Joshua Fisher (Massachusetts politician)

On January 7, 1649 – 1650, Fisher was charged by town meeting with surveying the town and drawing a map that showed the various property lines.[19] Following this appointment, he is regularly appointed as the town's surveyor.[19] Following the colony's assignment to Dedham of 8,000 acres at Pocumptuck, Fisher, Ensign John Euerard, and Jonathan Danforth were appointed to survey the grant.[19][9] While engaged in this effort, he became the first in the region to use a compass while surveying.[1]

He drew the line between Sudbury and Watertown, Massachusetts in 1650[9] and also the line between Dedham and Dorchester in 1670.[18] Dorchester hired him to draw a map of their town in 1661 and then again in 1670.[18] Also in 1670, he ran the line from "Blue Hill to Plymouth."[18]

Fisher surveyed the border of Massachusetts and Plymouth Colony. In 1664[9] and then again in 1670.[18] He also appointed with several other to lay out the town of Mendon, Massachusetts.[9] After the town of Natick was set off from Dedham, Fisher surveyed that new community.[18]

Fisher laid out the property of Mr. ALcock and Mr. Bradstreet, and settled a dispute between Mr. Z. Gold and Governor John Endecott.[9] He also laid out Endecott's farm on the Ipswich River.

After Michael Powell left Dedham for Boston in 1649, it left the town without a tavern keeper.[20] Fisher then opened Fisher's Tavern in what is present day Dedham Square, on Bullard Street, near "the keye where the first settlers' landed."[3][9][20] This public house featured the "Great Room" with a large fieldstone fireplace.[3] In the summer, the room was filled with asparagus, smoke tree, and green shrubs.[3] On the high desk, next to the quill pens, was the tavern's account book.[3]

Fisher brewed his own malt liquor and had a tap room at his house and a drinking room at the brew house.[3][9] Given the distance from Boston, the General Court agreed on May 9, 1649, to free Dedham from the tax levied on wine.[3][1] They also granted Fisher the right to serve "strong waters."[3] Should anyone get drunk at his establishment, though, he would be fined 10 shillings.[3] A colony law also required him to close down during the time church services were held.[3]

His tavern was passed down through his son, Joshua, to his grandson, also named Joshua.[21] From there it passed to his son-in-law, Nathaniel Ames.[22]

Fisher was granted eight acres (3.2 ha) of land in 1642,[9] which was the standard amount Dedham gave to single men. He also received a lot of six acres (2.4 ha), and then another lot the following year.[9] On March 7, 1652 – 1653, when the town divided 500 acres (200 ha), he received 15 acres (6.1 ha).[9]

The colony granted him 300 acres (120 ha) upon the Medfield line in return for services performed but sold it to Nicholas Wood.[9] He had previous received another grant of either 900 or 500 acres (360 or 200 ha) to the west, but sold it to Edmund and William Sheffield.[9] He once purchased land from William Avery.[18] In 1662, he leased some meadows in Dorchester.[23]

When he first arrived in Dedham, Fisher worked as a blacksmith.[4][3] Fisher and Lusher owned a saw mill on the Neponset River that is depicted on the seal of the Town of Walpole, Massachusetts.[24][25] They were granted permission to open it on March 4, 1658 – 1659.[1][26]

Fisher agreed to shingle the meetinghouse on January 17, 1651-2 and to have it done by June 24, 1652, in return for £15 but was ultimately paid £20.[9]

In 1652, Nathanial Whiting sold his mill on Mother Brook and all his town rights to Fisher, John Dwight, Francis Chickering, and John Morse for 250 pounds, but purchased it back the following year.[27]