FISHER Family Book, Part I

Our FISHER family begins with David FISHER, Sr. (born c. 1795, PA) and his wife, Sophia WEEKS (or MEEKS) (born 1796, PA). They started a family in Clinton Co., Ohio by 1819 and later passed through Vernon Township, Hancock Co., Indiana (1833); Madison Co., Illinois (c. 1843); and settled in Washington Township (Ashland, between present day Eldon and Agency), Wapello Co., Iowa in 1850. From here the family branches out to Nebraska and Kansas: King David and his family moved to Hebron, Thayer Co., Nebraska and later Hazard, Sherman Co., Nebraska; Sylvester and his family moved to Marshal Co., Kansas and Whiterock, Republic Co., Kansas (1866).

Read on or jump to...

• FISHER Family Photo Album
• David FISHER's Children, Grandchildren, Great Grandchildren, Great-great Grandchildren, or Triple-great Grandchildren.

David and Sarah were married about 1814 in Pennsylvania and started their family there with two children. By 1819, the family moved to Vernon Township, Clinton County, Ohio where the next five children were born and then in 1834 moved on to Vernon, Hancock County, Indiana, where their youngest daughter was born in 1837.

(At the time of the 1830 census, a David FISHER family is found in Clark Township, Clinton County, Ohio. This family had seven sons and two daughters as well as parents probably living with them.)

On 20 November 1833, David purchased 60 acres in the N½ of NE¼ of Section 10, Range 6 East of Vernon Township. He later purchased another 80 acres on 11 April 1834 in the E½ of SE¼ of the same section. This second estate he sold on 1 March 1837 for $200.

In 1836, David's second son, King David FISHER, bought the 40 acres of the SW¼ of NE¼ of the same Section 10.

On 2 April 1850, David sold both his original estate and his son's estate on for $1,100.

Son Samuel Martin and daughter Catherine both started their families in Vernon and gave David and Sarah their first grandchildren there. Catherine possibly stayed behind in Indiana when the FISHER family moved to Illinois before 1843.

By 1850 David's family and his son Samuel Martin's family were both living in District #13 in Wapello County, Iowa.

Between 1856 and 1863, Sarah died in Wapello County and David followed on 27 July 1868. Both are buried in Wapello County at the Ashland Cemetery.

On May 10, 1850 David FISHER paid $900 to Joseph FINARTY of Wapello County for the NW¼ of SW¼ and 60 acres of the west side of west half of the NW¼ of Section 14, also the NE¼ of SE¼ of Section 22, all in Township 71 (Washington Township) N of range 12 West containing 140 acres. The 100 acres on the west side of Section 14 was to be the family home for the rest of David's and Sarah's lives. This farm was very near the town of Ashland which does not exist anymore. It was between Eldon and Agency, Iowa. The home was a 3-room house made of soft white pine, sided vertically with 12" boards. Batting was placed over the siding edges. There was a lean-to on one side of the house. This house is still used as a shop on the farmstead across the road from where it was built.

Sarah passed away between 1856 and 1863 and on 6 December 1863 David married Mrs. Nancy (BIRCH) RANKIN. He was about 68 years old and she was 38. Prior to their marriage, Nancy had two sons: John R. RANKIN (born about 1844-1845) and Curtis R. RANKIN (born 1848-1849). They had three more children before David passed away on July 27, 1868.

At David's death there was a court division of David's land and it was sold at public auction. The following is a list of heirs of his estate:

It is not indicated at just what date this list was made. lt would indicate that it might have been in December of 1863.

Children of David FISHER

Samuel Martin married Rhuphema, a native of Clinton County, Ohio, around 1835 in Hancock County, Indiana. Their first child was born there in 1837 and the following year were relocated in Illinois where the next four children were born. Between 1847 and 1852, the family moved to Iowa, probably Louisa County, and had their sixth child. By 1858 the family moved to Nehama County, Kansas and in 1866 to White Rock Creek, Republic County, Kansas. Samuel was the first to settle the White Rock Creek area along with his wife, five children, and one grandchild.

