Thomas Fisher Jr. (1763-1845)
Thomas Fisher Jr. (1763-1845)
Tree Outline of Fisher Generations | ancestry.com page
Ancestral line: Thomas Fisher

Elias Evangelical Lutheran Church
Elias Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery
Emmitsville, Maryland
Elias Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery
Thomas Fisher (1763-1845) Catherine Warner Fisher (1769-1844)
Thomas Fisher (1763-1845) Catherine Warner Fisher (1769-1844)

A6 Thomas Fisher Jr., born April 30, 1763 near Littleston, Pennsylvania, died July 8, 1845; married Catherine Warner, born December 14, 1769; died March 17, 1844. Click to view a newspaper notice of the Estate Sale for Thomas Fisher's Farm, found in the Repubican Compliler, Gettysburgh, Pennsylvania, September 22, 1845.

Thomas and Catherine Fisher are both buried in Elias Evangelical Lutheran Church Cemetery where they attended church (see pics at right). They farmed in southern Adams County, Cumberland Township near the Mason Dixon line and March Creek, mostly in Emmitsburg district of Frederick County.

Click to view this land in a contemporary map (Google Maps): between Rock Creek and Marsh Creek on the border of Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Thomas Fisher Jr. (1763-1845) was a prosperous farmer -- in 1799 Germany Twp assessed him for 1,487 acres. He also was a man who liked to move -- in 1803 he sold his share of his father's 1764 patent lands (southwest of Littlestown) to George Geiselman and took possession of a new farm on Marsh Creek, straddling the Mason-Dixon Line. This farm was part of the old Frenchman's Purchase; on a modern map it extended from Bullfrog Road to Marsh Creek, encompassing the site of the present-day Mason-Dixon Farms. These lands were sold by Thomas Jr.'s heirs to Abraham Waybright, whose name adorns them in mid-19th century atlases.

Thomas had nine children. His daughter Lydia Fisher (b. 1801) married David Sheets. Daughter Elizabeth Ann Fisher (b. 1804) married Jacob Sheets. And daughter Mary Fisher (b. 1798) married Abraham Reiff and then George Lewis Shriver. Connections abound here. Lydia was the mother of Jeremiah Sheets, while George L. Shriver was Jeremiah's guardian after David died in 1846.

In his 1843 will, Thomas Fisher Jr. made an interesting bequest. He left Jeremiah -- then just 16 -- "the house and lot of about 12 acres of land near the Hill meeting house in Freedom Township". That house was then occupied by David and his family, but Fisher added the proviso "that the said Jeremiah shall not be compelled to pay into the hands of the said David Sheets anything herein bequeathed to the use of my said daughter Lydia Sheets but that the same shall remain and continue in his hands and that during the life of the said David Sheets the profits thereof shall be paid to the said Lydia Sheets annually" and discharged to Jeremiah. He also left Jeremiah $400 and noted that it was "my intention that the income of both bequests shall go to the separate use of my daughter Lydia Sheets, and it shall not be applied either directly or indirectly to the use of David Sheets husband of said Lydia."

David Sheets was born in 1788 and consistently identified as "of John" to differentiate him from another David Sheets in the area at the time -- even his tombstone in Lower Marsh Creek Cemetery includes the "of John." But which John Sheets was his father? No document has emerged to help solve this question, but maps might.

In 1796 Jacob Sheets resurveyed and patented 528 acres of a plantation called Neighbor's Agreement, drawn from lands that had belonged to the plantations Addition to Brook's Discovery on the Rich Lands, Nasby's Good Luck, Frenchman's Purchase and Benjamin's Inspection. These lands straddled the Monocacy River, which was then in Frederick County, Maryland and now serves as the border between Frederick and Carroll counties. They were mostly on the west side of the river.

In 1797 Jacob sold 115 acres, most of it on the east side of the Monocacy, to his son John, who had already bought a small bit of land from his father. Jacob died in 1806 and is buried in the Lutheran Cemetery in Taneytown. In his will, he left his home farm of 130 acres to John, mostly on the southeast side but also including his merchant mill and saw mill on the northwest. I suspect the sale and the bequest refer to the same land. In his will, Jacob left a 130-acre farm on the northwest side of the Monocacy to his son George, referring to it as the land on which he was living.

