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Col. George Purnell Fisher
(October 13, 1817 – February 10, 1899)
George Purnell Fisher was an American lawyer and politician from Wilmington, in New Castle County, Delaware. He was a member of the Democratic Party and later the Republican Party, who served in the Delaware General Assembly, as Attorney General of Delaware, as Secretary of State of Delaware, as U. S. Representative from Delaware, and as a judge of the United States District Court for the District of Delaware.
Early life and family
Born in Milford, Delaware, Fisher attended the public schools of Kent County and Mount St. Mary's College in Emmitsburg, Maryland. He graduated from Dickinson College in 1838. He then read law, was admitted to the Delaware Bar in 1841, and commenced practice in Dover.
Professional and political career
Fisher served as a clerk in the Delaware State Senate in 1843 before he was elected to the Delaware House of Representatives in 1843 and 1844. In 1846 he was appointed the Secretary of State of Delaware, holding such office until 1847. In 1846, he also became an Aide-de-Camp to Major General Nathaniel Young, Commander of the Delaware Militia. In 1849 he was working in Washington with William Hunter, as a confidential clerk to Secretary John M. Clayton in the U.S. Department of State. At this time Fisher was appointed by President Zachary Taylor to be a commissioner to adjudicate claims against Brazil, performing this from 1850 to 1852, when he became the private secretary of President Millard Fillmore. From 1855 until 1860 he served as Delaware Attorney General.
With the coming of the Civil War Fisher was elected as a Unionist to the 37th Congress, serving from March 4, 1861 to March 3, 1863. The Unionist were Delaware's version of Republicans and Fisher ran for the 38th Congress as a Republican in 1862 and lost, thereafter briefly serving as a Colonel in the First Delaware Cavalry, in 1863.
Fisher was nominated by President Abraham Lincoln on March 10, 1863, to a new seat on the United States District Court for the District of Columbia created by 12 Stat. 762. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 11, 1863, and received his commission the same day. Fisher served in that capacity until his resignation on May 1, 1870 when appointed district attorney for the District of Columbia, serving until 1875.
Finally he returned to Dover and was appointed by President Benjamin Harrison on May 31, 1889 to be the First Auditor of the Treasury Department, in which capacity he served until March 23, 1893.
Death and legacy
He died in Washington, D.C. and was initially buried in Oak Hill Cemetery in Washington. Later he was reburied in the Old Methodist or Whatcoat Cemetery at Dover, Delaware.
Source: Wikipedia