52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 25: JOSHUA FISHER JR. OF DEDHAM, MA. PT5

A final thought about Joshua Fisher Jr.
-A few weeks ago I didn't know much about the Fisher family, let alone Joshua Fisher Jr. And now
he's become one of my favorite ancestors. Yes, he was multi-talented.  He served in the Militia as
an officer, surveyed and laid out boundaries for several towns in Massachusetts, created maps for
those towns, and ran a tavern in Dedham, Ma. But what really amazed me that he came over from
England by himself at age 17  to set up a blacksmith shop for his father who was still back home. I've no idea what his formal education had been before he came to Massachusetts, or if he even had any (which would make all he accomplished even more impressive). He must have been quite
mature for his age, but then again, most children grew up faster in that time period than they do in
these days.    

Here's a relationship chart from Joshua Fisher Sr. down to my father:

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 25: JOSHUA FISHER JR. OF DEDHAM, MA. PT4

Joshua Fisher Jr died on 10Aug 1672. Philip A Fisher wrote the following about Joshua's estate and his children.


The Inventory of his estate, made Aug. 20, 1672 (Suffolk Pro., VIII, folio 239 et seq.), covers many pages. Among the articles enumerated are the following: Meadow of 12 acres abutting upon the house lot, £60; all the houses at home, the dwelling house and leantoos adjoining, the brew house, the shop, and barn, £120; the orchard on the south sjide of the street, £35; eleven acres in the broad meadows, £12; one piece of woody land near Thomas Fisher's, £4; land in the Clapboards, £3.17; common rights, £3; cedar swamps near the town, .£3.5. The total value of the estate was £1145. 6. 5. Daniel Fisher, Thomas Battelle and Joshua Fisher, the administrators, filed a bond Sept. 5, 1672, for £2200. In the division of the estate, made Nov. 23, 1672, the widow was given '' a trunke with what is in it, prissed at £22.18 and 50£," and the thirds of all the houses and lands, or instead £10 per annum. The remainder was divided into seven parts: two to Joshua, the eldest son, and one each to John, Vigilance, Mary., Abigail, and Hannah; the signers to the agreement being Joshua Fisher, William Avery for John Fisher, Thomas Fuller for Vigilance Fisher, Thomas Clap, John Holton, and Daniel Fisher for Hannah Fisher. Children, all born in Dedham, were:

Mary4, b. March 23, 1644; m. Thomas Clapp, Nov. 10, 1662.   (Clapp Genealogy, p. 107-9.)
Joshua4, b. Oct. 30, 1645; d. Jan. 14, 1646.
Hannah4, b. Feb. 14, 1647; d. Sept. 4, 1648.
Abigail4, b. Feb. 29, 1649; m. John Houlton, of Dedham,
13. Joshua4, b. Jan. 9, 1651; m. Esther Wiswall.
14. John4, b. Feb. 18, 1652; m. Hannah Adams, March 6, 1674. Hannah4, b. Jan. 19, 1653; m. [William?] Burroughs..'
15. Vigilance4, b. (by second wife) Nov. 21, 1654.
James4, b. March'1, 1657; d. Sept. 27, 1658.-p16
 
The Fisher genealogy: A record of the descendants of Joshua, Anthony, and Cornelius Fisher, of Dedham, Mass., 1630-1640   Massachusetts Pub. Co.,   Everett, Ma.  1898

I'm descended from son Joshua and his wife Esther Wiswall.

To be continued...

