John and Margaret Fisher of Philadelphia and Delaware

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Pennsylvania and surround Colonies
Surname/tag: Fisher

John Fisher (1647-1686)

Margaret (Hindle) Fisher (1657-1689)

John and Margaret Fisher of Lancashire, Philadelphia and Delaware^RN1

John and Margaret (Hindle ^RN2) Fisher have been studied thoroughly.^[1][2][3][4] Many of the sources for their family records (and secondary studies) are given in a free-space profile which an be accessed here. It should be noted that the availability of primary records has improved greatly since some of the early studies of this family were published, and with sufficient attention a greatly improved picture of their lives and ancestry could probably be developed. ^RN1

It has been claimed that John and Margaret Fisher came from Clitheroe in Lancashire, immigrating to Pennsylvania aboard the “Welcome” with William Penn on his first voyage to America in 1682.^RN3 Their marriage record has never been found, either in the Quaker records or in the parish records of England. Margaret is generally assumed to be a daughter of Bryan Hindle and sister of John Hindle, although this is an assumption based upon her son Thomas Fisher’s will, which mentions his Uncle John Hindle, son of Bryan.

The Fishers were among the original purchasers of proprietary land from William Penn. John Fisher was a glazier (and possibly ship-builder) from Clitheroe, Lancashire, England. Old land surveys show two of John Fisher’s town lots in the city of Philadelphia. John served on a Philadelphia jury in 1683 (which unfortunately convicted Margaret Matson as a witch). He appears in the Quaker records of Philadelphia. But he had some sort of falling-out with the Philadelphia Quakers, and soon moved about a hundred miles southward, to his land grant in Sussex County which he had obtained from William Penn in 1682. The estates were called “Fisher’s Island” (actually a marshy area on the mainland). The Fishers were located on the south side of the mouth of Broad Creek, on the Atlantic coast. The family later had additional holdings in Kent County.

Six children of John and Margaret Fisher are mentioned in John’s will, probated at Georgetown, Sussex County, in 1685. The will names eldest son Thomas and other sons John and James; daughters Rachell, Sarah, Allis (youngest) and Annie Adkins (wife of Samuel). The will also mentions Thomas Scott. Executors were son Thomas and wife Margaret. Witnesses were William Emmott, Richard Coore and Anna Dougdull. Thomas was probably close to age 30 when he married Margery Maud in 1692. Known children of Thomas are Jabez, Joshua, James, Margaret, Elizabeth, Margery and Esther. John married Elizabeth --; their known children are John, James, William, and Ann. James had a wife Katherine and daughter Sarah, and probably had other heirs. Of the immigrant daughters, we know that Ann (Annie) married Samuel Adkins, a glover and merchant of Philadelphia. We know nothing of the other daughters, except that they “died young.” Samuel Atkins has been reported to be the one in London who was secretary to the famous diary author Samuel Pepys.

An anonymous manuscript in the Pennsylvania Genealogical Society claims a lineage for John Fisher in Lancashire and Westmoreland, proposing that John was the second son of Nicholas and Elizabeth (Brockholes) Fisher, born in 1646 in Kentmere, Lancashire.

Sources

1. ↑ Fisher, Jackie L. 2010. The First Fishers of Pennsylvania and Adjacent Colonies, 1650 - 1747. Self-published, Wimberley, Texas. Digital copy available at cephasfisher.net [1].
2. ↑ Smith, Anna Wharton. 1896. Genealogy of the Fisher family, 1682 to 1896. Philadelphia: [publisher not identified]. Digital copy available at archives.org[2].
3. ↑ Lewis, John Frederick. 1934. The history of an old Philadelphia land title: 208 South Fourth street. Philadelphia: [Printed by Patterson & White Co.]. p. 38-48. Digital copy available at hathitrust.org [3].
4. ↑ Turner, C.H.B., Some Records of Sussex County, Delaware. 1909, Allen, Lane & Scott, Philadelphia, PA. Digital copy available at archive.org [4].

Research Notes

Research Note 1. Preliminary Remarks, When I first found John Fisher's profile my initial impression was that it was a jumble of questionable merges and that a couple of hours of work would put it straight. Several days later I came to understand that it was not a jumble of merges, but rather it was an untidy collection of life events of a single person presented in no particular order. As I was attempting to bring order to the chaos, I discovered Fisher's The First Fishers of Pennsylvania. Of particular interest is the section entitled John and Margaret Fisher of Lancashire, Philadelphia and Delaware (pages 22-27). In an effort to discover his own antecedents, Fisher investigated the genealogy and origin of a dozen or more early Fisher immigrants to Pennsylvania and its immediate surroundings. This particular section presents the results of Fisher's study for our principal and his wife.

The section consists of two parts. The first part is a short (single page) biography and the remaining five pages of the section are Fisher's notes. In the first paragraph of the biography Fisher notes that the availability of primary records has improved greatly since some of the early studies of this family were published and suggests that this will lead to better understanding of the genealogy of John Fisher and his family. Twelve years on, and it is apparent that not only has this trend continued but has accelerated.

