The name of Joseph Hunt Fisher is linked with the earliest history of Jones County. He was one of the hardy men of courage who helped to make Jones County the rich and populous division of the commonwealth she is today. With such men as Col. Shaw, George W. Lovell, Horace Metcalf, David Graham, George W. Lathrop, J. W. Battles, G. J. Hakes, and many others, he put a strong and willing shoulder to the wheel of material progress, and brought about the civilization and modernization of things in a new country, which has made Iowa a veritable garden of Eden.
Mr. Fisher was a native of Chester County, Pennsylvania. Was born February 16, 1804. At the age of 18 moved to Ohio, which was then the far west, and found employment at his trade as a miller on the banks of the Little Miami at the town of Milford, where he married his first wife, Miss Mary Carter, who was the mother of our townsman Israel Fisher, and a sister to A.P. Carter, the merchant.
In 1833 he moved from Milford to Clermont County, Ohio, where he engaged in farming, but after a years' experience in farming, he abandoned the business, and moving into the town of Bethel in the same county, became a general merchant. Then he removed to Wayne County, Indiana and sold goods. Here he remained a year, and in 1837 moved back to Bethel and bought a mill. He operated this mill for six years, and at the end of that time started for Iowa and located in Iowa City, bringing with him 800 head of sheep, 8 horses, and a stock of furniture obtained in Cincinnati. These goods he used as a basis for land speculation.
He arrived in this part of Jones County in 1849 and bought of George Walworth the mill property on the Buffalo which in now known as the Matthews mill property. At this point he conducted a large milling business and also dealt heavily in merchandise, his son, Israel Fisher being associated with him and succeeding him in the business. At this time he was the most influential and active man in the county. He was energetic, accumulative and enterprising when it required fortitude to be so than it does in these latter years.
In 1869 he disposed of his interests here and went to Council Bluffs and engaged in merchandise. From there he drifted into Missouri and embarked in the same business. After about three years' experience in western Iowa and Missouri as a merchant, he bought the right to sell the Williams ditching machine until his increasing years compelled him to permanently retire from business in 1881.
During this time he made his residence at several places in central and western Iowa, but principally at Ames, Story County, and Dakota City, Humboldt County, in the latter town his death occurred.
He was thrice married. By his first wife he had nine children, by his second wife, who was Miss Mary Higby, he had two children. He married his third wife in Anamosa in 1857. She was Miss Lucy A. Hoyt, who survives him.
The remains of this once tireless man were brought to Anamosa on Monday last week and interred in Riverside cemetery. A memorial service was pronounced at the Strawberry Hill Presbyterian church Sunday morning by Rev. D. Russell. A man who was useful to his kind has been laid to rest.,

Submitted by: Steve Hanken
Source: Anamosa Journal, Anamosa, Iowa, 3 December 1885