Fisher, George, 1795-1873

Early Texas settler George Fisher (1795-1873) was born Djordje Ribar in Hungary to Serbian parents. After serving in the Slavonic Legion during the Serbian Revolution from 1813 to 1814, he immigrated to America, eventually settling in Mississippi, and adopted the name George Fisher, the English variant of Djordje Ribar.

In 1825, he traveled to Mexico, becoming a citizen in 1829. That same year, he was appointed collector of customs for Galveston, Texas, and in 1830 became administrator of the port of Galveston. When Manual de Mier y Terán ordered the port suspended in 1830, Fisher became secretary of the ayuntamiento, or governing body, of San Felipe. The following year, he established the Anahuac customhouse, decreeing all ships from certain ports be cleared through Anahuac, which led to the Anahuac Disturbances and to Fisher’s move to Matamoros in 1832. He published the newspaper Mercurio del Puerto de Matamoros from 1832 until 1835, when he moved to New Orleans as commissary general and secretary for the Tampico Expedition, which unsuccessfully sought to provoke Mexican insurrection by attacking Tampico.

In 1837, Fisher became a commission agent in Houston. He also served as justice of the peace (1839), a member of the Houston City Council (1840), and president of the philanthropic society German Union. In 1843, Fisher became major of the Second Brigade in the Texas Militia. After traveling in Panama, he settled in California in 1851 and served in several civic posts in San Francisco. In 1870, Fisher became consul to Greece.

Source:

Hazlewood, Claudia. Fisher, George. Handbook of Texas Online . Accessed November 30, 2010. http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/ffi16 .

From the guide to the Fisher, George, papers 1928., 1830-1848, (Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin)

Early Texas settler George Fisher (1795-1873) was born Djordje Ribar in Hungary to Serbian parents. After serving in the Slavonic Legion during the Serbian Revolution from 1813 to 1814, he immigrated to America, eventually settling in Mississippi, and adopted the name George Fisher, the English variant of Djordje Ribar.

In 1825, he traveled to Mexico, becoming a citizen in 1829. That same year, he was appointed collector of customs for Galveston, Texas, and in 1830 became administrator of the port of Galveston.

When Manual de Mier y Terán ordered the port suspended in 1830, Fisher became secretary of the ayuntamiento, or governing body, of San Felipe. The following year, he established the Anahuac customhouse, decreeing all ships from certain ports be cleared through Anahuac, which led to the Anahuac Disturbances and to Fisher's move to Matamoros in 1832. He published the newspaper Mercurio del Puerto de Matamoros from 1832 until 1835, when he moved to New Orleans as commissary general and secretary for the Tampico Expedition, which unsuccessfully sought to provoke Mexican insurrection by attacking Tampico.

In 1837, Fisher became a commission agent in Houston. He also served as justice of the peace (1839), a member of the Houston City Council (1840), and president of the philanthropic society German Union. In 1843, Fisher became major of the Second Brigade in the Texas Militia. After traveling in Panama, he settled in California in 1851 and served in several civic posts in San Francisco. In 1870, Fisher became consul to Greece.

From the description of Fisher, George, papers, 1830-1848 (University of Texas Libraries). WorldCat record id: 775461624