In October 1866, Samuel, some visiting friends of his from Nemaha County, and other White Rock Creek settlers, went on a hunting trip through Holmwood and then southwest from Whitestone. There they were ambushed by a band of eight Indians. Outnumbered, Samuel offered no resistance and allowed the Indians to make off with surplus provisions, revolvers, and revolver ammunition. The Indians left them with a little food and their rifles and warned them not to hunt in that area as it was Indian hunting ground.

Glad to escape so easily, the hunting party returned to the previous night's camp but during the next morning, a lone Indian rode up and took a fancy to John MARLING's powder horn. The Indian decided it would make a nice gift and decided to take the powder horn much to MARLING's chagrin. John MARLING three months earlier had his wife dragged away with a rope around her neck and assaulted by Indians and was therefore unwilling to give any Indian anything. Samuel FISHER feared creating unnecessary trouble and so advised John MARLING to surrender the powder horn. John did so. The Indian took the powder horn, wheeled his pony around to leave but suddenly turned and shot Samuel in the back. Before MARLING could fire back, Samuel pleaded not to return fire.

Samuel carried the bullet, and even a measure of respect for the Indians to his grave. He treasured a complete Indian suit and huge feather headdress which was given to him by other Indians.

In 1871, Samuel and Rhuphema's son, James T., died at the age of 25. That same year, Samuel's younger brother, King David died across the state line in Nebraska.

Rhuphema died on 31 August 1885 and was buried at the Persinger Cemetery in Republic County. Four months later, Samuel remarried King David's widow, Sophia PRITCHARD on 22 December 1885. They had three more children before Sophia died in 1887. Once again, Samuel was remarried by year's end, this time to Nancy P. CARTER on 13 September 1887.

1B1.	Sarah J. GARRISON	1835
1B2.	Mary A. GARRISON	1837
1B3.	Silas GARRISON	5 Jul 1840	27 Dec 1893	(53)
1B4.	Rebecca Ellen GARRISON	30 Mar 1843	22 Feb 1918	(74)
1B5.	Catherine S. GARRISON	1846-1849
1B6.	Jeremiah GARRISON	1852/1853
1B7.	Martha GARRISON	1855/1856
1B8.	David GARRISON	Abt. Aug 1859
1B9.	Eliza Isobel GARRISON	1861

Catherine was present at the death of her brother, King David, on 12 July 1871.

King David FISHER was about 6' 6" tall and was said to have met his wife, Sophia PRITCHARD, near Louisville, Kentucky. They were wed in 1840 or 1841 and began their family in Illinois in 1843 with the birth of their first son, John Jackson. By 1846, the family moved to Indiana where the next four children were born.

In 1849, King David left home to follow the Gold Rush to California but returned to relocate in Wapello County, Iowa prior to the birth of daughter, Ellen C. FISHER, in 1852.

About 1860, the family moved to Des Moines, Jefferson County, Iowa but stayed there less than two years. By 1862, the family moved again, this time to Big Sandy, Hobbs Precinct, Jefferson County (now Thayer County), in the Nebraska Territory and homesteaded in the center of Section 9-2N-2. Ironically, the family was run off the homestead in 1867, the same year that Nebraska gained statehood. The FISHER family resettled temporarily in Tarkio, Atchison County, Missouri for two years before returning to the homestead in time for the 1870 census.

King David FISHER died, two years after his father, on 12 July 1871 in Hebron, Thayer County, Nebraska. King David, by request, was buried on the homestead on a hill facing north overlooking the Little Blue River and the Oregon Trail. The hill had been a lookout for marauding Indians.

After King David's death, the family eventually moved further west to Clear Creek (modern-day Hazard?), Sherman County, Nebraska by 1880. The remaining children, and many of their grandchildren, were born in Nebraska.