Those lands practically adjoin the Fisher farm (see related map), which leads me to my conclusion: the John Sheets who fathered David Sheets is the same John Sheets who inherited his father Jacob Sheets's lands and mills. John lived on the east side of the Monocacy for about a decade before taking over his father's farmstead on the west side in 1808. David Sheets was then about 20. I think the Jacob Sheets who married Elizabeth Ann Fisher was David's cousin, son of George Sheets. Jacob and Elizabeth's son was named George Thomas Sheets, a perfect fit if he was named for his grandfathers. The Fishers would have been practically next-door neighbors to these two closely related Sheets men.

In 1808 John sold the lands on the east side of the Monocacy to Joseph Lohr; from there they passed through the hands of Lewis Motter (1816), John Young (1832) and John H Sterner (1862). The state of Maryland considers the farmhouse historically significant and has documented it extensively as the John Sheets Farm. That farm is noted in 19th-century atlases and still exists today -- it's impossible to miss on its curve of the Monocacy off Baptist Road. The handsome Sheets farmhouse on the west side of the river also still stands along the Harney Road; for a time this property was called Hidden Valley Farm. Jacob Sheets's mills are indicated on early maps of Frederick County.

SOURCE: Jason Fry Research


Last Will of Thamas Fisher (Jr.)
[August 1, 1843]

In the name of God Amen. Thomas Fisher of Adams County in the State of Pennsylvania, being of advanced age and weak in body but of Sound and disposing mind, and death and the uncertainty of the time thereof, and being desirous to Settle my worldly affairs and thereby be the better prepared to leave this world when it shall please God to call me hence do therefore make and publish this my last will and testament in manner and form following that is today First and principally I commit my Soul into the hands of Almighty God and my body to the earth to be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors, herein after named, and after my debts and funeral charges are paid. I devise and bequeath as follows:

Item I give and bequeath to my wife Catherine the farm on which I reside during my natural life
Item I give and bequeath to my wife Catherine all my personal property of every description during her natural life and if she should desire to do so, it is my desire the she distribute Such part of said personal property as she might not need, during her life time amoung the peoples here after named by me in proportion to the amount of their legacies
Item I give and bequeath to Jeremiah Sheets (Son of my daughter Lydia the the wife of David Sheetz) the house and lot of about twelve acres of land lying near the hill Meeting house in Freedom Township Adams County Pennsylvania and now in the ocupation of David Sheetz (View this parcel in the 1858 Adams County Atlas) at the valuation of Four hundred Dollars to be held by him in trust for the use of my daughter the said Lydia Sheets during her natural life and after her decease to remain to her Son the said Jeremiah in fee, under the example provide nevertheless that the said Jeremiah Shall not be compelled to pay into the hands of the Said David Sheets anything herein bequeathed to the rise (?) of said Daughter Lydia and that during the life of the said David Sheets the profits thereof shall be paid to the Said Lydia Sheetz annually and any receipt withstanding the payment of such profits to the Said Lydia Sheets and Signed by her through covert shares be sufficent discharges to the Said Jeremiah.
Item I give and bequeath to my Son John Fisher one dollar he having already received his full share of my property
Item I give and bequeath to my Son Abraham Eight hundred this bequest Subject to deduction for advances for which I hold his notes,
Item To my son Isaac I give and bequeath Eight Hundred dollars this bequest Subject to deduction for advances he _______
Item To my son George I give and bequeath Eight hundred dollars.
Item To my Daughter Rachel inter married with George Hospelhorn I give and bequath Eight-hundred Dollars.
Item To the children of my daughters Mary (first-intermarried with Abraham Rife now intermarried with George L. Shriver to Wit to Abraham Rife, Isaac Thomas Shriver, George Shriver and Maria Schriver I give and bequesth two hundred Dollars making in the aggregate eight hundred Dollars to the four childreen of Mary Schriver
Item To daughter Elizabeth Intermarried with Jacob Sheetz I give and bequath Eight-hundred Dollars.
Item To William Thomas Ockerman Son of my daughter Susannah I give and bequeath two hundred dollars, to remain in the hands of my Executors or the Survivor of them untile he shall attain the age of twenty one years then to be paid him with interest from such time as my Estate was ready for distribution
Item To Jeremiah Sheetz (Son of my daughter Lydia intermarried with David Sheets) I give and bequeath four hundred dollars in trust for the use of my daughter the Said Lydia Sheets during her life and at her death to remain to the said Jeremiah's own use, this bequest to be subject to the same __________ with that henceforth made of the house and that it being my intention that the income of both bequests shall go to the seperate use of my daughter Lydia Sheets, and it shall not be applied either directly or indirectly to the use of David Sheets Husband of said Lydia.
Item If my estate should be found insufficent to pay the foregoing legacies in full then it is my wish that they should be paid ____ably also if there should be any Surplus that is be divided in proportion to the bequests amoung those named.
Item I hereby empower and direct my executors or the Survivors of them within four years next after the death of my wife to Sell all my property as public or private sale to the best nadvantage and distribute the proceeds according to directing of the Will
And lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my wife Catherine and my son Abraham to be executors of this last Will and Testament. In testimony whereof I have here unto Set my hand and affixed my seal the first day of August in the year one Thousand Eight-hundred and forty three.
Thomas Fisher


