George Fisher (settler)
Encyclopedia
George Fisher (1795–1873) was a customs officer and early leader of the Texas Revolution
.
Fisher (originally named Ђорђе Шагић (Đorđe Šagić), and also known as Ђорђе Рибар (Đorđe Ribar), which translated into English
is George Fisher) was born to Serbian
parents in Székesfehérvár
, Hungary
in April 1795. Following his father's death Đorđe was sent to the Serbian Orthodox Church
seminary
in Sremski Karlovci
, to train as a priest. He left in 1813 to join the Serbian revolutionary forces during the First Serbian Uprising
.1 He traveled to Philadelphia in the United States
in 1814 before heading to Mexico
. In 1825, Fisher helped found the first York Rite
Masonic Lodge in Mexico. He became a naturalized Mexican citizen in 1829 and contracted to settle five hundred families on lands in Texas
formerly held by Haden Edward
.
Fisher later was in charge of a customs house at the far north end of Galveston Bay
, succeeding the very unpopular John Davis Bradburn in this post. Fisher demanded that all ships landing at the mouth of the Brazos River
pay their customs duties to him at Anahuac
. This was a great hardship to area boat captains due to the great distances between that port and other Texas seaports. Fisher was forced to resign his post in early 1832 after a military confrontation with Texian
settlers.
Later that year, Fisher began publishing the liberal newspaper Mercurio del Puerto de Matamoros in Matamoros
. On October 13, 1835, Fisher and José Antonio Mexía
organized a movement in New Orleans to attack Tampico
to instigate a revolt among the eastern states of Mexico.
In 1837, he became a commission agent in Houston and served as justice of the peace
in 1839. Fisher was admitted to the bar in 1840 and was elected to the Houston city council
. In 1843 he became a major
in the Texas militia
. He traveled to Panama
in 1850 and on to California
in 1851. He served in various civic and administrative posts in San Francisco from 1860 to 1870. Soon after retiring, he was appointed by the King of Greece as Consul
for that nation.
Fisher was married four times. He died in San Francisco on June 11, 1873.
Texas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
.
Fisher (originally named Ђорђе Шагић (Đorđe Šagić), and also known as Ђорђе Рибар (Đorđe Ribar), which translated into English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
is George Fisher) was born to Serbian
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
parents in Székesfehérvár
Székesfehérvár
Székesfehérvár is a city in central Hungary and is the 9th largest in the country. Located around southwest of Budapest. It is inhabited by 101,973 people , with 136,995 in the Székesfehérvár Subregion. The city is the centre of Fejér county and the regional centre of Central Transdanubia...
, Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
in April 1795. Following his father's death Đorđe was sent to the Serbian Orthodox Church
Serbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...
seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in Sremski Karlovci
Sremski Karlovci
Sremski Karlovci is a town and municipality in Serbia, in the autonomous province of Vojvodina, situated on the bank of the river Danube, 8 km from Novi Sad...
, to train as a priest. He left in 1813 to join the Serbian revolutionary forces during the First Serbian Uprising
First Serbian Uprising
The First Serbian Uprising was the first stage of the Serbian Revolution , the successful wars of independence that lasted for 9 years and approximately 9 months , during which Serbia perceived itself as an independent state for the first time after more than three centuries of Ottoman rule and...
.1 He traveled to Philadelphia in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1814 before heading to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. In 1825, Fisher helped found the first York Rite
York Rite
The York Rite or American Rite is one of several Rites of the worldwide fraternity known as Freemasonry. A Rite is a series of progressive degrees that are conferred by various Masonic organizations or bodies, each of which operates under the control of its own central authority...
Masonic Lodge in Mexico. He became a naturalized Mexican citizen in 1829 and contracted to settle five hundred families on lands in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
formerly held by Haden Edward
Haden Harrison Edwards
Haden Edwards was a Texas settler and land speculator. Edwards County, Texas on the Edwards Plateau is named for him. In 1825, Edwards received a land grant from the Mexican government, allowing him to settle families in East Texas...
.
Fisher later was in charge of a customs house at the far north end of Galveston Bay
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
, succeeding the very unpopular John Davis Bradburn in this post. Fisher demanded that all ships landing at the mouth of the Brazos River
Brazos River
The Brazos River, called the Rio de los Brazos de Dios by early Spanish explorers , is the longest river in Texas and the 11th longest river in the United States at from its source at the head of Blackwater Draw, Curry County, New Mexico to its mouth at the Gulf of Mexico with a drainage...
pay their customs duties to him at Anahuac
Anahuac, Texas
Anahuac is a city in the U.S. state of Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population of the city was 2,210 at the 2000 census. Anahuac is the seat of Chambers County and is situated in East Texas.- History :...
. This was a great hardship to area boat captains due to the great distances between that port and other Texas seaports. Fisher was forced to resign his post in early 1832 after a military confrontation with Texian
Texian
Texian is an archaic, mostly defunct 19th century demonym which defined a settler of current-day Texas, one of the southern states of the United States of America which borders the country of Mexico...
settlers.
Later that year, Fisher began publishing the liberal newspaper Mercurio del Puerto de Matamoros in Matamoros
Matamoros, Tamaulipas
Matamoros, officially known as Heroica Matamoros, is a city in the northeastern part of Tamaulipas, in the country of Mexico. It is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande, directly across the border from Brownsville, Texas, in the United States. Matamoros is the second largest and second...
. On October 13, 1835, Fisher and José Antonio Mexía
José Antonio Mexía
José Antonio Mexía was an 18th-century Mexican politician. He claimed to have been born in Xalapa, Veracruz, but contradicting contemporary reports say he was a native of Cuba....
organized a movement in New Orleans to attack Tampico
Tampico Expedition
The "Battle of Tampico" was fought November 15, 1835, in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. Gregorio Gómez and the Mexican Centralist garrison engaged Gen. José Antonio Mejía and 150 American volunteers.-Background:...
to instigate a revolt among the eastern states of Mexico.
In 1837, he became a commission agent in Houston and served as justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
in 1839. Fisher was admitted to the bar in 1840 and was elected to the Houston city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
. In 1843 he became a major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in the Texas militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
. He traveled to Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
in 1850 and on to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1851. He served in various civic and administrative posts in San Francisco from 1860 to 1870. Soon after retiring, he was appointed by the King of Greece as Consul
Consul
Consul was the highest elected office of the Roman Republic and an appointive office under the Empire. The title was also used in other city states and also revived in modern states, notably in the First French Republic...
for that nation.
Fisher was married four times. He died in San Francisco on June 11, 1873.