Oscar was born on October 16, 1838 (although his Death Certificate incorrectly shows 1829) in Vandalia, Owen Co., Indiana. He was the son of Jacob Fisher, born in Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), and Rachael Harris, born in Ohio. Oscar was the oldest child in the family and had three siblings: one brother and two sisters. He also had several half siblings, as his mother had remarried after his father died prior to 1850. On the 1850 Census, Oscar and his full brother and two sisters were living with his mother and her new husband, Jacob Jessup, in Cambridge City, Wayne Co., Indiana. By the 1860 Census, Oscar was still in Cambridge City, but was living in the home of William Wood along with several other unrelated people. He listed his occupation as a miller.
Oscar mustered into the 8th Indiana Infantry on April 18, 1861, to serve for 3 months. After mustering out on August 6, 1861, he enlisted in the 3rd Indiana Light Artillery on September 21, 1861, as a private. He was with the section of the battery that was attached to Major Foster’s command and was in the fight at Lone Jack. There he was wounded and taken prisoner. For those reasons, Oscar was discharged on September 26, 1862, and went home.
On November 26, 1866, Oscar married Florence “Flora” Watson. She was born in 1845 in Ridgeway, Hardin Co., Ohio. On the 1870 Census, Oscar was living in Madison Co., Indiana with Flora. He listed his occupation as miller, and the value of his Personal Estate was $100. Their daughter, Jessie, was born on June 3, 1871, with their first son, Charles Albert, born on April 6, 1876. Their second son, Andrew Emmett, was born on January 17, 1879.
According to the 1880 Census, Oscar, Flora, Jessie, Charles, and Andrew were living in Ridgeway, Ohio. Oscar had a grist mill there. Flora died in 1882.
On October 24, 1886, Oscar married Margaret Pumphrey in Wayne Co., Indiana. She had been born in Indiana on May 29, 1853. The 1900 Census indicated they had no children from their marriage. Oscar was still a miller by trade, and they were renting the house where they lived on Front Street in Cambridge City. The census showed that Oscar and Margaret could read and write. On July 29, 1890, Oscar filed for a soldier’s pension.
The 1910 Census showed that Oscar and Margaret were still living in Cambridge City, Indiana, but they were renting a house on East Main Street. Oscar was by that time a retired miller. On October 6, 1913, Oscar died and is buried in Section 9 of the Riverside Cemetery. He has a government stone showing “3 Ind. L.A.” According to his obituary, Oscar was survived by his wife and two sons, and he was the oldest native-born resident of the city.
On October 9, 1913, Margaret filed for a Widow’s Pension. She lived in Cambridge City for several years and died on April 18, 1924, at the Indiana State Soldiers Home, having lived there for 18 days. Her body was sent back to Cambridge City and her obituary indicated she was buried in the Riverside Cemetery (probably next to Oscar).