When I compared my notes from my attempts to verify "facts" presented in the original profile with Fisher's notes it first becomes clear that my notes are a subset of Fisher's notes, and second, what little new I have added are sources for digital copies of the various documents.

Another item to note is that Fisher gives permission to reproduce The First Fishers of Pennsylvania. With this in mind I have reworked this profile. In this process I see myself as an editor/annotator. I have used Fisher's biography on page 22 in Ref. _^[1] as a starting point. In its present form it does not meet Wikitree standards. I have edited the biography so that it does meet Wikitree standards, principally be citing sources. The types of modification that I have made can be seen in the first paragraph. First, of course, I cited sources, and were possible, include sources (preferably free) for digital copies. The second type of edit again stems from change of media, instead of placing Fisher's notes below the biography, I have placed them in a free-space profile named JLFisherNotes, this is reflected in the changes found in the second sentence. My personal comments will be made in the form of Research Notes such as this one.

And finally, on the subject of transcripts of primary documents, when I quote from a scripted source, my goal is readability, not "authenticity." For example, script documents from the 17^th century use the double f (ff) as a capital F. In my opinion the use of "F" instead of "ff" are improves the readability. Another set of examples are abbreviations; In 17^th century written English abbreviations abounded. Consider the phrase "the s^d Scott." Here s^d is an abbreviation of said. Again, it is my opinion that using said instead of the contraction improves readability. This example also raises the question of the use of superscripts. The above discussion demonstrates that use of superscripts is possible on Wikitree, but again it is my opinion that writing ye instead of y^e improves the readability. Another set issues concern are archaic spellings (doe for do) and archaic words (y^e for the). And again, the use of the modern spelling and the modern word improves the readability.

Research Note 2. John Fisher's Wife: Margaret Hindle. John Fisher's wife's given name is found in numerous sources. The most convincing being John Fisher's Last Will and Testament. Here John Fisher twice refers to his wife as "my well beloved wife Margaret Fisher." Margaret's maiden name is more difficult. It has not been passed down in the Fisher family records. Instead we are left to deduce her maiden names from other records. Thomas Fisher, John and Margaret Fisher's eldest son, provides a clue in his will. The sixth item in Thomas Fisher's will is reproduce below:

Item — I give and bequeath unto my sons and daughters, that house, land and appurtenances which was left to me by my uncle, John Hindle, the son of Bryan Hindle of Cletheroh, to be equally divided between them their heirs and assigns, excepting my loving wife Margery Fisher her Thirds therein, whom I give full power, as if I were personally present to employ attorney or attorneys one or more under her as is lawful for the division of the said house land and appurtenances for the use of aforesaid.

Thomas is John and Margaret Fisher's eldest son. Thomas' uncle John Hindle could be his mother's brother, in which case, his mother's maiden name would be Hindle. On the other hand, his uncle could be the husband of Thomas' father's sister, which gives us no information concern Margaret's maiden name. Another scenario is that Bryan and Margaret are brother and sister and that they have marry another brother/sister pair, that is, John Fisher and his unnamed sister. The evidence is not sufficient to determine Margaret Fisher's maiden name.

Research Note 3. Immigration . According to Fisher family tradition, John Fisher with his family arrived in Philadelphia on the first voyage of William Penn's ship "Welcome." According to the The Welcome Society of Pennsylvania John Fisher and party did not arrive with Wm. Penn on the Welcome but rather may have arrived on the Lamb.

Egle, William Henry. 1976. Early Pennsylvania land records: minutes of the Board of Property of the province of Pennsylvania. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co. : Originally published as volume XIX, second series, Pennsylvania Archives, Harrisburg, 1893.

Genealogical Publishing Company. 2000.1600s - 1800s : immigration records. Genealogy.com. Available at Family History Library.

The Welcome Society of Pennsylvania. '"Ancestors", database Welcome Society (https://www.welcomesociety.org/ancestors.html : 3 Apr 2022)

Tepper, Michael. 1988. New World immigrants: a consolidation of ship passenger lists and associated data from periodical literature. Baltimore, Md: Genealogical Pub. Co. Digital copy available for search only at Hathitrust. [5]

McCracken, George Englert. 1979. The Welcome claimants proved, disproved and doubtful with an account of some of their descendants. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co.: digital copy available at Google Books. [6].

• U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s

Name: John Fisher;

Arrival Year: 1682;

Arrival Place: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania;

Primary Immigrant: Fisher, John;

Family Members:

Wife: Margaret;

Son: John:

Source Publication Code: 9143;

Covers 27,500 immigrants from the years 1618-1878, with excellent index. Similar lists are in Boyer, nos. 0702, 0714, 0717, and 0720.

Source: Tepper, Michael, editor. New World Immigrants: A Consolidation of Ship Passenger Lists and Associated Data from Periodical Literature. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1979. 568p. and 602p. Repr. 1980. Vol. 1.Household Members

Research Note 20. John Fisher's Last Will and Testament.

In the name of God Amen. I, John Fisher of Sussex County in the Territories of Pennsylvania, being sick and weak but of sound and perfect memory, have here in this my Last Will and Testament given and bequeathed all my worldly estate as follows:

First, I give unto Thomas Scott fifty acres of land out of that dividend of land which I bought of Roger Gum in Sussex County always provided the said Scott do come to live upon it himself but not to dispose of it or sell it to any person.

