People
HENRY EARL FISH
A member of the Erie county bar since 1889, Mr. Fish has, during the more than three decades which have since elapsed, been located in the city of Erie, where he serves a large and extremely important clientele. While his practice is general in character he has a large corporation practice and is highly rated as a lawyer of learning, skill and ability. He is a son of Liberal Charles and Marion (Briggs) Fish, his father a farmer.
Henry Earl Fish was born in Otego, Otsego county, New York, April 9, 1863. He was educated in the public schools and when his secular education was completed, studied law under the preceptorship of Hon. Emory A. Walling, of Erie, now a Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. In February, 1889, he was admitted to the bar of Erie county, Pennsylvania, and since that time has been in continuous practice in the city of Erie until the present, 1922. He has a large general and corporation practice and is senior member of the firm of Gunnison, Fish, Gifford & Chapin, which numbers among its clients the New York Central, Nickel Plate, and Bessemer & Lake Erie railroads; the Northwestern Pennsylvania, and the Cleveland & Erie railways; the Hammer Mill Paper Company; the Pennsylvania Gas Company; Erie Forge and Steel Company; the H. F. Watson Company; the Burke Electric Company; Erie City Iron Works; the Erie County Electric Company; the Jarecki Manufacturing Company; the Continental Rubber Works; and many others. He is counsel for and a director of, the First National Bank of Erie, counsel for The Second National Bank of Erie, counsel and director of the Security Savings and Trust Company of Erie. He is an ex-president of the Erie County Bar Association, and a man of highest standing in his profession.
In politics Mr. Fish is a Democrat. During the Liberty Loan drives, 1917-18, he was chairman of the Lawyers' Committee and rendered valuable service. He is a past member of Tyrian Lodge, Free and Accepted Masons; past high priest of Temple Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; past thrice illustrious master of Jerusalem Council, Royal and Select Masters; past eminent commander of Mt. Olivet Commandery, Knights Templar; is a thirty-second degree member of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, and a noble of Zem Zem Temple, Ancient Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. His clubs are the Erie, Kahkwa, University, and Shriners. The family attend the Presbyterian church.
Mr. Fish married, in Linesville, Pennsylvania, January 27, 1900, Edith Fenner, daughter of James and Hester Fenner. By his first wife, Nellie Slocum Fish, who died October 6, 1897, Mr. Fish has two sons: Roger E. Fish, born April 12, 1891, and Howard McFarland Fish, born December 8, 1896. Both sons are graduates of Princeton University and are now engaged in manufacturing in Erie. Howard McF., the younger, served for two years in France with the American Expeditionary Force.
Source: Transcription from the book, Courts and Lawyers of Pennsylvania, A History, 1623-1923, by Frank M. Eastman, published in 1922; located on the website, Hathitrust Digital Library (http://www.hathitrust.org), accessed 29 April 2026.