Arthur G. Fisk

Who was Arthur G. Fisk?

Arthur G. Fisk, was a U.S. Republican politician and at age 35 was elected as Speaker of the California State Assembly. He also served as Postmaster of San Francisco during the 1906 earthquake, and U.S. Commissioner for Northern California in his later years. At age 65, he was sentenced to federal prison for embezzling bail bond money under his control.

Born in Baltimore, Maryland, Arthur Fisk was brought to Santa Barbara, California as an infant by his parents in 1869. His family soon thereafter moved to San Francisco, where Fisk grew up and attended public schools. Fisk graduated from Harvard Law School in 1894. He soon returned to San Francisco to work in the law firm of former Assembly Speaker Morris M. Estee.

In 1900, Fisk was elected to the State Assembly and served as Chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee in 1901. Since the legislature was part-time, Fisk also ran for District Attorney in San Francisco but narrowly lost. In 1903 he was elected as Speaker of the Assembly.

Soon thereafter, Fisk was appointed as Postmaster of San Francisco. It was in this position he suffered his first public controversy.