I give unto my well beloved wife Margaret Fisher, one third part of my moveable Estate as goods, chattels, debts, in what nature so ever and also one third part of all my lands houses & tenements during her life, but the said third part not to be taken out of my Estate until my younger daughter Alice comes at age.

I give unto my eldest son Thomas Fisher, three hundred acres of land lying behind the ScooleKill near Philadelphia and to his heirs and assignees forever, but not to be sold until my youngest daughter Alice come of age, except my wife Margaret Fisher and my son Thomas both see it convenient, she having her third part in it during her life. I give and bequeath unto my three sons Thomas, John and James Fisher their heirs and assignees forever seven hundred acres of land lying in Sussex County, their mother’s third excepted, during her life, but not to be equally shared until my youngest daughter Alice comes at age, the said seven hundred acres of land lying as follows, vis. five hundred acres of land that I bought of Roger Gum and two hundred acres out of that dividend of land that I bought of Henry Stretcher.

I give and bequeath unto my children viz: Thomas, John and James Fisher, Rachel, Sarah and Alice Fisher their heirs and assignees forever, the other two third parts of my moveable estate as goods, chattels, servants, debts, houses in Philadelphia, lots or other tenements not already given and to be equally shared amongst these six children, the daughters to have as good a share as the sons but not to be shared nor divided until my youngest daughter Alice Fisher come at age. I give unto my daughter Annie, the wife of Samuel Adkins, five shillings within one year after my decease, but if my daughter Annie should come to want or poverty or other ways constrained by the unkindness of her husband, so that she come to want that then it is my will she shall have a maintenance amongst the rest.

Lastly I ordain constitute and appoint my beloved wife Margaret Fisher and my eldest son Thomas Fisher to be my executrix and executor jointly to administer of all & singular of this my estate And to dispose thereof according as it is expressed in this my last will & testament and also to take care of the rest of my children until they come to lawful age and that neither my wife nor my son Thomas shall at any time act or do anything touching the managing of this my estate without the joint consent of both if it please God that they both live until the expiration and finishing thereof as witness my hand and seal this sixth day of the twelfth month one thousand six hundred eighty five.

Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of us Wm Emmett, Richard (mark R C ) Coore, Ann (mark ?) Dougdull. (Probate Reg. Sussex County, p. 95). Signed John Fisher (Seal). Letters

Testamentary were granted to Margaret Fisher and Thomas Fisher by Wm. Clark, deputy register of the counties of Sussex and Kent 2/30/1686.

Research Note: Land records.

Two type of transactions of which we make note. The first is the initial purchase of the land from the state. The second type is the subsequent transfer of ownership from one private individual to another.

Consider the first type of transaction.

Five basic documents are generated in a typical land transaction of this type. These are Application, Warrant, Survey, Return, and Patent. Initially, the Application to initiate a land purchase was very informal, subsequently, the process was formalized. The Warrant, which is issued by the Secretary of the Land Office in response to the Application, is a certificate authorizing the Surveyor General to survey of a tract of land. The Survey is a result of the Warrant. The Return is an internal document sent from Surveyor General to Secretary of the Land Office with a description of property boundaries. The Secretary of the Land Office then issues a Patent for the land.

John Fisher is reputed to have arrived in the new world in 24th of October, 1682 and died shortly after preparing his will on the 6th of February, 1685/6. His will was probated on the 30th of April, 1685. In this time frame the initial Application was not recorded. It was probably made orally.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has made of Land Record Indices available online. These can be found at [7]

Pre-1733 Land Record Indexes

Pennsylvania, Surveyor General. 1976. Original surveys, 1682-1920. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah (1006501).

• Old Rights Index: Bucks and Chester Counties - Index to warrants, surveys and returns filed for lands in Bucks and Chester Counties, generally prior to 1733 [8]

Old Rights Index for Bucks and Chester counties, 1682-1740. {series #17.78}

Bucks County Index - Yields no hits on either Fisher or Fish.

Chester County index - Yields three hits [9] on either FIsher or Fish. These are shown in the following table.

Number	Name	Type	Acres	Date	(Bk. Vol. Pg.)
F17	John Fish	Warrant	250	23 Nov 1682*	(D80-272)
F21	John Fisher	Draft	300	24 Mar 1684	(D80-275)
F23	John Fisher	Draft	300		(D80-277)

F17: Warrant issued to John Fish, 27 Nov 1682, Old Rights Index, Chester County, 1682-1740 {series #17.78}, p.50, Warrant#F17. Records of the Land Office, Record Group 17, Pennsylvania State Archives, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; digital images, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/dam/rg/di/r17-78OldRightsIndexBucksChester/r17-78OldRightsIndxChester%2030.pdf : 28 Mar 2022); warrant for 250 acres, dated 27 Nov 1682 (Bk. D, Vol. 80, Pg. 272).

