By Lester Warren Fish
EARLY FISH FAMILIES IN ENGLAND 81
Children:
501 Mary5 Brayton, b.Jan 1, 1676
502 Thomas Brayton, b.June 14, 1681
503 Francis Brayton, b.Mar 17, 1684
504 David Brayton, b.Oct 22, 1686
505 Mehitabl Brayton, b.Jan 12,1693
506 Benjamin Brayton, b.Sep 8,1695
97 ALICE4 (FISH) KNOWLES (Thomas3, Alice2, John1) dau. of
(72) Thomas and Mary (Soule?) Fish, was b. at Portsmouth,
R.I., about 1655; d. there in 1734, age about 79; about 1674 m.
William Knowles, son of Henry Knowles. He was b. in 1645; d.
1727, age 82.
Children:
507 Henry5 Knowles, b. Sept. 29, 1675
508 William Knowles
509 Daniel Knowles
510 Robert Knowles, b.1681; m. Ann Hull, Apr 27, 1721
511 John Knowles
512 Alice Knowles
513 Rose Knowles
514 Martha Knowles
515 Mary Knowles,m. Eber Chose
516 Margaret Knowles
98 JOHN4 FISH (Thomas3, Alice2, John1) son of (72) Thomas
and Mary (Soule?) Fish, was b. at Portsmouth,R.I., about
1657, d. in 1742, at about 85, at Dartmouth, Mass., where
he passed the greater part of his life. (This was one year before
the discovery of the Rocky Mountains.) He m. Joanna ________, who
d.1744. On Feb. 8, 1693, probaby the year he removed to Dart-
mouth, he deeded to his brother Daniel, for 50 pounds, land willed him
by his father. His inventory was 721 pounds 1 shilling 1 d. consisting of
bonds 541 pounds 1s. 7d, books, pewter, two cows, a swine, four bowls,
a spinning wheel, etc.
Children:
+ 517 Ebenezer5
+ 518 John, b.Jan 14, 1707-08
519 Mary, m. William Potter
520 Abigail, m. John Case
521 Mehitable, m. William Cornell
522 Joanna, m. John Fisher
523 Hope, m. James Philips
524 Susanna, m. Benjamin Boyce
525 Elizabeth, m. Seth Huddleston
526 Sarah, m. Anthony Arnold
527 Alice, m. ______ Philips
528 Patience, m. _______ Rathbone
82 THE FISH FAMILY
517 EBENEZER5 FISH (John4, Thomas3, Alice2, John1) son of
(98) John and Joanna Fish, m. Hannah _________; m.(2) in his
later years, Sarah Grinnell of Little Compton, R.I. He d. in
Tiverton, R.I., in Aug. 1774.
Children (born Dartmouth, Mass., all by his first wife):
539 Josiah6, b.Oct. 3, 1726; d.Jan. 20, 1731
540 Daniel, b. Dec. 8, 1727; m. Judith Sisson.
541 Robert, b. Jan. 22, 1730; m. Mary Russell, and had: (541 1/2)
Russel7.
542 Lydia, b. Apr. 22, 1732; m. ______ Sawdey.
543 Benjamin,m. Phoebe Kinght.
544 Sarah, m. Job King.
545 Ruth, m. Obadiah Dennis.
546 John, m. Freelove Carr.
518 JOHN5 FISH (John4, Thomas3, Alice2, John1), farmer, son of
(98) John and Joanna Fish, was b. at Dartmouth, Mass., Jan.
14, 1707/08; m. Remember Youin, Jan. 29, 1729.
Children:
547 Thomas6, b.June 12, 1732.
548 Seth, b.Mar. 15, 1734.
549 Eliphaz, b.Nov. 9, 1735; d. at Malta, NY Jan 13, 1805; m.
Joanna ______. Children: (550) John7, of Malta, who had (557)
Lewis8, and (558) Sarah; (551) Joanna; (552) Sarah; (553) Lydia;
(554) Cloe; (555) Eliphaz; and (556) George Washington.
99 DANIEL4 FISH (Thomas3, Alice2, John1), merchant, son of
(72) Thomas and Mary (Soule) Fish, was b. at Portsmouth
R.I. about 1662; d. Sept 16, 1723, at Portsmouth; m. May 1,
1682, at Portsmouth, Abigail Mumford, who d. in 1717, dau. of
Thomas and Sarah (Sherman) Mumford. He was prominent in
the business life of Portsmouth.