Kingfisher creek, township, and county, in Oklahoma, are said to be named for King David FISHER who camped along the creek in the days before the Chisholm Trail crossed through. His rifle, "Blackleg," is also displayed in the courthouse in North Platte, Nebraska.

Article: "Kingfisher"

Photo caption: "Picture of King David FISHER marker at Hebron, Nebraska. Nadine WALTER made trip to Hebron to take this picture."

Text: "For a long time the impression existed that the town of Kingfisher, county, creek, and township were named for the Kingfisher bird that is native of this general area of the southwest.

Another theory was that the town was named for a John King FISHER (1854-1884), who controlled 5000 sq. miles in Dimmit County, Texas (southwest of San Antonio on the Mexican border). His parents were Joby (Jobe) and Lucinda WARREN FISHER. Joby's parents were James and Anna LADD FISHER. James came to Texas from Illinois. This King FISHER was known as an outlaw but died while helping on the sided of the law.

Some people were of the opinion that there were two men who owned ranches in the vicinity of what is now Kingfisher. One man's name was KING and the other FISHER. They thought KING had operated the stage station in the early days, so when the town was laid out it was named after these two men.

John D. MILES was appointed agent of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians in 1872 by President GRANT, with headquarters at Darlington near El Reno. Mr. MILES became familiar with this part of the territory and its traditions, so is one of the most reliable authorities for the explanation that the creek was so called in honor of King FISHER (King David FISHER), a ranchman in the early day whose range and camps were on this stream. At that time he was known as a livestock trader, gambler, and when necessary, Indian fighter. He traveled in Oklahoma buying and selling cattle and he also had a string of stallions.

Mr. MILES is also the authority for the explanation that "Uncle John's" Creek, which unites with Kingfisher Creek at the northeast corner of the townsite, was so-called owing to the fact that another ranchman who was popularly known as "Uncle John" held his cattle upon the grazing grounds along the creek.

Settlements in Oklahoma along the famous Chisholm Cattle Trail, which started in 1867, and extended from Texas to Abilene, Kansas, were trading posts and stage stations. This was where stage coaches that carried passengers from Caldwell, Kansas to Ft. Reno and Ft. Sill could stop to change horses, food, eat, and rest. The "King Fisher Stage Station" was located just west of the present Kingfisher Post Office on the north banks of Kingfisher Creek and the road from there followed up 13^th Street.

This cattle trail lasted for about twenty years. When the Department of Interior made its plans to open Oklahoma Territory to white settlement in the early part of 1889, it had to provide for the location of two land offices. One land office was located on an acre of ground in the southeast corner of NW/4 of Sec. 15-16N-7W, at or near the "King Fisher Stage Station" on the Chisholm Trail. After the opening, the settlers joined these two names together and the village and town which grew up around the land office has since been known by the name of "Kingfisher."

"King David FISHER"

"David and Sarah FISHER were the parents of King David FISHER. He was born February 19, 1819, in Clinton County, Ohio, and grew to be about 6' 6" tall. Both David and Sarah were born in Pennsylvania. David FISHER was born about 1794 and Sarah about 1795. They moved to Ohio with their family about 1818.

Land records in Vernon Township, Handcock [sic] County, Indiana, showed David FISHER Sr. of Clinton County, Ohio, bought land in Ohio in November, 1833, and sold it April 2, 1850. King FISHER also owned land in Clinton County and sold it the same time his father did. David FISHER, Sr. then purchased land in Wapello County, Iowa, May 10, 1850 and lived there the remainder of his life. Sarah passed away first; David FISHER, Sr. passed away July 27, 1868.

King David FISHER met Sophia PRITCHARD (who was born July 12, 1825) near Louisville, Kentucky. They were married in 1840 or 1841 and were the parents of 12 children.

