Cprl. Jacob FISHER, The Elder

Male 1739 - 1827  (88 years)


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  • Name Jacob FISHER 
    Prefix Cprl. 
    Suffix The Elder 
    Born 11 May 1739  Hanover Twp., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • 26 Mar 1771. Son Michael says his father is a native of German.
    Gender Male 
    Died 11 May 1827  Vaughan Twp., York Co., Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Lot 26, Con 1 West Side of Yonge St.
    Person ID I1661  John Willson, Piscataway, NJ and Ontario Family Tree
    Last Modified 6 Feb 2018 

    Father John Herman FISHER
              b. 7 Jan 1704, Somerset Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. 7 Sep 1799, Vaughan Twp., York Co., Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 95 years) 
    Family ID F1178  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Anna Maria MARY SCHIEDECKER
              b. 20 Jun 1745, Chester County, Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. 20 Jun 1827, Vaughan Twp., York Co., Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 82 years) 
    Married 1766  Somerset Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Children 
     1. John FISHER
              b. Nov 1769, Somerset Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. 14 Sep 1799, Pickering Twp., Durham Co., Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 29 years)
     2. Jacob FISHER, The Younger
              b. 26 Mar 1771, Somerset Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. 19 Aug 1856, Vaughan Twp., York Co., Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 85 years)
     3. Peter FISHER
              b. 17 Jun 1773, Somerset Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. 1784, Somerset Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 10 years)
     4. Elizabeth FISHER, .1
              b. 31 Mar 1775, Somerset Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. 31 Mar 1854, Willowdale (Toronto), York Twp., Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 79 years)
     5. Eve FISHER
              b. 27 Jun 1777, Somerset Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. 21 Feb 1859, Maple, Vaughan Twp., York Co., Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 81 years)
     6. Anna Maria CATHERINE FISHER
              b. 22 Nov 1781, Somerset Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. 13 Jul 1852, Lansing, North York Twp., Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 70 years)
     7. Rachel FISHER
              b. 16 Sep 1783, Somerset Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. Aug 1853, Vaughan Twp., York Co., Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 69 years)
     8. John Michael FISHER
              b. 4 May 1786, Somerset Co., Pennsylvania Find all individuals with events at this location
              d. 20 Nov 1844, Vaughan Twp., York Co., Ontario Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 58 years)
    Last Modified 3 Aug 2017 
    Family ID F1176  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Notes 
    • Jacob is the son of Anna Margaret Mack, 9.12. 1707 Schriesheim, Mannheim, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany & Johann Hermanus HERMAN Fisher, 7.1. 1704 Freinsheim, Bad Durkheim, Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany & died 7.8.1760 E Greenville, Montgomery Co. Pennsylvania.

      UPPER CANADA
      . UCLPetition 70, F Bundle 2,1797, C1893 p890
      To Peter Russel, In Council
      Petition of Jacob, John & Valentine Fisher & Jacob Cummer. Petitioners have resided in this Province since last Oct, & are desirous of becoming settlers, have keen the oath, Please grant them land. [The four above named, signed is an X mark], Niagara 7 Feb, 1797.]

      . UCLPetition 70b, To Peter Russel, Petition of Jacob Fisher,
      Your petitioner served his Majesty under Gen. Colonel Bouquet as a non-commissioned officer in America during the whole of the old French War - in which he was so much wounded as to be totally unfit for service & settled at a place called the Glades in Pennsylvania*, where he remained the whole oft he American War. In the month of May last [1796] your Petitioner came into the Province & brought wife 8 children, with their families, making in the whole 22 persons. His Excellency Lt. Gov Simcoe has been pleased to direct a location for him & his sons who may be of age & shall come in of 200 Acres each. His son are John & Jacob & sons-in-law, Jacob Commer & Nicholas Cover, have been located in in land each. His sons John & Jacob & his sons-in-law, have been located in that quantity of land each: Your petitioner therefore prays pleased to grant him an additional 200 acres.
      Signed & sealed, Jacob Fisher, Newark, 6 Feb 1797. [ i.e. Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario- PJA].
      Granted Jacob Fisher, 400 Acres, Jacob Fisher Jr. 200A; John Fisher 200 A, Nicholas Cummer, 200 A. Individual Oaths of Allegiance for Jacob Jr., John & Valentine Fisher & Jacob Cummer signed, Joseph Edwards, Esq., J.P.
      Envelope: Read & ordered 7 Feb 1797: Land confirmed for sons & sons-in-law & an additional 200 A for petitioner. Entered Land Book B, page 220. P.R.
      Jacob Fisher 400A, Jacob Fisher Jun, 200A, John Fisher 200A, Nichols Cummer, 200 A*
      Note1: Error here, names were combined Nicholas Cover & Jacob Cummer. - PJA
      Note2: Glades, Somerset-York Co., Penn. is near Berlin, Penn. Many Germany Amish, Mennonite & Trunkers settle here.

