Henrietta Maria (Coles) Fishburn (1765 - 1854)

Born 13 Mar 1765 in Cheraw District on Pee Dee River, South Carolina

Ancestors

Wife of Philip Adam Fishburn — married 5 Aug 1782 in Frederick, Maryland, United

Descendants

Died 17 Feb 1854 at age 88 in Bedford, Bedford, Pennsylvania, United States

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Biography

Henrietta (Coles) Fishburn performed Patriotic Service in Pennsylvania in the American Revolution.

Henrietta Maria Coles was born on 13 March 1765 in Cheraw, Chesterfield County, South Carolina Colony, to parents William Temple Coles, Sr, who was 29, and Sarah Jolly (Coles) Wilson, who was 25. Henrietta married Philip Fishburn on 5 Aug 1782 in Frederick County, Maryland. They had eight children during their long marriage. Henrietta died on 17 February 1854 in Bedford, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, having lived a long life of 88 years, and was buried there.

Henrietta Maria Coles Fishburn

One of few women on D.A.R Honor Roll is ancestor of Mrs Van Sickle of Hastings.^[1]

Henrietta Maria Coles Fishburn, who served the cause of American independence as few women have the opportunity of serving is shown on the extreme left. Her descendants to sixth generation include her daughters,

• Barbara Fishburn Knowles Hood, second from the left, a real daughter of the revolution who is buried at Hastings Nebraska.
• Elizabeth Fishburn Daugherty, her daughter.
• Phillip Fishburn her son.
• Clara Knowles Woolf, daughter of Barbara Knowles hood and granddaughter of Mrs. Fishburn.
• Annie Woolf Van Sickle, third from the right is the great-granddaughter of Mrs. Fishburn and a resident of Hastings.
• Charlien Woolf, Great Great Granddaughter of Mrs Fishburn and Granddauther of Clarak Knowles Woolf, who resides in Chicago and
• Eugenia Armstrong, Extreme right, of Montreal Canada. Great Great Great granddaughter of Mrs Fishburn and youngest in sixth generation, a real daughter.

Revolutionary War

Henrietta Maria Coles Fishburn One of the Few women who served in the revolutionary war - Her job was to carry news of the British approach via horseback.

Henrietta Maria Coles Fishburn

Women of the Revolution

One of the war's outstanding roles Was played by Henrietta Maria Coles. Listen — daughters, and you shall hear of a courage worthy of Paul Revere Of a dangerous ride, which you will note is much like one of which Longfellow wrote.^[2]

In the lineage books of the Daughters of the American Revolution is the Roll of Honor—a list of Revolutionary soldiers and patriots from whom eligibility to membership is obtained because of service rendered to the cause of American independence. Few women have been accorded the honor of being placed upon this roll. But among them is Henrietta Coles who assisted in establishing American independence in the capacity of a bearer of important information to a Patriot Camp.

Henrietta was the daughter of William Temple Coles, a native of Ireland. Across the water, his family genealogy was an ancient and noted one. He was educated for holy orders in the church of England, but determined to see the wonders of the new world he landed at Hanover, Virginia in 1755 and finally made his way to South Carolina where he settled at Cheraw District. There he met and married an American, Sarah Jolly. To them, two children were born William Temple Coles, Jr. and Henrietta Maria Coles.

Colonial Affairs

The family moved to Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina where the father took an important part in the colonial affairs of the district. the pre-revolutionary days were filled with apprehension and resentment towards the mother country. as conditions became worse, military companies were organized and William Temple Coles became an officer. these military organizations were intended for service in emergencies but were called into action in Jully 1776. COLES service was short as he died before 1777.

Shirtless but not Hopeless

After two years his widow remarried and moved to Virginia taking Henrietta with her. The son remained in North Carolina and became a Captian of infantry. In common with other soldiers, he often was in sad need of clothing. At one time this patriot found himself without a change of garments. He went to the home of a friend who proposed that the shirt be washed while the owner remained in bed. The suggestion was accepted but the progress of the plan was interrupted by the sudden and unexpected appearance of a band of enemy troops. William fled Shirtless to the woods while the enemy calmly took possession of the precious garment. A Patriot might be shoeless, hatless and shirtless but he is never hopeless. As though to make amends for such a shabby trick, Lady Luck soon evened the score. The Portmanteau of a British officer fell into his hands and he secured a supply of these indispensable garments of which he was in such need.