Children:
559 Comfort5, b.Feb.9, 1682-83; m. _______ Broadway.
560 Mary, m. Stephen Austin, Apr. 25, 1729.
561 Thomas, b.July 3, 1685; d. prior to Sept. 26, 1712; m. Sarah Dennis,
dau. of Robert and Sarah (Howland) Dennis, b.Oct. 31, 1679,
a descendant of the MAyflower Howlands.
562 Ruth, b.Nov. 2, 1687; m. Joseph Thomas.
563 Daniel, b. July 11, 1690.
564 Sarah, b. Jan 29, 1693-94; m. Daniel WIlbur.
+ 565 Jeremiah, b. Sept 15, 1698; m. Mary Sherman
566 Abigail, m. Joseph Fox
565 JEREMIAH5 FISH (Daniel4, Thomas3, Alice2, John1), was b.
Sept. 15, 1698, son of (99) Daniel and Abigail (Mumford) Fish;
EARLY FISH FAMILIES IN ENGLAND 83
m. May 27, 1719, Mary Sherman, dau. of Philip and Mary
(Anthony) Sherman, who was b. Dec. 4, 1701.
Children:
567 Abigail6, b.Apr. 10, 1720 at Portsmouth, RI, m. William Eldred
568 Daniel, b. June 6, 1722 at No. Kingston, RI
569 Samuel, b. June 6, 1722, at No. Kingston
570 Jeremiah, b. July 4, 1724 at So. Kingston; m. Alice Platt
571 Thomas, b.Sept 14, 1726 at So. Kingston
572 Patience, b.Jan 28, 1728 at So. Kingston
573 Mary, b. Aug 30, 1730 at So Kingston; m. John Wilson
574 Isabel, b.Feb 2, 1732 at So. Kingston; m. Job Little.
THE ROBERT4 FISH LINE
100 LIEUT. ROBERT4 FISH (Thomas3, Alice2, John1), blacksmith,
youngest son of (72) Thomas and Mary (Soule?) Fish, was b.
at Portsmouth, R.I., about 1665 (the year in which Sir Isaac
Newton formulated the Law of Gravitation). He early became
prominent in the affairs of the Colony, and held many govt.
offices. He was a blacksmith by trade, first in line of four
blacksmiths in those days being considered of great importance
as they had a monopoly on a trade of great necessity in early
days, and in colonial days the business if getting a blacksmith
to take up his residence in a town was as serious a matter as
calling in a minister or a Doctor of Medicine today. In 1674 the
town of Wretham, Mass., voted "To give 2 acres of upland
for the incouragement of such a man as may be approved of the
calling of blacksmith."
On Sept. 16, 1686, at Portsmouth, he was m. by George Lawton,
Justice of the Peace, to Mary Hall, dau. of Zuriel and Elizabeth
(Tripp) Hall. She d. June 8, 1735.
(NOTE: In the "Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island" is found the
genealogy of the Fish, Hall, Tripp and Pain families, Elizabeth (Tripp) Hall,
wife of Zuriel Hall, was dau. of John Tripp and Mary Pain, who was descended
from Anthony Pain, a man of prominence in the early days of Portsmouth.
Elizabeth Tripp was no doubt a sister of Joseph Tripp, who m. Robert's
older sister Mehitable, and another sister, Isabel Tripp, m. Samson Sherman
whose grandson, Samson Sherman, m. Ruth6, dau. of David5.
In April 1681 he was appointed constable.
On April 9, 1686 (one year after the birth of Johann Sebastian
Bach), Robert was made a freeman of Portsmouth. This indicates
that he had become a member of the church, of the Quaker
Church no doubt or perhaps the Baptist (no mention has been
made in the history of the establishment of the Baptist Church upon
the Island).
84 THE FISH FAMILY
"Ear marks of the cattle of Robert Fish is a crop on the right ear and a half
peney above the same and a flower deluce on the left ear. Entered and re-
corded the tenth day of the 7th month 1687, by me.
John Anthony
Town Clerke
On May 4, 1686, "It is voted that Robert and Daniel fish be
accepted freemen by the General Assembly at Newport."
At the "Towne Meetinge" held April 1st, 1691, he was chosen
Constable, "Town Meetinge held 17th June 1694 (the year of
the birth of Voltaire), Robert Fish is chosen juryman." He served
on the jury until 1699. He was again appointed juryman in 1707
(one year after the birth of Benjamin Franklin), and served until
1715.
25th Sept. 1695, At meetinge of free inhabitants of the town of Portsmouth,
it is voted and further agreed that there shall be A pound built near unto Robert
fishe's shop of two rod square to be built with good posts and a oak planck six
foot high and the town treasurer to take care for the building of said pound and
pay the charge of same of Town Treasure and to be built all Expedicion.
