By Lester Warren Fish
THE FISH FAMILY IN AMERICA 391
1777, d. at Athol, Nov. 15, 1833), dau. of Stephen and Hannah
(Baxter) Johnson.
Children (all born Athol):
2946 Moses9, b. Aug. 18, 1799; m. Anna Young, at Athol, and had: (2950)
Harriet Young, b. Mar. 28, 1827, m. Henry B. Underhill at Athol,
Feb. 18, 1847; and (2951) Maria Ann, b. Oct. 3, 1828.
2947 Lucy, b. Nov. 12, 1802; d. Aug. 29, 1803, at 9 months.
2948 Lucy, who m. Amos L. Cheney, Oct. 31, 1843.
2949 Henry K., b. May 15, 1805; d. Sept. 11, 1846 at Athol; m. June
16, 1835, at Athol, his cousin, Sally9 Fish. Children (2952) Ezra
W.10, b.Sept. 20, 1836; and (2953) Samuel, b. Nov. 27, 1840.
COL. JOSIAH FISH AND DESCENDANTS<
2916 COL. JOSIAH7 FISH (John6, John5, Stephen4), patriot, son
of (2905) John and Deborah (Sheffield) (Ward) Fish, was b. at
Mendon, Mass., Feb. 11, 1755; d. at Rochester, N.Y., May 10,1811.
He m. three times, first, at Upton, Mass., Aug. 24, 1774, Elizabeth
Hazelton, dau. of Col. John Hazelton of Townshend, Vt., a Vermont
patriot. Her mother was Jane (Wood) Hazelton. Elizabeth was b. Aug. 9,
1755; d. at Rochester, Mar. 1798. They settled at Townshend, where
he was active in the formation of the State of Vermont from the
New Hampshire Grants.
According to the "Hemenway Gazeteer," he was in the Battle of
Bennington. Capt. Josiah Fish and Capt. Samuel Fletcher were first
to represent the eastern part of the New Hampshire Grants at the
Convention that met at Cephas Kent's at Dorset, Vt., on July 24, 1776,
to hear Heman Allen's report on a meeting of the Continental Convention
which was to help the delegates decide whether or not they should
unite and organize themselves into an independent state, as they
were advised to do by the convention. There were forty-six delegates
present.
In Jan. 1874 he commanded fifty-three militiamen of Townshend,
assembled at Battleboro to crush the Yorkers. He served as Lieutenant
in Capt. William Hutchin's Company, Major Ebenezar's Detachment, in
the service of the State of Vermont, Aug. 2 - Nov. 30, 1780, and in
1781 he served as Captain in Col. Samuel Fletcher's Battalion, and
at several different periods 'assisted the Sheriff" as a Captain of
Militia.
In 1795 Josiah purchased of one Charles Williamson, a farm at the
mouth of Black Creek on the Genesee River, near what is now Rochester, N.Y.,
but instead of a farm , this was all wild land. A town was formed
there in Ontario County, and called Northampton and Josiah Fish was
chosen first Supervisor.
The county seat was Canandaigua. In 1804, Josiah moved to a
392 THE FISH FAMILY
farm on Black Creek, and four years later he purchased one
on the ridge road ten miles west of the river.
In a letter written Nov. 24, 1850, Libbeus Fish, his son, wrote:
At the age of thirteen, I accompained my father on horseback from Townshend, Vt.,
to a new home in the wilderness on the Genessee River in Ontario County, N.Y.
We crossed the Green Mountains at Manchester, the North River at Stillwater
--my father pointing out to me Burgoyne's headquarters, the points
occupied by the different armies and the place of his surrender. I
think father must have been at the surrender. We struck the Mohawk
at the Lime Kilns, followed up the north bank and crossed at Whitestown.
We arrived at the Genessee River at a place called Canawagus, where the
village of Avon now stands. We cut some poles and branches of trees
with which to build a lodge and encamped on the farm. We borrowed two
yoke of oxen and a plow and broke up four or five acres of clear land
and planted it with Indian corn. In November we harvested the corn and
returned to Vermount for the rest of the family, consisting of his wife, two
daughters, and three sons. We arrived back on the farm in sleighs
in February. Father had previously put up a log house and got some Indians
to cover it with bark. It had neither floor, door, window or chimney.
