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Thomas Fitch
Posted on June 7, 2010 by markeminer
Thomas FITCH (1590 – 1633) was Alex’s 11th Great Grandfather, one of 4,096 in this generation of the Shaw line. He was also Alex’s 10th great grandfather, one of 2,048 in this generation of the Miner line.
Thomas Fitch - Coat of Arms
Thomas Fitch was born on 13 June 1590 in “Brazen Head”, Bocking, near Braintree, Essex, England. His parents were George FITCH and Joan THURGOOD. He married Anna REEVE on 6 Aug 1611 in St. Mary’s Bocking, Essex, England. Thomas died on 18 Jan 1632/3 in Bocking, Essex, England and was buried in Sawbridgeworth, Co Hertfordshire, England.
St Marys Bocking, Essex Exterior
St Mary's Bocking Essex Interior
Anna Reeve was born about 1590 in Garret Manor, Bocking, Essex, England. Her parents were John REEVE and Mary BROCK. Other info shows her birth in 1593 in Gosfield, Essex, England. Son James and maybe John too must have approached their mother, and his brothers about settling in America, and in about 1650, Anna Fitch and her sons Thomas, Samuel and Joseph sailed from England, to join James. Anna died on 20 Jan 1667/68 in Norwalk, CT
Children of Thomas and Anna:
Name Born Married Departed
1. Capt. Thomas Fitch 14 Oct 1612 Bocking, England Anne Stacie
16 Nov 1632
Bocking, England
.
Ruth Clark
1662 in Milford, New Haven, CT 14 Apr 1704 Norwalk, Fairfield, CT
2. Elizabeth Fitch 3 Apr 1614 Bocking, England 11 Nov 1615 Bocking, England
3. Capt. John FITCH 16 Jul 1615 Bocking, England. Ann Hillier
England
Mary SUTTON
ca. 1645
Probably Rehoboth,
Mass. 21 Jan 1697/98 Rehoboth, Mass.
4. Anna Fitch ca. 1616 Bef. 1630
5. Zachary Fitch ca. 1617 Bocking, England Mary [_?_]
1638
Bocking, Essex, England 9 Jun 1662
Reading, Mass
6. Rev. James FITCH 24 Dec 1622 Bocking, England Abigail Whitfield
18 Oct 1648 Guilford, New Haven, CT
Priscilla MASON
2 Oct 1664 Windham, CT 18 Nov 1702 Lebanon, New London, CT
7. Nathaniel Fitch 26 Dec 1623 Bocking, England 8 Mar 1649 Prittlewell, Essex, England
8. Jeremy Fitch 5 Aug 1625 Bocking, England 28 Dec 1651 Bocking, England
9. Samuel Fitch 9 Nov 1626 Bocking, England Susanna Goodrich (widow of William Whiting)
2 Jan 1651 Hartford, CT 1659
Hartford, CT
10. Capt. Joseph Fitch 24 Dec 1627 Bocking, England Mary Stone
1660
Hartford, CT 26 Jun 1727
Windsor, Hartford, CT.
11. Mary Fitch Mar 1629 Bocking, England. Thomas Sherwood
1641 in Stamford, CT
.
John Banks 6 Jan 1694 in Rye, Westchester, NY
12. Ann Fitch 6 Aug 1630 Bocking, England. 17 Apr 1704 Hartford, CT
13. Sarah Fitch 24 Jul 1631 in Bocking, England. Thomas Crosby
1662
Eastham, Mass
.
Jehu Burr
1672 Jun 1719
Fairfield, CT
Thomas Fitch was a cloth manufacturer in Bocking, Essex, England. He was mentioned in his father’s will in 1605 as “my eldest son.” He inherited an estate near Braintree, Essex, England. He was involved in a number of land transactions. His will was dated Dec. 11, 1632, proved Feb. 12, 1632/33.
The Fitch family traces its first settlement in England to the era of the Norman Conquest A.D. 1066. Morant’s “History of County Essex, England,” says that ‘Robert Gernon or de Gernon came from France along with William the Conqueror and that he was a relative of the Conqueror and of the House of Bologne. One of his sons took the name of de Montfitchet, or de Montifiquet – the name is written these three ways in the Doomsday Book.