At a meeting held March 21, 1697, Robert Fish was chosen
pound keeper. On May 3, 1698, he was appointed from Portsmouth
as a Deputy to the Governor at the General Assembly
meeting at Newport. He was chosen pound keeper each year
from 1705 to 1709. His eldest son, Robert Fish, Junior, was appointed
to Coroners jury at the age of 22, on Dec 19, 1712, to
view the body of Richard Tripp who d. by drowning.
On Feb 27, 1790, alarge number of citizens met at the old
Robert Fish house to consider the new Constitution of the
United States of America and give instructions to delegates to
the State Convention to be held in South Kingston.
At the time of his death, which occurred in Portsmouth in
1730, he was a Lieutenant in the Colonial Militia. (It was only
six years before his death that the first permanent settlement was
made in Vermont, at Fort Dummer.)
His coat-of-arms may be found in "Tercentenary of New England
Families."
His will dated Dec 12, 1728, was proved in 1730, his sons Daniel
and David being named Executors.
WILL OF ROBERT4 FISH
To son Robert, 5s. To son William, land in Tiverton, R.I. [which reamined
in the Fish family until 1930].
To daughter Mary Dexter, 10 pounds.
To daughter Alice Peck, 30 pounds, andirons and Negro woman Rose at death
of parents.
EARLY FISH FAMILIES IN ENGLAND 85
To wife Mary, use of south end of house garen, half of orchard while a
wido, and keep of cow, horse, swine, geese, fowls, etc. with supply of firewood
yearly, also beef, pork and indian corn (viz: one hundred lbs. each of beef
and ten bushels of corn yearly). To her as a free gift a horse, cow, and house-
hold stuff.
To son Daniel, Negro boy Jo.
To son David, Negro boy Tony together with all the rest of my smith-
working tools, watchouse, orchard, etc. and at death of their mother they to
have full paying legacies.
To son Jonathan, land in portsmouth. He directs that his burial place be
fenced about and cared for and used 'for my dear relatives.'
The will of the widow Mary was dated April 28, 1735 and proved June 11,
1735. The sons Daniel5 and David5 were named Executors of this will also.
To Son Robert, great bible, case of bottles and one half of the old pewter
plates with a little table.
To daughter Mary Dexter a dozen Pewter plates, great looking glass half
wearing apprael etc.
To son William, a cow, silver cup, red chest, etc.
To Jonathan, a mare, brown chest, great chair, biggest tankard.
To daughter Alice Peck, bed chest, pewter platters, spice morter, little
trundle bed, half wearing apparel, etc.
To son Daniel great chest commonly called "Fathers Chest," silver spoon,
great cupboard and desk that was my father's, silver spoon "with my name at
large thereon," Woolen wheel, etc.
To granddaughter Mary, daughter of son William pair of iron dogs, frying
pans, box iron and heater, etc.
To two daughters the rest of the estate equally except Negro womans bed
and bedding.
Inventory 160 pounds, 3 shillings.
Two children, Zuriel and Isaac, not mentioned in will of either
father or mother, had probably died early.
Children:
+ 575 Robert5, b.May 17, 1690; m. Anne Palmer, Mar 27, 1718; m.(2)
Apr 6, 1727, Alice Wilson
576 Mary, b.Mar 1, 1692-93; m. Thomas Dexter, Apr 28, 1710
+ 577 William, b. June 7, 1695; d. 1764; m. Mary Bennett, June 14, 1716;
m. (2) Mary Shrieve, Mar 15, 1737/38
578 Zuriel, b. July 10, 1697; d. before 1728
579 Isaac, b. Dec 25, 1699; d. before 1728
580 Alice, b. July 3, 1702; d. after 1756; m. Nathaniel Peck, Jan 14, 1725
+ 581 Jonathan, b. Oct 27, 1704; m. Michael Rhodes, May 26, 1726
+ 582 Daniel, b. May 17, 1707; d. 1786, age 79; m. Mary Tallman
+ 583 David, b. Mar 10, 1709/10; d. Apr 1, 1781, age 71; m. Jemima Tallman
575 ROBERT5 FISH (Robert4, Thomas3, Alice2, John1), eldest
son of (100) Robert and Mary (Hall) Fish, was b. in Portsmouth,
R.I., May 17, 1690. On Mar 27, 1718, at Portsmouth, he m.
Anne Palmer. On Apr 6, 1727, he was m. (2) to Alice Wilson,
by Thomas Spencer, Justice.