Frederick Perry Fish
Encyclopedia
Frederick Perry Fish was an American
lawyer
and executive who served as president of American Telephone & Telegraph Corporation from 1901 to 1907. He was the founder of the law firm now known as Fish & Richardson
.
, Fish attended Harvard College
and Harvard Law School
. He was admitted to the bar in 1878. He worked at the law firm of Thomas L. Livermore and Senator Bainbridge Wadleigh
in Boston. During his lifetime, the law firm was successively named Wadleigh & Fish; Wadleigh, Fish & Wellman; Livermore & Fish; Livermore, Fish & Richardson; Fish, Richardson & Storrow; Fish, Richardson, Storrow & Herrick; Fish, Richardson & Herrick, Fish Richardson, Herrick & Neave, and finally Fish, Richardson & Neave. His specialty was patent law. He was involved in key patent litigation during development of the telephone
, the air brake, the steam turbine
, the automobile
, and the radio
, as well as other electric appliances.
During his tenure at AT&T, Fish oversaw completion of a unified network of telephone lines nationwide. He turned down the presidency of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and returned to law in 1907. That year, Fish first credited Thomas Edison
with suggesting "hello
" as a more efficient telephone greeting than "Are you there?" or "Are you ready to talk?" Alexander Graham Bell
had proposed "ahoy
." He served as Vice-President of the Bar Association of the City of Boston from 1909 to 1920, and President of the Massachusetts State Bar Association for the year 1919-1920. He served on the Corporation of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Governing Board of Radcliffe College
. He was also an Overseer of Harvard College, a trustee of the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, and Chairman of the Massachusetts State Board of Education.
Fish died at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and executive who served as president of American Telephone & Telegraph Corporation from 1901 to 1907. He was the founder of the law firm now known as Fish & Richardson
Fish & Richardson
Fish & Richardson P.C. is a national law firm practicing intellectual property law.Fish is the 109th largest firm in the United States. Fish has over 350 attorneys, of which 96 percent are dedicated to intellectual property law. Fish is one of the most sought-after firms for both patent...
.
Life and career
Born in Taunton, MassachusettsTaunton, Massachusetts
Taunton is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the seat of Bristol County and the hub of the Greater Taunton Area. The city is located south of Boston, east of Providence, north of Fall River and west of Plymouth. The City of Taunton is situated on the Taunton River...
, Fish attended Harvard College
Harvard College
Harvard College, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is one of two schools within Harvard University granting undergraduate degrees...
and Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
. He was admitted to the bar in 1878. He worked at the law firm of Thomas L. Livermore and Senator Bainbridge Wadleigh
Bainbridge Wadleigh
Bainbridge Wadleigh was a United States Senator from New Hampshire. Born in Bradford, he attended the common schools and Kimball Union Academy . He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1850 and commenced practice in Milford...
in Boston. During his lifetime, the law firm was successively named Wadleigh & Fish; Wadleigh, Fish & Wellman; Livermore & Fish; Livermore, Fish & Richardson; Fish, Richardson & Storrow; Fish, Richardson, Storrow & Herrick; Fish, Richardson & Herrick, Fish Richardson, Herrick & Neave, and finally Fish, Richardson & Neave. His specialty was patent law. He was involved in key patent litigation during development of the telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
, the air brake, the steam turbine
Steam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
, the automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
, and the radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
, as well as other electric appliances.
During his tenure at AT&T, Fish oversaw completion of a unified network of telephone lines nationwide. He turned down the presidency of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
and returned to law in 1907. That year, Fish first credited Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
with suggesting "hello
Hello
Hello is a salutation or greeting in the English language. It is attested in writing as early as the 1830s.-First use:Hello, with that spelling, was used in publications as early as 1833. These include an 1833 American book called The Sketches and Eccentricities of Col...
" as a more efficient telephone greeting than "Are you there?" or "Are you ready to talk?" Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell was an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone....
had proposed "ahoy
Ahoy
Ahoy or Ahoj may refer to:* Ahoy! * Ahoy * Ahoy Rotterdam, an indoor sports arena in Rotterdam, Netherlands* Australian Humanist of the Year, an award* Ahoj, an area in Nové Mesto, Bratislava...
." He served as Vice-President of the Bar Association of the City of Boston from 1909 to 1920, and President of the Massachusetts State Bar Association for the year 1919-1920. He served on the Corporation of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Governing Board of Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College
Radcliffe College was a women's liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was the coordinate college for Harvard University. It was also one of the Seven Sisters colleges. Radcliffe College conferred joint Harvard-Radcliffe diplomas beginning in 1963 and a formal merger agreement with...
. He was also an Overseer of Harvard College, a trustee of the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, and Chairman of the Massachusetts State Board of Education.
Fish died at his home in Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline, Massachusetts
Brookline is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States, which borders on the cities of Boston and Newton. As of the 2010 census, the population of the town was 58,732.-Etymology:...
.