Descendants of Thomas Fish

This is my personal family tree and is a work in progress. If you find information that is incorrect, please notify me!!

First Generation

1. Thomas Fish was born^{1, 2} about 1755 in North Carolina. He died^{3, 4} on Aug 13 1840 in Mt. Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky. He was buried in Hiatt Cemetery, Renfro Valley, Rockcastle County, Kentucky. Burial Note: Have picture of headstone He was employed as Justice of the Peace and Sheriff of Rockcastle County for m.

From letter written by Jesse Fish in 1869 to his nephew, James S. Fish of Crab Orchard, KY: "My grandfathers Fish and Birney are our remotest ancestors that I have had any particular account of and most of my information on that subject was long since verbally obtained from Mother [Wineford Birney Fish] and of course my narrative will be a little indefinite but as she appeared to be gifted with a very sound recollection I incline to believe that her statements were generally near about correct. I don't recollect of ever hearing the name of my grandfather (your Great Grandfather Fish, who emigrated from England and settled in the Colony of North Carolina something over one hundred years since but I have no recollection at this time of ever hearing anything said in relation to the name of the county where he lived and the most particular account I ever had concerning his is that he was killed by a hostile Indian while he was riding on a hunting excursion near a certain water course in N.C. that has been going by the name of Fish's River. I have no account as to the number of his children, but have been informed that his son Thomas (my Father) was a small boy at the time of his Father's death and his Mother having previously died, caused him to be placed in the hands of some disinterested individuals who (as I am informed) seemed to care very little about his future welfare, therefore he was compelled thereafter to stem the tide of adversity the best way that he could until relieved by becoming of sufficient age to manage his own concern, and subsequently to that time he joined the army as a volunteer and served a tour of duty on an expedition against the Tories and Indians who were being very troublesome to the frontier settlers in that part of the country during the time of the old Revolutionary war. After his return from the army he frequently was speaking of having marched through a village then in North Carolina called Moravian Town where he saw a Tory man hanging by the neck and from appearance had been in that condition for a day or two and the soldiers were not permitted to take him down in order that he might be buried. About the year 1781 he was married to my Mother (late Wineford Birney) she being the eldest child of William Birney who I believe was residing in Guilford County, N.C. and I suppose (from information) that my Father and Mother emigrated from that State to Madison County, Kentucky, packing a few household goods and their five children on horses traveling on Boone Trace by way of Cumberland Gap and Hazle Patch through a wilderness and settled on Paint Lick Creek a small distance above the mouth of Walnut Meadow fork about the year 1791, while Indians were being very troublesome in the way of killing and robbing of imigrants on that route." ... "Sometime about the year 1800 they again moved with their 9 children before named and settled on waters of Roundstone some three fourths of a mile from mouth of Big Clear Creek, then in Madison County, but about the year 1810 was taken into Rockcastle. After settling at the last named place they had an increase of three more children, one daughter and two sons, the youngest one of all being a boy that was born dead and, of course, never had a given name, the two surviving ones being named Jane and Pleasant, making the total number of their living children eleven (11) all of them were grown and married a considerable length of time previously to the death of our parents. My father continued to live the balance of his days at the same place where he first settled on waters of Roundstone and there died the 13th day of August in the year 1840 and was buried next day at the old Grave Yard near to where Renfro Creek Meeeting House formerly stood. He had no record of his age but was supposed to be near 85 (eighty five) years old at the time of his death."

Per letter by Jesse Fish, Jan. 1, 1869: "He [Thomas Fish] had acted as Justice of the Peace and member of Rockcastle County Court for some eight or ten years and afterwards was appointed by the Governor and
commissioned to fill the office of high Sheriff under whom I acted as deputy during his term of two years."
SOURCE: Mary Dillon; mary_dillon@sbcglobal.net, She is a descendant of James Shelby & Sarah Roberts Fish.

Thomas married¹ Winaford Birney daughter of William Birney and Mary Unknown about 1781 in Guilford County, North Carolina. Winaford was born^{2, 3} on Mar 10 1767 in Guilford County, North Carolina. She died^{4, 5} on Jan 9 1850 in Mt. Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky. She was buried in Hiatt Cemetery, Renfro Valley, Rockcastle County, Kentucky. Burial Note: Have picture of headstone

Per letter written by Jesse Fish to his nephew, James S. Fish, Jan.1, 1869: "My mother (your grandmother Wineford Fish) being his [Thomas Fish's] widow, continued to live several years at the old place where he had died, but finally went to stay with her daughter Ann Smith near to Mount Vernon, where she continued to remain until the time of her death which I think occurred in the Spring of 1850, and she was buried by the side of your Grandfather. I was away from home at the time of her death and burial and therefore have failed to recollect the particular date. To the best of my recollection I have heard her say that she was born on the 10th day of March 1767, which made her about 84 (eighty four) years of age at the time of her death."
SOURCE: Mary Dillon; mary_dillon@sbcglobal.net, She is a descendant of James Shelby & Sarah Roberts Fish.

