Ludwig Fisher (1706 - 1773)

Born 23 Dec 1706 in Hanover, Rhine River Valley, Germany

Husband of Anna Barbara (Blankenbaker) Fischer — married 1733 in Fairfax, Culpeper, Virginia, British Colonial America

Descendants

Died 5 Jul 1773 at age 66 in Culpeper County, Virginia, Colonial America

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Biography

Ludwig Fisher was born in Germany on 23 Dec 1706, according to a monument in the Fisher Family Cemetery in Boyle County, Kentucky.^[1] A place name, Hanover, Rhine River Valley, has been posted. A source is needed.

The “Fisher Genealogical History”^[2] claims he was the son of Hannß Sebastian (Fischer) Fisher (abt.1685-1745) but that appears to unlikely. See below.

He sailed to America [date unclear] and settled in Virginia along the Robinson River in what was Spotsylvania County in 1721, Orange County in 1734, Culpeper County in 1749, and Madison County in 1792.

He married there about 1734 [est.] Anna Barbara Blankenbaker, the daughter of Bathazar Blankenbaker who had arrived in Virginia in 1717. [The “Fisher Genealogical History”^[2] says they married in Lancaster Co. PA! This has to be wrong; it doesn’t fit.]

In 1739 as Ludwig Fisher, he is on the tithes list between Bals and Mathias Blankenbaker.

His farm adjoined his father-in-law’s. Their farms were located on the Robinson River a quarter of a mile above the mouth of White Oak Run and lay on both sides of the river, extending east to present Hebron Valley Road, Rte 603.^[3]

In 1754 the rent rolls show him with 360 acres.

In March of 1756 a Lewis Fisher is mentioned as a foot soldier in the Culpeper Militia.^[4]

He died on July 5, 1773, according to a monument in the Fisher Family Cemetery in Boyle County, Kentuky. ^[1] His will, drawn up on February 4, 1773, was proved in court five months later, on July 19. He left the plantation to wife Barbara then to son Barnett, and appointed his sons Adam and Stephen the executors.[See will below.]

Lewis Fisher was buried on his plantation a few miles from Criglersville, Madison Co., Va. No one of his descendants by the name of Fisher remained in Virginia, all his sons having removed to Kentucky after the close of the Revolutionary War. A daughter and her husband were at one time living on the old Lewis Fisher place, but nothing further is known of these Virginia descendants. The Garr Genealogy, by John C. Garr, published1894. PAGE 521^{[5] [6]}

Children

1. Stephen Albert FISHER b: 1736 in , , Va.
2. Adam FISHER b: 24 Jul 1739 in , Culpeper Va.
3. Mary Margaret FISHER b: ABT 1743 in , , Va,
4. Eve FISHER b: ABT 1746 in , Orange, Va
5. Barnett FISHER b: ABT 1752 in , , Va.
6. Elizabeth FISHER b: ABT 1752 in ,Culpeper,Va.

Lewis "Ludwig" Fisher's will

Lewis Fisher's will was proved July 19, 1773, and is given here in full :

"In the name of God, Amen. I, Lewis Fisher of Culpeper County, being in a low state of health, but sound and perfect memory, thanks be to Almighty God for it, and calling to mind the uncertainty of this-worldly affairs, have thought fit to make and ordain this my last will and testament, in manner and form following:

"I desire my body may be buried in such decent and Christian-like manner as my Executors shall think fit. and as to those worldly goods wherewith it hath pleased God to bless me. I will and bestow in manner and form following, viz. :

"I give and bequeath to my loving wife, Barbara Fisher, all my personal estate, to dispose of as she shall think proper. Likewise I lend to my loving wife the plantation and land whereon I now do live, during her life ; after her decease I give it to my son, Barnet Fisher. It is my will that Barnet Fisher and Adam Fisher shall pay my son Stephen Fisher twenty pounds, as the land I gave them was of more value than Stephen's. Barnet must pay fifteen pounds and Adam five pounds, which is the difference of their lands.

"Also my will is if my Germany estate should be recovered it should be equally divided among all my children. And I do hereby constitute and appoint my sons, Stephen Fisher and Adam Fisher, joint Executors of this my last will and testament, hereby revoking and disannulling all other will or wills, testament or testaments, before made by me. In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this fourth day of February, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Seventy-three."

Sealed and delivered in the presence of John Tompkins, Jacob Wilhoit, Mark Finks.

Research Notes

"We know from the Culpeper Co 1773 will of Lewis (Ludwig) Fisher that he had 3 sons, Adam, Steven and Barnet. These sons went to Ky where they received land grants. Barnet may have had a son John who may have married a Rebecca Fisher."