Thomas Fitch Bio
Thomas Fitch Bio 2
Ancestry
Thomas’ grandparents were Roger FITCH & Margery [__?__] Roger, will 12 Jan. 1558/59; d. Panfield, Essex; will proved Consistory Court, London 22 Feb. 1558/59; m. Margery[__?__]. Admitted tenant of Hartshede, his mother’s lands in Lindsell, 25 Sep 153
Thomas’ great grandparents were Thomas FITCH & Agnes ALGER Thomas Fitch was born about 1465 at Fitche Castle?, Essex, England, because he was said to be three years old at the time his father’s death was reported at the manor court of Widdington on 9 April 1468. He was admitted to his inheritance at Widdington court 9 Nov 1487, i.e., when he was about 21 years old. Thomas married Agnes Algore before 22 Dec1490 when they received land from her parents, Robert and Margaret Algore. Agnes was the only child and heiress of her father. She brought Brazen Head Farm in Lindsell, Essex, to the marriage. In the same year, Agnes received more land when her mother, Margaret Algore, died. In 1497, Thomas received an additional grant of land at the manor court of Lindsell Hall, and in Nov 1505, he took possession of land, which his father John had left in custody of his widowed mother, Juliana.
Thomas and Agnes Fitch are commemorated in a stained glass window at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Lindsell, Essex, England (Don't tell anyone this might be Thomas' son William)
Thomas died, 21 April 1514, as commemorated on a brass in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Lindsell. Agnes died before 3 May 1527. Beneath them on the brass are images of eleven children ~ six sons and five daughters.
Thomas & Agnes Fytch
On the floor before the chancel arch is a well engraved and perfectly preserved brass of the Fytch family inscribed:
“Here lie Thomas ffytch and Agnes his wife which same Thomas died the 21st day of April in the year of our Lord 1514. On whose souls may God have mercy.”
A good description of the brass is provided by Christy:
“The male figure (16 1/2 inches in height) has a half-turn to the left; is bare-headed, his long hair falling upon his shoulders; and his upraised hands, instead of being placed together as usual, are held apart. He is attired in the long gown of a civilian, beneath which his broad round-toed shoes are just apparent. It is open and turned back at the neck and down the front, showing the lining of the fur, which is also apparent at the wrists, where the extremely wide, open sleeves are turned back into cuffs. The female figure (16 1/2 inches in height) has a half-turn to the right, and the hands are placed together. Her long gown, cut low at the neck, fur-trimmed at the bottom, and having tight sleeves, turned back at the wrists into broad cuffs, which are fur covered, is loosely confined at the waist by a girdle, of which the ornamentally embroidered end falls nearly to the ground. She wears the pedimental head-dress.
The six sons (about 4 3/4 inches in height) are placed beneath their father,
Fytch Sons
while the five daughters (about 4 1/2 inches in height) are placed beneath their mother.
Fytch Daughters
The former have a half-turn to the left: the latter, to the right. Both wear costumes almost exactly similar to those of their parents, except that the gowns of the sons lack fur trimming, while the costumes of the daughters lack both fur trimming and the ceinture, and their head-dresses, having no backs, allow their long hair to fall down their backs to far below the level of the waist.” The inscription (on a plate 17 by 2 1/2 inches) immediately below the principal figure reads: Translated: Here lies Thomas Fytche and Agnes his wife, which same Thomas died the twenty-first day of April, in the year of our Lord 1514; on whose souls may God have mercy.”
Thomas and Agnes are also commemorated in a stained glass window in the same church. This window, and a second showing their son William and his first wife, Elizabeth, were probably paid for by William, who had the advowson of the church (the right to be the patron of the church and to recommend its clergyman) from King Henry VIII.
Except for Thomas’ and Agnes’ second son, William, who prospered and had three knighted descendants, the other children were somewhat less prosperous. According to Wagner, By the early seventeenth century they had included apothecaries, clothiers and cloth makers [like our Thomas], staplers and leather sellers, several clergymen and a naval surgeon.
Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Lindsell, Essex
Thomas’ great-great grandparents were John FYCHE and Juliana [__?__]. John FYCH, FYCCHE, FYTCHE (William) was born no later than 1437, because in 1467 he was said to be “aged 30 years and more” First mentioned on a Court Plea in 1458, which said he was “of Wykyn.”[2] On 14 May 1467, he was again acknowledged as son and next heir and admitted to his father’s estate; and, on the same day, he received additional grants of land. He married Juliana ______. John’s death was reported at the court session of 9 April 1468, at which time it was stated that “Thomas is his son and next heir and aged three years.” Custody of the land was given to Juliana, who later married Richard Westley. She probably died about 1475, because a 1505 court record indicates that at that time she had been dead for 30 years.
Thomas’ 3rd Great Grandfather was William FECCHE, FICCHE, FYCCHE, FICHE, FYCHE, FYTCHE, FITCHE* of Wicken Bonhunt, Essex Co., England. First mentioned on the Plea Rolls of 1428. Received grants of land at the manor court of Widdington in 1440/1 and in 1458/9. Death reported at Widdington court on 24 April 1466.[2] Wife’s name unknown. The court post mortem inquisition stated that “John Fytche is son and next heir of the same William.”
Anna’s great grandparents were John BROCK & Agnes WISEMAN
Anna’s grandparents were William BROCK & Margery BEDELL
Children
1. Thomas Fitch
Thomas’ first wife Anne Stacie was born 1611 in Essex, England. Her parents were William Stacie and Anne Garrold. Anne died 20 Jan 1686 in Fairfield, Fairfield, CT.
Thomas’ second wife Ruth Clark was born 20 Feb 1641 in Milford, New Haven, CT. Her parents were George Clark and Sarah Northrup Ruth died 1709 in Woodbury, Litchfield, CT.
Thomas Jr. served in the Parlimentary Wars in England [1642-1646 and 1648] attaining the rank of Captain. He immigrated about 1649 to Connecticut with his mother and two of his brothers.
He was one of the founders of Norwalk, Connecticut in 1650 and was well known, very wealthy and intellegent man.
He resided 1654 in Norwalk, Fairfield, Ct. He was counted in a census in 1673 in Norwalk, Fairfield, CT.
Thomas was the wealthiest citizen in Norwalk, CT in 1663 .
He was confirmed by the court as Recorder of Laws in 1659 and became King’s Commissioner in 1669, an office which he held for twenty-five years.
Thomas was also Deputy to the General Court as well as Deputy Governor of Connecticut.
From a line of 3 generations, each bearing the same surname, descended Thomas Fitch, Gov. of the Colony., 1754-60.
Children of Thomas and Anna:
i. Captain Thomas Fitch III, b: 1633 in Bocking, England; d. 1684 in Norwalk, CT; m. 1662 to Ruth Clark
Thomas had a home lot in Norwalk, CT in 1656 and was made freeman in May 1657. He married Ruth shortly thereafter. Thomas served as an ensign in 1670, and Captain in King Philip’s War. Thomas had four children in a list of “children in the town” of Norwalk in Feb 1672. (Find extra child) He is referred to as “Thomas Fitch II” in town records during this time. Thomas was on the committee to oversee the work to build a meeting house in 1678, as was his father.
ii. John Fitch , Sr. b: 1635 in Bocking, England; m. 3 Dec 1674 to Rebecca Lindall b: ABT 1640
iii. Ann Fitch b: 1638 in Bocking, England; m1. Stephen Hart , Jr. b: ABT 1633; m2. John Thompson b: ABT 1633
iv. Mary Fitch b: 1644 in Hartford, CT; d. 25 DEC 1730 in Fairfield, CT; m. ca. 1673 to Matthew Sherwood , Sr., Captain b: 1644 in Stratford, Conn.
v. Sarah Fitch b: 1647; m. 1659 to John Burr b: 1633 in Roxbury, Mass.