They had the following children:

+ 2 M i Colonel William Fish

+ 3 F ii Anne Birney Fish

4 M iii Thomas Fish was born¹ about 1786 in Guillford County, North Carolina. He died² in 1823 in Clark County, Arkansas. Thomas was employed as Was Judge of the Court in Arkansas.

Per letter from Jesse Fish to his nephew, James S. Fish, dated Jan.1, 1869: "Your Uncle Thomas was the first Deputy Surveyor that ever done business of that kind in the County of Rockcastle about the year 1810 and 1811. William Smith (his brother in law) being principle surveyor at that time. In the fall of 1812 while our Government was engaged at war with Great Britton and their Indian allies, the latter became very troublesome to our frontier settlers between the Ohio River and Lakes of Canada. Consequently the governor of Kentucky issued a call for Volunteers in order to repel the savages, and in a short time a Brigade numbering over 2000 Mounted Troops were proceeding on their way to Wabash River in order to be mustered into service at Vincense. Your Uncle Thomas with his elder Brother (William Fish) joined a company that went on that expedition and served a short tour of duty as Rangers being detached for the purpose of guarding the inhabitants on the waters of Wabash beyond where the savages had lately been killing and scalping of men, women and children in Indiana Territory and after obtaining an honorable discharge from the army both of them immediately returned home to kentucky where your Uncle William continued to reside the remainder of his days.
"Your Uncle Thomas Fish bore the name of being a young man of uncommon steady habits and was considered by our parents to be the most sensible one of all their sons. He seemed to have a considerable inclination to travel and had a particular desire to visit some of our maternal relatives who were then a portion of them living in Mississippi and others in Louisiana. Consequently he left home in the Spring of 1813 and prodeeded directly to Boonsborough and there embarked as a hand on a Flat Boat which was loaded with cargo of Tobacco, etc., on which he descended on the Kentucky, Ohio & Mississippi Rivers to the City of Natchez, and after landing at that place and leaving the Boat he visited his grand Uncle (David Birney) an old settler then living some five or six miles from the City, and was bearing the name of a respectable citizen and was thought to be in a good condition as to property, etc. and after remaining several days at the house of Uncle David he set out and traveled about fifty or sixty miles across the country in a westwardly direction to where Uncle William Birney (a brother to our Mother) was then living some ten or twelve miles from the old post of Wacheta which is now known by the name of Monroe Court house, it being the county seat of Washeta County in the State of Louisiana.
"After arriving at Uncle William Birneys and remaining and laboring for wages mostly on a farm, he then changed his occupation and went to trading on water and running a Keel Boat until he finally ascended the Washita River a distance of some 300 miles (by way of the river) and took up his residence in Clark County not far from where Arkadelphia is now situated, and where he was living at the time Arkansas Territory was established in the year 1819. And in the same year he was appointed and commissioned by the Governor to fill the Office of Justice of the Peace and afterwards was elected to represent the people of Clark County and served in the lower branch of the first Legislative body that ever assembled in that Territory. There was a very peculiar incident occurred at the time of his election and as I never heard of a similar circumstance before nor since, I have concluded to report it in this short biographical sketch. It so happened that he did not lose a solitary vote in the Township where he was living although he had two competitors and one of them a Doctor in good standing. Subsequently he was married to a Miss Emily Hemphill with whom I was personally acquainted in the year 1819 when I was detained in that country on account of sickness and being confined at her Mother's house in time of my worst affliction. Emily (who afterwards became his wife, appeared to possess a very mild disposition, had good educatin and was generally respected. I returned to Kentucky in the spring of 1820 which was previous to the time of their marriage and was subsequently informed that the Legislature of that Territory had lately abolished the Circuit Court System and that your Uncle Thomas Fish was then acting under an appointment as Judge of a Quarterly Court with the jurisdiction formerly appertaining to the Judges of Circuit Courts. I suppose he was holding the Judgeship when taken down with a disease in his side of which he died about the year 1823, leaving his wife without any children, they never having but one and that he outlived."
SOURCE: Mary Dillon; mary_dillon@sbcglobal.net, She is a descendant of James Shelby & Sarah Roberts Fish.