"One of his sons was Barnett Fisher who came to Danville, Ky and is buried on the farm once owned by his son in law, Randolph Mock who The argument has been made, and perhaps is true, that the first permanent settlement in Kentucky was made by Fishers and Thomas's of the Germanna community. The statement has been made that the first white girl born in Kentucky was a Fisher. The claim is made that the first white woman on the west side of the Alleghenies was Margaret Thomas Hupp. The common element of these Fishers and Thomas's is that they have a Blankenbaker ancestor who started the westward migration from Gresten, Austria, in 1652"

"I found an interesting note in the Garr Genealogy, evidently made by John Calhoun Garr, who completed the book in 1894, which his father John Wesley Garr, M. D., had "commenced" in 1884, according to the title page. On p. 521 beneath the listing of the family of "Lewis Fisher" and "Barbara Blankenbaker," the note reads: "This record is taken from an entry my father made in his book when he was in Virginia about 1849. Louis Fisher's farm joined the Gaar farms. He was buried on his farm on a beautiful hillside near a giant chestnut tree. The grave is plainly marked, and I saw it June, 1893, as it was indicated to me by Capt. A. Newton Finks, of Criglersville, Madison County, VA." Betty Johnson ^[7]

The 1890 search for Fisher estate in Germany and the creation of the Fisher Family Tree

My great-grandfather, Benjamin Gabriel Slaughter (1845-1915), left notes saying that on Thursday, February 6, 1890, 150 heirs of German immigrant, Ludwig Fisher, of Virginia met in Louisville, Kentucky, to form an organization, “The Fisher Heirs,” with the purpose of recovering the Fisher estate in Germany. He [BG Slaughter] opened the meeting. Col. James A. Fisher of Danville was made the permanent president. Each member was urged to contribute $5. They believed that there was an older brother, a Baron Bernard, and the father not hearing from Ludwig after he left for America, died, willing his entire estate to his eldest son. After many years had passed, Baron Bernard heard from Ludwig in America. When the Baron died, unmarried, he willed the entire estate to him. The Fisher Heirs were unsuccessful. They took in $1397 but spent $1544. They discontinued in 1891. During this time, however, Col. J. A. Fisher’s daughter, Mattie L. Fisher, serving as secretary, compiled a list of Fisher descendants and assembled the names in a beautiful 28 x 42 inch Family Tree. A photo of the tree is attached. It has a branch for each of his three sons. Harrell-3006

Detached Father - Sebastian Fisher

Known facts help support the view that Hannß Sebastian (Fischer) Fisher (abt.1685-1745) was not Ludwig’s father. Ludwig mentions in his 1773 will “... Also my will is if my Germany estate should be recovered it should be equally divided amongst all my children.” The wording implies that Ludwig came over as an adult. Thus, Gertrude Fisher Harding assumption in her 1942 book “Fisher Genealogical History” ^[2] that Ludwig was Sebastian’s son appears to be incorrect. Note that Lewis/Ludwig and Lawerence/Laurentius are not the same name.^[8] Also, there is no documented source that connects the two families and, if he were Sabastian’s son, he came over as a child and would have referred to it as a portion of his father’s estate, not his own estate.

Also, in 1890, known descendants thought Ludwig came over as an adult. As mentioned above, they believed that Ludwig had an older brother named Bernard; that the father, not hearing from Ludwig after he left for America, died willing his entire estate to his eldest son; that, after many years, Baron Bernard heard from Ludwig in America; and when the Baron died, unmarried, he willed the entire estate to Ludwig.

Was Johannes Christopher Fisher his son?

No document exists showning Johannes Christopher Fisher (1757-1809) as Ludwig’s son nor that he ever lived in what is now Madison Co. VA.

1. He is not mentioned in the will. Ludwig, in his will written in 1773, made sure his 3 sons, Stephen, Adam, and Bernard, received an equal portion; no mention is made of fourth son. If he had younger son, Ludwig would have provided for him.

2. He is not mentioned in the extensive research found in Germanna Second Colony and John Blankenbaker’s newsletter, “Beyond Germanna.”

3. His profile says he was born in Germany. If Ludwig’s son, he would have born in Virginia.

4. The SAR records attached to his profile provide no sources.

5. The newspaper attached to his profile is not dated and appears more like an article written in the 1880s, thus is not his obituary. It needs documents to verify accuracy.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/90080803/ludwig-fisher: accessed 11 November 2022), memorial page for Ludwig “Lewis” Fisher (23 Dec 1706–5 Jul 1773), Find a Grave Memorial ID 90080803, citing Fisher Family Cemetery, Boyle County, Kentucky, USA; Maintained by 47117651 (contributor 47117651)
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} https://archive.org/details/fishergenealogic00hard/page/6/mode/2up?view=theater
3. ↑ Germanna Second Colony, which includes D.R. Carpenter’s 1940 map showing the location of the various land patents along the Robinson River in present Madison County, Virginia.
4. ↑ Henning's Statutes, Vol. VII, p. 22-23.
5. ↑ https://archive.org/stream/genealogyofdesce00garr#page/n3/mode/2up The Garr Genealogy, by John C. Garr, published1894.]
6. ↑ FISHER GENEALOGY page 7
7. ↑ [Betty Johnson]
8. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurentius

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