F21: Warrant issued to John Fisher, 24 Mar 1684, Old Rights Index, Chester County, 1682-1740 {series #17.78}, p.50, Warrant#F21. Records of the Land Office, Record Group 17, Pennsylvania State Archives, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; digital images, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/dam/rg/di/r17-78OldRightsIndexBucksChester/r17-78OldRightsIndxChester%2030.pdf : 28 Mar 2022); draft warrant for 300 acres, dated 24 Mar 1684 (Bk. D, Vol. 80, Pg. 275).

F23: Warrant issued to John Fisher, no date, Old Rights Index, Chester County, 1682-1740 {series #17.78}, p.50, Warrant#F21. Records of the Land Office, Record Group 17, Pennsylvania State Archives, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; digital images, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/bah/dam/rg/di/r17-78OldRightsIndexBucksChester/r17-78OldRightsIndxChester%2030.pdf : 28 Mar 2022); draft warrant for 300 acres, no date (Bk. D, Vol. 80, Pg. 277).

• Original Purchases Register - Register of Original Purchasers of rights to land in Pennsylvania who bought land directly from William Penn [10]

Original Purchase Register, 1682-1762. {series #17.83}

Yields two hits. The first for Joseph Fisher.[11] He made extensive purchases from Wm. Penn. The second is John Fish, who made a single purchase. [12]

Purchaser	Acres	Grantee	Date of Warrant	Number
John Fish	250	himself	23 Jan 1682*	F17

^* The date on the actual document is 23d 11m 1682. This is an old style date and thus it translates to 23 Jan 1682/3, this is to be read as 23 Jan 1682 (OS) or 23 Jan 1683 (NS).

• Patent Indexes - Index to land records by name of patentee, 1684-1957 [13]

Patent Index, A and AA Series, 1684-1781. {series #17.147}

Of interest to us is Series A Number 1 Feb 1683 - Jan 1693 [14]

A search on Fish and Fisher yields three hits on Joseph Fisher.[15]

• Philadelphia Old Rights (Index) - Index to warrants, surveys and returns filed for lands in Philadelphia County, generally prior to 1733 [16]

Philadelphia Old Rights (Index), 1682-1745. {series #17.79}

A search on Fish and Fisher in the correct time frame yields five hits. These are shown in the following table.

Number	Name	Type	Acres	Date	(Bk. Vol. Pg.)	29
F758	Joseph Fisher	Draft	front lot		(B22-179)	31
F815	Joseph Fisher	return	5062		(D75-19)	31
F821	Joseph Fisher	Warrant	11400	14 Feb 1683	(D71-15)	31
F841	William Fisher	Warrant	500	25 Nov 1685	(D75-18)	32
F865	John Fish	Warrant	city lot	21 Feb 1683	(D71-16)	33

Pennsylvania. Thomas E. Slattery, and Charles E. Hughes. 1962. Warrants and surveys of the province of Pennsylvania, 1682-1759: transcribed from the records of the Surveyor General's and Proprietaries Secretary's offices by John Hughes, recorder of warrants and surveys under the Act of Assembly July 7, 1759; with a guide to the books and index, an historical background and a copy of the Act. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Philadelphia. Department of Records. Digital copy available at FamilySearch [17]

From the WorldCat:

A short description of contents of each volume from the Guide:

Vol. 1: surveys of "Old Rights" for the City and County of Philadelphia with scattered surveys for Bucks and Chester counties. Entries correspond to numbering and alphabetical arrangement in the Pennsylvania Archives, third serie, v. 2-3; but only letters F-H and P-S are given.

Vol. 2: Philadelphia City 1682-1692 and Philadelphia City new returns 1735-1759; also some scattered returns for Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, and Lancaster counties.

Vol. 3: General returns and papers of the Society of Free Traders; contains entries for City and County of Philadelphia and counties of Bucks, Chester, Kent and Newcastle for 1682-1698.

Vol. 4: Copies of the Surveyor General's returns for 1700; contains entries for City and County of Philadelphia and counties of Bucks, Chester, Kent and Newcastle.

Vol. 5: Copies of the Surveyor General's returns for Oct. 20, 1733; contains entries for City and County of Philadelphia and counties of Bucks, Chester, Kent, Lancaster, Newcastle, and Sussex.

Vol. 6: Philadelphia County 1684-1713 and Bucks County new returns 1734-1758.

Vol. 7: General returns 1735-1741 contains entries for City and County of Philadelphia and counties of Bucks, Chester, Kent, Lancaster, Newcastle and Sussex.

Vol. 8: General returns 1752-1759 contains entries for City and County of Philadelphia and counties of Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Kent, Lancaster, Newcastle, Northampton, and York and for the towns of Carlisle, Easton, Reading and Yorktown.

Vol. 9: Philadelphia County new returns 1734-1758.

Searching "Warrants and surveys of the province of Pennsylvania" for the surname Fisher yields seven hits out of a possible thirteen. Fishers are found in the following political units: Philadelphia County, Philadelphia City, Berks, Town of Reading, Bucks, Lancaster, and Chester. Selecting out from these hits those associated with our John Fisher is relatively easy. John Fisher arrived in the new world in the fall of 1682 and he died in in the spring of 1685/86. Four entries match our requirements are listed in the following table.

