Preserved Fish (1766-1846)

Portrait from "the Fish Family in England and America", 1948.

   Certainly, one of the most humorously named individuals in American history,  Preserved Fish was a leading financier and merchant in New York City who earns placement here on the site due to his service as a Democratic presidential elector for New York in 1832. As improbable as the man's name sounds, he is, in fact, a real person, and his first name is correctly pronounced as "Pres-er-ved". The Banker's Magazine and Financial Register, Volume I, published in 1847, gives the following notice on his unusual first name: 

"It is not known why the singular name of Preserved was given to him; but its peculiarity probably added notoriety to a character already distinguished for consistency, a discriminating judgment, and stern integrity." 

   Preserved Fish was born on July 3, 1766, in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the son of Isaac and Ruth Grinnell Fish. A scion of the influential Fish family, this clan gained further prominence in New York political circles for producing such eminent statesmen as Governor and Secretary of State Hamilton Fish (1818-1893) and Congressman Hamilton Fish III (1888-1991.) Fish's father Isaac was a prominent local blacksmith and raised his son to follow along the same route, which he did until age fourteen.

   While still residing in Rhode Island, young Preserved was apprenticed as a farmer, but soon tired of this employment and ran away from home. He took passage on board a whaling ship, becoming a cabin boy. After several years of hard work learning the seafaring trade, Fish rose through the ranks of command and by 1787 was the captain of his own whaling ship (at the young age of 21!) The 1890 work Portrait Gallery of the Chamber of Commerce notes that Fish made a reputation on the seas as having "shrewdness and tireless energy" and because of these traits "accumulated a fortune". Although lacking in years, Fish was viewed as a reliable captain, with the Portrait Gallery remarking that Fish had:

"No fear, and once when his vessel sprung a leak, and the crew, on the verge of mutiny, demanded his return to the nearest port, he refused to yield, and eventually brought his ship and cargo of oil safe to their destination." 

  Preserved Fish married his first wife, Abigail Clark, in Massachusetts in 1788. In 1791 she died in childbirth and two years later he remarried to Mary "Polly" Gerrish. The couple's length of marriage remains undetermined, and by 1800 was married to Mary Shepard (name also recorded as Pease.) These unions would be childless and despite having no biological children of his own, Fish would later adopt a son, William Middleton (1812-1840) who later took the name William Middleton Fish.

   By 1810, Fish had accumulated enough savings from the sale of whale oil to give up the sea life and settled in New York City. It was here that he established contact with his cousin Joseph Grinnell (1788-1885) in 1815 and soon after the two founded the shipping firm of Fish and Grinnell. Within a few short years, this firm became one of the most profitable and influential firms in New York merchant circles.

   In 1817, Preserved Fish became one of the founders of the New York Exchange Board (which later became the New York Stock Exchange) and in 1829 became president of the Tradesman's Bank of New York, which had been incorporated six years previously. Fish was also a prominent member of the New York Chamber of Commerce for nearly thirty years, holding a membership from 1818 until his death in 1846.

                                This picture of Fish is in a collection at the New York Public Library.

   In November 1832, Preserved Fish won election as a Presidential Elector for New York, and is listed as such in the 1833 edition of the National Calendar and Annals of the United States. The listing of the electors (including Fish) is shown below. It is mentioned in the various resources available on Fish that he was aligned with Tammany Hall (the notorious Democratic political machine) and was one of four electors from New York County to win election that year.

                                                Fish's name is highlighted in yellow on this roster.

   The History of the Fish Family in England and America makes light of Preserved's political leanings, mentioning him as a "Democrat with the courage of his convictions." This same work also relates a humorous story centering on Fish's comments in regards to the Whig Party in New York City's seventh ward, remarking:

"If the Whigs succeed in electing their candidate", he said during one campaign, "I will run around the Seventh Ward in my shirt".

   The Fish family genealogy further relates that after making the above statement:

 "The Whigs did succeed and as Mr. Fish found it inexpedient to carry out his announced intention, they revenged themselves by circulating a very cheap print representing him clothed in a night cap and shirt, running at the top of his speed".

   Fish remained President of the Tradesman's Bank until his death at age 80 on July 23, 1846. As one of New York's leading public men, news of Fish's death made newspapers as far away as Virginia, and following his death, he was interred at the historic New York City Marble Cemetery. The resting place of several prominent 18th and early 19th century New Yorkers, this cemetery's other interments include Marinus Willett (1740-1830), a former sheriff of New York County who served a term as Mayor of New York City from 1807-08.

From the Portsmouth Virginia New Era, August 1, 1846.