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BIOGRAPHICAL AND PORTRAIT CYCLOPEDIA

JOHN FISHER is a representative of that sturdy class of Germans who have contributed so much to the development of Cambria county. He is a son of John and Mary Fisher, and was born October 15, 1827, in Reckenhoven, Germany.     He was reared and educated in the Fatherland, where he lived until twenty-seven years of age. At that age he broke away from the associations of his youth and emigrated to America, locating at Johnstown. He secured employment in the mines operated around Johnstown in connection with the Cambria Iron company, being in this employ about fourteen years. Having learned the trade of a butcher in his native country, he, at the end of his experience as a miner, went into the butchering and retail meat business. He has established a slaughter-shop on Water street, where he averages the slaughter of ten beeves, forty to fifty hogs, and twenty-five sheep per week, besides all the calves obtainable in this market. For the disposition of this product he has established two retail markets, one on Clinton street and one on Broad street in Cambria City. Mr. Fisher has been three times married. His first wife was Miss Frances Kabler, and after her demise, he married a widow, whose maiden name was Margareth Morgenroth, and whose name after her first marriage was Margareth Eichensehr. Mr. Fisher's present wife's maiden name was Teresa Hegele, who was born May 3, 1843, in Germany, and is a daughter of Waldiser Hegele, of the empire. To the married union of Mr. Fisher and Teresa Hegele have been born the following children: George, Mary, wife of Joseph Schonhart, of Johnstown; Ceciliar, wife of George Lumbache of Johnstown, and Lena, Kate, Frances, Henry, Annie, and Frank, at home.

FRANCIS JOSEPH O'CONNOR, one of the most prominent and popular members of the Cambria county bar, is a son of James and Elizabeth (Croyle) O'Connor. He was born at what was then called Forwardstown, Somerset county, Pennsylvania, August 1860.     The grandfather of Mr. O'Connor was Francis O'Connor, a native of Ireland, who came to America about the year 1812. Soon after his arrival he married Margaret Josephine McNulty, and settled in Jenner township, Somerset county. He was a man of force and energy, and when the contracts for building the Harrisburg and Pittsburg pike were let, he contracted to construct a large section of that important thoroughfare. He was successful in his undertaking, and after the completion of the work he accepted a further contract to keep a portion of the pike in repair. Francis O'Connor remained a citizen of Jenner township until his death, and there, on November 5, 1820, James O'Connor, the father of the subject of our sketch, was born. He was educated in the common schools of his native county.     In 1850 he had an attack of the "gold fever," and made what was then a long and perilous trip to California. He remained there a short time, then returned to Somerset and began the study of law with the Hon. Edward Scull, of the town of Somerset. In 1854 he was admitted to the bar, and practiced at Somerset for a number of years. Subsequently he moved to Jenner township, and formed a partnership with Samuel Gaither, Esq. Later this was dissolved and he entered into a partnership with General Coffroth for the practice of law. While engaged in practising law he operated his farm in Jenner township, and also dealt somewhat in real estate and live stock.

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