On a Perilous Mission

At the time when she performed the deed which raised her above the level of her contemporaries Henrietta lived with the family of her brother One day, knowledge of the approach of British troops upon a camp of patriots serving under General Marion, a few miles away, was obtained. Henrietta then a girl of fifteen was the only one to carry a warning without arousing suspicion. Mounting her house as though for her daily ride. she started on her perilous mission. Anxiety for her brother who was stationed with the troops added to her patriotism and courage to her daring. As she drew near the camp, a stream swollen by recent rains prevented her approach. She called loudly. A picket of the camp who proved to be former neighbor recognized her voice. he swam the stream and learned the information which she brought. Marion and his men were saved, but what about the messenger? She could not go forward, neither could she go backward; for the enemy was advancing along that road. A detour must be made. The picket was familiar with surrounding country and directed her so that she might reach home without meeting the British. It was a harrowing experience for a young girl to ride alone on a strange and lonely bridle path through the darkness of night. Her way led through a swamp. The dangers which she knew existed were terrifying. The unknown dangers were scarcely less so. The moon set, The Intense darkness made progress more and more difficult. Beasts of prey prowled about the region and added to the dangers of the road. The fire of patriotism sustained her through the long ride and the harrowing experience she reached home in safety. her warning brought about the complete route of the British Troops and her brother was safe.

Note: Nobody has ever been able to verify a relationship with Dolly Madison or her Mother Mary Coles in this Coles Family this but it was in the article.

An Interesting side note concerning Henrietta Maria Coles is apparent. The Mother of Dolly Madison, the Famous and popular white house hostess was Mary Coles. A close kinship of these two coles families is evident as well as a kinship of outstanding deeds for the spirit that prompted Henrietta to brave the dangers of her memorable ride was akin to that of the plucky wife of the president who also hurled defiance at the invading British when they sacked and burned Washington during the war of 1812,

Husband Soldier

Our heroine was married to Philip Fishburn of York, Pennsylvania. he too was a soldier in the Revolution. serving as a recruiting officer and paymaster of the Revolutionary troops in that section of the country. because of services both husband and wife in the war. the Children of this family had the most extraordinary heritage.

Grave Marked

D.A.R accords special honor to the daughters of a Revolutionary Soldier and is she is knowns as a Real Daughter of the American Revolution. During her lifetime she received a pension of $25 per month from the National Society after Death. A bronze marker placed with fitting ceremony memorializes her grave Barbara Fishburn Knowles Hood (daughter of Philip and Henrietta Fishburn) was awarded this distinction. she died at the advanced age of ninety-one years in Hastings, Nebraska.^[3]

Mrs McNulta, a Descendant

Henrietta Scott McNulta, member of Stephen Decatur chapter, a past regent of the society, and its efficient treasurer for many years is a namesake of Henrietta Maria Coles and a lineal descendant of this remarkably Patriotic Family.^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ The Lincoln Sunday Star - Sunday, March 31, 1929
2. ↑ US Newspaper Archives Illinois Decatur Daily Review April 12, 1931, page 18, By Mrs. L. N. Lindsey
3. ↑ #FindAGrave
4. ↑ #DAR

• U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970
• North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000
• Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed Dec 26, 2017), "Record of Henrietta Colrs", Ancestor # A024369.
• Ancestry.com Maria Coles</span>
• A Woman of the Century: Fourteen Hundred-seventy Biographical Sketches, published ?, author ?, Link, Google Books
• "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHYD-MM6 : 8 September 2017), Henrietta Fishburn, Bedford Township, Bedford, Pennsylvania, United States; citing p. 233, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 445; FHL microfilm 20,538.
• "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M44N-ZSQ : 12 April 2016), Hennetta M Fishburn in household of Wm T Daugherty, Bedford borough, Bedford, Pennsylvania, United States; citing family 15, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 19 August 2019), memorial page for Henrietta Maria Coles Fishburn (13 Mar 1765–17 Feb 1854), Find A Grave Memorial no. 17913516, citing Bedford Cemetery, Bedford, Bedford County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by Kat (contributor 19409629) .
• William Temple Coles Family: From Ireland to North Carolina and Beyond. Compiled by William H. Coles, Jr, Ronald Peyton Coles, and Paul M. Crocker. Nashville, Tennessee: Fields Publishing, 2010. ISBN: 978-1-57843-067-3 https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/idurl/1/445289