TENTH GENERATION

896. Gerhart (Garrett) FISCUS ^{(849) (850)(851) (852)(719) (853)(854)} was born before 1732 in Germany.⁽⁸⁵⁵⁾ Gerhardt Fiscus came to America in 1744 from Germany. [Thus, he was born before 1732 in Germany.] He immigrated on Oct 20 1744 to America from Germany via Holland. He died in Nov 1797 in Greensburg, Westmoreland Co., PA.^{(856) (857) (719)} Garrett Fiscus died in 1797, maybe November. His will was made September 30, 1797, and was proven and recorded November 4, 1797. Garrett Fiscus, in his will, spelled his name "Gerhart Fiscos."

Garrett Fiscus arrived in America in 1744. He had six children.

"Gerhart (Gerhardt) Fiscus [Garrett's father] was born in a part of western Germany near France called the Rhine Palatinate. Gerhart and his younger brother Friederich arrived in Philadelphia in the ship Loyal Judith from Rotterdam, Holland, on September 2, 1743. Gerhart was 48 and Friederich was 36 years of age. His son, Gerhardt or Garrett Fiscus, married Mary Magdalena and they emigrated to America aboard the ship Phoenix from Rotterdam, Holland arriving in Philadelphia on October 20, 1774." -- Wayne Fiscus, p.11

Garrett Fiscus arrived in Philadelphia on August 20, 1744, on the ship Phoenix. Captain Wilson listed 110 male and 55 female passenters. The total number of passenger who landed was only 107. The rest either died or were left off at Province Isle to recover from illness. On the same day, Garrett took the oath to the government. One can only assume that Garrett was the son of the immigrant Gerhard who landed the year before on September 2, 1743. -- J.A and Elma Fiscus, p.24

"December 7, 1745 -- Garrett Fiscus of Philadelphia, a tailor, in consideration of 21 pounds paid by Conrad Reif of Philadelphia to Benjamin Shoemaker for his and his wife's passage from Holland indents himself a servant to Conrad Reif for four years from this date. Customary dues." Benjamin Shoemaker was once a mayor of Philadelphia, and Conraid Reif lived near Benjamin Franklin. -- Wayne Fiscus, p.23; J.A and Elma Fiscus, p.24

"Gerhardt [Fiscus] and Mary [Magdalena] lived at first in the Philadelphia area where Gerhardt worked as an indentured servant to pay for his and Mary's passage. They apparently later lived in Lancaster County a while then settled in Westmoreland County [maybe about 1769] which is just east of Pttsburgh, PA. They had six children. Their eldest child a son, John Fiscus, married Catherine Frans and had six children." -- Wayne Fiscus, p.12

Garrett and Mary landed in Philadelphia on the ship Phoenix on August 20, 1744. He was a tailor. He lived near Benjamin Franklin and tradition says there was a marriage between the families. Garrett later went from Philadelphia to Lancaster where he was a trustee of the High Dutch Church. -- Elma Fiscus 1975 letter to Mary Smith

List of dates: On August 1, 1769, Garrett Fiscus, as Trustee of German High Dutch Church, deeded two lots in Maytown, PA, Lancaster County. In 1759 he had 130 acres of land. In 1769 he was assessed taxes in Lancaster County, PA. On April 11, 1769 he purchased land in Greensburg, Westmoreland County. On April 6, 1773, Garret Fiskes was named to the First Grand Jury on New Court at Hannastown, PA. In 1773 Garrat Fiskis and in 1783 Garard Fiskis was listed on the tax rolls of Mt. Pleasant Township, Bedford County, PA. On June 19, 1778, Garet Fiskey took the Oath of Fidelity to Penna. In 1790 the census of Westmoreland County for Garet Fiskes showed one male, one male under 16 (orphaned grandson John McCologh), and one female. On February 12, 1794, Garrett Fiscos agreed to sell some land in Westmoreland County. -- J.A and Elma Fiscus, pp. 21, 30

Shortly after 1769, Garrett Fiscus and his three sons, John, Charles and Abraham, came from Lancaster County, PA, to Westmoreland County, PA, via the Forbes Road. -- J.A. and Elma Fiscus, p.27

According to the text of a contract, on June 18, 1790, Garrett Fiscus agreed to sell to Abraham Fiscus (his son) and Adam Weaver (his son-in-law) his plantation in Unity Township, Westmoreland County, for annual payments of grain and animals until Garrett died. -- J.A and Elma Fiscus, p.35

When he made his last will and testament on September 30, 1797, Gerhart Fiscos (Garrett Fiscus) lived in Unity Township, Westmoreland County, PA. He was married to Mary Magdalena UNKNOWN before 1744 in Germany. ⁽⁸⁵⁸⁾ Garrett Fiscus was married to Mary Magdalena before he emigrated in 1744 from Germany to America. Garrett Fiscus and Mary Magdalena had 6 children, named John, Barbara, Catherine, Charles, Mary, and Abraham. -- Jacob Fiscus tree.