Location	Year	Book	Page
Philadelphia County	1683	VI	31
Philadelphia City	1683	II	29
Philadelphia City	1684	II	46
Philadelphia City	1684	II	47

Consider the remaining Fishers. Who among these are John's contemporaries? There are two who met the requirements. Between them they they are associated with seven warrant/surveys. These are listed in the following

Location	Name	Year	Book	Page
Philadelphia County	William	1685	I	592
Philadelphia County	Joseph	1682	III	592
Philadelphia County	Joseph	1684	VI	28/32
Philadelphia City	Joseph	1683	I	351
Philadelphia City	Joseph	1683	I	367
Philadelphia City	Joseph	1684	lot 67	Delaware High Street Lot
Philadelphia City	Joseph	1684	II	46

It is worthwhile to search on "FIsh, John". This gives hits in two different political divisions, Philadelphia County and Philadelphia City. We list these in the following table. Note that all of John Fish's warrants/surveys fall within John FIsher's time frame (1682-1685). Is John Fish a pseudonym for John Fisher?

Location	Year	Book	Page
Philadelphia County	1684	III	585
Philadelphia City	1683	I	363
Philadelphia City	1683	III	223
Philadelphia City	1683	Lot 110	Delaware Back Lot
Philadelphia City	1683	Lot 19	Delaware Back Lot

Land Records and Court Records of Pennsylvania

Transcripts of Old Rights Warrants, 1682-1732 {series 17.74}

Loose original warrants for land granted in Pennsylvania under the Proprietary government. Information generally given is the date of the warrant, warrant number, name of warrantee, name of county, acreage warranted, location, a recitation of any descent of title, and whether any improvements were made on the land. Occasionally also found is information on whether the warrant was issued as a result of a re-survey or was a warrant to accept a survey. Most of the warrants for the 1682-1732 period were copied into the Transcripts of Old Rights Warrants, 1682-1732 {series 17.74} (volumes D-91 through D-114, B-22, and B-23).

Copied Surveys, 1681-1912. {series #17.114}

Pennsylvania. Surveyor General. 1976. Original surveys, 1682-1920. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah.

LDS Film 1006501 Pa Warrants and Surveys.

D80-272 John Fisher 1682 Sale 250a Headland 250 a Warrant. Wife, 1 son, 2 svts. On Schulkill.

Here's an image.

D80-276 John Fisher’s return of survey, Radnor 300a.

D80-278 John Fisher Radnor 300a Survey.

LDS Film 0986897 Pa. Old Rights Index

Fish, John Warrant 250a Apr 12 1683 D80 274.

Fisher, John Draft 300a Mar 24 1684 D80 275 (Prob. NE Corner of Radnor Twp, Chester Co. near Schulkyl)

Fisher, John Draft 300a – D80 277

Sussex County (Del.). County Recorder. 1948. Deed records of Sussex County, Delaware, 1693-1886; general index, 1682-1949. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah (FHL Film 006625).

This film contains informative deeds in reference to the children of John and Margaret Fisher, including mention of James Fisher’s decease, his wife Catharine and daughter Sarah.

See Fisher, Jackie L. Descendants and Ancestors of Cephas Fisher Jr. (1812-1895) of Henry County, Iowa and Allied Families. Seabrook, Tex.: J.L. Fisher, 1996. Print.

LDS FHL Film 567014

A. C. Myers notes on immigrants to Pa. 1683 7m 19 Margie Smith of Schuylkill Chester Co., sold to John Fisher a lot in city of Philadelphia being for 500 a. of land purchased in England. Phil. Deeds E-2. p. 12 Edmund Cartlidge’s deed granting his Phil. Lots to John Fisher dated Phi. 7m Sep. 10, 1683.

Pennsylvania Warrants & Surveys By warrant dated 21 of 1st mo. 1683, surveyed 28 of 1 mo. 1683, to John Fisher, purchaser of 250 acres, bounded on north by Walnut Street, west by Robert Holgate, east by 3rd Street, No. 115 Thomas Holme 4m 5, 1684 Phila. By warrant from Wm. Penn 1m 21, 1683 to John Fisher purchaser of 250 a. N. Walnut St. Widd. Fisher 7m 27 1688

By virtue of a warrant 2 of 5 mo. 1683, surveyed 14 of 5 mo. 1683, lot in city, bounded north by Walnut Street, east by Robert Holgate, Edmund Cartlidge declared on 10, 7 mo. 1683, that he sold to John Fisher. Recorded 3, 3 mo. 1688. Edmund Carthidge’s (Cartlidge) deed granting his Phil. Lots to John Fisher dated Phi. 7m Sep. 10, 1683. Warrant 25 10 mo. 1683, surveyed 24 of 3 mo. 1684, to John Fisher, 300 acres in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, not identified 250 acres on old purchase, 50 acres on new purchase, bounded by Henry Jones and by Company Land. Recorded 25 March 1688. Patent Radnor Twp. 1688 8m 24 to John Fisher’s Executors 300 a. – plate 13 part of Radnor shows draft of John Fisher’s land on n.e. corner of Radnor twp. Next Tredyffrin Twp. 300 a. sur. 3m 24 1684.

