John Fiske Part 1

American Philosopher and Historian

On the famous John Muir Trail, near Yosemite, California, are several mountains named after great thinkers; one of these mountains is named Mt. Fiske, after John Fiske. Fiske was a prolific writer, writing volumes about Early American history. He was also a renowned philosopher.

He was born on March 30, 1842 in Hartford, Connecticut. According to Pierce, his name was Edmund Fiske Green, the son of Edmund Brewster Green and Mary (Fiske) Bound. (Pierce is probably wrong in spelling in spelling his name as Fiske, evidence suggests his middle name and his mother's maiden name was Fisk, not Fiske.) His father was in the class of 1837 at Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut, and he later worked as an editor at a newspaper in Hartford. Later, he became the private secretary to Henry Clay. The father died in Panama when his son was 10 years old.

Mary (Fiske) Bound was to remarry, this time to the Honorable Edwin Wallace Stoughton, who was an attorney in New York, later appointed by President Hayes to the post of Minister to Russia

Although Pierce shows the son being named Edmund Fiske Green, it may well have been Edmund Fisk   Green with no   "e" on the Fisk.

His daughter, Ethel Fisk (without the "e"), compiled his letters in 1940, which were published by Macmillan Company under the title, The Letters of John Fiske. After changing in

his name, he signed his letters John Fisk, without the "e," but according to Pierce the Connecticut Legislature "he took the name of his maternal great‑grandfather,  but restored the final "e."

It is from this background that sprang one of the most precocious children that  ever lived. At age 11, writing to his mother from boarding school, he writes the following letter to her, dated October 13, 1853. "Dear Mother, This letter will be all about my studies here at Mr. Brewster's School. We had an examination Thursday; I was examined in Greenleaf's Arithmetic; Perkin's and Loomis's Algebra; through 4 books of Euclid; through Hedge's Logic; through 4 books Caesar; 8 books Virgil, 4 Orat. Cicero and Graeca Majora; through the Latin and Greek grammars; and last, but not least dreaded, through Green syntax. Mr. Brewster said I passed an admirable examination."

"I am reading Sallust which is so easy that I have read 48 chapters without looking in the dictionary. I have studied it this morning and I have got 7 credits making 54 in all. I guess I shall finish him in three weeks and then I shall take Livy. I am reading now about Jugurtha, King of Numidia, and his wars with the Romans: Sallust was governor of Numidia 40 years after, and so had excellent opportunities for knowing about it by the traditions of the people and by the records. From your affectionate son, Edibus F. Greenibus." (Perhaps he decided to sign a playful "Roman" variation to his name for this letter.) Although it isn't known exactly what prompted Edmund Fisk Green to change his name to John Fisk, then to John Fiske, evidence suggests that his grandmother had a hand in the name change. This is reflected in s letter he wrote to his mother on April 26, 1855, when he was 13. "Dear Mother, Monday Grandma Lewis came up to my room. I was looking at the vessels on the river through the big "telescopeo" and asked me if I wouldn't like to take my great-grandfather's name, John Fisk. I assented and Mr. Lewis went up the street but I suppose he told you about it in his letter. By and by when I went down stairs, Grandma Fisk gave me a large black trunk with J. Fisk, Middletown, Conn. on it. Won't that be nice.

"Grandma says she will put $100 in the bank for me because I took the name. You must excuse my writing because I'm `ecstatic.' Your aff'nate son, John Fisk." In 1855, according to Pierce, the Connecticut Legislature granted a name change that included the restoration of the "e" to Fisk, making it Fiske.

Grandma Lewis apparently spent as much time as possible with the young John Fiske. In another letter from Middletown to his mother, dated August 12, 1861, he, writes "Dear Mother. On my return from New York I found grandma Lewis at the window watching for me. She had a nice little supper spread on the table, and sat with me while I partook of it.

"I have finished Herbert Spencer's `Principles of Psychology' which is the most profound work I ever read. Have had an `intellectual drunk' over it."

In 1861, John Fiske met Abby Morgan Brooks who was to become. his wife. On September 20, 1861, he wrote a letter to his mother from Cambridge. "Dear Mother: I proceed to relate the sequel, of my Quixotic adventure and will so far anticipate the conclusion as to say that I' m in good spirits... When I went over to the Brooks I found Abby in the parlour; she was very cordial. She ­made the tea for supper and it was like nectar for that reason, as a rule I don't like tea. Everything tasted good in the real old grandma Lewis style. I had a glorious evening except that I couldn't get a chance to see Abby alone. She was so enchanting that I worshipped her. Most of the day Tuesday I spent bowling. And I called on Abby and did see her alone. I told her I had a request to make she became very serious and looked on the carpet. I asked if she would correspond with me, at the same time acknowledging that I felt a strong and peculiar interest in her. She smiled sweetly and said, `I would be most happy to and would readily consent were it not that my obligations to others a present prevent my doing so. O'ye Gods! did that mean she was already engaged? My head began to swim and my cheeks grew hot and red. But she went on to say thus, `Do not misunderstand me: I do not wish you to think that I have a. special interest elsewhere.' She added that she was very much gratified to think that from one brief interview I had taken sufficient interest in her to make such a request and that she could never forget me..."

To be continued in the next issue ....