Family Tree Maker's Genealogy Site: Genealogy Report: Descendants of James FISHER

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Descendants of James FISHER

Generation No. 1

1. JAMES¹ FISHER (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958.) was born 08 Feb 1753 in Edinburgh, Scotland (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958.), and died 30 Jan 1841 in Redford, Wayne, Michigan (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958.). He married LEAH DODS (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958. Name given by Jim Fisher in earlier phone call.) 13 May 1779 in prob. Edinburgh, Scotland (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958. Location may have been in or near Providence, Rhode Island.). She was born 26 Jan 1753 in prob. Edinburgh, Scotland (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958.), and died 10 Mar 1813 in Cobourg, Northumberland, Ontario, Canada (Source: Brenda Cochrane, citing Ontario land and tax records from 1804 on. Max Fisher has "probably" Niagara Co., New York.).

Notes for JAMES FISHER:
Wayne Co. MI probate packet #1063 [1841] for the estate of James Fisher, all references cross-referenced to packet #1064 [1841] for the estate of (son) James F. Fisher:
Estate of James Fisher, Redford (residence or place of death), will dated 30 Jan 1837,
Fisher, Henry, executor of estate, of Canada
Fisher, Elizabeth, daughter
Fisher, James Jr., son [this may be erroneous reference]
Fisher, James F., son, deceased
Fisher, Mary, daughter
Fisher, Sarah, daughter
Apparently the two estates were probated at the same time, after James F. had died 3 Oct 1841.

New Registry Office in Scotland shows these possibilities:
James Fisher born to James Fisher and Jean Bruce 2 Dec 1753 in Perth parish. 387/4, no frame number.
James Fisher born to Robert Fisher and Christian Buchanan 23 Jan 1754 in Falkirk parish. 479/4, FR1132.

Summarized from Our Story (1945) by Max M. Fisher, g-grandson of James Fisher.
James, b. Edinburgh, Scotland, learned weaver's trade at Paisley, near Glasgow. Site of marriage to Leah is not known, may be Scotland or US. Emigrated to Montreal, Quebec (prob. ca 1775 or after), then to MA (Dartmouth, near New Bedford). [NOT TRUE - see below]. Max cites the 1790 census. He also acknowledges family records from grandsons Samuel and Charles indicate near Providence RI. [This date of immigration suggests the marriage was in US; how did Leah get there? Citation for 1790 census is NOT THIS JAMES FISHER - see below.]
James "was short (about 5' tall) and heavy set." Continental Army called on him, saw his size, and said he was more useful as a weaver. He became citizen at adoption of Constitution. [This event seems to have happened early enough to put his marriage in the US. He would have been 26 in 1779.]
He and his family moved to NY ca. 1790-93, to the Mohawk Valley, either Montgomery Co or near Utica, then in Herkimer Co. Mohawk Valley wasn't settled until after the Revolution. Max says that son John was probably born near Steuben, Onieda Co., NY. They "evidently moved north and west from the Steuben Tract to the territory around Fort Niagara sometime between 1795 and 1810, first going north to Ft. Oswego, and thence following an Indian Trail westward ..." He believes the family moved further west, near Niagara Falls. [In the John Fisher bio, he gives this date as ca. 1815 after the end of the War of 1812.] He cites fact that dau. Sarah married John Smith and much of her family centered around St. Catherines, Ontario; she stayed there when the family moved to Cobourg, Ontario. [However, there is census evidence in New York; maybe they all went to St. Catherines.] The family moved to Cobourg ca. 1815. Later the John Smith family moved from St. Catherines to Detroit. [See below re: locations in New York and Ontario.]
Son John met Elizabeth Liscum at Cobourg and married there. She had been born in Herkimer Co, NY. The Liscum family had moved there in 1817.
In 1837 the families of James Field Fisher and John Fisher moved to MI; this James probably stayed until 1840 in Canada.
His gravestone and that of James Field Fisher are in the front row (west side) of Redford Cemetery.
---
Max Fisher used information from "Uncle Samuel" and "Uncle Charles", the brothers of his father, and the 1790 census to conclude that this James Fisher went to Massachusetts (Dartmouth, near New Bedford, or perhaps to Providence, RI) after arriving in Montreal. There is a listing for James Fisher in Dartmouth, Bristol Co., MA, with two males 16 years of age and older, two males under sixteen, and two females, age not categorized. Max concluded that he was this James, but it cannot be correct. This James had two sons (James Field and Samuel) in 1790, both under 16. Who was the other male over 16? This James had a wife (Leah) and three daughters under 10 (Mary, Elizabeth, and Sarah) at the time. The census shows only two females in the household.
Moreover, the Vital Records of Dartmouth, MA, publ. by NEHGS in 1929, show a James Fisher who married Patience Huddlestone, both of Dartmouth, in 1758. They had nine children listed in the births section of the Vital Records: John (1/16/1759), Seth (11/23/1760), Hannah (8/2/1763), Elisabeth (11/9/1763), Lusannah (6/10/1771), Hezekiah (9/18/1773), Abigail (12/4/1775), Levy (9/16/1778), and David (3/23/1781). Note the discrepancy with the birth dates of Hannah and Elisabeth. James (m. Patience) is very likely the one in the census. In 1790, they would conceivably have had still at home Hezekiah (over 16) and James himself (the two over 16 males), Levy and David (the two under 16 males), and Patience and Abigail (the two females). The older children would have married and/or left home by then.
The conclusions: 1) Max erred in assuming that our James went to Dartmouth, MA, or into the New England states at all, based on a misunderstanding of the 1790 census. 2) The birthplaces (and perhaps the parents' marriage location) for our James and Leah Dods Fisher's children are not correct as Max has them. At this point we cannot conclude that the James Fishers were not in the United States between 1790 and 1804, but we cannot prove that they were, either. If they were, we cannot locate census records for either 1790 or 1800. 3) We now know that James obtained land in Cobourg, Ontario, in 1802, though they may have not moved there until 1804, making searches in later US censuses futile.
Census references: MA 1790, none other than James (m. Patience) above. VT 1790, James in Alburgh, Chittenden Co., two males 16+, two females, not a match. NY 1790, no James. RI 1790, no James.
VT 1800, James in Alburgh, Franklin Co., one male 26-45, two males under 10; one female 26-45, one 16-25, one 10-16, and two under 10. [Does not match] RI 1800, has Betsey Fisher, widow (p434-10), but no James or John. NY 1800, James in New York Co. (one male 26-45, one female 26-45, and two females under 10) and James in Westchester Co. (one male 26-45, one 16-25, one under 10, one female 26-45), no others.
A website on the Internet (6/10/98) for Hamilton Twp., Northumberland Co., Ont., at http://www.geocities.com/heartland/meadows/3807/ontgen/hamilton.html
has data extracted by Thelma Collens from the 1878 Illustrated Historical Atlas of Durham and Northumberland Counties of Ontario, published by H. Belden & Co., Toronto. List of settlers of the "second concession" include James Fisher and Alexander Fisher. Relationship between them not known, date not known, but believed to be in early 1800s. Also in the earliest settlers George Sr., George Jr., and Samuel Ash, who may have been related to Elizabeth Fisher's husband. The beginning page of the website for Northumberland County is:
http://www.geocities.com/heartland/meadows/3807/ontgen/ontindex.html