Phila. Deeds E No. 1, p. 226. September 2, 1684, John Fisher bought from Thomas Wynne a property in Philadelphia, which his widow Margaret and son Thomas, executors of his will, conveyed to Samuel Atkins of Philadelphia, glover, in consideration of love and affection, described as “a certain house or cave in the bank of the river Delaware.”

April 14, 1686, Margaret and Thomas Fisher, executors of John Fisher, sold to Samuel Atkins for L10, a lot on the north side of Walnut St. 40 x 250 ft. with messuage. (Deed Book E 1, p. 224) 3/26/1688, same grantors conveyed to Charles Pickering of Philadelphia in consideration L45, a tract of 300 acres and three lots on the north side of Walnut Street which John Fisher had purchased May 10, 1683, from E. Cartlidge.

In 1685, John Fisher and Richard Core purchased of Henry Stretcher, 400 acres called Millburne on the east side of Mill Creek.

Myers, Albert Cook. 1968. Notes on immigrants to Pennsylvania, 1681-1737, Vol 20. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah (FHL Film 567014).

1683 7m 19 Margie Smith of Schuylkill Chester Co., sold to John Fisher a lot in city of Philadelphia being for 500 a. of land purchased in England. Phil. Deeds E-2. p. 12 Edmund Cartlidge’s deed granting his Phil. Lots to John Fisher dated Phi. 7m Sep. 10, 1683.

3/5/1686, John Fisher, late of the County of Sussex, Pennsylvania, purchased of Rodger Gum, Five hundred acres called Twiver, both these deeds are recorded at Georgetown, Del. He finally settled on the south side of the Broadkill near Lewistown.

Will of James Standfield.

James Standfield, uncle of Elizabeth (Huntley) Fisher of Chester County, is believed to have learned the merchant trade in Philadelphia, as an apprentice for a time to Samuel Atkins, who married Annie, daughter of John and Margaret Fisher. Although the original Standfield estate was in Marple, Chester County, James Standfield moved into John Fisher’s original house on the riverbank in Philadelphia. The house was sold 30 April 1686 by John Fisher’s executors (wife Margaret and son Thomas) to Samuel Atkins. The house was a timbered cave built into the cliffs, near the Standfield water lot where the Standfield’s brigantine (the “Betsy”) was berthed. James Standfield’s estate account, after his death in 1699, mentioned a part ownership in Samuel Atkin’s house, and payment to the doctor who attended the deceased in the Atkins house. Francis Chads, who married Grace Standfield (aunt of Elizabeth Huntley Fisher of Chester County) was executor. Francis liquidated James Standfield’s large land tract in Sussex County, Delaware (then part of Pennsylvania), by selling it to John and William Fisher of Sussex County. This John Fisher was the son of John and Margaret Fisher. William was a suspected son or relative of John and Margaret who was not mentioned in John Fisher’s 1685 will, but the records indicate an obvious family connection of some sort.

Thomas E. Slattery, and Charles E. Hughes. 1962. Warrants and surveys of the province of Pennsylvania, 1682-1759: transcribed from the records of the Surveyor General's and Proprietaries Secretary's offices by John Hughes, recorder of warrants and surveys under the Act of Assembly July 7, 1759; with a guide to the books and index, an historical background and a copy of the Act. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Philadelphia. Department of Records.

Location	Year	Book	Page
Philadelphia County	1683	6	31
Philadelphia City	1683	2	29
Philadelphia City	1683	2	46
Philadelphia City	1683	2	174

Research Note: Court Records.

Samuel Atkins vs. John Fisher Phila. Court Docket 1685 John Fisher represented by his son Thomas Fisher. Charles Pickering asked for a continuance until the next term of court in order that John Fisher might be present. S. W. Pennypacker Pa. Colonial Cases (Phil. 1892) 75-76.

Research Note: Genealogies.

Fisher, Jackie L. 2010. The First Fishers of Pennsylvania and Adjacent Colonies, 1650 - 1747. Self-published, Wimberley, Texas. Digital copy available at cephasfisher.net [18].

Smith, Anna Wharton. 1896. Genealogy of the Fisher family, 1682 to 1896. Philadelphia: [publisher not identified]. Digital copy available at archives.org[19].

Extensive account of descendants of John Fisher and Margaret Hindle, mostly from Thomas line

Lewis, John Frederick. 1934. The history of an old Philadelphia land title: 208 South Fourth street. Philadelphia: [Printed by Patterson & White Co.]. p. 38-48. Digital copy available at hathitrust.org [20].

Myers, Albert Cook. 1968. Notes on immigrants to Pennsylvania, 1681-1737, Vol 20. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah (FHL Film 567014).

1683 7m 19 Margie Smith of Schuylkill Chester Co., sold to John Fisher a lot in city of Philadelphia being for 500 a. of land purchased in England. Phil. Deeds E-2. p. 12 Edmund Cartlidge’s deed granting his Phil. Lots to John Fisher dated Phi. 7m Sep. 10, 1683.

1684 3m 15 At Marsden MM Lancashire: A collection to be --- for ye sending two children of John Fisher to Pennsylvania. Friends of Sawley M to write to friends with – they are to go in name of the meeting.