3. Capt. John FITCH (See his page)
6. Rev. James FITCH (See his page)
9. Samuel Fitch
Samuel’s wife Susanna Goodrich was born 1630 in Bocking, Essex, England. Her parents were William Goodrich and Sarah Martin. She first married William Whiting. Susannah died 8 Jun 1673 in Middletown, Middlesex, CT.
Samuel immigrated about 1649 to Connecticut. He was employed as school teacher
Children of Samuel and Susannah
i. Thomas Fitch , Sr. b: ABT 1652 in Wethersfield, CT.
ii. Samuel Fitch , Jr. b: ABT 1654
10. Joseph Fitch
Joseph’s wife Mary Stone was born about 1633 in Hertford, Hertfordshire, England. Her parents were Samuel Stone and Hope Fletcher. Mary died 1663 Windsor, Hartford, CT.
Joseph immigrated about 1649 to Connecticut. He bought land in 1662 in Hartford, Hartford, CT. He moved before 1672 to Windsor, Hartford, CT.
Children of Joseph and Mary
i. Nathaniel Fitch b: 17 MAR 1668/69 in Hartford, CT; m1. Abigail Buttolph b: 3 APR 1683 in Wethersfield, CT; m2. 1718 to Susannah Hill b: ABT 1680
11. Mary Fitch
Mary’s first husband Thomas Sherwood was born 1586 in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, England. He first married 21 Oct 1604 in England to Alice Seabrook (b. 23 Apr 1587 in Wingrave, Buckinghamshire, England – d. 1640 in Fairfield, Fairfield, CT). Thomas died 21 Jul 1655 in Stratford, Fairfield, CT.
Mary’s second husband John Banks was born 1620 in England. John died 12 DEC 1684 in Rye, Westchester, New York.
Sources:
http://www.angelfire.com/journal2/skylark3/page64.html
http://www.theharmons.us/harmon_t/names32.htm#FITCH
http://vesterfamily.org/pafg09.htm
http://dgmweb.net/FGS/F/FitchThomas-AnnaReeve.shtml
http://treetreetree.org.uk/Fitch.htm#James1
http://trees.ancestry.com/owt/person.aspx?pid=15170739&st=1
http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mhmills/html-woodward/grpf1226.html
http://www.baronage.co.uk/bphtm-01/fitch-1.html
http://stepneyrobarts.blogspot.com/2010/10/lindsell-essex.html
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This entry was posted in 13th Generation, Artistic Representation, Double Ancestors, Historical Church, Immigrant - England, Line - Shaw and tagged Immigrant Widow, Lindsell Church Family Brasses, Norwalk CT. Bookmark the permalink.
? John SuttonThomas Brown II ?
21 Responses to Thomas Fitch
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Joseph Dillon Ford says:
October 22, 2011 at 6:09 am
Greetings from Gainesville, Florida! We evidently share numerous common ancestors with Alex. I descend from Thomas Fitch, Sr. of Bocking, who was my 9th great grandfather.
In reverse chronological order, starting with me:
Joseph Dillon Ford
Julia (Dillon) Ford
Julia (King) Dillon
Frederick Wells King
Roswell (“Rossie”) King III
Roswell King II
Roswell King I
Sarah (Fitch) King
Joseph Fitch III
Joseph Fitch, Jr.