      . UCLPetition 23, F Misc Bundle 1789-1839, C2022, p893
      To Peter Russell, In Council, Petition of Jacob Fisher
      That your Petitioner served 11 years & 10 months in the capacity of a corporal in the old French War, assisted in the execution of this Province & received his discharge in the year 1764 - has had a grant of 400 Acres, & made a considerable improvement, but as yet has received no family lands. Prays your Honor would be pleased to order him such grant as is allowed a person of his description & such further quantity to his family as your Honor in your wisdom may see meet.
      Signed, York, January 9, 1798, Jacob Fisher.
      Envelope: Read. 9 Jan, 1798.

      . UCLP 55, F Bundle 4, 1798, Vaughan, C1894, p443.
      To Peter Russel, In Council
      Petition of Jacob Fisher, Sent. of VaughanTwp.
      Your petition came into this Province in 1795, bringing in with him his sons & sons-in-law with their families & his own, amounting to 22 persons.
      That your Petitioner served as a Corporal in the 1st. Battalion of the 30 Regiment in the French War of 1755 to 1764. That in 1763 the Indians took part of the Company your Petition belonged to xx with it the company books. A treaty by your petitioner lost his or upwards of 2 years - which he never received.
      Your petitioner has received 400 acres of land in this Province, yet as his family is large, he humbly hopes your honor would be pleased to grant him with such additional grant under the New Regulations as to your Honor may seem met .
      Signed, Jacob Fisher.
      Envelope: Jacob Fisher Senior, Received 20 Nov. 1798. In consideration of the long services & large family of the Petitioner for 400 Acres in addition. P. R. [Peter Russell], Confirmed, John Simcoe.

      . UCLP 46, F Bundle 5, 1799 Vaughan, C1894, p905. [water stained]
      To Lt. Gov. Peter Hunter, In Council
      Petition of Jacob Fisher, Senr., & Elisha Dexter, Twp. Vaughan & Catherine Fisher,
      Petitioner Elisha Dexter & John Fisher on 21 March last convented & agreed to exchange Land that the said John Fisher, deceased, on the or about the 17 September last past, intestate & that the above named Jacob Fisher, his Father & Catherine Fisher, his widow, are duly approved Administrators of the effects of the deceased. Elisha Dexter is ready to give Aligae Feike,? of the 400 acres to thereon of the deceased - but the Patent not having issued for the Land to be given him in enlarge by the said John Fisher (tho the description has some time since performed the Survey or financials official? on it for Lot 27 on the west side of Yonge Street in the Twp. of Vaughan, on which there is 26 acres cleared & where as the petitioner Elisha Dexter resides with his family.
      Your Petitioner therefore humbly prays your excellency that a Patent may issued to the said Elisha Dexter, for the Lot 27, in the 1st concession of Vaughan Twp. he paying the accustomed fees for such indulgence & your Petitioner as duly count shall ever pray.
      York 10 October, 1799, Signed, Jacob Fisher, Administer of Estate of the late John Fisher, &
      Catherine HERXMARK Fisher, widow of John Fisher & Admin., Elisha Dexter
      Wit: T. Ridout.
      . Envelope: Memorial of John Fisher Sr, Elisha Dexter & Catherine Fisher,
      Received 14 Oct, 1799. The Deed of Exchange must be produced.
      1800 Feb 1st - The agreement produced. When Dexter has conveyed the Lands in Scarborough to Jacob, the son & heir of Fisher.
      I produce & discharge from the admin. to himself for the xx that which the prayer of the Petitioner will be issued.
      Approved, P Hunter, Lt. Gov., Entered folio 461, W 12 Oct 1803.

      . Founded the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Sherwood.

      . I Jacob Fisher, The Elder of Vaughan Twp., York County, Home District, Upper Canada, Administrator of John Fisher, deceased, to acknowledge I have received as Administrator aforesaid, from Elisha Dexter of Vaughan, aforesaid, yeoman, all & every such sum of many as were due & owing by the said Elisha Dexter - to the said John Fisher, also 12 bushels of wheat, in full value demands for the said Elisha Dexter & I do hereby also acknowledge that the said Elisha Dexter hath made a full & absolute convergence in fee simple of 400 Acres of land in Scarborough Twp. unto Jacob Fisher Junior, son & heir of the said John Fisher, deceased, in lieu of Lot #27 on the west side of Yonge Street, originally owned by the said John Fisher.
      In witness whereof I have herewith set my hand at York this 18 August, 1803. Jacob Fisher, Witness T. Ridout.
      Envelope: Receipts. Received 13 Sept. 1803. J. Small.