Deed

Abraham Fisher
and
Issac Fisher
to
Abraham Waybright

This Indenture - Made the 1st day of April in the year of our Lord One thousand eight Hundred and Forty Six Between Abraham Fisher and Issac Fisher Executors of the Last Will and Testament of Thomas Fisher Late of Cumberland Township in the County of Adams and State of Pennsylvania Dec'd of the first part and Abraham Waybright of the Township of Freedom in the County of the State aforesaid of the other part - Whereas the said Thomas Fisher by love and virture of (-----) good conveyances and asurances in the Law, duly had and executed became in his Lifetime lawfully seized in his (demisesne?) as of fee of and in a certain Tract of Land situated and being in the Township of Cumberland and the Township of Freedom in the County of Adams and the State of Pennsylvania in part and partly in the Emmitsburg District in the County of Frederick in the State of Maryland bounded and described as follows - BEGINNING at the Stones on the south side of Marshcreek being a corner of the Lands of the Heirs of Alexander Horner Dec'd and the Lands of Jacob Waybright thence across and down said Creek by Lands of Heirs of Alexander Horner south eighty eight degrees East thirty six perches and six tenths to A post, thencly by the said Lands of Said Heirs, Seventy seven degrees East thirty two perches to A post, thence by said Lands, South eighty three and one half degrees East fourteen perches to A post thence along said Lands south seventy one degrees East Eighteen perches to A post near North bank of siad Marchcreek, thence from the Creek by said Lands North five and three fourth degrees East twelve perches to A psot thence by said Lends south Eight eight degrees East one Hundred and Sixty nive perches and five tenths to Stones thence by Lands of William Walker South twenty nine degrees west sixty six perches and eitht tenths to Stones thence by said Lands south three and one half degrees East sixty four perches and seven tenths to Stones thence along said Lands south two degrees west twenty three perches of three tenths to Stones, thence by Lands of John Eyler North sixty four and three fourth degrees west one hundred and fifty two perches and eight tenths to Stones thence by said Lands south thirty six and one half degrees west forty eight perches and two tenths to Stones thence by said Lands, one degree and one half west one hundred and twelve perches to Stones , thence by Lands of Robert Fleming South Sixty Six and one fourth degrees west Forty seven perches and eitht tenths to Stones thence also North Sixty five and one fourth degrees West Sixty nine perches and Six tenths to Stones and White oak on the near Lands of William Patterson tnece said Lands North Forty nine and three fourths degrees East twelve perches to Stones thence by said Lands, North Sixteen degrees East fifty three perches and eight tenths to Stones, thence also north Eighty seven degrees West forty six perches and eight tenths to Stones, thence by Lands of Jacob Waybright.

