Carl Russell Fish (October 17, 1876 - July 10, 1932) was a historian at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. On October 17, 1876, he was born in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to Fredrick E. and Louisiana N. Fish. He later said that he had aspired to be a professor since he was four years old. He graduated from Brown University in 1897 and went on to receive his Masters and Doctorate degrees at Harvard University in 1898 and 1900, respectively. Later same year, he was appointed Professor of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During World War I, he worked in a factory before traveling to England in the fall of 1917 to run the American University Club. He made acquaintances with Rudyard Kipling, John Masefield, John Singer Sargent, Lady Astor, and James Bryce while there. In 1919, after his return, he married Jeanne l'Hommedieu of Cincinnati, Ohio. They met when he was away.