Thomas married¹ Emily Hemphill daughter of Unknown Hemphill about 1820 in Clark County, Arkansas. Emily was born² in Arkansas.
+ 5 M iv John Fish

+ 6 M v James Shelby Fish

7 M vi Henry Fish was born¹ about 1793 in Paint Lick, Garrard County, Kentucky.
+ 8 M vii Judge Jesse Fish

9 M viii David Fish was born¹ about 1797 in Paint Lick, Garrard County, Kentucky. He died² in 1832 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was buried in Louisiana. David was employed as Cotton Planter.

Took a boat load of cotton to New Orleans, Louisiana from Arkansas and became stricken with a disease, died there and was buried in the public burying grounds.

Per letter from Jesse Fish to his nephew, James S. Fish, dated Jan. 1, 1869: "Your Uncle David Fish also emigrated to that country by water in the Spring of 1817 and became a citizen of Clark County and followed cutting and rafting of cypress trees out of Washeta River which he generally was selling down on the coast of the Mississippi for a few years before he was married to Miss Hariet Hemphill, a sister to your Uncle Thomas' wife, and who appreared to be a clever kind hearted woman with tolerable good education and was well esteemed. I have been informed that he was occupying a good farm of his own and was also running a cotton gin until the spring of 1832, and he shipped a cargo of cotton down to New Orleans and while there was struck with Cholera where he died and was buried in a public cemetery belonging to the City. Some few years previously to his death I was informed that he had served one or two terms as Senator in the General Assembly of that Territory. He was cut off in the prime of life being about forty years of age and left his wife with only one child a small daughter and the last time I heard from them they were both in bad health, and in all probability are now dead."
SOURCE: Mary Dillon; mary_dillon@sbcglobal.net, She is a descendant of James Shelby & Sarah Roberts Fish.

David married¹ Hariet Hemphill daughter of Unknown Hemphill about 1820.

SOURCE: Mary Dillon; mary_dillon@sbcglobal.net, She is a descendant of James Shelby & Sarah Roberts Fish.
10 F ix Pollie Fish was born¹ about 1799 in Paint Lick, Garrard County, Kentucky. She died² in Mt. Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky.

Pollie married William Craig. William died in Mt. Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky.

SOURCE: Mary Dillon; mary_dillon@sbcglobal.net, She is a descendant of James Shelby & Sarah Roberts Fish.
11 F x Elizabeth Fish was born¹ about 1800 in Paint Lick, Garrard County, Kentucky. Elizabeth was counted in a census in 1850 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--Southern District--#2. She was counted in a census in 1860 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--Unknown District--#940.

Elizabeth married George Proctor. George was born¹ about 1802 in Kentucky. George was counted in a census in 1850 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--Southern District--#2. He was counted in a census in 1860 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--Unknown District--#940.

SOURCE: Mary Dillon; mary_dillon@sbcglobal.net, She is a descendant of James Shelby & Sarah Roberts Fish.

Living with George & Elizabeth in the 1860 census is a William Allen 21 M School Teacher GA
12 F xi Jane Fish was born¹ about 1805 in Wildie, Rockcastle County, Kentucky.

Jane married Eli Palmer.

SOURCE: Mary Dillon; mary_dillon@sbcglobal.net, She is a descendant of James Shelby & Sarah Roberts Fish.
13 M xii Pleasant Fish was born^{1, 2} about 1807 in Wildie, Rockcastle County, Kentucky. Pleasant was counted in a census in 1850 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--Northern District--#65. He was counted in a census in 1860 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--Unknown District--#558. He was counted in a census in 1870 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--District #1--#408.

Listed in the 1850 census in the household with Pleasant and Eliza is Jane Pruitt 25 F KY.

Listed in the 1860 census with Pleasant & Eliza is Jane Prewitt 30 F KY and Wm R. Prewitt 10 M KY.

Listed in the 1870 census with Pleasant and Eliza is
Prewit, Jane 40 F W housekeeper KY
Prewit, William R. 18 M W works on farm KY
Overbay, Prior A. 10 M W works on farm TN

Pleasant married Eliza Ann Roberts. Eliza was born¹ about 1814 in Kentucky. Eliza was counted in a census in 1850 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--Northern District--#65. She was counted in a census in 1860 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--Unknown District--#558. She was counted in a census in 1870 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--District #1--#408.

