Preserved Fish
Preserved Fish | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Freetown, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | July 23, 1846 (aged 80) New York City, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, shipping merchant, banker |
| Years active | Early 19th century |
| Known for | Leading shipping merchant in New York City; early broker of the New York Stock & Exchange Board; President of Tradesman's Bank and Bank of America (historical) |
Preserved Fish (; born July 14, 1766 – died July 23, 1846) was a distinguished American entrepreneur and a leading shipping merchant in early 19th-century New York City. He also ranked among the initial brokers of the New York Stock & Exchange Board.
Early life
Originating from Freetown, Massachusetts, Preserved Fish was the son of blacksmith Isaac Fish and Ruth Grinnell Fish. He belonged to a prominent New York lineage that included notable individuals such as Hamilton Fish, who served as governor, senator, and secretary of state, along with Stuyvesant Fish. His ancestry traces back to Thomas Fish, an early settler in New England dating to 1643. The Quaker tradition in his family favored the distinctive name Preserved, which was common among relatives and often led to confusion in genealogical records. Pronounced with three syllables— or —the name signifies "preserved (saved) from sin."
By the age of 21, Fish captained a whaling vessel but soon recognized that trading in whale oil offered more lucrative opportunities than direct harvesting.
Career
Fish initially achieved success as a merchant based in New Bedford, Massachusetts. However, following a political disagreement, he relocated to New York City. There, together with Joseph Grinnell, he managed the influential shipping enterprise Fish & Grinnell, which later became Grinnell, Minturn & Company. This company grew out of his initiatives to broaden the whale oil market. In 1812, he assumed a directorship at Bank of America (distinct from the modern bank), an institution established after the charter of the First Bank of the United States was allowed to lapse. Additionally, Fish was among 28 brokers who formed the New York Exchange Board, the predecessor to today’s New York Stock Exchange.
After stepping down from Fish & Grinnell and briefly retiring from business, he took on leadership roles from 1836 until his passing as President of both the Tradesman's Bank and the Bank of America (unrelated to the current entity). Politically active, he was affiliated with Tammany Hall and, alongside banker Gideon Lee, led a faction that dominated New York City's Democratic Party during a failed contest against reformers known as Locofoco. Moreover, he played a prominent role opposing sabbatarianism within the United States.
Personal life
Fish entered into marriage three times. His first wife, Abigail Clark Fish, passed away during childbirth in New Bedford. His second spouse, Mary Polly Fish (Gerrish), died in New York City; just four months afterward, he married Mary Shepherd Fish.
Although none of his biological children survived him, he adopted a son named William Fish, who reportedly predeceased him under disgraceful circumstances. William’s offspring was designated to inherit most of Preserved Fish’s estate on the condition that he renounce his mother upon reaching twenty-one years of age.
In his later years, Fish was affiliated with the Episcopal Church. He died on July 23, 1846, in New York City and was interred at the New York City Marble Cemetery. His obituary characterized him as "rough, obstinate, and eccentric," yet also noted his qualities as "without guile," "charitable," and a loyal friend.