Frederick Samuel "Fred" Fish (8 February 1852 – 13 August 1936), born in

Newark Newark most commonly refers to: * Newark, New Jersey, city in the United States * Newark Liberty International Airport, New Jersey; a major air hub in the New York metropolitan area Newark may also refer to: Places Canada * Niagara-on-the ...

, was an American lawyer, politician and automotive manufacturing executive. Originally a successful corporation lawyer, he entered the

Studebaker Studebaker was an American wagon and automobile manufacturer based in South Bend, Indiana, with a building at 1600 Broadway, Times Square, Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Founded in 1852 and incorporated in 1868 as the Studebaker Brothers M ...

corporation through marriage and became the corporation's president in 1909 and chairman of the board from 1915 to 1935. He is credited with introducing the manufacture of Studebaker cars, first

electric Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by ...

, then gasoline-powered.

Early life

His parents were the Rev. Henry Clay and Clarissa (Jones) Fish. He attended

Newark Academy Newark Academy is a coeducational private day school located in Livingston, in Essex County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in sixth through twelfth grades. The school has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Col ...

and entered the

University of Rochester The University of Rochester (U of R, UR, or U of Rochester) is a private research university in Rochester, New York. The university grants undergraduate and graduate degrees, including doctoral and professional degrees. The University of Roc ...

, graduating with a

B.A. Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four years ...

degree in 1873. He then studied law, was admitted to the New Jersey Bar in 1876, and practised in Newark and in New York City from 1876 to 1890.

Political career

He was city attorney of Newark (1880–1884), a member of the

New Jersey General Assembly The New Jersey General Assembly is the lower house of the New Jersey Legislature. Since the election of 1967 (1968 Session), the Assembly has consisted of 80 members. Two members are elected from each of New Jersey's 40 legislative districts for ...

(1884–85) and a member of the

New Jersey Senate The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. There are 40 legislative districts, representing districts with an average population of 232, ...

from Essex County (1885–1887), serving as president of that body during his last term.

Career with Studebaker Corporation

In 1891, Fred Fish married Grace, the daughter of

John Studebaker John Mohler Studebaker (10 October 1833 – 16 March 1917) was the Pennsylvania Dutch co-founder and later executive of what would become the Studebaker Corporation automobile company. He was the third son of the founding Studebaker family, and pl ...

and entered the Studebakers' wagon-making firm as a director and general counsel. In 1897, he became chairman of the executive committee. However, he was more than a lawyer—he was an aviation enthusiast, even before the Wright brothers flew at Kitty Hawk. In 1895, he was talking about his ideas for a practical horseless carriage and, in 1897, the firm had an engineer working on a motor vehicle. He can therefore be identified as the first person to initiate production of motor vehicles at the world's largest maker of wagons and carriages at the end of the nineteenth century. In 1919, his son Frederick Studebaker Fish was listed as a Studebaker director in the company history written by president

Albert Russel Erskine Albert Russel Erskine (January 24, 1871 – July 1, 1933) was an American businessman. Born in Huntsville, Alabama, he worked in a number of manufacturing industries before joining the Studebaker motor car manufacturing firm in 1911. He served as ...

.Erskine A
''History of the Studebaker Corporation''
South Bend 1918, page 7. (Free download from Google Books)

References

*Erskine A
''History of the Studebaker Corporation''
South Bend 1918 (free PDF download at Google Books) *Longstreet, Stephen ''A Century on Wheels: The Story of Studebaker, A History, 1852–1952'', Henry Holt and Co, N.Y. (1952)

Footnotes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fish, Frederick Samuel American automotive pioneers Newark Academy alumni New Jersey lawyers Politicians from Newark, New Jersey Republican Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly Republican Party New Jersey state senators Presidents of the New Jersey Senate 1852 births 1936 deaths