Caledonia

FISK, Perrin Batchelder

Men of Vermont: Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters & Sons of 
Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro: Transcript Publishing Company, 1894, pp 138-139

Perrin Batchelder FISK, of Lyndon [Caledonia County, Vermont], was born 30 
July 1837 at Waitsfield [Washington County, Vermont], son of Deacon Lyman and 
Mary (SPOFFORD) FISK, and from the age of thirteen to twenty-one labored at 
his father's trade of coopering. Strongly determined to obtain an education, 
at his majority he entered Barre Academy [Washington County]. Having chosen 
the ministry as his profession, he took a course in Bangor Theological 
Seminary [Penobscot County], Maine, where he graduated in the class of 1863. 
In the early part of the war of the rebellion he served as delegate of the 
Christian Commission in the Army of the Potomac. The coffee wagon had been 
sent to the Christian Commission at City Point [Prince George County], 
Virginia, and not being appreciated by those in authority, it had been left 
to rust by the wayside. Mr. FISK, finding it, saw it was a good idea and got 
permission to try it. It proved a great success and is remembered with 
gratitude by many a veteran.

Leaving Dracut [Middlesex County, Massachusetts] in 1865, the subsequent 
pastorates of Mr. FISK were in Massachusetts, Vermont, and Minnesota, and for 
two years he acted as the field agent of Carleton College, of [Northfield, 
Rice County] Minnesota. Ill health in his family demanded removal to a 
warmer climate, therefore he served in the home missionary field in Illinois 
and Florida for about five years. Returning to Vermont, he supplied [the 
pulpit] at Morrisville [Lamoille County] and afterwards removed to Lyndon, 
where he now resides and has under his charge the parishes of Lyndon and St. 
Johnsbury Centre [both in Caledonia County]. On 25 August 1863 Mr. [Perrin 
Batchelder] FISK was united in marriage to Miss Harriet L. [BIGELOW], 
daughter of Charles E. and Luana (CARPENTER) BIGELOW. They [Perrin 
Batchelder and Harriet L. (BIGELOW) FISK] have four children: Flora F. (Mrs. 
G. L. ZIMMERMAN), George Shephard, Fidelia, and Grace Harriet. Mr. FISK was 
chaplain of the Vermont Senate in 1869 and 1870, and inaugurated the custom 
of daily legislative prayer meetings. He is a poet of more than local 
reputation and a few of his compositions have been published in the "Poets 
and Poetry of Vermont."

Submitted by Cathy Kubly