Fisher, William Logan. 1839. An account of the Logan and Fisher families. [Place of publication not identified]: [publisher not identified]: Digital copy available at FamilySearch [21].

Early family notes about John Fisher and descendants

Cummings, Benjamin F. 1981. A Fisher family of Chester County, Pa. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah (FHL Film 1033648).

Leslie, Pauline. 1960. Families of Fisher, Durnell, Littler, Zimmerman: and records of Fairview Friends Meeting. Wilmington, Ohio: Clinton County Historical Society. Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah (FHL Film 1571763).

Fisher, Thelma Lucille. 1978. Atkinson-Fisher: English Quaker emigrants with William Penn. Wilmington, Ohio: Cox Printing. Digital copy available here [22]

Detailed ancestry of Cephas Fisher Jr. and the Atkinson family

Potts, Thomas Maxwell. 1895. Our family ancestors. Canonsburg, Pa: The author; digital copy available at FamilySearch [23]

Miscellaneous church and genealogical records to 1968 in the Chester Co. Historical Society (Penn). 1968. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah. (FHL Film 0565685)

Anonymous manuscript in Pennsylvania Genealogical Society. Summary of the manuscript, which contains much more:

John Fisher and wife came to Pennsylvania in 1682 from Clitheroe, a parish in North Lancashire, 15 miles from Garstang, 20 miles from Lancaster, and about 25 miles from Kendal, Westmoreland. Alexander Fisher represented Clitheroe in parliament in 1585. The seat of the Hindley family was at Hindley, now a parish, but formerly a chapelry of Garstang. Earliest was Henry Fisher of Kendal, reign of Henry VIII. Son Nicholas of Kendal bought manor of Kentmere, 1626. Sons Henry, Edward, Nicholas. John Fisher, second son of Nicholas and Elizabeth (Brockholes) Fisher, b. 1646, aged 18 years 1664. M. ca 1667 Margaret Hindley, dau of Bryan , granddau of John Hindley of Clitheroe. John Fisher and John Hindley were admitted to Queen’s College on the same day, Foster’s Grays Inn Register.

Research Note: Quaker Minutes LDS Film 03848350 Philadelphia Monthly Meeting Minutes.

Pg. 11 6, 9 mo 1683. Agreed mutually and concluded by the parties proposed, and here subscribed, that each of them will provide a form of 14 feet long, for the service of friends in the Meeting House, Viz. Thomas Holmes, Thomas Wynne, John Songhurst, Benjamin Chambers, Charles Pickering, John Day, John Parsons, John Fisher, John Goodson, Edward Roose.

Pg. 34 Quarterly Meeting the first of the fourth month, 1683. Barnabus Willcox complaining of this meeting that John Fisher had greatly abused him with bad words and names. The meeting appointed Thomas Fitzwater, John Songhurst & James Claypoole to speak with him about the same, and to bring his answer to next meeting, and if possible to persuade him to give Barnabus satisfaction.

Pg. 36 At our Quarterly Meeting the twelfth of the seventh month 1685. The difference between Barnabus Wilcox and John Fisher being again mentioned John Moon and John Goodman are appointed to write to William Clark and other friends below, respecting said Fisher. (Note: “Below” meant Delaware, in this case Sussex County.)

Quaker Family History Society (Great Britain) web site, Lancashire. Marsden Monthly Meeting was at Little Marsden, 1 ½ miles SW of Colne. Still at that location, now 21 Walverden Rd., Brierfield, BB9 0PJ. Web site, Holgate family. – Holgate came to Philadelphia from Marsden MM in Lancashire.

Notes of Jackie L. Fisher

LDS IGI

Possible relative of Margaret (Hindle) Fisher of Sussex Co. Delaware: Bryan Hindle b. 1675, Kirkby Overblow, North Yorkshire, England (35 miles ENE of Clitheroe, Lancashire.)

LDS IGI James Fisher b. 18 Sep 1670, Clitheroe. (Note: Unable to verify this in parish records or Quaker records.) Possible descendant of the Hindles: Bryan Hindle b. 1675, Kirkby Overblow, Yorkshire, England (35 miles WNW of Clitheroe in N. Yorkshire) (Note: No search was made to verify.)

A study of the Fishers of Sussex County, Delaware (originally annexed to Pennsylvania) revealed some indirect associations with the Fishers of Chester County, Pennsylvania, but did not prove that the Fishers of those two counties were related. Some of the findings are included here.

Thomas Gilpin (1776-1853) ms in his own hand. “ by a memorandum of his grandson Joshua Fisher it would appear that John Fisher the emigrant removed from Clithero in Lancashire, England and came to America in the ship Welcome with arrival at Phil. On 24 Oct. 1682.” But a search made by Joshua Francis Fisher at the north of England for the paternity of the family he concluded that the ancestor could not have come from Clithero in Lancahire, because there were no persons of the name of Fisher resident there – nor had there been for many years preceding the settlement of Pennsylvania.

