John Fisher, Jr

Biography

John Fisher (1661-1755) was born 2 Apr 1661 in Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts the son of John Fisher and Elizabeth Boylston (Fisher "John s. John and Elizabeth, APR. 2 1661." Medfield Births p 51).[1][2][3][4] He married Mary Metcalf daughter of Deacon Thomas Metcalf on June 8, 1683 in Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts.[2] Mary Metcalf was baptized on 25 Nov 1660 in Dedham, and died in Medfield on Dec. 16, 1727.[2] She was the sister of Samuel Metcalf born in Dedham on Sept. 17, 1668 who died in Canada in 1690.[2]

In 1690 during the expedition to Canada under Captain Andrew Gardner 60 men were lost. On 4 Jun 1736 the House of Representatives of Massachusetts constructed a list of heirs of these fallen soldiers to receive land grants in consideration of the loss to their families. The Grant known as Gardner's Canada would become incorporated later as Warwick. In the third list of grantees/heirs in the proprietors records we find "Samuel Fisher of Wrentham, eldest male heir to Samuel Metcalf." Samuel Metcalf was Samuel Fisher's brother-in-law. In other words Samuel Metcalf was the brother of Samuel Fisher's wife Mary (Metcalf) Fisher and son of Deacon Thomas Metcalf 1629 - 1702. (See Roster of the Expedition of 1690 to Canada, NEHGR Vol 99 1945 p 307 - 314)[2] This information is extremely interesting in terms of the identity of Samuel Fisher's mother Mary (Metcalf) Fisher, wife of John Fisher. Mary Metcalf daughter of Deacon Thomas Metcalf was baptized in Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts in 25 NOV 1660.("Mary ye daughter of of brother Thomas Metchalf was baptized 25 9 1660." p 35}[5] She was the only Mary Metcalf to have a brother Samuel Metcalf. Samuel Metcalf was the second of the name. He was born on 17 Sep 1668 in Dedham, Norfolk, Massachusetts, and died in the expedition to Canada under Captain Andrew Gardner in 1690.[2] He had no children and hence his only heir was his brother-in-law Samuel Fisher who received the land grant described above.[2] This brings up two errors frequently encountered: 1) This Samuel died in 1690 not in 30 JUN 1713. The Samuel who died on 30 JUN 1713 in Dedham therefore had to be the young son of Thomas 1671 - 1704 and Sarah Avery i.e. his nephew. 2) The wife of John Fisher was not the Mary Metcalf daughter of John Metcalf 1622 - 1675 who was born 2 Jun 1668 in Medfiled. ("Medcalfe, Mary, d. John and Mary, June 2, 1668." p 71)[1] That Mary is therefore most certainly the Mary Metcalf who married Eleazar Ellis on on 26 Oct. 1687 in Medfield[1] because she had no brother Samuel so she could not have been the wife of John Fisher. These two errors are ubiquitous in the literature and on the Internet so I encourage the reader to look at these sources themselves.

Children

• 1. Samuel Fisher b. 29 Sep 1685 Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts ("Fisher, Samuel, s. John Jr. and Mary, Sept. 29, 1685." Medfield Births p 52)[1][4] d.19 Jan 1769 Wrentham, Norfolk, Massachusetts,("Fisher, Samuel, Jan. 19, 1769." Vol 2 p 445 Wrentham Deaths)[6]
• 2. John Fisher b. 9 Sep 1687 Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts ("Fisher, John, s. John and Marie, [born] Sept. 9, 1677." Medfield Births p 51)[1][4] d. 2 Feb 1712/13 Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts ("Fisher, John, h. Rebekah, [died] Feb. 2, 1712-13." Medfield Deaths p 211.)[1]
• 3. Mary Fisher b. 9 Oct 1689 Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts, ("Fisher, Marie, d. John and Marie, Oct. 9, 1689." Medfield Births p 51)[1][4] d. 16 Apr 1719 Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts, ("Turner, Mary, w. John, [died] Apr. 16, 1719." Medfield Deaths p 239).[1]
• 4. Judith Fisher b. 29 Dec 1691 Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts, ("Fisher, Judieth, d. John and Marie, Dec. 29, 1691." Medfield Births p 51)[1][4] d. 11 May 1727 Wrentham, Norfolk, Massachusetts, ("Turner, Judith, w. of Stephen, [died] May 11, 1727" Medfield Deaths p 504). [6]
• 5. Simon Fisher b. 4 Jun 1695 Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts, ("Fisher, Simon, s. John and Marie, June 4, 1695" Medfield Births p 52)[1][4] d. 22 Feb 1724/25 Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts ("Fisher, Simon, s. John and Mary, Feb. 22, 1724-5" Medfield Deaths p 212)[1]
• 6. Elizabeth Fisher b. 29 May 1697 Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts, ("Fisher, Elizabeth, d. John and Marie, [born] May 29 [1697]." Medfield Births p 51)[1][4] d. 27 Jan 1718/19 Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts ("Fisher, Elisabeth, d. John and Mary, [died] Jan. 27, 1718-19." Medfield Deaths p 211).[1]
• 7. Sarah Fisher b.4 Jun 1700 Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts, ("Fisher, Sarah, d. John and Mary, [born] June 4, 1700." Medfield Births p 52)[1][4]
• 8. Hannah Fisher b. 26 Jul 1703 Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts ("Fisher, Hannah, d. John and Mary, [born] July 26, 1703" Medfield Births p 51)[1][4] Biography and sources by Roland Henry Baker, III