Joseph Fitch I
Thomas Fitch, Sr. of Bocking
Best regards,
JDF
Reply
Joseph Dillon Ford says:
June 15, 2012 at 11:02 am
Interestingly enough, Thomas Fitch, Sr.’s great-great grandson–the brother of Sarah Fitch King (see above)–was John Fitch, inventor of the steamboat. He is commemorated in a fresco at the U. S. Capitol:
http://www.aoc.gov/cc/art/brumidi/fitch.cfm
There is now a museum dedicated to John Fitch in Warminster, Pennsylvania:
http://www.craven-hall.org/online-tour/john-fitch-museum/
Reply
Bill Fikes Jr says:
January 15, 2012 at 3:16 am
Gibica DE BURGUNDY born about 310 Burgundy, Marne, France
Godomar DE BURGUNDY
Giolahaire Bebicca DE BURGUNDY
Gundicaire DE BURGUNDY
Gunderic DE BURGUNDY
Chilperic II King of Burgundy DE BURGOYNE
St. Clothilde DE BURGOYNE
Clovis I “The Great” MEROVINGIAN KING OF THE SALIAN FRANKS
Clotaire I, MEROVINGIAN KING OF SOISSONS, ORLEANS, THE FRANKS
Charibert I KING OF PARIS
Saint Bertha, Queen Berthe (Bertha) (Aldeberge) OF KENT
Eadbald of Kent
King Eadbald OF KENT
Ermifred/Eormenred KENT
Æthelberht of Kent
Billung VON WENDEN
Dobiogera VON WENDEN
Wernikind/Warnechin VON WETTIN
Lord Bruno I
Count Bruno II VON WETTIN SAXON ERGEN
Bruno III VON WETTIN Duke of Saxony
Ludolph HERZOG VON SACHSEN The Great
Otto THE ILLUSTRIOUS
Heinrich (Henry) I Emperor HENRY THE FOWLER, KING OF GERMANY
Adelaide HENRY THE FOWLER, KING OF GERMANY
Otto I THE GREAT Holy Roman Emperor
Gerberga QUEEN OF FRANCE
Alberade DE LORRAINE
Hugh I DE GOURNAY
HUGH DE GOURNAY
Raimond Renaud Roucy DE GOURNAY
Duke Robert III de Normandie, Duke of NormnadieHugh DE GOURNAY
Sir. William de Montfitchet Hugh DE GOURNAY
Baron Robert (Geron) DE MONTFITCHET
Sir William DE MONTFITCHET Lord of Stanstead Mountfitchet
Sir Gilbert DE MONTFITCHET Lord of Rise; Withernick
Sir Richard DE MONTFITCHET Lord of Stanstead Mountfitchet
Richard DE MONTFITCHET
Roger DE MONTFITCHET
John DE MONTFITCHET (John Fitche)
William FITCH
Thomas FITCH Sr.
William FITCH
John FITCH – 1435 Fitche Castle, Widdington, Essex, England
Thomas FITCH
Roger FITCH – ROGER FYTCHE
Roger, the youngest son and the ancestor of the American
Fitch/Fikes family, was born about 1500 at Lindsell, Essex.
George FITCH
Thomas FITCH
Thomas FITCH born 14 Oct 1612 Bocking, Essex, England
died 1704 in Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut at age 92
John FITCH 10 Jun 1642 Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut
John FITCH/FIKE 29 Sep 1677 Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut
John Thomas FITCH/FIKE about 1711 Norwalk, Fairfield, Connecticut
Tyre FIKE
George Fike
George Fikes
Martin Luther Fikes
William Henderson (Uncle Billy) Fikes
Calvin Henderson Fikes
Marion Monroe Fikes
Billy LaVoyce Fikes
Billy LaVoyce Fikes Jr.
Reply
Stacey Sherwood-Chapley says:
January 18, 2015 at 1:37 pm
I am also a descendent of the Fitch Family. Mary Fitch married Thomas Sherwood in 1635. I am trying to piece together dates of the de Montifitchet. Your list is inspiring and any info on birth/death records to help put it all together would be wonderful.
Reply
LaLee says:
June 11, 2012 at 9:15 am
I am amazed at learning about my heritage i am an ancestor through
LADY AGNES ALGER ALGORE (1470 – 1533)
is your 13th great grandmother
Roger Fitch (1500 – 1558)
Son of LADY AGNES
George Fitch (1537 – 1605)
Son of Roger
Thomas Fitch (1590 – 1633)
Son of George
Rev. James Fitch (1622 – 1702)
Son of Thomas
Captain Daniel Fitch (1665 – 1711)
Son of Rev. James
Daniel Fitch (1685 – )
Son of Captain Daniel
Samuel Fitch (1719 – 1800)
Son of Daniel
John Fitch (1760 – 1840)
Son of Samuel
George Fitch (1809 – 1880)
Son of John
Rebecca J. Fitch (1844 – 1892)
Daughter of George
Erie “Eric Earie” Stone (1871 – 1933)
Son of Rebecca J.
