An Illustrated History of the State of Washington, by Rev. H.K. Hines, D.D., 
The Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, IL., 1893, pages 430-431

	CHARLES F. FISHBACK, one of the representative attorneys of the Seattle bar,
was born in Warren county, Indiana, July 9, 1856. His parents, General William
H. and Sarah T. Fishback, were natives respectively of the Stales of Indiana and
Ohio. The Fishback ancestry were from Holland, and were among the earliest
immigrants who assisted in the foundation and settlement of Virginia. His
mother, Sarah T. Fishback, was a lineal descendant of Daniel Boone, the famous
pioneer of Kentucky. His father, General Fishback, was educated for the law, and
in the early years of his manhood located at Olathe, the seat of Johnson county,
Kansas; this was in 1859. During time war of time Rebellion he took a
conspicuous part on the side of time Union; was appointed Colonel of a regiment
ofí Kansas volunteers, which time resigned to accept an appointment as Brigadier
General of the State militia, and in the later years of the war was on the staff
of Major General Curtis. General Fishback was a conspicuous figure in the civil
and political history of Kansas, representing his county in both branches of the
State Legislature, and being from time to time prominently mentioned in
connection with the highest offices of the State.
	The subject of this sketch, Charles F. Fishback, received his early
education partly in the public schools and academies of Olathe and partly at the
State University of Kansas. He graduated at the Poole College at Olathe, and in
1880 graduated in the law department of Washington University, familiarly known
as the "St. Louis Law School," having taken the two years' course at law in a
single year, and having passed both examinations with honor, and receiving the
degree of LL. D. On motion of Henry Hitchcock, then dean of the faculty, Mr.
Fishback was at once admitted to the bar in St. Louis, but commenced practice at
Leadville, Colorado, where he was attracted by the great silver-mining
excitement. He gained his first reputation as an eloquent advocate in the
defense of Charles E. Bakewell, charged with time murder of two policemen who
were attempting his arrest. These trials were conspicuous in the early history
of Leadville, and gave Mr. Fishback such a reputation as enabled him to
immediately enter upon a large and lucrative practice, although only twenty-four
years of age.
	After various experiences in the flush time of Colorado, Mr. Fishback
removed to California in 1887, and located at Lakeport, in Lake county, where he
stood at the head of the local bar, and in April, 1890, concluding that the
opportunities were too limited for his ambition, decided to remove and locate
either at San Francisco or Seattle. His first visit to Puget Sound settled the
question of his future location, and he soon after removed to the Queen City,
and established his permanent home. Soon after his arrival he was appointed
Assistant District Attorney, under Colonel E.M. Carr, for the district then
composed of King, Kitsap, and Snohomish counties. He soon obtained the entire
confidence of his superior in office, and virtually had complete charge of time
duties of the office until the end of the official term.
	Mr. Fishback afterward formed a partnership in the general practice of law,
with Thomas B. Hardin, and the firm was afterward strengthened by an alliance
with John H. Elder. The firm of Fishback, Elder & Hardin enjoys the confidence
of the business community in a large degree, and as the gentleman composing it
are men of liberal education and broad experience, the future of the firm is apt
to become conspicuous throughout the Northwest.
	Mr. Fishback is already a prominent figure in the politics of Washington,
having been a member of every State convention of the Republican party since the
organization of the State. During the campaign of 1892 he was associated with
United States Senator John B. Allen in making a canvass of the leading cities of
the State, and is known as one of its most eloquent and able orators.
	In 1889 Mr. Fishback was married in Napa, California, to Miss Anna E. Derry,
a most amiable and accomplished lady. Mrs. Fishback has taken a leading part in
educational and philanthropic work in Seattle, and is prominently connected with
the Bureau of Associated Charities of that city, as well as in all the social
and intellectual advancement of the State.

Submitted to the WA. Bios Project in October 2003 by Jeffrey L. Elmer

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Notice: These biographies were transcribed for the Washington Biographies
Project. Unless otherwise stated, no further information is available on the
individual featured in the biographies.