We lived in this hut until the following November, when we left it
and went to the falls where he took charge of the mill. we then moved
to a new settlement four miles below the mill, called Kings Landing,
where my mother d. in 1798, at 43.
In 1799, father m. Zeruiah (Phelps) Holcomb, to whom a son, John,
was b., on Feb. 24, 1800, and who is living at Chicago. He d. on his
famr on the Black Creek, May 10, 1811, and was buried at Kings Landing.
I often heard him say that he was with the Continental troops on
Lake Champlain, and I remember seeing him have continental money in his
possession.
Zeriah Phelps was b. July 5, 1764, and d. at Kings Landing,
N.Y., Sept. 14, 1842.
Children:
2954 Hazelton8, b.Sept 26, 2775; d.1786
2955 Sullivan, b.Aug 31, 1777
+2956 Sophia, b.Feb 21, 1779; d.1808; m.Frederick Hosmer, in 1799
+2957 Libbeus, b.Nov 22,1781; d. June 28, 1859; m. Polly Holcolm;
m(2) Rebecca (Carter) Vaughn
+2958 Philoteta, b.Oct 3, 1783; d. Dec 25, 1869, age 86; m. Elisha
Giddings, Sep 11, 1803
+2959 Josiah, b.Nov 28, 1787; d. Sep 12, 1842; m. Mary Pierce
2960 Irmi, b.1789
+2961 Elijah Stanton, b.Feb 11, 1791; d.Feb 28, 1861; m. Fanny
Spencer
2962 Betsey, b.1793; d.1794, age 1 year.
By his second wife (all born Kings Landing):
+2963 John Phelps, b.Feb 24, 1800; d.Nov 2, 1862; m. Sarah King
2964 Delinda, b.Oct 11, 1802
2965 Leroy, b.Nov 14, 1804
2966 George W., b. June 6, 1807; m.Oct 28, 1846, Sarah Davison, and
had: (2966 1/2) Zeruiah Jane9.
2956 SOPHIA8 (FISH) HOSMER (Josiah7, John6, John5, Stephen4),
dau. of (2916) Josiah and Elizabeth (Hazelton) Fish, was b. Feb.
THE FISH FAMILY IN AMERICA 393
21, 1779; d. at Avon, N.Y., in 1808; m. at Rochester, N.Y., in
1799, Frederick Hosmer, who was b. at Farmington, Conn., Oct. 31, 1772.
Children:
2967 Henry F.9 Hosmer, b.Apr. 13, 1800.
2968 Sarah F. Hosmer, b. Dec.14, 1802; d.Oct. 1806.
2969 Orrin F. Hosmer, b.Nov. 5, 1804; m. Prudence Churchill, June
10, 1846, and had: (2969a) Sophia F.10 b.Apr. 24, 1847; (2969b)
Eugenia Hosmer, b.1849; d.1852; and (2969c) Anna Hosmer, b.
Aug. 17, 1851.
2957 LIBBEUS8 FISH (Josiah7, John6, John5, Stephen4), son of
(2916) Col. Josiah and Elizabeth (Hazelton) Fish, was b. at
Townshend, Vt., Nov 22, 1781. In 1804 he went to Batavia,
N.Y., where he d. June 28, 1859. He m. Jan 1, 1805, Polly Holcomb,
dau. of Eli and Zeruiah (Phelps) Holcomb. She was b.
Dec 24, 1787, and d. May 16, 1829, and he m. (2) Feb 17, 1830,
Widow Rebecca (CArter) Vaughn. In 1839 he removed to Jackson,
Mich, where his wife d., Apr 26, 1872.
Children (all but one born Batavia):
2970 John9, b. Jan 10, 1806, Rochester, NY; d. Jackson, 1857; m.
June 1845, Caroline Laverty, and had:(all b. Jackson): (2971)
John Wesley10, (2972) Clara Elsie, (2973) Richard, (2974) Mary,
and (2975) Charles.
+2976 Eli Holcomb, b.Nov 20, 1807; d. Sept 4, 1879; m. Sally V. Ray; m.
(2) Mary Louise Dewey; m. (3) Elizabeth J. Rosecrans.