SOURCE: Mary Dillon; mary_dillon@sbcglobal.net, She is a descendant of James Shelby & Sarah Roberts Fish.

Surname List | Name Index

Jennifer Kidwell Fish

familyroots@adelphia.net

+	2	M	i	Colonel William Fish
+	3	F	ii	Anne Birney Fish
	4	M	iii	Thomas Fish was born¹ about 1786 in Guillford County, North Carolina. He died² in 1823 in Clark County, Arkansas. Thomas was employed as Was Judge of the Court in Arkansas. Per letter from Jesse Fish to his nephew, James S. Fish, dated Jan.1, 1869: "Your Uncle Thomas was the first Deputy Surveyor that ever done business of that kind in the County of Rockcastle about the year 1810 and 1811. William Smith (his brother in law) being principle surveyor at that time. In the fall of 1812 while our Government was engaged at war with Great Britton and their Indian allies, the latter became very troublesome to our frontier settlers between the Ohio River and Lakes of Canada. Consequently the governor of Kentucky issued a call for Volunteers in order to repel the savages, and in a short time a Brigade numbering over 2000 Mounted Troops were proceeding on their way to Wabash River in order to be mustered into service at Vincense. Your Uncle Thomas with his elder Brother (William Fish) joined a company that went on that expedition and served a short tour of duty as Rangers being detached for the purpose of guarding the inhabitants on the waters of Wabash beyond where the savages had lately been killing and scalping of men, women and children in Indiana Territory and after obtaining an honorable discharge from the army both of them immediately returned home to kentucky where your Uncle William continued to reside the remainder of his days. "Your Uncle Thomas Fish bore the name of being a young man of uncommon steady habits and was considered by our parents to be the most sensible one of all their sons. He seemed to have a considerable inclination to travel and had a particular desire to visit some of our maternal relatives who were then a portion of them living in Mississippi and others in Louisiana. Consequently he left home in the Spring of 1813 and prodeeded directly to Boonsborough and there embarked as a hand on a Flat Boat which was loaded with cargo of Tobacco, etc., on which he descended on the Kentucky, Ohio & Mississippi Rivers to the City of Natchez, and after landing at that place and leaving the Boat he visited his grand Uncle (David Birney) an old settler then living some five or six miles from the City, and was bearing the name of a respectable citizen and was thought to be in a good condition as to property, etc. and after remaining several days at the house of Uncle David he set out and traveled about fifty or sixty miles across the country in a westwardly direction to where Uncle William Birney (a brother to our Mother) was then living some ten or twelve miles from the old post of Wacheta which is now known by the name of Monroe Court house, it being the county seat of Washeta County in the State of Louisiana. "After arriving at Uncle William Birneys and remaining and laboring for wages mostly on a farm, he then changed his occupation and went to trading on water and running a Keel Boat until he finally ascended the Washita River a distance of some 300 miles (by way of the river) and took up his residence in Clark County not far from where Arkadelphia is now situated, and where he was living at the time Arkansas Territory was established in the year 1819. And in the same year he was appointed and commissioned by the Governor to fill the Office of Justice of the Peace and afterwards was elected to represent the people of Clark County and served in the lower branch of the first Legislative body that ever assembled in that Territory. There was a very peculiar incident occurred at the time of his election and as I never heard of a similar circumstance before nor since, I have concluded to report it in this short biographical sketch. It so happened that he did not lose a solitary vote in the Township where he was living although he had two competitors and one of them a Doctor in good standing. Subsequently he was married to a Miss Emily Hemphill with whom I was personally acquainted in the year 1819 when I was detained in that country on account of sickness and being confined at her Mother's house in time of my worst affliction. Emily (who afterwards became his wife, appeared to possess a very mild disposition, had good educatin and was generally respected. I returned to Kentucky in the spring of 1820 which was previous to the time of their marriage and was subsequently informed that the Legislature of that Territory had lately abolished the Circuit Court System and that your Uncle Thomas Fish was then acting under an appointment as Judge of a Quarterly Court with the jurisdiction formerly appertaining to the Judges of Circuit Courts. I suppose he was holding the Judgeship when taken down with a disease in his side of which he died about the year 1823, leaving his wife without any children, they never having but one and that he outlived." SOURCE: Mary Dillon; mary_dillon@sbcglobal.net, She is a descendant of James Shelby & Sarah Roberts Fish.
