Early Life and Stetson Education
Bert Fish, the son of Sarah and George Fish, was born October 8, 1875 in Bedford Indiana. Just five years later, his father took up citrus cultivation in central Florida. The family settled on a plot of seventy-nine acres in Spring Garden, an area near the northwest border of Volusia County. George's endeavor was short-lived, however. He died in 1895, leaving nineteen-year-old Bert to care for his mother and younger siblings.
Just a few weeks later, he graduated from the Academy at Stetson University in DeLand. During this time, he made a living as a school teacher, working at various Volusia County public schools including those of Spring Garden, DeLeon Springs, and DeLand. In the years following his graduation from Stetson, he served as the Principal of DeLand Public School and President of the Volusia County Teachers Association. He was also the Florida Senate reading clerk in 1897 and 1899.
At twenty-five, Fish successfully ran for his first public office, Superintendent of Volusia County Schools. Meanwhile, he attended Stetson's newly established law school and was among its first six graduates in 1902. Afterward, he opened his own law practice in downtown DeLand while maintaining close ties with Stetson University. He remained close to his alma mater throughout his career.
