History of Alexander Noble
Alexander Noble (1829 – 1905) was one of Fish Creek’s founding fathers who moved from his native Scotland to Chambers Island in 1856. He built the first sawmill and turned the island into a busy lumber camp. In 1862 he moved to Fish Creek to raise his family and became at various times blacksmith, postmaster, farmer, town chairman and county board member.
To be the village blacksmith was of no small importance in a life style dependent on horses and buggies and hand-forged tools for building houses and keeping sawmills and fishing boats in operation. Noble probably made his own tools and nails to erect his ten room home on the prominent corner on Fish Creek’s Main Street; the land grant signed by Abraham Lincoln. He also filed on 300 acres of land east of the village, raising peas and other crops and kept horses and cows.
Alexander Noble raised seven children; three with his wife, Emily Vaughn Noble, and after her death in 1873, four with Maria Campbell Noble who lived some 30 years after Alexander’s death. He was active in the Democratic Party and his deep interest in education led to a gift to the town of property for a grade school built where the Community Center now stands.
All homes constructed before his were log homes. The Noble house was the first to be made of lathe and plaster. Completed in 1875, his dwelling is the oldest remaining residence in the village.