From Mary Fogler in various e-mails:
James Fisher went to Ontario in 1795. In 1802 he had Patent Lot 17, Concession 2 in Hamilton
Township, Canada. [Presumably Northumberland Co. ONT]

Brenda Cochrane has tax census records for Hamilton Twp., Northumberland Co. that put James Sr., Samuel, and Henry (1809) there in 1804, 1808, and 1809. Henry only appears in 1809 so assume he was then over 16.

Children of JAMES FISHER and LEAH DODS are:

JAMES FIELD² FISHER (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958.), b. 19 Apr 1780 (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958. Place in doubt; see notes for father James.); d. 03 Oct 1841, Redford, Wayne, Michigan (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958, shows 4 Oct 1841. Probate record index has 3 Oct 1841.).

Notes for JAMES FIELD FISHER:
1840 MI Wayne Redford (town) - living alone p304st
James F Fisher, age 60-69
Sister Sarah and husband John Smith on previous page.
Max Fisher's book states that he never married.

Have a land patent showing that he purchased 120 acres in Detroit, Michigan Territory, on 9 Oct 1835. Apparently the "seller" was the federal government.

Wayne Co. MI probate packet #1064 [1841] for the estate of James F. Fisher, all references cross-referenced to packet #1063 [1841] for the estate of (father) James Fisher:
Estate of James F. Fisher, d. 3 Oct 1841, will dated 19 Jan 1841, Redford (residence or place of death).
Fisher, Aron, nephew
Fisher, Betsey, sister
Fisher, Campbell S., heir of estate (a minor) [may be erroneous index card]
Fisher, Charles, nephew
Fisher, Elizabeth [art? not aunt? cannot read my own writing, should be mother?] [may be erroneous index card]
Fisher, Frankin [sic], nephew
Fisher, Henry, brother
Fisher, Henry S., minor heir [may be erroneous index card]
Fisher, Mary, sister
Fisher, Polly, sister
Fisher, Sally, sister
Fisher, Samuel, nephew
Fisher, Samuel, brother
Fisher, Samuel Ira, nephew
Fisher, Sarah, guardian of Fisher, Campbell S. and Henry S. [who are heirs - may be erroneous index card]

ii.