North Sixteen east thirty three perches and one thenth to Stones, thence by said Lands North three and one half degrees East thirty two perches and seven tenths to Stones, thence North Forty two and one half degrees East, Sixty and four tenths perches to Stones, thence North one degree east twenty one perches to Stones thence thence North 33 degrees east fifteen and one hlaf perches to Stones thence North 1/2 degree West 20 3/10ths perches to Stones, thence North 52 1/2 degrees east 17 perches to the place of BEGINNING. Conatining - 282 acres and 93 perches - and being so therefor seized as aforsaid the said Thomas Fisher Dec'd on the first day of August, Anno Domini One thousand Eight hundred and forty three made his Last Will and Testament in writing and on the second day of July A.D. 1845 A codiciel thereto, wherein and whereby among other things he did order and direct his executors therein after named to Sell and Convey the said described Tract of Land for the best price that could be had therefor, and his said Last Will did make and constitute the said Abraham Fisher and Issac Fisher, to be the Executots and died without altering or revoking the same, as in and by the said Will remaining in the Registers office at Gettysburg in the county aforesaid Reference thereto being had Will (Miore) at Large appear - and now this Indenture Witnesseth that the said Abraham Fisher and Issac Fisher Executors as aforesaid for and in consideration of the aforsaid debt or sum of Five Thousand Six Hundred Sity Dollars to him in hand will and truly paid by the said Abraham Waybright aforesaid at and before the ensealing and delivery hereto the receipt whereof is herby acknowledged have granted bargained Sold Aliened Released and Confirmed and by these presents by force and Virtueof the said Last recited Will Do Grant Bargain and Sell Alien Release and confirm unto the said Abraham Waybright and unto his heirs and assigns all that above mentioned and described messuage containing Two Hundred and Eight two Acres and ninety three perches as aforesaid mentioned neat measure - Together with all and Singular the Buildings and improvements thereon made or erected, profits, commoadities, advantages, Emoluments, Here dictaments and Appurtenances, whatsoever to the said described parcel or Tract of Land Lying as aforesaid belonging or in any wisw appertaining and the Revisions, Remainers, Rents, Issues and Profirs thereof Also all the Estate Right, Title, Interest, Use, Possession, Property, Claim and Demand, whatsoever of him the said Thomas Fisher Dec'd at and immediately before the time of his deceace in Law and in equity or otherwise howsoever of in, to, or out of the same, To have and to Hold the said parcel or tract of Land Farm as above described and the premises hereby granted, mentioned or intendeded so to be, with the appurtenances, unto said Abraham Waybright and unto his hiers and assigns forever to their only proper use benefit and behoof and to and for no other intent meaing or purpose whatsoever - And the said Abraham Fisher and Issac Fisher Executors as aforesaid for themselves their Heirs Executors and Adminstrators do severally but not jointly but each for his own acts only, convenant, promise, grant and agree to and with the said Abraham Waybright and his hiers and assigns By these presents that they the said Abraham Fisher and Issac Fisher have not herefor done or committed abd act matter or thing whatsoever whereby the premises hereby granted or any part thereof is are or shall or may be impeached chnaged or incumbered in title, charge Estate or otherwise howsoever - In testimony whereof the said Abraham Fisher and Issac Fisher Executors

have hereunto Set their hands and affixed their seals the day and year first above written.

Signed and Sealed and Delivered in the presence of Abraham Fisher - Seal -
J.B. Danner Issac Fisher - Seal -
David McConaughy            

Received on the date of the date above Indenture of herein named Abraham Waybright
the sum of Five Thousand Six Hundred and Sixty Dollars in full for the consideration money above mentioned.
Abraham Fisher
Issac Fisher

Witness J. B. Danner
D. McConaughy

Adams County SS:
Be it Remembered that on the First day of April Anno Domini One thousand eight hundred and Forty Six Before me the Subscriber one of the Justices of the Peace in and for Said County
personally appeared above named Abraham Fisher and Issac Fisher Executors and Acknowledged the above Indenture to be their act and deed to the intent that as such the same might be Recorded according to Law -
J.B. Danner - seal -

A true copy taken from and compared wit the original - Witness my hand the 1st day of April A.D. 1846 -
Robert Cobean - Recorder.


Children of Thomas Fisher Jr. and Catherine Warner:


The George Fisher Family History is a compilation of information gathered by Eric & Liz Davis.
This HTML version was created by Eric and Elizabeth Fisher-Davis, beginning in 2001.

Tree Outline of Fisher Generations