In 1849 King FISHER went to California to the Gold Rush. He had the reputation of going off and leaving Mrs. FISHER and the children to look after themselves the best they could. On one of these periods of being absent from home, he came to this part of Oklahoma where a town bears his name.

On June 2, 1852, a daughter, Ellen C., was born in Wapello County, Iowa. The family probably remained there for ten years or more, as four more children were born there.

King FISHER and Sophia homesteaded in the center of Sec. 9-2N-2 in Thayer County about two miles southeast of Hebron, Nebraska. This farm was crossed by the Little Blue River.

Fort Butler was a stockade built about one mile southwest of Hebron for the protection of the settlers from Indian attacks. King FISHER served as 1^st Sgt. at the fort. He always called his rifle "blackleg."

Mrs. GARRISON also told of "hair raising" experiences in Indian raids.

King FISHER's third child, Isaac, born May 10, 1847, was killed by the Indians. The FISHER family with their neighbors were driven out of Thayer County, in 1867, by the Indians, so they lived at Tarkio, Missouri, for two years before returning to their homestead.

Mrs. GARRISON was with King FISHER at the time of his death. He died of Lung Fever (others say it was typhoid) in a dugout and was buried, at his request, on the homestead. It was on a hill facing north, just below is the Little Blue River, and just across the river was the Oregon Trail. There is a tombstone that reads: King David FISHER, born Feb. 19, 1819, died July 12, 1871, 52 years, 4 mos., 23 days."

"King FISHER, For Whom City Is Named, is Buried On Hill Near Hebron, Nebr."

Photo caption: "This is the grave of King FISHER, on a hill near Hebron, Nebr. The child standing behind the tombstone is his great-grandson, King David FISHER II."

Text:"King Fisher, frontiersman for whom Kingfisher creek, city and county (the only ones in the United States) were named, is buried near Hebron, Nebr. His children are all deceased, but a great-granddaughter, Mrs. Mabelle [sic] FISHER CLARK, lives at North Platte, Nebr., and a granddaughter, Bertha A. HARTSOCK, 70, lives at Welch, Okla.

Information concerning King FISHER has been supplied by these surviving relatives. He was born somewhere in the east in 1812 [sic], a member of a family of 13 or 14 children, and died in Nebraska in 1869 [sic].

He met his wife, Sophia PRITCHARD, near Louisville, Ky., and they became the parents of seven sons and two daughters. One son, Isaac, was killed by Indians.

FISHER, a horse trader and sometimes gambler, was also an Indian fighter when necessity demanded, although he was a friend to all civilized Indians. Long before the opening of the country to settlement, he traveled in Oklahoma, buying and selling cattle, and also had a line of stallions.

One of his camping places was on the banks of what came to be known as Kingfisher creek, and when a stage station later was built there it likewise received the name of Kingfisher.

An unusual circumstance occurred in connection with King FISHER's death. He foretold his passing two weeks before he died, although a physician summoned by his wife could find nothing wrong with him at that time.

At his own request he was buried on a hill on his ranch where frontiersmen had used a telescope to watch for marauding Indians. His old musket hangs in the courthouse at North Platte, Nebr.

The old log ranch house still stands and is the only original building left on the ranch."

Sarah Marie PARKHURST was born 31 May 1835 and married Sylvester in Wapello County, Iowa on 14 December 1853 and had their first two children there. By 1858 they moved to Marysville, Marshall County, Kansas where their third child was born. By 1860, the family moved north to Liberty, Gage County, Nebraska and remained there for the birth of the rest of their huge family of 16.

Sylvester Theodore FISHER died on 26 September 1897 at the age of 63 and Sarah Marie (PARKHURST) FISHER followed four months later on 4 January 1898.

Benjamin Franklin PARKHURST was born 3 April 1837 and served in the Civil War. He died 6 June 1897 at age 60 and Eliza Jane (FISHER) PARKHURST died six years later on 18 June 1903 at the age of 65.

Continue on to Part II

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