Excerpt from the manuscript: John Fisher, second son of Nicholas and Elizabeth (Brockholes) Fisher, b. 1646, aged 18 years 1664, d. 1685/6. M. circa 1667, Margaret Hindle or Hindley, daughter of Bryan Hindle and granddaughter of John Hindley of Clitheroe (Thomas Fisher’s will). He was the American pioneer. In Foster’s Grays Inn Register, John Fisher’s name appears as a student in Queen’s College and John Hindley was admitted on the same date. John Fisher purchased in England 500 acres of land, as appears from a deed recorded in Philadelphia Deed Book E2, p. 12, dated 7/19/1683. When the family arrived they made their home in a cave on the bank of the river Delaware. These so-called caves were excavations made in the hill sides and lined with logs and afforded an excellent protection from the severe cold of the winter.

Will of Thomas Fisher of Sussex County, Delaware, son of John and Margaret Fisher of Lewes:

In the name of God Amen, the seventeenth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirteen, I Thomas Fisher of Sussex County upon Delaware being sick and weak in body but of sound and perfect memory thanks be therefor to Almighty God and calling to remembrance the uncertain estate of this transitory life and that all flesh must yield unto death, when it shall please God to call, do make constitute and ordain and declare this my last will and testament in manner and form following, Revoking and annulling by these presents all and every Testamt and Testamts Will and Wills heretofore by me made and declared, either by word or writing and this is to be taken only for my last Will and testamt and none other.

First I give and Committ my Soul unto Almighty God my Savior and Redeemer and now for the settling of my temporall estate and such goods Chattles, Lands and debts as it hath pleased God to bestow upon me, I do order give and dispose the same in manner and form following (that is to say)

First I will that all those debts as I owe to any manner of person or persons whatsoever shall be well truly paid.

Item – I give and bequeath to my son Jabez Maud Fisher his heirs and assigns forever the Plantation whereon I now live called Island with fifty acres of marsh land one hundred and ninety one acres of landsituate adjoining to the land of Eliz. Hill William Fisher and Cornelius Wiltbank in the Broad Creek Neck, also one hundred and fifty acres of land adjoining to the above land called by the name of Brights Island.

Item – I give and bequeath to my son Joshua Fisher his heirs and assigns forever Three Hundred acres of land with a plantation thereon lying and being between the land that John Fisher now lives on and the land of Baptist Newcomb, called by the name of Swan Hill, also five hundred acres of land, being part of a tract of one thousand acres took up by Alexander Mollison of John Kipshaven lying on the Cold Spring at the head of Long Branch, as by the deed and Patents thereof may more largely appear.

Item – I give and bequeath to my daughter Margaret Fisher her heirs and assigns forever Five Hundred acres of land in Kent County upon Delaware being part of a tract of Two thousand acres called Millford, the which five hundred acres I purchased of David Roe.

Item – I give and bequeath to my two daughters Margery and Hester Fisher and to the survivors of them, their heirs and assigns forever that piece of land in quantity Thirty nine acres, being parts of two tracts adjoining to the lands of Samuel Rowland and fronting the Creek of Lewistown as may by the deeds and Patents more at large appear. I likewise give unto my daughters one negro girl called Hannah.

Item – I give and bequeath unto my sons and Daughters, that House Land and appurtenances which was left to me by my uncle John Hindle the son of Brayan Hindle of Cletheroh to be equally divided between them their heirs and assigns, excepting my loving wife Margery Fisher her Thirds therein, whom I give full power, as if I were personally present to imploy attorney or attorneys one or more under her as is lawfull for the division of the said House Land and appurtenances for the use of aforesaid.

Item – I give and bequeath unto my daughter Margaret Fisher her heirs and assigns forever all and Singular those Horses, Mares and Cattle that are known as hers and marked with her own mark.

Item – I give and bequeath to my Daughter Elizabeth Fisher her heirs and assigns forever all those Cattle that I have running on my plantation now in tenancy of John Syms, together with their increase.

Item – I give and bequeath unto my daughter Margery Fisher her heirs and assigns forever, four cows and a young mare an a young horse which came of a Sorrall mare that is now lost, to run here with their increase.

Item – I give and bequeath unto my daughter Elizabeth Fisher her heirs and assigns forever one negro girl called Doll, after my wife's decease.

Item – I give and bequeath unto my son James Fisher his heirs and assigns forever That House and Lotts in the Second Street of the town of Lewis between the Lotts of Jacob Kollock and the Heir of Isaac Coggeshall.

Item – I give and bequeath unto my daughter Margret Fisher and her heirs and assigns forever one Bond due unto me from Edward Williams of Philadelphia, butcher, for Sixteen pounds.

Item – My Will and meaning is that my loving wife Margery Fisher shall hold and enjoy all and singular the Lands before herein by me bequeathed during her life, without impeachment of waste, except that five hundred acres of land in Kent County which I give my daughter Margery provided that when my children comes to age that they shall be admitted to seats on some part of their respective Land, without molestation of their mother.

Item – I give and bequeath all the rest and residue of my estate in what nature or kind soever it be unto my well beloved wife Margery Fisher, whom I also by these presents constitute and appoint the whole and Sole Executrix of this my Last Will and Testament.

In Witness and conformation hereof I have hereunto put my hand and Seal the day and year first within written.

Cornelius Wiltbank,

Richard (his mark R) Williams,

John (his mark) Lukecues.

Signed Tho. Fisher,