MARY FISHER (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958.), b. 30 Jun 1782 (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958. Place in doubt; see notes for father James.); d. 22 Jun 1859, Cobourg, Northumberland, Ontario, Canada (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958. Confirmed by Mary Fogler with day of month. Methodist Burial Ground, Haldimand Twp.); m. RICHARD HARE (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958. Given name from cemetery record through Mary Fogler.); b. 1777 (Source: By deduction from age at death.); d. 09 Feb 1863, Cobourg, Northumberland, Ontario, Canada (Source: Mary Fogler. Citing cemetery records. Methodist Burial Ground, Haldimand Twp.).

Notes for MARY FISHER:
From Mary Fogler: "Methodist Burial Ground" of Haldimand Twp.,
Northumberland Co. - Mary Hare d. June 22, 1859, 77 years, w/o Richard Hare
Esq., d. Feb. 9, 1863, 86 years, Con. 1, Lot 23, Grafton, Ontario.

Notes for RICHARD HARE:
From Charlie Hansen of Calgary, Alberta:
Methodist Burial Ground, Grafton:
Hare, Arra F. b. Jun.25,1819 d. Aug.11,1914 h/o Sarah ?
(?,Sarah d. Feb.12,1885 60 yrs w/o Arra F. Hare)
Hare,Catherine d. Feb.27,1895 83 yrs.
Hare,Cath. Amilia d.Sept.12,1861 38y.3m.14d. d/o John & Frederica ?
Hare, Elizabeth d. Mar.16,1891 86 yrs
Hare, John d. Jan.26,1865 71 yrs.10 mons.
Hare, John G. d. Mar.29,1881 64 yrs.
Hare, Mary d. Apr.30,1875 60 yrs.
Hare, Richard Esq. d. Feb.9,1863 86 yrs h/o Mary ?
(?,Mary d. June 22, 1859 77 yrs. w/o Richard Hare Esq.
Helm, Barbara d. Mar.19,1873 (78 yrs.) w/o Thomas Webster
Webster, Fred d. Nov.16,1879 (1yr.9 mons.) s/o T.N.& R.
Webster, Thomas d. Feb.9,1879 (92 yrs.) h/o Barbara Helm
(? Sarah Ann d. May 31,1856 (29 yrs.) w/o William Webster)

The last line is Sarah Ann Hare, b 17 March 1827.
My wife (Charlie Hansen's) is a descendant of Sarah and Wm. Webster.

iii.

ELIZABETH FISHER (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958.), b. 16 Dec 1784 (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958. Place in doubt; see notes for father James.); d. 08 Jun 1863, Cobourg, Northumberland, Ontario, Canada (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958.); m. UNKNOWN ASH (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958.); d. Unknown.

Notes for UNKNOWN ASH:
Might be Samuel Ash.

iv.

SARAH FISHER (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958.), b. 20 Feb 1786 (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958. Place in doubt; see notes for father James.); d. 18 Aug 1843, Redford, Wayne, Michigan (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958.); m. JOHN SMITH (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958.); b. 30 Apr 1788, Edinburgh, Scotland (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958.); d. 31 Jan 1844, Redford, Wayne, Michigan (Source: Max M. Fisher, "Our Story," Typewritten, 1945, with additions to 1958.).

More About SARAH FISHER:
Burial: Redford Cemetery, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan

Notes for JOHN SMITH:
1840 MI Wayne Redford (Twp) p303st
John Smith with 0-0-1-1-1-1-0-0-0-1-0-0-0--0-0-0-0-1-0-0-1-0-0-0-0-0
John is 60-69, Sarah is 50-59.
Sarah's brother James F. Fisher on next page.
Our Story birth citation indicates John would have been 52 and Mary 54.

More About JOHN SMITH:
Burial: Redford Cemetery, Detroit, Wayne, Michigan

2.	v.	SAMUEL FISHER, b. 20 Aug 1788; d. 06 Nov 1814, prob. Niagara Co., New York.
3.	vi.	HENRY FISHER, b. 16 Jan 1791, United States; d. Bet. 1872 - 1876, Hamilton Twp., Northumberland, Ontario, Canada.
4.	vii.	JOHN F. FISHER, b. 20 Nov 1793, Steuben, Oneida, New York; d. 16 Jan 1862, Redford, Wayne, Michigan.

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