Goldie Golda Stone (1908 – 1940)
Daughter of Erie “Eric Earie”
John W Lee (1928 – 2007)
Son of Goldie whom is my Grandfather
Reply
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tom wright says:
July 20, 2013 at 1:22 pm
related to most early Essex families
been there and tour many sites
great tree et al – thank you
what a wonderful area
you do know of Fitch, the Staemboat Inventor?????????????
Reply
markeminer says:
July 27, 2013 at 10:44 am
Must be part of this family as he came from Windsor.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fitch_(inventor)
John Fitch (January 21, 1743 – July 2, 1798) was an American inventor, clockmaker, entrepreneur and engineer. He was most famous for constructing the first steamboat in the United States.
Fitch was born to Joseph Fitch and Sarah Shaler in Windsor, Connecticut on January 21, 1743, on a farm that is part of present-day South Windsor, Connecticut. He received little formal schooling and eventually apprenticed himself to a clockmaker, during time Fitch was not allowed to learn or even observe watchmaking (he later taught himself how to repair clocks and watches). He married Lucy Roberts December 29, 1767.
Reply
Joseph Dillon Ford says:
July 27, 2013 at 7:32 pm
Re: John Fitch
http://books.google.com/books?id=Qg0WAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA618&dq=%22Joseph+Fitch%22+%2B+%22Sarah+Shaler%22&hl=en&sa=X&ei=b4L0UYmtNJTa9QSCpoD4DA&ved=0CDoQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=%22Joseph%20Fitch%22%20%2B%20%22Sarah%20Shaler%22&f=false
Joseph Dillon Ford says:
July 27, 2013 at 7:07 pm
John Fitch is my sixth great uncle. I’m a descendant of his sister, Sarah, and her husband, Timothy King, my fifth great grandparents, with whom he was particularly close. Just now I’m in process of completing a new symphonic work based on his autobiography and other writings. My period-style overture in his honor was just premiered in Seattle (Maple Park Church, Saturday, July 27, 2013). A recent book in which his contribution as the inventor of the world’s first commercial steamboat is documented is Andrea Sutcliffe’s *Steam: The Untold Story of America’s First Great Invention* (New York and Hampshire, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, 2004).
The Fitch line has been particularly well researched and can be traced with reasonable confidence back to the fifteenth century. John Fitch himself discusses what he knew about his pedigree early in his autobiography (out of print, but available through interlibrary loan). :-) His nephew, Roswell King, Sr. (son of Timothy and Sarah), also born in Connecticut, founded the city of Roswell, Georgia, and was a significant but controversial figure in the antebellum history of that state.
A conceptual fresco of John Fitch can be seen in the United States Capitol, Brumidi Corridor (included in the video at the first link and shown at the second link below):
http://www.uschs.org/online-tour/01.htm
John Fitch
Reply
Bethany (Fitch) Canada says:
September 18, 2014 at 8:37 pm
Thank you SOOOOO much for this information… I am finally getting around to doing a family tree for our “Fitch” line of the family (Fitch being my maiden name) and am so excited for what I am finding… My grandfather Alger Morton Fitch Jr. just passed away this last June, and with my Father being the last of our Fitch line (because he had for girls :0) ) I want to find out as much as I can about our heritage and share it with him :0) … If my research is correct then this Thomas FItch is my 10th Great Grandfather :0)
Reply
markeminer says:
September 19, 2014 at 11:24 am
Bethany,
You are welcome and sorry for your loss,
Mark
Reply
David Fitch says:
January 8, 2015 at 9:40 pm
I have read many places that there used to be a castle in Britain that belonged to the Fitch family. This was somewhere around the time when the American side of the Fitch family left Britain. With this supposed information there was a very large sum of money that was supposed to be owed to the Fitch family (the sum was in the millions of pounds back then, which today would be an almost astronomically value). Yet no one has been able to prove lineage back to our ancestors. It has always been a goal of mine to find a way to prove this. If this is true would be a great feat. It seems that many of our ancestors were men of power. I made this goal when I was about 14 yrs old to my father. Even if our family were not entitled to money I feel that our family has been significant to American history, British history and the worlds history. With this information the contributions our family has made to human race is astounding and should never be forgotten.
