Fisher, Albanus S.

Albanus S. Fisher was a sergeant in Company I of the 54th Massachusetts. Born in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in approximately 1831, Fisher worked as a laborer until enlisting in Readville, Pennsylvania on April 22, 1863. On his enlistment record the 32-year-old Fisher described himself as having a light complexion, brown eyes, black hair, and standing at 5 feet, 10 inches tall. During his two year service, Fisher received promotion to the rank of sergeant. After being mustered out on August 20, 1865 in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, Fisher returned to Pennsylvania where he became the district deputy grand master of the First Independent African Chapter of North American (the black freemasons) for Montgomery, Bucks, Lehigh, Northampton, Carbon, Luzerne, and Pike County on December 27, 1867. By 1880, Fisher resided in Norristown, Pennsylvania where he and his wife Margaret raised their family of eight children, including eldest George (28) to baby Anna who was born in February, 1880. According to census records, Fisher worked as a laborer. Fisher was buried in Treemont Cemetery in Norristown, Pennsylvania. (By Rebecca Solnit)