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 25: JOSHUA FISHER JR. OF DEDHAM, MA. PT3

Continuing with more on my 9x great grandfather Joshua Fisher Jr, Philip A. Fisher quotes from another source with more information:

Roberts' History of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company says of him:

"From the Colonial archives of Massachusetts Bay we learn that in 1648 he was appointed lieutenant of the military company in Dedham, and usually after this time he is styled 'Lieutenant,' and when he is not his name is connected with some survey that identifies his individuality. In 1650 he was appointed by the General Court to run the line between Sudbury and Watertown; in 1656 was appointed to lay out Mr. Alcock's land, also Mr. Bradstreet's eight hundred acres; in 1664 the General Court granted him three hundred acres of land for surveying the south line of the patent of Massachusetts Bay, next to Plymouth; in 1666, he settled the controversy between Mr. Z. Gold and Gov. Endicott as to land bounds, and laid out Gov. Endicott's farm on Ipswich River; in 1667 was appointed, with others, to lay out the town of Mendon; also to layout Dedham's eight thousand acres, near Hadley. In 1670, the General Court ordered a further survey of the line between Massachusetts and Plymouth, and Oct. 11, 1670, the bill, forty shillings, of Lieut. Fisher, for doing the same, was paid to his children. The survey was reported to the General Court May 15, 1672, and Lieut. Fisher died in August of that year. From the records of Dorchester, we learn that Lieut. Fisher was employed to run the line between Dedham and Dorchester; in 1670, to run the line from 'Blue Hill' to Plymouth; in 1661, Dorchester paid him for a new map of the town, and in 1670 for a second revised map." ....pp14-15

The Fisher genealogy: A record of the descendants of Joshua, Anthony, and Cornelius Fisher, of Dedham, Mass., 1630-1640   Massachusetts Pub. Co.,   Everett, Ma.  1898


And some how Joshua also fit in the time to provide another valuable service to his fellow citizens of
Dedham:

In ansr to ye request of the selectmen of Dedham, desiring, in regard of theire remotenes from Boston, Left Joshua Fisher might haue liberty to sell some strong waters, to supply yt necessity of such as shall stand in neede thereof in that toune, the Court graunts theire request. [Oct. 19, 1658: Mass. Col. Rec„ IV, Part I, 352.]-p.13

Blacksmithing, surveying, mapmaking, soldiering. and tavern keeping; Joshua Fisher Jr was a man
of many talents!

To be continued...

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 25: JOSHUA FISHER JR. OF DEDHAM, MA. PT2

Continuing Philip A. Fishers entry on my 9x great grandfather Joshua Fisher Jr reveals what may have been a first in colonial New England:

At the town meeting in January, 1648-49, he was chosen selectman and continued in that office 22 years. He also tries his hand at surveying, for the records state that Jan. 7, 1649-50, he " is deputed and undertaken to take and make a true platt of ye out most Lines of the Towne." We find him later regularly chosen town surveyor, and the records show him at work in other parts of the Colony, one large work being the surveying of 8000 acres completed in May, 1665, "at a place called Pocumptuck" (Deerfield), "it lyinge northward from Hadley about tenn or twelue mile," being the land given Dedham in the exchange for the land they claimed at Natick.

It is ordered by this Court, that whereas there was graunted to Dedham eight thousand akers of land the last session of this Court, Ensigne John Euerard & Jonathan Danforth are hereby appointed to lay out the same according to graunt. [Oct. 21, 1663: Mass. Col. Rec., IV, Part II, 91.]

This tract of land, conteynig eight thousand acres, being layd out according to this1 plott given into the Court & remayning on file, beginning att A, & so running to L, by the Foote of a mountejne, south & by west two miles forty sixe rod; from L to K, along by the same mouuteine fine miles forty rod south & by east two degrees easterly; From K to I, vpon a streight ljne two miles & a halfe & a half west halfe a point southerly; From H to I, vpon a streight line south halfe a point easterly, fower miles; From G to H, uorwest fower degrees, westerly three hundred sixty two rod; From E to G. S. S east three degrees southerly, one hundred & sixty rod; from E to F south southeast, west three degrees southerly, eighty eight rod; from D to E south west one hundred and eight rod; from C to D south south east eighty rod J From B to C south Sc. by west three degrees westerly, five hundred & eighty rod; from A to B west north west two degrees westerly, one mile twenty rod. This tract of land is lajd out at a place called Pecuinptick, to answer the grantof the honoured Generall Court made to Dedham for the lands at Natick, which the Indians are setled vpon, by the Courts order, it lyinge northward from Hadley about tenn or twelue mile. Layd out as abouesajd May, 1665, By me, Joshua Fisher.

