-1959), Edward B. (1874-1926), Jerome (1876-ca.1882), John (1879-1952), Susan Smith (1883-1976), Frank (1884-1963), Minnie Walter (1888-1979), and Mable (1891-1903).  Jerome worked as a butcher for many years but was also City Marshall in the early twentieth century.  He had served in the 148th Infantry, Co. C during the Civil War.  He was a proud member of the Joe Hanna Post GAR.  Jerome died 24 March 1916 and was buried at Lakeside.

Clara Fisher (1849-1916) was born in Mannheim and moved to Pekin as a child.  She was married to William E. Parsons (1847-1921) 8 September 1869 in Pekin and the couple had three daughters: Mary Leavitt (1871-1941), Kate Parsons (1873-1937) and Susan Weyers (1880-1950). William worked a myriad of jobs and the couple moved from Illinois to Mississippi then to Silverton, Colorado followed by North Dakota and then to New York.  They were living in California at the time of their deaths.

The Tazewell County Genealogical & Historical Society is an award-winning 501c3, all volunteer organization that has been in continuous service to our members and the public for 47 years.  TCGHS operates an archive, library and research facility at 719 N. 11th St., Pekin.  Visit our website at www.tcghs.org to learn more about us.   If you have any point of interest that you would like to know more about, stop in at TCGHS or drop us a line.