James Fisk (politician)

James Fisk (October 4, 1763 – November 17, 1844) was an American politician from Vermont. He served in the House of Representatives and the United States Senate.

James Fisk
Member of the United States House of Representatives from Vermont's 3rd district
In office March 4, 1805 – March 3, 1809
Preceded by	William Chamberlain
Succeeded by	William Chamberlain
Member of the United States House of Representatives from Vermont's 3rd district
In office March 4, 1811 – March 3, 1815
Preceded by	William Chamberlain
Succeeded by	Chauncey Langdon
United States Senator from Vermont
In office November 4, 1817 – January 8, 1818
Preceded by	Dudley Chase
Succeeded by	William A. Palmer
Member of the Vermont House of Representatives
In office 1800–1805 1809–1810 1815
Personal details
Born	(1763-10-04)October 4, 1763 Greenwich, Province of Massachusetts Bay, British America
Died	November 17, 1844(1844-11-17) (aged 81) Swanton, Vermont, U.S.
Political party	Democratic-Republican
Spouse(s)	Priscilla West
Profession	Politician, Minister, Lawyer, Judge

Early life

Fisk was born in Greenwich, Province of Massachusetts Bay, the son of Stephen Fisk and Anna Bradish. His father died when Fisk was a year old, and he was largely self-educated.[1] As a teenager, he worked on his family's farm.

Start of career

Military service

He served in the Revolutionary War from 1779 to 1782 as a private in Captain Willis' Company, Colonel Brooks' Regiment, a unit of the Massachusetts Militia.

Post-American Revolution

After the war, he was a farmer in Greenwich. In 1785, Fisk served as a member of the Massachusetts General Court.[2] Fisk was ordained as a Universalist minister, and preached occasionally. He married Priscilla West in 1786.[3]

Move to Vermont

In 1798, Fisk moved to what is now Barre City, Vermont, but was then a village in the Town of Barre. While owning and operating a farm, Fisk received his credentials as a Universalist minister and began to preach. He also studied law, was admitted to the bar, and began the practice of law as the first attorney in Barre.[4] In 1799 he was elected to the town's board of selectmen.

Fisk represented Barre in the Vermont House of Representatives from 1800 to 1805, 1809 to 1810 and in 1815.[5] He was judge of the Orange County, Vermont Court from 1802 to 1809 and in 1816.[6] In 1803, he was Orange County's member of the commission to choose a permanent site for the state capital, which selected Montpelier In 1804, he served as chairman of the commission that attempted to settle the question of the Vermont-Canada boundary.

Congressman

In 1804, Fisk was elected to the United States House of Representatives as a Democratic-Republican. He was reelected in 1806, and served two terms, March 4, 1805 to March 3, 1809.[7] He ran unsuccessfully for reelection in 1808.

In 1810, Fiske was elected again to the House. He was reelected in 1812, and served from March 4, 1811 to March 3, 1815.[8] He was chairman of the Committee on Elections.

Fisk was appointed United States Judge for the Territory of Indiana in 1812 by President James Madison,[9] but declined the appointment. He was a delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1814, and served as judge of the Supreme Court of Vermont from 1815 to 1816.[10]

U.S. Senator

In 1817, Fisk was elected to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Dudley Chase. He served from November 4, 1817 until resigning on January 8, 1818[11][12] to become U.S. collector of customs for the district of Vermont. He served from 1818 until 1826,[13] moved to Swanton, Vermont in 1819 so that he could be closer to the border with Canada and the crossing points where customs were paid.

Death

Fisk died in Swanton on November 17, 1844. He was interred at the Church Street Cemetery in Swanton.[14]

Family

Following his Revolutionary War service, Fisk married Priscilla West (1763–1840).

Fisk's daughter Parma was the wife of Orlando Stevens, who served as Fisk's deputy collector, and was later a member of the legislatures of both Vermont and Minnesota.[15]

References

1. "James Fisk (1763–1844)". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
2. Journal of the Senate, Volume 130. Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 1909. p. 170.
3. "James Fisk". Find A Grave. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
4. "FISK, James, (1763–1844)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
5. Crockett, Walter Hill (1921). Vermont: the Green mountain state, Volume 2. 1921: The Century history company, inc. pp. 593. james fisk judge of the Orange County, Vermont Court.CS1 maint: location (link)
6. Gazetteer of Washington County, Vt., 1783–1889. The Syracuse journal company, printers. 1889. pp. 59. james fisk judge of the Orange County, Vermont Court.
7. "Sen. James Fisk". govtrack.us. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
8. "Sen. James Fisk". govtrack.us. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
9. "Federal Judges for the Indiana Territory" (PDF). Indiana.edu. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
10. Thompson, Zadock (1842). History Of Vermont, Natural, Civil And Statistical, In Three Parts, With A Few Map Of The State, And 200 Engravings. pp. 124. james fisk supreme Court of Vermont.
11. Dodge, Andrew R. (2005). Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774–2005: The Continental Congress, September 5, 1774, to October 21, 1788, and the Congress of the United States, from the First Through the One Hundred Eighth Congresses, March 4, 1789, to January 3, 2005. Government Printing Office. p. 85.
12. "Sen. James Fisk". govtrack.us. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
13. Lanman, Charles Lanman (1887). Biographical Annals of the Civil Government of the United States. J.M. Morrison. pp. 171. fisk appointed United States Judge for the Territory of Indiana.
14. "James Fisk". Find A Grave. Retrieved November 15, 2012.
15. Crafts, James M.; Crafts, William Francis (1893). The Crafts Family: A Genealogical and Biographical History of the Descendants of Griffin and Alice Craft of Roxbury, Mass., 1630–1890. Northampton, MA: Gazette Printing Company. p. 224.

Further reading

• "Gazetteer of Washington County, Vt., 1783–1889" by William Adams, The Syracuse Journal Company Printers, 1899

External links

• Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• James Fisk at Find a Grave
• govtrack.us: Sen. James Fisk
• The Political Graveyard: James Fisk (1763-1844)

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by William Chamberlain	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Vermont's 3rd congressional district 1805–1809	Succeeded by William Chamberlain
Preceded by William Chamberlain	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Vermont's 3rd congressional district 1811–1815	Succeeded by Chauncey Langdon
U.S. Senate
Preceded by Dudley Chase	U.S. senator (Class 3) from Vermont 1817—1818 Served alongside: Isaac Tichenor	Succeeded by William A. Palmer