				Thomas married¹ Emily Hemphill daughter of Unknown Hemphill about 1820 in Clark County, Arkansas. Emily was born² in Arkansas.
+	5	M	iv	John Fish
+	6	M	v	James Shelby Fish
	7	M	vi	Henry Fish was born¹ about 1793 in Paint Lick, Garrard County, Kentucky.
+	8	M	vii	Judge Jesse Fish
	9	M	viii	David Fish was born¹ about 1797 in Paint Lick, Garrard County, Kentucky. He died² in 1832 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was buried in Louisiana. David was employed as Cotton Planter. Took a boat load of cotton to New Orleans, Louisiana from Arkansas and became stricken with a disease, died there and was buried in the public burying grounds. Per letter from Jesse Fish to his nephew, James S. Fish, dated Jan. 1, 1869: "Your Uncle David Fish also emigrated to that country by water in the Spring of 1817 and became a citizen of Clark County and followed cutting and rafting of cypress trees out of Washeta River which he generally was selling down on the coast of the Mississippi for a few years before he was married to Miss Hariet Hemphill, a sister to your Uncle Thomas' wife, and who appreared to be a clever kind hearted woman with tolerable good education and was well esteemed. I have been informed that he was occupying a good farm of his own and was also running a cotton gin until the spring of 1832, and he shipped a cargo of cotton down to New Orleans and while there was struck with Cholera where he died and was buried in a public cemetery belonging to the City. Some few years previously to his death I was informed that he had served one or two terms as Senator in the General Assembly of that Territory. He was cut off in the prime of life being about forty years of age and left his wife with only one child a small daughter and the last time I heard from them they were both in bad health, and in all probability are now dead." SOURCE: Mary Dillon; mary_dillon@sbcglobal.net, She is a descendant of James Shelby & Sarah Roberts Fish.
				David married¹ Hariet Hemphill daughter of Unknown Hemphill about 1820. SOURCE: Mary Dillon; mary_dillon@sbcglobal.net, She is a descendant of James Shelby & Sarah Roberts Fish.
	10	F	ix	Pollie Fish was born¹ about 1799 in Paint Lick, Garrard County, Kentucky. She died² in Mt. Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky.
				Pollie married William Craig. William died in Mt. Vernon, Rockcastle County, Kentucky. SOURCE: Mary Dillon; mary_dillon@sbcglobal.net, She is a descendant of James Shelby & Sarah Roberts Fish.
	11	F	x	Elizabeth Fish was born¹ about 1800 in Paint Lick, Garrard County, Kentucky. Elizabeth was counted in a census in 1850 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--Southern District--#2. She was counted in a census in 1860 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--Unknown District--#940.
				Elizabeth married George Proctor. George was born¹ about 1802 in Kentucky. George was counted in a census in 1850 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--Southern District--#2. He was counted in a census in 1860 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--Unknown District--#940. SOURCE: Mary Dillon; mary_dillon@sbcglobal.net, She is a descendant of James Shelby & Sarah Roberts Fish. Living with George & Elizabeth in the 1860 census is a William Allen 21 M School Teacher GA
	12	F	xi	Jane Fish was born¹ about 1805 in Wildie, Rockcastle County, Kentucky.
				Jane married Eli Palmer. SOURCE: Mary Dillon; mary_dillon@sbcglobal.net, She is a descendant of James Shelby & Sarah Roberts Fish.
	13	M	xii	Pleasant Fish was born^{1, 2} about 1807 in Wildie, Rockcastle County, Kentucky. Pleasant was counted in a census in 1850 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--Northern District--#65. He was counted in a census in 1860 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--Unknown District--#558. He was counted in a census in 1870 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--District #1--#408. Listed in the 1850 census in the household with Pleasant and Eliza is Jane Pruitt 25 F KY. Listed in the 1860 census with Pleasant & Eliza is Jane Prewitt 30 F KY and Wm R. Prewitt 10 M KY. Listed in the 1870 census with Pleasant and Eliza is Prewit, Jane 40 F W housekeeper KY Prewit, William R. 18 M W works on farm KY Overbay, Prior A. 10 M W works on farm TN
				Pleasant married Eliza Ann Roberts. Eliza was born¹ about 1814 in Kentucky. Eliza was counted in a census in 1850 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--Northern District--#65. She was counted in a census in 1860 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--Unknown District--#558. She was counted in a census in 1870 in Kentucky--Rockcastle County--District #1--#408. SOURCE: Mary Dillon; mary_dillon@sbcglobal.net, She is a descendant of James Shelby & Sarah Roberts Fish.