John E. Fisher was born near St. Johns, N. B., in 1525, on Darling’s Island, which was the property of his grandfather, Captain Darling. His father, Richard, was a blacksmith, and removed to Boston about 1825, and ten years later moved to Quincey, Mass. He was one of the first four abolitionists in the town. His son John served seven years apprenticeship at stone cutting, working on the Boston custom-house. He had worked on government work in Boston about fifteen years before the Rebellion began. About three days after the firing on Fort Sumpter, he was placed in charge of the fortifications at Fort Warren in Boston harbor, where he superintended construction and repairs throughout the war. In 1865 he came to Fitzwilliam to superintend the work in a granite quarry, and has resided here since. He engaged in the quarry business for himself in 1866, which he still continues, in the firm of Fisher & Newton. He married twice, first, Mary Wilcox, of Pawtucket, R. I., who died about three months thereafter, and second, Lucy U. Upham, of Salem, Mass., who bore him three children, all of whom died in childhood.
