JOHN AUGUST FISHER, son of EMMA PULTE and JOE FISHER was born in Muenster, Texas on January 30, 1902, on their farm two and one-half miles south-east of Muenster. John attended Sacred Heart School and the Muenster Public School. He worked on the family farm until 1926. At that time his father sold John his interest in the Fisher and Andress cattle business. Mr. Albert Andress was from Myra, Texas. John and Albert managed several cow-calf operations in various locations of the country. One of these locations is the farm now owned by the Tom Felderhoff family. This was leased from the Biffles on the condition that no horses would ever be pastured there. This site was leased by the FISHER and ANDRESS CATTLE COMPANY from 1917 to 1952.

As a young man John's primary transportation was horseback. John rode many miles horseback on cattle drives. Every Sunday he rode his horse to town to Mass.

John and Albert remained lifelong friends. Many commented on Albert's loyalty to his friends and the fact that he never used bad language. Part of the cattle business included buying livestock from ranches in Cooke and surrounding counties, then shipping them to Kansas counties, then shipping them to Kansas City. John and the cattle would ride the MK&T Railroad to Kansas City. John traveled in the caboose and never missed a night's sleep!

March 17, 1927, saw John venture into another business enterprise. He and his brother, J.W. FISHER opened FISHER'S MARKET. In the early days they sold only meat, but as demand grew they added a grocery line also. Joe and John ran Fisher's Market for 48 years. In 1975, John's sons, JOHN C. and BUTCH purchased the store. Many of our grandchildren have worked at the store to earn money for college.

I, MARGARET SCHMITT FISHER, am the daughter of EDWARD SCHMITT and FRANCES RUWALDT. I was born on April 14, 1907 in Forney, Texas. My family moved to Muenster in 1910. We purchased a farm two miles east of Muenster. I attended Sacred Heart School and the Muenster Public School.

On October 30, 1928, John and I were married in Sacred Heart Church at 8:30 in the morning. Our families came home with us for a big breakfast, then John and I went to Gainesville to have our wedding pictures made. After an afternoon of visiting and feasting we went to the Parish Hall where the community helped us celebrate our wedding with a dance.

Our first home was an apartment across the street from church. John's grandmother, CAROLINE PULTE, called Gross Mutter also lived there. The house at 621 N. Main is now the Joe Fisher residence. Our oldest children were born there. CLYDE arrived on October 24, 1929, and RUTH LEE was born on July 16, 1931.

With our growing family we moved to the Bill Fette place on Sycamore Street. God blessed us with two more children. JOHNNY was born March 11, 1933. All the banks in the United States were closed for about a week. John called Johnny our "depression baby." Fifteen months later our daughter, JEANETTE, joined our family on September 5, 1934.

Now our family needed still a larger home and John and I managed to build a new home at 415 N. Oak Street. This move also brought us two more children. FRANCIS (BUTCH) was born on December 27, 1940 and ROSEMARY came to us on Thanksgiving Day, November 29, 1949.

Convinced that another move would bring us two more children, we spent the rest of our lives on Oak Street.

John was active in church and civic affairs. He was a charter member of the Muenster Volunteer Fire Department. He served on the city council for several years. He was a Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus and was active in the Knights for 59 years.

When I joined the St. Anne's Society as a young wife it was called Mutter Verein Mother's Society. For over 60 years I have been a member of the Secular Franciscans and I am also a member of the Catholic Daughters of America. When I was younger I belonged to the Muenster Garden Club and also babysat in my home for the C.C.D. teachers.

John and I, with all our family, celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary on October 30, 1978. Our pastor, Fr. Denis, John's brother, FR. HARRY FISHER, and a good family friend, Fr. Gerry Lardner, celebrated the Mass. The children planned the reception at the K.C. Hall. It was a happy, memorable day for us spent with our relatives and friends.

John enjoyed the day very much and was in seemingly good health. Eight months later, on June 26, 1979, he passed away. May he be with God.

On April 14, 1987, a milestone in my life was marked. My six children, their spouses, my 24 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren surprised me with a meal and reception for my 80 years here on earth. God has been good to the John A. Fisher family.

MUENSTER TEXAS: A CENTENNIAL HISTORY, 1889-1989, Compiled & Edited by The History Division, Muenster Centennial Committee, Muenster, Texas, 1989, Pgs. 340-341

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