The Court allowes & approoues of this returne, provided they make a toune of it, to majntejue the ordinances of Christ there once wihin five yeares, & that it interfere not Majr Genrl Dennison & Hadley grant. [Oct. 11, 1665: Mass. Col. Rec., IV, Part II, 282.]


Probably referring to the above, Temple's History of North Brookfield, p. 54, says: „

"The compass was first brought into use in laying out land grants in this region, by Lieut. Fisher, of Dedham, when he surveyed the Deerfield lands in 1665. They had a chain to measure distances, and some prominent object was selected as starting and turning point. The chief concern was to get the full quantity named in the grant."-pp12-13

The Fisher genealogy: A record of the descendants of Joshua, Anthony, and Cornelius Fisher, of Dedham, Mass., 1630-1640   Massachusetts Pub. Co.,   Everett, Ma.  1898

To be continued...

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2016 WEEK 25: JOSHUA FISHER JR. OF DEDHAM, MA.

Philip Fisher has quite a bit about my 9x great grandfather Joshua Fisher Jr in his genealogy of the Fisher family, including why Joshua Jr is known as "Lt. Joshua"
:


6. Joshua1, son of Joshua (2), of Medfield, was baptized at Syleham, England, April 2, 1621, and came to New England in 1637. The Dedham Records contain the following: "Dedham. The First of ye 11th Month 1637. That wch was agreed vpon yt last meeteing was now Reade & confirmed. Vpon a motion made by Anto Fisher It is condescended that Josua Fisher may enter vpon the Smithes Lott & ther fitt himselfe ye building & otherwise for to doe some worke of ye trade for yt Towne in the behalfe of his Father wch is expected this next somer. Provided yt yf he cometh not in such a tyme as may be conceived fitting by our sayd society Then the sayd Josua shall leave yt sayd Lott & yt Towne to be at liberty to put in another Smith: allowing vnto the sayd Josua his wholl Charges vpon the same to be alowed by 2: Judicious men." About this time he signed the Dedham Covenant, but we cannot learn the exact date. In August, 1639, he joined the Dedham church; the following year became a member of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company and was its second sergeant in 1648; and was made a freeman May 2, 1649. Joshua married 1st, Nov. 15, 1643, Mary, dau. of Deacon Nathaniel and Mary Aldis, of Dedham. She died Sept. 3, 1653; and he m. 2d, Feb. 16, 1654, Lydia, widow of Samuel Oliver, of Boston.

Upon the Petition of Dedham for Eleazer Lusher to be their Captaine, Josua Fisher their lief tenant, & Henry Philips their ensign, their petition is granted. [Oct. 18, 1648: Mass. Col. Rec., II, .257, and III, 139.]

To the honoured Gouerner Majestrats and deputies assembled at the Generall Court at Boston
The petition of the Towne of Dedham
Humbly Sheweth:

That wheras our band of Trayned Souldiers haue bin yet: defectiuc for want of Oficers established: to exercise them: and as we humbly conceiue that we haue some amongst vs that may be fitt. to exercise our Company we haue with one consent made choyce of Eliazer Lusher to be our Captaine: and Joshua Fisher to be our Leiftenant aud Henry Phillips to be our Ensigne humbly desyringe this Honor Court: that you would be pleased to Ratifie and confirme them in the said places if you shall thinke good : And your petioners shall pray et
William Ballard, clarke of ye Trayne band 

The depties haue graunted this pet. wth Refferance to the concurrance of or honord magists William Torrey by order &c

The mast consent hereto Jo: Winthrop. Gour
19 (8) 48
[Mass. Arch., LXVII, 43.See Col. Rec., III, 139.]

So by the title of "Lieutenant Joshua " he was thereafter known throughout the Colony. pp11-12


The Fisher genealogy: A record of the descendants of Joshua, Anthony, and Cornelius Fisher, of Dedham, Mass., 1630-1640   Massachusetts Pub. Co.,   Everett, Ma.  1898

Continued in Part2.