Elma Fiscus wrote: "Wm. Penn went to Germany to recruit people to come to what is now Pennsylvania. He promised religious freedom. The journey usually started in May and ended in October. 26 custom houses had to be stopped at on the trip up the Rhine. Delays in Holland, where food was dear, depleted the funds of the traveler. It took 8, 9, or 12 weeks to cross the Atlantic depending on the wind. Seven weeks was considered a short trip. Passengers were packed on the boats like sardines-many got ill--many died. On arrival here, the passengers were bargained for to pay their passage debts. No stigma was attached to this as all were in the same situation. In 1792, of 150 who left Germany, only 50 arrived in Philadelphia. Fiscus folk must have been a hardy lot. Ship captains were cruel and dishonest. Chest of required items were broken into and things stolen. One man wrote that he got on a ship at Rotterdam on 9-5-1747 and arrived in Philadelphia 4-5-1748. On arrival here most passengers were owing money to the ship captain and someone here had to pay the bill." -- Alma Fiscus.

897. Mary Magdalena UNKNOWN was born about 1725 in Rhine Palatinate, Germany. She was born before 1732 in Germany. ⁽⁸⁵⁹⁾ Mary Magdalena was married to Garrett Fiscus before they emigrated to the U.S. from Germany in 1744. [Thus, she had to have been born in Germany and at least 12 years old.] She died in Greensburg, Westmoreland Co., PA. ⁽⁸⁶⁰⁾ Place. She died in Greensburg, Westmoreland Co., PA. Children were:

448 i. John FISCUS I.
ii. Catherine FISCUS was born in 1754.⁽⁸⁶¹⁾ Catherine Fiscus was born in 1754 according to the service records of her husband, Adam Weaver.
iii. Abraham FISCUS^{(719) (862)} was born in 1760 in Lancaster Co., PA. ⁽⁸⁶³⁾ Abraham Fiscus, son of Garrett Fiscus, was born in 1760 in Lancaster County, PA, according to his Revolutionary War service record. He died in 1835. ^(719)(864) Date of death had to be after 1797, the date of his father's will, and was in 1834 or 1835 according to one source. Shortly after 1769, Garrett Fiscus and his three sons, John, Charles and Abraham, came from Lancaster County, PA, to Westmoreland County, PA, via the Forbes Road.

Abraham Fiscos, apparently the third child, was given 133 pounds by his father, Gerhart Fiscos, in his father's 1797 will to take "good care of his mother." His father gave to his wife Mary (Abraham's mother), among other things, the orchard and the apples therein, instructing Abraham to make cider for her and to have "half of the cider for his trouble". Abraham, along with John Hugus, were made the executors of Gerhart Fiscos's will.

In 1802 Abraham Fiscus and John Hugus filed an executor's report in Greenburg, PA.
iv. Charles (Charley)(Carl) FISCUS^{(719) (865)} died in 1804. ^(719)(866) Charley Fiscos was alive when his father wrote his will in 1797, and died in 1804 or 1811 according to documents in Greensburg, PA. Shortly after 1769, Garrett Fiscus and his three sons, John, Charles and Abraham, came from Lancaster County, PA, to Westmoreland County, PA, via the Forbes Road. -- J.A. and Elma Fiscus, p.27

After giving certain persons specific bequests, Gerhart (Garrett) Fiscos bequeathed in his will the remainder of his estate to his wife, Mary Magtelena. After her death, all of her inheritance was to be divided equally among Charley Fiscos (his son), William Deel (his son-in law, and John Macalogh (the only surviving child of his daughter Barbara). -- Will of Garrett Fiscus.

A list of Charles Fiscus's children, with various information, is in J.A. Fiscus's notes. -- J.A. and Elma Fiscus, p. 42

v. Mary FISCUS⁽⁷¹⁹⁾. After giving certain persons specific bequests, Gerhart (Garrett) Fiscos bequeathed in his will the remainder of his estate to his wife, Mary Magtelena. After her death, all of her inheritance was to be divided equally among Charley Fiscos (his son), William Deel (his son-in law), and John Macalogh (the only surviving child of his daughter Barbara).
vi. Barbara FISCUS⁽⁷¹⁹⁾. After giving certain persons specific bequests, Gerhart (Garrett) Fiscos bequeathed in his will the remainder of his estate to his wife, Mary Magtelena. After her death, all of her inheritance was to be divided equally among Charley Fiscos (his son), William Deel (his son-in law), and John Macalogh (the only surviving child of his daughter Barbara).