Sources

• 1. Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Medfield, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850. (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1903)
• 2. Theodore F Jones, The New England Historical & Genealogical Register: Roster of the Expedition of 1690 to Canada (Boston, MA: NEHGS, Jan 1945), Volume 99 p 312 (" 44. "Samuel Fisher of Wrentham, eldest male heir to Samuel Metcalf." Samuel5 Fisher: b. Medfield, Sept. 29, 1685, d. Wrentham, Jan. 19, 1769, was the son of John4 Fisher, 1661-1755, and his wife Marys Metcalf (Thomas1), bpt. Dedham, Nov. 25, 1660, d. Medfield, Dec. 16, 1727, m. Medfield, June 8, 1683. Mary2 Metcalf was the sister of Samuel2 Metcalf, b. Dedham, Sept. 17, 1668, d. in Canada."). . link
• 3. Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Medfield, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850. (Boston, Massachusetts: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1903) p 52. ("Fisher, Samuel, s. John Jr. and Mary, Sept. 29, 1685.")
• 4. Philip A Fisher, The Fisher Genealogy: Record of the Descendants of Joshua, Anthony, and Cornelius Fisher, of Dedham, Mass., 1630-1640. (Everett, Mass.: Massachusetts Pub. Co., 1898) p 31. John Fisher, s/o John Fisher and Elizabeth Boylston, b. Medfield 2 Apr 1661, d. 7 Nov 1755, m. (1) 8 Jun 1683 Mary Metcalf, m. (2) 1 Jul 1731 Sarah, widow of Ichabod Harding, and "probably" before that widow of Joseph Ellis of Dedham (and if so, maiden name Hemenway). p 50. ("Samuel Fisher, s/o John Fisher and Mary Metcalf, b. Medfield 29 Sep 1685, d. Wrentham 19 Jan 1769, m. 16 Dec 1707 Mary Rockwood. Will dated 17 Jun 1761, probated 24 Feb 1769, son John executor, his father's widow, four daughters, son Samuel, son Nathan.")
• 5. Don Hill Gleason, A memorial volume. The record of baptisms, marriages and deaths, and admissions to the church and dismissals therefrom, transcribed from the church records in the town of Dedham, Massachusetts. 1638-1845 Also all the epitaphs in the ancient burial place in Dedham, together with the other inscriptions before 1845 in the three parish cemeteries (Dedham, Mass.: Dedham Transcript Press, 1886) Vol. 2 (Also referred to as Volume to of the Early Record of the town of Dedham in some genealogies) p 35 link
• 6. Baldwin, Thomas W. Vital records of Wrentham, Massachusetts, to the year 1850. (Boston: Stanhope Press, 1910)

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• John Fisher
• Birth: Apr. 2, 1661 Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, USA
• Death: Nov. 7, 1755 Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, USA
• John Fisher was born in Medfield, Norfolk, Massachusetts on April 2, 1661. He was the son of John Fisher and Elizabeth Boylston. He wed Mary Metcalf in Medfield on June 8, 1683, in Medfield. John was a selectman six times between 1699 and 1719. He also served as Coroner. In 1716 he was a delegate to the General court. John and Mary had six children and Mary died on December 16, 1727. John then married Mrs. Sarah Hemenway Harding on July 1, 1731. John owned houses and land in Medway and Dedham. He owned one slave. John died in Medfield on November 7, 1755, although there is no record of his death in the town records. The only cemetery being used in Midfield at the time of John's death was Vine Lake Cemetery. That is most likely where he is buried. There are many unmarked graves in the cemetery.
• Family links:
• Parents:
• John Fisher (1625 - 1668)
• Elizabeth Boylston Fisher (1640 - 1665)
• Spouse:
• Mary Metcalf Fisher (1660 - 1727)*
• Children:
  • Samuel Fisher (1685 - 1769)*
  • John Fisher (1687 - 1713)*
• Burial: Vine Lake Cemetery, Medfield, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, USA
• Find A Grave Memorial# 130400434
• From: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=130400434 _______________
• UNLIKELY MARY METCALFE WAS MARRIED TO JOHN FISHER AND HAVING CHILDREN BY BOTH HUSBANDS FIND A GRAVE LISTS HIS WIFE AS DAU. OF SARAH PIDGE (PAIGE) & THOMAS METCALF
• METCALF, Mary
• b. 2 JUN 1668 Medfield, Norfolk, Mass.
• d. 16 DEC 1727 Medfield, Norfolk, Mass.
• Parents:
• Father: METCALF, John
• Mother: CHICKERING, Mary
• Family:
• Marriage: 8 JUN 1683
• Spouse: FISHER, John
• b. 2 APR 1661 Medfield, Norfolk, Mass.
• d. 7 NOV 1755 Wrentham, Norfolk, Mass.
• Children:
  • FISHER, Samuel
  • FISHER, John
  • FISHER, Judith
  • FISHER, Hannah
• Family:
• Marriage: 26 OCT 1687 Medfield, Norfolk, Mass.
• Spouse: ELLIS, Eleazer
• b. 24 APR 1664 Medfield, Norfolk, Mass.
• Children:
  • ELLIS, Mary
  • ELLIS, Eleazer b. 9 MAY 1694 Medfield, Norfolk, Mass.
  • ELLIS, Samuel
  • ELLIS, David b. 4 JAN 1701/2 Medfield, Norfolk, Mass.
• From: http://www.genealogyofnewengland.com/f_107.htm#54 ________