fishel family history
Ed's father, Edward Merton Fishel (1917-2002), was the son of Clarence Edgar Fishel (June 15, 1881-Jan. 22, 1967) and Mabel Ellen Rehmeyer Fishel (Feb. 7, 1885-Sept. 1, 1983), who grew up in the Shrewsbury area of York County, Pennsylvania.
It is believed the family is related to the man who donated the land for Fissel Church, Frederick Fissel (1733-1778) a few minutes drive outside Shrewsbury. Frederick Fissel was the only son of Johann Kilian Fissel Jr. (born around 1699) and Anna Christiana Scheib (born 1693), who came from Essenheim-Mantz, Germany. The Fissel name took many forms as it was written by English clerks in York County, who elongated the second "s" to look like an "h". Sometimes the name was written as "Fishel," in other cases, as "Fischell." Frederick Fissel came to Shrewsbury Township and donated land in 1771 for the Fissel Church, which still stands.
Adjacent to the Fissel Church is the Fissel School House. Fissel's School is a historic one-room school building located at Shrewsbury Township, York County, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1896, and is a 1 1/2-story, brick building with Queen Anne stylistic elements. It measures 28 feet, 6 inches, wide and 30 feet, 4 inches, deep with a 22-foot-wide, 7-foot-deep entrance portico. It has a gable roof with decorative bargeboard and fishscale shingles. Atop the roof above the entrance is a belfry. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. Fissel's School was one of the last to close in 1952 when Susquehannock High was built.
Clarence Fishel, seen here celebrating his 50th wedding anniversary with Mabel Fishel , was a man of multiple talents. He was a Pennsylvania Railroad telegrapher, farmer, beekeeper, volunteer firefighter, Shriner, and a member of the board of the local building and loan association. He was the son of Daniel Fishel of Shrewsbury and had a brother, Archie, and two sisters -- Margie and Ellie -- who lived together in Shrewsbury and did not marry.
He and Mabel had two sons, Edward Merton Fishel and Clarence Edgar Fishel, Jr., and five grandchildren. Clarence and Mabel had known each other in Shrewsbury, PA, for many years. They married on June 10, 1915, and moved to 210 N. Ellwood Ave. near Patterson Park in Baltimore where their sons were born. It cost $2,500 plus $600 for the ground rent. During World War I, Clarence was a telegrapher for the Pennsylvania Railroad as well as a station operator and an American Express agent. He was posted at the Sollers Point railroad station and controlled the draw bridge at Bear Creek, arriving at 7 a.m. each morning. He had a knack for retail sales, which enabled him, when he was between shifts as a telegrapher, to sell Holland furnaces and Willys cars. Later in life, he sold fresh eggs and vegetables to affuent families in north Baltimore.
He and Mabel had two sons, Edward Merton Fishel and Clarence Edgar Fishel, Jr., and five grandchildren. Clarence and Mabel had known each other in Shrewsbury, PA, for many years. They married on June 10, 1915, and moved to 210 N. Ellwood Ave. near Patterson Park in Baltimore where their sons were born. It cost $2,500 plus $600 for the ground rent. During World War I, Clarence was a telegrapher for the Pennsylvania Railroad as well as a station operator and an American Express agent. He was posted at the Sollers Point railroad station and controlled the draw bridge at Bear Creek, arriving at 7 a.m. each morning. He had a knack for retail sales, which enabled him, when he was between shifts as a telegrapher, to sell Holland furnaces and Willys cars. Later in life, he sold fresh eggs and vegetables to affuent families in north Baltimore.
Years later, Clarence contracted tuberculosis and spent a year in a sanitarium recovering. As was the tradition at that time, he was told to move to the country. In 1927, he and Mabel purchased a three-acre farm and farmhouse from Louis Ruhl. Their son, Merton, was nine years old and Ed was six years old. Ruhl had constructed two identical farmhouses side-by-side. Purchase price for the house and land was $4,500. Initially, they farmed the land for corn. They purchased seven additional acres from Ruhl for $100 per acre and rented a mule to plow. In 1928, they added chickens to the farm and indoor plumbing. The farmhouse was originally heated by firewood and coal. Later, he also added a cow (Bessie) and built a small barn for the cow. Below are some old photos of the Fishel farm showing the chicken coops, feed house, and the brooder house for the baby chickens (center top photo with Clarence kneeling). The farmhouse still exists today and looks much the same (lower right).
The house where Margie and Ellie lived is located on Main Street in historic downtown Shrewsburg and still stands today.