2977 Josiah Ward, b.Nov 23, 1809; d. Dec 9, 1893, age 84
2978 Minerva Lucretia, b.Oct 11, 1811; d. in infancy.
2979 Minerva Maria, b.Aug 6, 1814; d.Apr 14, 1841
+2980 Mary Angeline, b.Aug 4, 1816; d.Dec 24, 1894; m. Ira M. Randall
+2981 Charles, b.OCt 24, 1818; m. Sep 12, 1894, Mary Elizabeth Grimes
2982 Caroline, b.June 11, 1820; d. Jan 26, 1893
2983 Helen Jane, b.Oct 22, 1822; d. Aug 11, 1823, age 1 yr.
+2984 Lafayette Irving, b.Oct 7, 1824; m. Frances L. Webster
2985 Cornelia Harriet, b.Jan 15, 1829; d. Oct 7, 1860
2986 James Cullen, b.Dec 20, 1831; d. Feb 18, 1832
2987 Albert, b.Apr 28, 1833; d. Nov 26, 1864
2988 Julia Frances, b. Jan 3, 1835
2989 Emily, b.Aug 22, 1838; d.Aug 5, 1839, age 1 year.
2976 ELI HOLCOMB9 FISH (Libbeus87, John6, John5,
Stephen4), son of (2957) Libbeus and Polly (Holcomb) Fish, was
b.Nov 20, 1807, at Batavia,NY; d. at Batavia, Sep 4, 1879.
He m. first, May 17, 1830, Sally V. Ray, who d. Oct 2, 1841, and
h. m(2) Mary Louise Dewey of Byron,NY, who d. Feb
1844. He then m(3) May 22, 1845, Elizabeth Jane Rosecrans,
394 THE FISH FAMILY
who d. Elba,N.Y., June 1, 1898. She was the dau. of John and
Elizabeth (Whitaker) Rosecrans of Elba.
Eli H. Fish was a very successful business man of Batavia, an
influential citizen and held in high esteem by his associates. In
politcs he was a Whig, and later a staunch Republican. He was
a brewer in early life, and later, in company with Trumbell Carel,
carried on an extensive malt house. He was a director in the old
"Bank of Genesee," which was established in 1833, and about
1876 he became interested in the Wiard Plow co., and was made
a director.
Children:
2990 Henry10 Culver, b.1834
2991 Libbeus Ray, d.1836
2992 Helen, d. June 2, 1842
2993 Helen Elizabeth
By third wife:
+2994 Charles Edward, b.Feb 16, 1846; d.Apr 23, 1939, age 93; m.
Frances Helen Potter.
2995 Rosecrans, b.Mar 22, 1848; d.Sep 4, 1858
2996 Elizabeth, b.Jan 24, 1851; d.June 24, 1857
+2997 Louise Mary, b.Feb 8, 1854; d.Oct 6, 1940, age 86; m. Sylvester F. Strong
2994 CHARLES EDWARD10 FISH (Eli9, Libbeus87, John6,
John5, Stephen4), eldest son of (2976) Eli H. and Elizabeth (Rosecrans)
Fish, was b. at Batavia, NY, Feb 16, 1846; d. at Los
Angeles, CAlif., Apr 23, 1939, age 93; m. Nov 18, 1869, at Batavia,
N.Y., Frances HelenPotter. In 1888 hewent to California,
emp. by a packing house in Fresno, then at San Francisco, Bakersfield
and Redlands, where he was associated in real estate with
Frank Brown, who built the Big Bear Dam. In 1896 he went to
Los Angeles; emp. in the Citizens National Bank and trust Co.,
there until his retirement in 1929.
Children:
+2998 Florence Elizabeth10, b.Mar 29,1872; m. Harry H. Yerington
+2999 Eli Willis, b.July 1,1876; m.Selma Pearson
2998 FLORENCE ELIZABETH11 (FISH) YERINGTON, R.N.
(Charles10, Eli9, Libbeus87, John6, John5, Stephen4), only
dau. of (2994) Charles Edward and Frances Helen (Potter) Fish,
was b. at Batavia, N.Y., Mar 29, 1872, and went to California
with her parents in Feb 1888. Grad. from Los Angeles Co.
Hospital Nurses Training school in 1898; was largely instrumental
in the establishment of a State Board of Nursing in California,