Thomas Fish 
Thomas was born about 1617 in Market Harborough, New Bowden, Leicestershire, England.1 Thomas' father was Robert Fish and his mother was Alice Fyshe. His paternal grandfather was Thomas Fish; his maternal grandparents were John Fish and Margaret Craddock. He had five brothers and four sisters, named Benjamin, Christopher, John, Joseph, Nathan, Hanna, Mary, Ruth and Tabitha. He had five half-brothers and four half-sisters, named Joseph, Christian, Benjamin, John, Nathan, Ruth, Tabitha, Hanna and Mary. He died about 1687. He was buried in Old Portsmouth Cemetery, Newport, Rhode Island.1 General Notes
From Austin's Dictionary of Rhode Island Genealogy, pg. 78:
March 20, 1660. He had a deed of house and land from Henry and Ann Ayres, in consideration of fencing 2 acres, but said Henry and Ann were to enjoy said land for their lives without paying rent.
1665. Bought 2 parcels of land from James Babcock, including land, dwelling house, barn and orchard for 50L. Chosen Constable for the year.
1665. Sold two acres to Thomas Lawton. Made freeman, indicating he was also a member of a church, probably the Quaker Church or possibly the new-formed Baptist Church of Providence or Newport.
1674. Town Council.
May 2, 1684. Deeded grandson, Preserved Fish, son of Thomas, deceased.., dwelling house and 15 acres where Thomas Fish, Jr. had lived and said grandson to possess it in the year 1700.
March 1, 1679. Chosen to be on the Grand Jury the next Court of Trials.
Sept 12, 1685. Appointed to Coroners Jury for an Inquest into the hanging of a Scotsman named John Crage.
February 9, 1887. Will proved, Wife, Mary is executor. To son, John, the land bought from James Babcock. To son Robert 20s., like amount to daughters, Mehitable, Mary and Alice. To Grandson Preserved, 5s. To wife, remainder of estate. Inventory 49L, 10s. Will is signed in bold, legible hand-writing.
September 9, 1697. Codicil to Will. Slight changes. Inventory 130L, 2s.
Thomas, the eldest son of Robert and Alice Fish, left England at about the age of 24 and settled in the newly formed Providence Plantations in New England, receiving his first land grant in 1643 ,"at the first Brooke," and here he became the progenitor of the Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Vermont branches of the family.
One of the earliest Town Meetings, held on 13 March 1638 recorded: "none shall be received as inhabitants or freemen...but such as be received in by the consent of the Bodye and do submit to the Government that is or shall be established according to the Word of God.
:...every inhabitant of this Island shall be always provided one musket, one pound of powder, 20 bullets, and two fademe of match with sword and rest and Bandeliers, all completely furnished.
"...the swine that are upon the Island shall be sent away from the plantation six miles up the Island or into some Islands adjacent, by the 10th of February, 1639, or else be shutt up so that they may be inoffensive to the towne
"...Ordered that the wolf catcher be payed out of the Treasurie. Also ordered that there shall be noe shooting of deere from May 1st to 1st of Nov Forfeit to be 5 pounds."
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Ancestor Pedigree Chart
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- b. in Harborough, Great Bowden,England
- b.~ 1540 d.~ 1601
- b.12 Aug 1593 in Leicestershire,,England d.20 Dec 1639
- b.~ 1617 in Market Harborough, New Bowden, Leicestershire, England d.~ 1687
- d.1579
- b.~ 1555 d.9 FEB 1621/22 in Bowden, Magna or Market Harborow, Great Bowden Parish, England
- b.<06 Nov 1597
- d.BET. 1630 - 1632
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They had four sons and three daughters, named Thomas, John, Robert, Daniel, Mehitable, Mary and Alice.
1 RossBonny.FTW
Further source/citation:
John Osborne Austin, Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island @ 78
Further source/citation:
John Osborne Austin, Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island @ 78
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