Reply
Joseph Ford says:
January 9, 2015 at 8:31 am
Hello, David Fitch:
I’m keenly interested in the Fitch family. Sarah Fitch (1737–1785) was my fifth great grandmother and the wife of Timothy King, my fifth great grandfather. The Fitch family has been reliably traced back to William Fytche, who lived during the early fifteenth century. Her brother, John Fitch, was a brilliant inventor who pioneered steamboat technology in America, and he was particularly close to Sarah and Timothy (1727–1812). His autobiography gives details about the family’s history as he understood it, and though out of print, can be acquired through interlibrary loan. It also reveals how John Fitch himself was terribly mistreated, not only by certain members of his own family but by some of America’s “Founding Fathers,” including Jefferson and Franklin, whom he met in person in connection with his steamboat projects. Fitch’s steamboat was the very first commercial vehicle of its kind, but was so far ahead of its time that Robert Fulton only later capitalized on some of “Uncle John’s” ideas, garnering most of the glory.
In addition to John, Sarah Fitch had two other brothers: Joseph and Augustus. Are you descended from any of these?
Best,
Joe
Joseph Dillon Ford
Gainesville, FL
Reply
Bill Fikes Jr says:
January 16, 2015 at 6:13 pm
The story as I have it is the name comes from Montfichet family from Stansted Mountfitchet in Essex, who occupied the tower in the 12th century. The tower is now just a small pile of stones but there is a Theme park where it once stood, I have informed them that the Fikes’ are rallying to come across the pond and reclaim our ancestral home.
Montfitch – Mount Fitch – Montfitchet – Fitch – Fytche- Fycche – Fikes (there were sons named Fitch and Fikes in the same family in America.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stansted_Mountfitchet_Castle
http://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Fytche-16
Joseph Ford says:
January 18, 2015 at 12:12 pm
Hello, Bill.
I haven’t confirmed any connection between “Fitch” and its variants and “Montfichet,” which is French in origin. According to the John Fitch, my sixth great uncle, the “Fitch” line can be traced to Saxony (Northern Germany).and [later] to Essex, England. Below are links to several pages from his autobiography that discuss the Fitch line:
“Brantree,” to which he refers on p. 20, is actually “Braintree.”
My Fitch line, through my fifth great grandmother, Sarah Fitch King, is shown below without dates, since I’ve noticed some inconsistencies and don’t want to spread inaccurate information. Suffice it to say William Fytche was born around 1400 and Sarah died in 1785.
William Fytche (b. ca. 1400)
John Fytche
Thomas Fitche
Roger Fitche
George Fitch
Thomas Fitch, Sr.
Joseph Fitch, I
Joseph Fitch, II
Joseph Fitch, III
Sarah Ann Fitch King (d. 1785), sister of John Fitch (links to several pages of his autobiography above)
A useful link for information about the first few names on my list above:
http://www.baronage.co.uk/bphtm-01/fitch-1.html
The web site geni dot com takes the line back to “Montfichet,” but I tend to be skeptical absent stronger documentation. I think the line back to William Fytche, however, is pretty well established.
As time permits, I’ll continue to refine the data I have on hand, because, as mentioned, there are some significant inconsistencies in the dates I have. I’ll try to post relevant updates here, at geni dot com and at ancestry dot com.
Cordially,
Joe
Lyla Hartley says:
February 22, 2015 at 8:05 am
Good morning :) Would it at all be possible to share with us the link to the geni dot com site? If so, it would be greatly appreciated. Thank you much! :)
Grand-daughter of Hattie Belle Fitch > William Erret Fitch > Osceola Bradley Fitch > William Fitch > Josiah Fitch > Johnathon Fitch > Samuel Fitch Sr. > Thomas Fitch IV > Thomas Fitch III > Thomas Fitch Jr. > Thomas Fitch Sr. > George Fitch Sr. > Roger Fitch > Thomas Fitch > John Fitch > William Fitch > John Fitch
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Abt 1590 - 1633 (~ 43 years)