      YORK UPPER CANADA, MINUTES OF TOWN MEETINGS 1793,-1823, C MOSSER:
      . 1797 Jul 17, Inhabitants of Yonge Street: Jacob Fisher Sr. - 3 Males 3 Females.

      . 1756 Dec 26 - To Col. Bouquet. !st Foot, Royal Americans. Sir. By visiting the Quarters of the men belonging to the first Battalion of the Royal American Regt. with the Mayor, Sheriff & other Magistrates, I found that 94 men laid on straw & that 73 had nothing to lay on & not a sufficient quantity of covering. The houses on which they are quarter'd not being capable of containing near the number billeted on them; nor conveniences for them. The rest have good beds, & accommodations. No quarters fit for Officers, nor any provided for the recruits daily coming in. Signed, Ourry, Philadelphia.

      . 1759 Jul 31 & Sept - Battle of Plains of Abraham, !st Battalion of Royal Americans.
      . 1761 Jul 27 - To Col. Bouquet, Fort Presque'Isle (Lake Erie),
      Tuesday last I sent Corporal Fisher with a Lance-Corporal & 14 men in 2 bateaux to Niagara, not doubting but provisions are now ready for them: besides you mention the clothing. I ought here to take notice that by the reduction Fisher can be no more Corporal, being the youngest of the 4, but I really should not know how to do without him, having so few non-commission officers here, & having commands & guards. If that is sufficient, I shall with great pleasure pay the additional pay to him out of my pocket, he is a good man &, besides, serves at present out of affection to me, his time being out. Signed, Capt. Cochrane.
      . 1761 To Col. Bouquet, The day before yesterday between 10 & 11 at night Corporal Fisher came here with the clothing: 20 barrils flour & 10 of Pork...." & "P.S: in my last letter being in a greater hurry than I ought to have been when writing to you, I am affraid I made a mistake as to Fisher my youngest of 4 Corporals, I have read over your letter wherein you mention the reduction & understand it that he is Corporal on Soldier's pay. Signed. Capt. Gavin Cochrane
      . 1761 Aug 11 - To Col. Bouquet. I take the opportunity to let you know that 2 days ago I sent Corp'l Fisher with 2 battoes to Niagara for provisions. Capt. Cochrane.
      . 1761 Sep 27 - Corporal Fisher has been gone 3 weeks for provisions, & the fitness of the weather makes us surprised he is not returned... Lt. Jenkins is just arrived in his way to Detroit, they have not as yet been able to furnish my Corporal with provisions at Niagara. Capt. Cochrane.

      . FORT LE BOEUF, French Creek, (Ohio River) Waterford, northwest Pennsylvania. 7 YEAR (Pontiac) INDIAN WARS:
      1763 Jun 3 - A rider was sent to warn of attacks, including, on a LeBoeuf, Venango, Ft. Ligonier, Ft. Augusta on the Susquehanna & Presque Isle on Lake Erie & Fort Pitt. Upon receiving the message, Fort LeBoeuf would be the last to fall. Ensign Geo Price & 13 troops at Fort LeBoeuf, shored up the fort's defenses. Then all they could do was nervously await their fate.
      Ref: Archives of Canada.

      . The available defences of Fort LeBoeuf consisted, at the time, of a single ill-constructed blockhouse, occupied by the Ensign, with 2 corporals & 11 privates. They had only about 20 rounds of ammunition each; & the powder, moreover, was in a damaged condition. At 9 or 10 'o'clock, on the morning of the 18 June, a soldier told Ensign Price that he saw Indians approaching from the direction of Presqu'Isle.
      Ref: Conspiracy of Pontiac & the Indian war after the conquest of Canada.
      Note: It should be recalled that Fort LeBoeuf would not then have been aware of the fate of the other fallen forts. The fort was 90 feet swore long stockage with 4 bastions. - PJA

      . 1763 June 18, 9 A.M. - The morning 5 Seneca appeared in the clearing before the fort. Corporal Jacob Fisher when out to talk with them. They waked to council with Price. The ensign allowed them to approach he gate after they left there muskets stacked; their knives & tomahawks remained in their belts. While his troops manned the ramps, Price met them at the open gate. The Seneca claimed that they were on the warpath against the Cherokee & demanded munitions. When Price refused they then asked to spend the right outside the fort. He agreed. A Seneca ran off into the woods. He soon emerged followed by around 30 other warriors. Alarmed, Price & Fisher jumped back not the Fort & slammed the gate but behind them. The Seneca crowded around the palisade & demanded a kettle. Price resisted. The Indians scattered beyond musket shot. Some broke into a storehouse 100 feet from the fort & began knocking out loopholes. Despite these belligerent actions Price ordered his men to desist firing. He still hoped that bloodshed could be avoid through firmness.

