NOTES ON SAMUEL FISHER, THE FIRST FISHER IN AMERICA
From Christine Foulk, great-granddaughter of James Fisher, as are
Janet, Susan, etc.
Samuel Fisher was born in Ireland about 1806, son of Samuel Fisher and
his wife, name unknown. He married Martha Bovaird at the Second
Presbyterian church of Ramelton, in Donegal, Ireland on November 23, 1824. He
left Londonderry on February 18, 1847 on the J. & J Cook line's ship,
Superior, and reached Philadelphia on March 17, 1847.He started to work for DuPont on May 17, 1847. On May 31 he was paid
$7.38 for 12 days and on the same day he paid Hugh Reed $3.86 for 15 days
of lodging. For the rest of the year he was paid at the rate of $16.00 a
month and had a total income for the year through the Pettit Ledger of
$113.91.
On March 18, 1848, his wife and children sailed from Londonderry on
the ship, Hannah Kerr, of the J. & J. Cook line, and reached Philadelphia
on May 6, 1848. Children were Samuel (born 2/12/1828) Martha (born 9/19/1834), James (born
7/27/1835), Margaret (born 1-18-1838), John
(born 4/15/1844), and William (born 12/1/1840 and not mentioned on shipping list).
He began the year of 1850 being paid at $15.50 a month, later raised
to $20.00 a month. The account in the Pettit Ledger was debited $6.37
for 1-1/2 cords of oak; also for a contribution to Rev. Brinckle on Aug.
29. Paid a Dr. Smith $10.00 Oct. 31; $5.00 Dec. 2 and $14.00 on Jan. 27,
1851.
In 1856 paid at $20.00 a month. Also the account was credited $14.00
for his son, Samuel, Jr. He paid school tax of $2.00 and County tax
of $1.10. Seems to have missed some time from work, whether illness or
other reason is not known. His daughter, Margaret married Richard Hunter
on December 18, 1856.
In 1857 his pay was still $20.00 a month plus $14.00 a month for Samuel, Jr.
He also sold rough kegs at the price of 6-1/4 cents each.
In 1861 he paid $1.00 per quarter in rent. Also continued selling kegs at
5 to 6 cents a keg.
In 1863 pay rate was $24.00 a month. In addition, pay for January and
21 days of February was credited to Samuel Fisher, Jr. He was killed at
Henry Clay in a powder mill explosion on February 24, 1863, together with his
son, Samuel. Balance of money in both accounts was paid to John Fisher on
July 24, 1863.
Samuel was listed in 1850 Census for Christiana Hundred as being 44,
Martha 45, Martha 18, James 16, Margaret 13, Samuel 11, John 9. All being born
in Ireland. No mention of William.
The Eleutherian Library [at Hagley] (as of March 1, 1979) has two
manuscript letters on file about the explosion. They are quoted below:
Manuscript letter from Mrs. S.F. duPont to S.F. duPont, March 4, 1863,
which Mrs. duPont writes:
A few days before the explosion Lammot [duPont] had counted the
number of men in the packing house and was struck by the large number which
was twenty-three. Only the night before the explosion he had talked to
Henry [duPont] about plans to obviate it. James Fisher [łour˛ James Fisher]
was in Washington at camp and awoke strangely agitated and said to his companions that he felt some disaster had occurred at home. He saw
his father in working clothes with his coat off and his shirt sleeves
rolled, up, stoop over and kiss him. Both his father and brother were
killed. Henry telegraphed his captain asking leave for him.
Manuscript letter from William P. Bancroft to Edward A. Fulton, March
22, 1863:
They had a bad powder mill explosion at the upper end of the
Hagley Yards a few weeks since. There were thirteen men killed; one of them
a millwright was in an engine house nearby the packing house that went
off. The building was crushed down killing him instantely and severly hurting
a man who was with him. A wagoner who was with his team at the door of
the mill was killed and eleven more who was inside, of whom but two or
three recognizable fragments were found. Houses on the other side of the
creek [Brandywine River] were much shattered and the people much hurt being cut
by glass.
This Fisher surname is probably of Scottish origin. Black's Surnames
of Scotland traces it to a Gaelic name, i.e. Mac an Iasgair (son of the
fisher/fisherman). This is verified by Dwelly's Gaelic Dictionary.
At times this Gaelic was Englished to Macinesker. Black says it was
rendered as Fisher as early as 1509, but it is now known only as Fisher. I have
seen the suggestion that Fisher is a Clan Cambell sept name, but this is
not confirmed by Frank Adam's Clans, Septs and Regiments of the Scottish
Highlands, 7th edition.
