Mr. Albert Fishell was born in Blowitz, Bohemia, on June 13, 1844. Young Fishell was educated in the Pilsen "Real Schule," the Academy of Commerce in Prague, and also attended a series of lectures at the St. Charles University in that city. At the age of eighteen (in 1862), he began his business life as an employee in the manufacturing department of a large banking and manufacturing establishment, L. Florcheimer and Sons. He remained there three years and became manager of the manufacturing department. In 1865 he became manager of the oil works of Mr. A. Hartman, in the mining city of Kuttenberg, Bohemia. A year later he determined to seek his fortune in the New World, and moved to the United States, where he soon accumulated enough money to go into business.

With a Mr. Lath, under the name of Fishell and Lath, he opened a general store in Pittsfield, Ill. In 1870 he withdrew from the mercantile business, and joining with Judge Atkinson and others, he organized the Bank of Pike County, of which he was elected cashier. He held that office from June 1870, when the bank opened, until December, 1883, when it was compelled to make an assignment.

The sterling integrity of Mr. Fishell was then shown. He was the only stockholder in the bank who came forward to meet its obligations. He turned over all his property to the assignee with the instructions that every depositor should be paid dollar for dollar, and this was done at the sacrifice of many thousands of dollars. While a resident of Pittsfield, Mr. Fishell was the founder and president of the public library, a member and president of the board of education for seven years, and also served at different times as county commissioner, county treasurer, and treasurer of the school board.

Mr. Fishell then came to Chicago as manager of the western department of the United States Credit System Company, comprising eight Western States. Under his management it grew to large proportions and after several years he sold his interests, to enter the real estate business, associating with other capitalists. Three years ago he was recommended by the Chicago banks as a candidate for United States sub-treasurer. He has been a member of the Sinai Congregation since 1890, and has been a member of the executive board for six years, serving on the school committee and on the committee that rebuilt the Temple. Mr. Fishell was recently elected president of Sinai Congregation.