      They then went to a neighboring storehouse pulled out some of the foundations sones & got into the cellar; whence, by knocking away 1 or 2 planks immediately about the sill of the building, they could fire on the garrison in perfect safety being below the range of shot form the loop holes of the blockhouse, which was not 10 yards distant. Here they remained some hours making their preparations, while the garrison waited in suspense, cooped up in their wooden citadel. Towards evening they opened fire & shot such a number of burning arrows agains the side & roof of the blockhouse, that 3 several times it was in flames, but the men worked desperately each time the fire was extinguished. A fourth time the alarm was given: & now the men on the roof came down in despair crying out they could not extinguish it & calling on their officer for God's sake to let them leave the building or they should all be burnt. The only hope was to try to break through the Indian lines & escape into the dark woods. Price behaved with great spirit. "We must fight as long as we can & then die together" was his answer to the entries of his disheartened men. [Ref:Evidence of Corporal Fisher & supported by all the rest of the men examined.]

      It was time, for they were suffocating in their burning prision. Price ordered 5 troops to keeping firing while the rest, one by one, squeezed out through a small window they cut out at the blockhouse's back & reached the woods. Finally the troops inside followed, Prince led his troops toward Fort Venango.
      They stumbled through the forest all night. 6 troops somehow got separated in t e darkness, thick woods & hills. At dawn the remains 12 men discovered they had circled the woods around Fort LeBoeuf. Only change had prevented them from running into the Indians in the dark. Daylight revealed the way south. Late that night they reached Ft Venango's butchered bodies & charred remnants. Their terror & exhaustion can only be imagined. They now tried to make Fort Pitt, 80 miles down an dangerous Indian trail. Price lead 7 men to Fort Pitt, six fell out along the way.
      Note2: Corporal John Fisher was one of the 6 men to reach Fort Pitt on Sunday, 26 Jun 1763!

      . 1763 Sep 12 - Col Henry Bouquet ordered a Court of Inquiry at Fort Pitt regarding the loss of Fort Le Boeuf: Disposition of Corporal Fisher:
      Presqu' Isle was but 15 miles distant [at Lake Erie]; but, from the direction in which his assailants, the Senecas, had come, Ensign Geo. Price rightly judged that it had been captured, & therefore resolved to make his way, if possible, [southward] to Venango, & reinforce Lt. Gordon, who commanded there. Their only provisions were 3 biscuits to a man. All the men bear witness to the resolution of their officer. One of them declared that it was with the utmost difficulty that they could persuade him to leave the blockhouse with them.
      Ref: Archives of Canada

      . The Glades: In early 1760's a number of Pennsylvania Germans, Dunkards, settled in the vicinity of Berlin, Somerset County. they called the vicinity Brothers Vally. Later their English speaking neighbors called it Stony Creek Glades. They practiced the faith of the Brethren Church [Mennonites & Amish in southern Somerset Co.].
      Ref: Western Pennsylvania Historian Magazine, Homer T Rosenberg. 10.1970.

      . The oldest settlement appears to have been made in the Glades near the centre of the Somerset county at the spent sit of Somerset town in Brother's Vally. As early as 1762 a party of settlers had located along the old Forbes road which had been opened up by Colonel Bouquet, on his expedition to Fort Pitt in 1758.

      Ref: Illustrated History of Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Wm H Egle, 1876.

      . Jacob served in the 1st Battalion of the 60th Regiment, as a Corporal, under Colonel Bouquet, in America, during the whole of the French & Indian War (1755-1763), also known as the Seven Year's War. The war from 1763 to 1765 was known as Pontiac's War. After serving for 7 years & 10 months, he received his discharge in 1764 as he was severely wounded & now deemed unfit for further service. After his military discharge, Jacob married c1766 as the Bible states his first child, Michael, was born in July 1767. His second child John was born in 1769, Jacob Jr. in 1771, Peter in 1773, & a daughter Elizabeth in 1775. There may have been two marriages according to parish records. Another child Eve was born in 1777, son Valentine in 1779, daughter Catherine in 1781, daughter Rachel in 1783, & last child Michael (my ancestor) in 1786, who was given the same name as the deceased first child.
      Jacob settled in Berlin, PA, his tract of land called "Fisher's Net", where he raised his family until their journey to York County, Upper Canada, in 1796. Their settlement in York County, Vaughan & York Townships, became known as Fisherville, which today is a part of Toronto, in the Dufferin / Bathhurst & Steeles area.
      Ref: A Legacy From The Past For the Future, Wesley W Fisher. - - -